The best We had the best birthday dinner celebrating my son! Jose, our server, was absolutely…read moreamazing. He was so kind, friendly, and attentive, and he made our celebration even more special. We truly had a wonderful experience and enjoyed every moment. Thank you, Jose, for making my son's birthday dinner so memorable! We will definitely be back! Highly recommend!

Unfortunately they did not set table after 1 hour waiting even though there is not anybody else in…read morethe queue and there were four empty table in the main room. They apologized and gave us some welcome snacks.

I reached out to the restaurant to book a lunch for a work meeting - we were staying nearby and…read morewanted to have lunch offsite. The staff member who called me notified me that I could reach Martin with having our pre-orders ready because we were on a schedule and wanted to make sure we didn't waste time with people deciding and finally ordering. I emailed the orders a week in advance, and Martin and his team were in touch to confirm our table and presence as they were going to start firing the orders ten minutes before our arrival. Our party of 12 was seated promptly and attended to very well. The orders came out and I was able to direct them to the person who ordered. I even ordered too much for the table in french fries, and they were able to get them to another table and remove them from our tab. I was so grateful as they could have easily refused as they were part of our pre-order and ready to go. They were so prompt that we had an extra 20 minutes before we needed to reconvene our meeting. Everyone enjoyed their meals and I think the team here did above and beyond. The staff was pleasant, receptive and prompt. I would definitely recommend Bocanova for your event.

Bocanova is the place to be for the World Cup! We were there to watch one of the games for happy…read morehour and had a great time. The atmosphere was fantastic, the service was outstanding and they paid attention to every detail. The happy hour menu was good for oysters but their version of beignets and bread pudding should be named something different, especially since we had just came back from New Orleans. Overall, this place is a vibe and I encourage everyone to try it out!

I order out here frequently as I work close by, this place has amazing food! They have this special…read moreon Wednesday and Thursday called Feijoada it's a Brazilian National Dish made of black beans stew with sausages and pork served with rice, collard greens, and farofa (yucca flour) it is a delicious to me it is a total comfort food, also I've had the both the chicken dishes the lemon one and the mushroom one and both are amazing, the salad that is served with both dishes has a fresh homemade dressing that is so good. If you're in the area try this place out you won't be disappointed.

It's been a while since I've been here but came here recently and was reminded of the fresh cuisine…read morehere. Even thought I can't recall exacrly what I had I always remember it being fresh and tasty! I will come back and update! Enjoy!

Yemeni cafe with a more relaxed and fruit-forward vibe…read more I was feeling a little low in energy and looking for either a fresh juice or smoothie to bolster my immune system. So glad Mellana Cafe was recommended via Yelp, because holy moly they definitely know how to make fresh, healthy, and colorful fruit smoothies and juices. All of the choices looks so refreshing and yummy, but I knew I wanted some ginger and some vitamin C in mine, so went with the Jamaican Ginger Paradise. It was so delicious, and the smoothie was the perfect amount of thickness and melt ratio. It had a very vibrant beautiful citrus color. The two ladies working the front were so friendly and efficient. A+ for service. I also like how cute their cafe was, but not a place where I would study. The chairs are more for short chats with your buddies, they also have some few outdoor spots for the doggos. I'm definitely coming back, maybe next time to try their Adeni chai or their other Yemeni hot drinks.

This a cute cafe! I had a strawberry and banana smoothie so good I forgot to take a picture…read more Definitely come check it out.

World Cup finals and a great vibe inside and outside she's I went pick up empanadas. Thanks for all…read morethe yummy empanadas and for creating space for community to gather and be joyful. Appreciated the quick take/out service too.

Always a pleasure! I have been here multiple times to get a morning fix of empanadas and Yerba…read moremate. (One of the only places I've been to that actually brews it perfectly) also don't get me started on the chimichurri sauce ! Delectable !!!

Casa do Petisco is located inside the Berkeley organic market on the right has you walk in. There…read moreare 3 tables inside and 2 tables in the front. I studied abroad in Brazil and often frequented a local bakery there so sometimes I do miss these bakery/small plate items and I'm so glad I found this place. I ordered Pao de queijo (cheese bread), coxinha, and a beef empanada. I came in around 11 something so all they had at the moment was 3 traditional pao de queijo and 2 guavas and this was the first time I've ever tried the guava ones and it really was life changing! It was fresh and definitely didn't feel overwhelming by the filling. The coxinha was definitely more flavorful than the ones I've had in Brazil and enjoyed it, same as the beef empanada. I do wish they had pastels! The thin rectangle ones! It definitely looked like the staff here also operated the market as you can check out at the same counter. Can't wait to come back for the guava pao de queijo and to try the sandwiches!

My friends and I came here for a special event, World Cup Watch Party for Brazil vs. Norway, and…read morefeaturing Brazilian entertainment by Namorados da Lua, who we enjoy listening and dancing to! Parking on a Sunday was probably better than other days as it is free and unlimited in the residential area. Casa Do Petisco is inside an organic market and it is very welcoming and cozy! We got there early for seats and decided on watching the entertainment as well as the game outside in the spacious back yard. As soon as we got our seats outside, I went to order the food and service was efficient and friendly! I ordered 2 Guranas and 1 Golden State cider, pastrami sandwich on roll, Brazilian chicken salad on roll, and the Petisco platter, which consisted of yuca fries, Pão de Queijo (cheese bread), olives and amendoin (peanut) and cilantro sauce, which were all tasty. For dessert for my friend, I got her a pao de mel (honey bread) for her belated birthday! The whole experience was fun, friendly and relaxing except when the game was on, we were all tense!

Great food! Hubs is from ES and says this place is as close to his grandmother's cooking as he's…read morecome across...and just as tasty. Generous portions, too.

I ran across this place on my way to another restaurant. Pupusa are one of my favorite latinos…read morefoods. They had just opened so there weren't alot of folks in there, so I got seated right way. They have an extensive menu and there are three locations, one close to my house, but love how especially in the University setting they're including in culinary diversity. I settled on the $25 lunch option that came with 2 pupusas of your choice and various sides to choose from. They are listed as different combo. Service is ok, but I tend to like service where they check in once or twice and I'm good, which what they did. They also didn't rush me. I ordered the combo with chicken & Cheese Pupusa and Loroco & Cheese, plantains and rice and beans with sour cream. I love plantains and they gave a healthy portion and I was getting full on that and the rice and the first pupusa. I also love they they bring out a little mason jar of curtido (pickled cabbage) with this little tongs. I also ordered a el salavdorian for chats which I found a lot sweeter than a regular. May check out the Oakland location and compare but Ill definitely come back here.

My husband is a big foodie, so whenever we're in Berkeley, we always look for a place to stop and…read moreenjoy something delicious. This time, I stopped in to pick up some pan dulce, and I had such a wonderful experience. As soon as I walked in, I was warmly greeted by the cashier. I don't remember her name, but she told me she was from Nicaragua. Her kindness, friendliness, and genuine smile immediately made me feel welcome. It may seem like a small gesture, but great customer service makes such a big difference. We all get so busy and distracted these days that sometimes we forget how meaningful a warm greeting can be. She truly brightened my day, and I wanted to take a moment to thank her for making me feel so welcome. The pan dulce was delicious, and the outstanding customer service made the experience even better. I'll definitely be back!

The food was good, but it came out a bit cold. The environment was decent. Since this is a…read moreself‑service restaurant, there wasn't much actual service to comment on. The food was a bit pricey, so I probably wouldn't revisit, especially since I can find similar value at a better price. If you're in town and want something good to eat, I'd say it's worth a visit.

Columbian-by-way-of-California fine dining. Part of what makes the restaurant so special is that it…read morewelcomes children and families. On the level, the food warrants 4 stars, but this restaurant is uniquely child-friendly and worth spotlighting for that reason. The 3+ hour tasting menu is an experience to behold. We saw that there is a children's price online, so we included our almost-ten year old in the reservation. Everyone -- the adults in our party as well as the servers -- felt a bit of trepidation when we sat down, but all turned out well. He read a book between courses and watched the food being cooked in the open kitchen. Our party had a lively conversation throughout and the servers -- who were very friendly -- jumped in and out. At one point, we turned around to find a low shelf with Dr. Seuss books, which we learned belonged to the chef when his kids were younger. It felt symbolic of the whole attitude of the place. Regarding the menu, I will briefly say that it was excellent. All dishes were superbly executed, though a couple perhaps needed a bit more imagination. For example, the black garlic and harissa that garnished the lamb felt very "on-trend," rather than something unique to this restaurant. That said, it was delicious and the flavors were well-paired. The children's menu turned out to be identical to the adults' in terms of dishes and proportions. Not everything appealed to our plucky nine year old's palate but he did indeed eat most of what was put in front of him. Mägo makes a welcoming entrée to fine dining for young eaters. I love forward to returning with my family on the future.

My friend brought me here for dinner, and I was really excited to try it. We also got the drink…read morepairing and that was really fun. I really liked the first several courses as they were really fun, creative and beautifully presented. When we got to the proteins, it was honestly quite underwhelming for me. It was almost disappointing. The first protein was a local seabass with a cashew (or walnut?) sauce but the sauce was so incredibly salty that it had a bit of a bite to it so needless to say, got rid of the sauce to eat the fish. Fish was also a bit dry. The next was lamb 2 ways. It was fine but also just a piece of grilled steak on the plate and a merguez sausage stuffed pepper. The stuffed pepper was fun but neither of the these 2 things were mind blowingly good or creative. The lamb plate looked so boring that any home cook can do it. Overall, proteins were a miss for me. My friend got the cheese plate, it was fine but I don't think it's worth the extra add on. It wasn't anything super special. Then the dessert which is usually my favorite part of the meal. First was a roasted strawberry and a milk ice cream dish that was delightful and beautifully presented. The second was a small bite with compressed melon and a financier. The financier was even saltier than that fish. Definitely used salt instead of sugar. Not sure how that was missed but it was probably the most disgusting "dessert" I've eaten at a restaurant. Thus, the 3 stars because it was truly disappointing that the meal ended on a salty note...literally. Service was fine. Wasn't the most outstanding, it feels like some of the staff members didn't know the menu super well and certainly didn't seem confident in telling us what we were eating and drinking. The drinks were really tasty though, got to try a large variety of things I probably wouldn't try on my own. Really wanted to love this place as the dinner started off strong but didn't end well. With the drink pairing on a weekend night, absolutely NOT worth your money.

This is my go to spot for an açai bowl! I miss it so much now that I graduated and moved back home,…read morebut I make sure to get it every time i'm in the area. I love the fact that you can add protein to your base, especially since that's not an option in any of the açai bowl places in the south bay (to my knowledge). If you can, try to order ahead online because they are always super busy, especially on the weekends.

I ordered the Blue Colada smoothie. Although very beautiful, there was virtually no taste. I…read morecouldn't taste any of the flavors or fruits. Not sure if they use frozen ingredients, but I was disappointed. Service was very slow, waited a while to receive my order. The location is great, however I will try another smoothie bar next time.