holy moly, please work on the ventilation because as soon i walked in on fri night around 9pm, it was a burst of hot stuffy bo. and it was not super crowded. maybe it was an outlier night since most reviews are pretty good but i could not stay any minute longer. read more

a really shitty place. cheap ikea furniture, cheap decor, cheap accents, expensive drinks. pisspoor bartenders. uninteresting clientele. spend your money elsewhere. read more

I've only gone here once, this is how it went down: My bf wanted to take me, my bestie and her man here for drinks. He chose this place because it was recommended by a friend of his, a friend of the owner (I think). We went on a Thursday night, around 9ish I believe. We walked in and although there was barely anyone there, the vibe was chill. Good music was being played, everyone that worked there was totally nice. We sat on the couches in the back to eat, which i loved because I hate hate sitting in uncomfortable chairs. So the power went out in the entire building in the middle of our meal, but we finished the meal in candle light; kinda funny because I missed the music & felt bad for my friends who we barely see and it so happened to be their first impression of Berkeley. But in all it was really no biggy. And on the food, I'm a vegetarian and I would say there wasn't too much 4 me to choose from but the food was decent. I had the veggie sandwich, my bf and friends loved their chicken sandwich's and pizza, so right on for them. I would go here again. I would prefer maybe some more appetizers to choose from but the guacamole was good! We will see about next time :) read more

Yay! A friend of mine suggested we check this place out, and I was a little skeptical at first, since Beta was "off the main drag," i.e. Shattuck Ave. This bar is adorable -- it has a San Francisco feel to it, but minus the crowds and the pretentious waitstaff. I loved the colors (gray and red) of the decor, the mood lighting and the yummy edamame. This would be a great place to bring a date or even catch up with a friend over drinks at the bar. Sooo happy that there is another alternative to Jupiter/Triple Rock/Becketts! The only minus side (if you're looking for a happening place) is that this place was super-quiet. I saw, like, three guys in suits and that was it. So c'mon out and show the love for this welcome addition! read more

Just had dinner at Beta Lounge on Durant last night. Very nice. It's close to a main street where there are movie theaters, banks, etc, but far off enough that parking was very easy, even on a Saturday evening. Good decor, nice music. The service was prompt and the owners were very friendly and funny. After having a drink my friends and I decided to stay for our meal. We ordered quiet a few items and they were all good. Spring rolls, a hummus plate, some guacamole, a cheese plate. All were very nicely done. I'm sure my friends and I will go there again. We all had a lovely time. read more

Best happy hour in Berkeley! Great Selection of drinks with a very friendly atmosphere and staff!

Friday night. Apparently they close at 1'am. Bob the bartender was quite exasperated when patrons did not leave. So, now you are warned. Their hours are arbitrary. Oh, and their food sucks. read more

This place is AMAZING. They have a little bit of everything: the ambience is perfect whether you're looking for dinner at a table, relaxation on the couch, or a delicious drink at the bar. The staff is very friendly and their discount nights are super fun ($3.50 Sake bombs on Sunday anyone?!). This is exactly the kind of classy, San Francisco-esque, bar atmosphere that Berkeley should have more of! read more

Wonderful space, great atmosphere, delish food - especially spring rolls and hummus, and guacamole. Lots of options, very gluten free friendly. Fun daily specials, check the website. Great place to chill. read more

nice place to go to and chill especially after you fail a midterm :( read more

Friday nite. Street parking (good luck with that). I got invited by a co-worker to come out and have a drink with her and some of her friends. She plays the piano/electronic keyboard and was going to be joining one of the Dj's while she did her thing on the electronic keyboard. (hopefully im naming the darn thing right)..Ok, the place is very nice, I liked it the moment I walked in. To the left are a couple of tables, towards the back, some very comfortable couches. To the right, DJ is there as soon as you walk in..cool little spot. Then the bar..which is nice. Bartenders are nice. The bathroom was nice and clean. 2 big screen TV's, a plus. Drinks were..Different, but enjoyable. Nice atmosphere, very welcoming, calm, cool, overall a nice place to get together with a group of friends or one or two..and chill, talk, have some drinks. Overall, I really like this little spot. I plan to return. read more

$10 glasses of Macallan 12's and a TV with a nice plush couch. good enough for me.

Very chill atmosphere, a friendly staff and creative drinks! If you like drinks that aren't too sweet, try ordering a customized "Shaikh Basil"-- soju, muddled basil, muddled mint and lemon juice ($7)-- soo good!!! read more

I am giving Beta Lounge 5 stars because the bartenders are super attentive, super sweet, super friendly. Happy hour prices are outstanding.

Smells a bit like feet. Reasonable otherwise. Good for Berkeley.

I have been to several lounges ranging from the west coast to the east coast, and this is definitely a gem! When you walk in, I thought O man, this may be an uptight, pretentious spot b/c the decor is that nice. However, you immediately feel comforted by hip hop/r n b old-school records being played, a warm staff, and a nice drink selection. The lounge is lined with small tables and a two couches. Luckily, we were able to get one of the couches, positioned between two big screen tvs, dialed into sports. Sidebar: I never get tired of seeing commercials or highlights of the Giants winning the World Series so Beta, you won a star from me. Back to the review; The place gets quite busy but it did not get overly packed where you were sweating or anything. There is plenty of room to move around and order drinks. Friends opted for fuji apple, lychee, and raspberry sake. If you want to chill on a Friday night, this is the spot to be! read more

This place was cute and quaint. I just went with two friends and we were 3 out of the 6 or 7 people of the night. Granted it was a Wednesday, and not in a very populated street, it definitely would have been a little more enjoyable if there were more people around. We got a $20 bottle of wine -- special happy hour of Wednesdays; their hummus plate and two pizzas. The hummus was good-- it came with a large pool of hummus surrounded by pita triangles; tomato slices; cucumbers and olives. The pizzas were alright; nothing special; made from a piece of bread with tomato sauce; and cheeses on top. The staff was very friendly, talkative and helpful which is a definite must for me. I also found out that they host a more festive DJ night. Although the Wednesday we went, there was no music until about 8pm, but they were playing baseball playoffs on their flat screen TVs Overall, I would come back; but probably on a Friday~ :) read more

their cabernet is delicious and their service is great! this is one of the hidden gems in Berkeley

This place is AMAZING! Reasonable pricing, excellent appetizers, and they have the game on! Nice modern vibe, and friendly staff. Definitely recommend. read more

Just happen to walk by this hidden gem in B-town. Great spot, flat screens, cheap beers during happy hour to fit my budget and once again I scored on another cool place to chill. I will be back to try out some of there food. read more

HAPPY HOURRRRRRR!!! Ends at 9 - HOW WONDERFUL! THey've got a pretty good selection of beers too, and the service is super nice. Ambiance is really chill too - not too loud so you don't have to yell. Prices are pretty reasonable too at Happy Hour. My friend and I both spent $!4 on 2 beers each and the hummus plate. not bad compared to the 40+ spent at Skates and such :) read more

One of my favorite bars in the area! Small and laid-back, but with class and a friendly staff. They have a great beer selection and those paninis are available right up until last call before closing. Come with (at max) a small group, but don't ruin it for the rest of us by bringing the loud frat-titude from some of the bigger bars. read more

Happy hour is perfect, especially for groups. Service is super friendly and remember you! Simple, yet posh at the same time. Try it!

so they actually pull bad reviews..the only two bad reviews I've ever given a restaurant, both were pulled within days,....

Great place for SAKE!!!! Every time I go there I have a great time. It's never super packed or loud nor do I have to wait forever for a drink!! Can't say enough good things about this spot. read more

Awesome happy hour! I wandered in here once when I was waiting for some friends to meet me. Ever since then I like to stop by when I'm in the area and I love that their happy hour runs until 9pm and that they have it on Saturday too. read more

Just what berkeley needed, a cool down to earth bar. Sporting some of that NYC big city swagger yet privately owned by guys who work behind the bar! Great happy hour specials. Fantastic place to go before a football game. The crowd can be hit or miss depending on what's going on in the surrounding area. Like a football game etc. read more

Happy Hour is great! The peach martini is the best!!!

We had a birthday party there, and they let us reserve all of the couches. They were incredibly kind, and extremely patient, with a lot of people coming in and out all evening. They constantly returned to see what we needed. Their wine selection is fantastic (and only 5 dollars during happy hour from 5-9!), and so is the beer and safe (esp the Nogari) selection. read more

Yikes. Why does this bar have such good reviews? As soon as we walked in, I could tell I was going to be disappointed. Its in a weird location, off shattuck on durant. Inside, there's no cohesive vibe: there's sports playing on tv, a dimly lit bar, high tables all in one corner, strange decorations. The menu reflects this overall disjointedness by providing a full cocktail menu of sake-themed drinks paired with menu items like pizza, chips and guacamole. DRINKS: Lychee martini: Please stop recommending this. Who started this trend? Its straight up vodka and sake in a glass. You would assume a cocktail would have more, right? Nope. My friends and I had to finish it like we were taking shots of cheap, soap-infused vodka. It was incredibly strong, which I guess is good (?) but when I'm paying for a cocktail that's not really my intent. If I wanted clear alcohol in a glass I would have done that myself. Also, sidenote, drinks that are completely clear kinda scare me. I like a little muddled fruit or juice or something to make me feel fancy and not completely stupid as I sip my overpriced cocktail and contemplate my growing student debt. I tried my luck next with the "Electric Relaxation," since it sounded like it had more things mixed in. It was better, for sure, as anything would be in comparison. Still not great though. FOOD: Chips and guac: Ok, but guac was very cold, obviously just taken out of the fridge, and paste-like (yikes). It helped to chase my vodka/sake. Pizza: made on acme bread. Surprisingly good. Would recommend. Best of luck if you find yourself here. Stick with pizza and sugary-sounding drinks. If happy hour lasts until 9 on a Friday night, there's probably a reason. read more

great beer selection. especially on thursdays. diverse/ mixed crowd, relaxed and easy going. only issue is it gets a little loud