It is confusing, is this Durant Square or Durant food court? I've heard both these names for the same location. It is in an area that has numerous food choices at this square and outside it. This review only shows signs of the businesses available at Durant Square. The location is very popular with Berkeley students who desire a variety, affordable prices (some may not fall below not this class) and eateries that are open late into the night. For these selections and accommodations, I highly rate this square. However, the last two times I've been in the area (and that is not often), and like now, I visit only Thai Basil, and will review this eatery separately on this platform. read more

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If you can manage to find a parking spot. It's a great food court to take your friends out to explore telegraph ave.

Cheap boba, popcorn chicken, and donuts for those late night/drunken cravings, and also Mexican, Italian, Thai, Japanese, Korean, and Medditeranean food for the indecisive food picker you/your friends are -- there's such a wide range of food in Asian Ghetto, all usually under $12 a meal. I can't count the number of times I've been here throughout my college years here at Berkeley. This place holds such a warm place in my heart for me -- from going on late night adventures to grab boba and popcorn chicken at 1AM, to grabbing a warm bowl of pasta from Gypsy's or noodles from Thai Basil for lunch or dinner. Although some of the food is cheap and tastes that way, that's all part of the charm of Asian Ghetto ;D read more

As an Asian ghetto it certainly more like Los Angeles garment district!! I would recommend if you looking for different and unique!

Plenty of variety for that night that someone in your group wants pasta and someone else wants thai, but yet another wants sushi. I generally do more take out but great selection. read more

I think to be politically correct, some people have been trying to call the Asian ghetto "Durant food court" or DFC. But it will always be the Asian ghetto. You have great options for food in here, but some better than others. Great place to take your out-of-town friends for a quick and satisfying meal. Protip: Leave your leftovers on top of the garbage cans so they homeless people don't have to dig through the trash to get them. read more

There is a reason why whenever my feet go on autopilot after a meeting or practice or class, they take me straight to Durant Food Court everytime - I can always find something to eat here. Whether it be a Calzone at Gypsy's, Taro Milk Tea at Sweethearts, BBQ Beef at Steve's, or Pad See Ew Chicken at Thai Basil, DFC has become my most frequented eating spot in Berkeley. True it can be a lot cleaner, and use more seating, but the food is both cheap and delicious - a must-eat-here for the college student and the Cal visitor. Durant Food Court is not just an Asian Ghetto. read more

Too bad a place like this doesn't exist in the burbs! Why do students get all the love? This is exactly the sort of eating place we would frequent...frequently. Mostly Asian, super cheap, order at the counter. Perfect for our family. We get to enjoy the ethnic food we love at a great price. The only issue is limited seating in these tiny shops, but there's enough outside and you can always get things to go. read more

*Cue 80's music* Asian dreams are made of this... If you are with a large group of indecisive but extremely picky people (read: Asian parents in tow), this is a very good place to take them. Plus, this place satisfies the ADHD must-eat-all-the-foods tendencies in me. read more

Durant Square - Asian Ghetto - Seafood pot for me, beef noodles for siblings, and some sort of beef-based lunch special for mom. - Asian Fusion Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Plenty of variety. I come here often for lunch when I'm in Berkeley or Richmond. Parking is really tough so get there early

Taste: 3 Value: 5 Service: 3 Mediocre/crappy food, but apparently great for college students. I feel sorry for the people who think food from the Asian ghetto is "really good." At best, it's "all right" or "okay." Like people have said, seating is sometimes a pain. At least it's quick and close to campus. read more

The Asian Ghetto is truly ghetto: the dining area that's in the center of the ghetto is always filthy and nobody ever cleans it; right outside, there's always homeless people hanging out asking for money; there's hoards and hoards of pigeons walking around picking up food people dropped onto the ground. All this, makes for a very nasty place to eat at. If you come later in the day, there's also a funky smell here, from all the discarded food and the homeless people that run through the place. The restaurants themselves are not bad (I have reviewed them separately), but this is a review for the square and the square is no good. I went down to UCSD recently and their food court, the equivalent of the ghetto, is incredible. Infinitely cleaner than the ghetto. Note: most restaurants in the Asian Ghetto are cash only. read more

Didn't rhyme this one so: The ghetto, the ghetto better carry a stiletto Just kidding, it's safe but not for your health Prices are decent, so you don't need a lot of wealth Food galore, can you ask for more? Like a food lovers paradise A lot of the options are very nice Great for the price Some of their dishes have spice You gotta come here! Breaking it down: - Gypsy's - Godfather's favorite - Bear Ramen - Pork belly kimchee fried rice (ask for an egg, a little extra, but extra nice) - Thai Basil - Basil fried rice or their pad thai (to be warned, they can take a while) - King Pin Doughnuts - Three words: BUTTERMILK Doughnut Holes, key word is the BUTTERMILK kind You're welcome :) read more

Anything Asian. Good size portions ok quality. Could be better but could be worse. Decent prices.

Ah, the Asian Ghetto. The dirty benches, the row of instrument-playing bums, the overwhelming smell of garbage...what is there not to miss about this place? Here's a rundown of my favorite restaurants (ranked in order of tastiness): 1) Steve's Korean BBQ (5 stars): Where else can you get nearly a pound of meat atop of a heap of rice and generous sides of kim chi and sprouts all for about $8? Although they've been raising the prices, the amount of good food you get makes it totally worth it. 2) King Pin (4.5 stars): The 2am, post frat party hot spot. Best. Donuts. EVER. No matter what you are--drunk or sober, fat or skinny--you're bound to love King Pin Donuts. The donut holes here are amazing (especially when they're warm). 3) Thai House (4 stars): Incredibly slow service and a bit overpriced, but their Garlic Pepper Chicken is incredible (as is their Pad Thai). 4) Mandarin House (4 stars): Two words: general chicken! Not to mention their boba is arguably the best in Berkeley. 5) Gypsy's (3.5 stars): A bit too oily and fatty for my taste, but you can't deny the huge portions you get of such Italian staples as the Gnocchi, Chicken Carbonara, and Pepperoni Calzone, all for around $6. The food is good--not great--and come with a pretty tasty garlic-topped piece of toast. 6) Bear's Ramen (3 stars): Kim Chi fried rice with spam! Though that's all I've ever had here. The rest of the menu doesn't seem appetizing to me. 7) Lotus House (3 stars): Good pan fried noodle with beef, decent everything else (including boba). UC Berkeley wouldn't be the same without Asian Ghetto, its lower-end culinary pride and joy. Over my 4 years at Cal, this place kept me sane, happy, and very full. Despite its sketchiness, the Ghetto has a unique charm about itself. It's always crowded and the food certainly tastes better than you might expect. read more

Oh Durant Square. How many times I have gone to this place for late night eats and boba runs. So many times. I've seen many restaurants come and go, but there's still the staples like Gypsy's, Thai Basil, Mandarin Garden, Steve's BBQ, Kingpin Donuts, and Sweetheart Cafe. There's pretty much all kinds of food types there from Italian to Japanese to Mediterranean. There's seats inside the food establishment as well as in the center of the square so you can always get a group together, each get their type of food, and meet in the center. I wish I had an Asian ghetto nearby...oh wait I do. Still great memories here and great place to get good food at great prices. read more

Simply because it takes a novel, which would take me years to write about my experience with the Asian Ghetto, or rather my undergraduate experiences IN the Asian Ghetto, I won't be able to review each of the places. Instead, I will rank them on this 'food deliciousness' scale: 1) Thai Basil 2) Misha's Gyros 3) Gypsy's 4) Steve's Korean BBQ 5) King PIn Donuts 6) Yokohama Station 7) that ghetto place next to Yokohama Station 8) that ghetto Chinese place next to Thai Basil 9) anything else I left out. My freshman year was largely spent in # 3, sophomore - in # 2, junior - in #4; as senior, I found the truth in #1 and will always be its loyal fan, no matter where I am, even in Thailand. Thai Basil you are one-and-only, while I am one of many groupies of yours. you son-of-a-bitch :) read more

One of the best places to get food at when I was at Berkeley visiting my brother. Almost hole in the wall type place (hence "ghetto"). I've tried the Thai and Vietnamese restaurants and have had good experiences with both. If I went Cal.... I would eat there A LOT. Very inexpensive, convenient, and a variety of places to choose from. read more

I remember when this was simply Durant Square. There used to be an ice cream place mon pere would take us to; ice cream was made on the premises daily. Fresh, rich and creamy. There were a variety of eateries that were located here to choose from of various international cuisines. So this is the famous Asian Ghetto I have been hearing about. Cor, Durant Square has really changed. Wish I had checked yelp before coming here; I was not too thrilled of my choice of Sushi House. I got here before the expected lunch crowd. There was only one other customer eating their lunch. And much to my surprise, only one person who was manning the place. After placing my order, I looked around at the menu and various postings. There was a help wanted sign for both part-time and full-time kitchen help. Oh dear. Certainly explained why a couple of tables needed to be wiped of a few sticky spots and the earlier guest had to bus his own dishes. I ordered my litmus test of tonkatsu and tamago. It was all right, nothing really fancy and gourmet. I was not too pleased to see sauce on the tonkatsu. The sauce was all right; wondered if it was A-1 or some other Worchester-type of sauce. (I was not too pleased about the fifty cent surcharge on credit and debit card usage. I will be contacting my bank about that surcharge for clarification about that,) As for the service, considering it was only one person running the place, he was civil. he was not very welcoming; hope there will be additional assistance in his future. Not sure if I will give Sushi House a second chance though. Moving on, so this is where the famous Gypsy's Trattoria is located, based at Durant Square. And Thai Basil is here too. Ah, so this is the lair of Bear Ramen. Interesting. I went in to check out Thai Basil. The woman who was operating the till gave me surly look. Guess she thought I was cutting in line. Told her that I was just looking around, that is all. Note-to-self: Watch out for that dour, surly dame should I decide to do business in this place. As for Gypsy's, I do not know. It sure was busy and the place was full of students studying and working amongst themselves and on their notebook computers. If I am fortunate enough, I hope to go there when it is not too crowded and perhaps, maybe not too noisy; sure was quite too loud for my tastes. I like to eat quietly; it is a form of meditation for me. Oh yes, many of the reviewers were right about the atmosphere and environment in and around Durant Square; no need for me to add any additional notes. Fresh Review #15 of 100 Yelps! for 2013. read more

I'm pretty sure I spent almost the entirety of my 4 years at Cal eating from here. And why not? For under $10, you almost ALWAYS got enough food that could last you at least 2 meals (3, if you stinted and didn't eat a lot). Thai Basil, Gypsy's and Vietnam Village were my mainstays. I loved their portions and their pricing was always worth it. I mean, honestly, their food isn't really QUALITY necessarily, but when you're a poor college kid, it's more about the sheer quantity than quality anyway. Is it edible? Will it be filling? Is it cheap? Can I make AT LEAST 2 meals out of it? THAT'S THE COLLEGE KID WAY. read more

this "asian ghetto" is a plethora of different cuisines: - thai, -korean, - vietnamese, -(korean) ramen, - sushi -donuts, - italian. -hong kong chinese, -"mandarin" chinese, - boba drinks/taiwanese snacks -gyros ......- pricing is relatively cheap, most places open late, food quality definitely not gourmet. definitely fulfulling. however, you get what u pay for.. pigeons and panhandlers like this place. tried many with low expectations and they were often met, seldom exceeded. read more

Asian Ghetto is an appropriate name. They have just the right fares for starving college students, although judging by the kinds of stores that are populating Southside, and the size of the kids I see around campus, students aren't really starving anymore. You probably won't get hepatitis from eating here. read more

For Berkeley students who intend on staying in the Bay after graduating, you do not understand what you have until it is gone. Asian ghetto is the gold mine of the bay. After graduating and moving to Sf, there is no other spot where you can find a hub of such diverse and delicious food. I have been coming here since freshmen first semester and now as a new grad, I yearn to come back and eat there once a week. My go to is usually Steve's, as an active male who eats a lot, they provide a ton of meat at a affordable price. And dont get me started with the lunch special. I could get half chicken, half pork every single day of my life. After steve's id wash it down with boba ninja and hey if im feeling ballsy, ill get a popcorn chicken to go. I LOVE THIS PLACE read more

I have no idea of why a review doesn't exist for the ghetto overall already, but rather only for it's individual restaurants. I can see how many Cal student's lives would have been much more worse at school if it weren't for the presence of this group of restaurants. They literally seem to have something for every taste you're happening to crave. People will end up having "favorites", and ever argue about what the best dish and deal are at the ghetto. The asian ghetto's food shines compared to the Emeryville Public Market (which is what I'm closer to now) and I'll gladly drive here from work for lunch because I miss it. I can see how things could get old if you come here everyday, but it would take a lot longer to get old than if you went to ONE restaurant everyday :) Some Favorites: Crazy Alfredo at Gypsys. Pad-See-Ew at Thai Basil. Spicy BBQ Pork at Steve's Korean. Spam Kim-Chee Fried Frice at Ramen House. Donuts! and much more! read more

Ate here a total of 4 times during my first few months at Berkeley. Then I found better friends. (Better because they never tormented my taste buds with the likes of "Asian Ghetto" food.) Adios. Never again. It was not nice knowing you. Yes, it's great mediocre college food. Yes, it's conveniently located near campus and the dorms. But to the people who really think the food from the Durant Square is "tasty and really good," from what rock did you crawl out of? The food here isn't even that cheap. There are so many options out there for the same price! I cry at the accepted lowered standard every time I pass by this place. But I suppose this is all part of what college experience is supposed to be. read more

Review is for Steve's Korean BBQ only! GREAT deal, huge portion enough for 2 girls, tons of meat. Tastes: WEIRD tasting kimchi, really weird, it's got this pineapple taste to it, soggy and gross. The chapchae was good, sprouts was good. My Kalbi was FATTY...but it's hard to avoid eating the pure beef fat because the marinate is so dark. It upsets my stomach badly afterward... Korean BBQ right? None of the people worked there was Korean, go figure! read more

Asian ghetto is awesome. Can't give it a bad review if its name already claims to be ghetto. This place brings me back to undergraduate days (though I went to UCD). I loved hanging out here thought 1/2 the restaurants here aren't that great. I thought the space was awesome for meeting up with friends because everyone had options within a couple steps of each other. It's a step up from a food court! There are tables in the center that are mostly sticky & gross but they work! You can place your food on it & you don't have to worry about it rolling off (both because it's level & because it's sticky enough). read more

Ahh Asian Ghetto... how I love thee, let me count the ways... Meesha's Steve's BBQ Bear Ramen House King Pin Donuts Thai Basil and more.... You never disappoint with your cheap eats, your savory flavors, your heart stopping goodness. Something for everyone in a little outdoor terrace packed with people and college kids. The best concentration of street food in Berkeley. Sigh... read more

Holycrapthat'stheofficialname? If you're asian (chinese, japanese, indian) feel free to fondly reminisce with me as we travel to the distant mists of the past. You're a sassy behbeh and you play by no one's rules. NOT EVEN YOUR OWN. Every day you're kick ass, taking names, and generally life is LEGIT AS HELL. Your one weakness is those goddamn yogurt drinks. Y'know the ones. They come in packs of 5, but you can drink all of them in one sitting. Coz you gangsta and they delicious. Well it turns out they make some slushie rendition of that childhood addiction of yours. 3 comments on that: 1. IT. 2. IS. 3. AMAZING. Buy some immediately for yourself and your peers. ..No. I'm not gonna tell you where. ....And it's not like I forgot the name or anything.... ....I just don't wanna... ....SHUT UP. read more

What's that you say? You're craving some cheap Asian food out of a styrofoam container & want to eat it at a table that's missing some chairs in a dingy alley-like place, while being accosted to "Spare-a quartah?!?!?!" by various homeless people? You're in luck! Durant Square meets all of your requirements! Seriously though, the food's not all that spectacular (though it is spectacularly cheap) & what the hell is up with the bizarre seating? It's like they originally planned to have tables with some benches & some chairs, & then someone stole all the chairs (probably one of those homeless people, who then sold them for a quartah. I don't get it. But hey, it doesn't seem to bother Berkeley folks too much, so I'm not about to get all uppity about it. When you're done downing your greasy (Chinese, Thai, Japanese, Vietnamese, Italian (wtf? I thought this was the ASIAN ghetto)) food, head over to King Pin & watch the donut man dunk his delectable treats in (chocolate, powdered sugar, etc) & then spend a few of those quartahs (that you're not planning to share because you know they'll just spend it on drugs anyway) & get some donut holes. Bring cash. I don't think any of those places take cards, & while they have an ATM in the back of one of the restaurants, with BofA & Wells Fargo half a block away, there's no sense in wasting your money on bank fees. & finally, keep in mind that all these places close ASS-EARLY. Like 9. Or earlier. Isn't this a college town?! read more

I'm not sure why I get embarrassed when I come to the Asian Ghetto. I mean, I'm Asian, I eat Asian food, and I enjoy being cheap. I guess the fact of the matter is that there are so many places in Berk that I would rather go to, but end up here because I crave Asian food all the friggin time! There is everything here. Japanese, Thai, Vietnamese, Boba, whatever you think is Asian. Asian word count =5 read more

This food court is nothing special. There is variety, but the quality of each place is almost like a college dining hall, so I can understand why there are so many positive reviews of Cal kids who don't know any better. I had the most mediocre gyro of my life here, and I've been to some podunk Greek restaurants in my days. The prices aren't dirt cheap or anything, just OK. The outside eating area is a nice addition, but many of the seating options are awkwardly laid out for big groups. There are plenty of better options in the area. read more

You were the place where I had many intimate lunches between classes. You were the place where we had large crowds take up the benches. You provided food and comfort whenever I desired. You had all the Asian selections I could possibly have dreamed off. And you never once tried to rip me off. But best of all, I can count on you not to change much for years to come. read more

Super popular food court a block away from the south side of campus. Everyone comes here when they don't have another place in mind immediately. It's the place you automatically walk to with a group of indecisive people. With that said, Asian Ghetto has, surprisingly, some of the better tasting food near Berkeley. Note I didn't say "healthy"...most of it is pretty oily, greasy, laden with calories. But that's just what college students need, right? It's not all Asian food, but the Asian food here is what most people come for. A lot of them offer free water/tea too. My favorites are: Viet Nam Village -- despite the name, this place has great and fast Chinese food...the owner is really nice and will bring your food out to you if you're waiting outside. I've only ever sat down to eat inside here once. My favorite dishes here are beef chow fun, crispy noodle with shrimp, and scrambled eggs over rice with shrimp. Cash only. Bear Ramen -- delicious Korean food made by a really nice ajuma. My favorites here are ddeok ramen, kimchi fried rice, ddeokbokki, curry rice, and seafood pancakes. Actually, I don't think you could really go wrong with anything here. Cash only. Thai Basil -- this is a favorite of many people. I like their pad see ew and their satay chicken. They have good specials too. Credit card or cash. Gypsy's -- Italian food, the only thing I really like here is the seafood angel hair pasta. The garlic bread is amazing b/c it's actually a roasted piece of garlic that you can spread on the bread...mmmm. Credit card of cash. King Pin Donuts -- awesome selection of donuts, what more could you say? As one of the first shops in the Asian Ghetto, it's hard to resist that smell of fresh donuts as you walk by... Sweetheart Cafe -- has always been a staple for boba. Moccacino on the other side (along Bancroft) is a good competitor. Quickly's (also in Asian Ghetto) is subpar, but they do have black sesame milk tea, which the others don't. As for the rest, I wouldn't recommend Steve's Korean BBQ except for those who want value and don't care too much for quality. Pancho's Mexican isn't too bad. Mandarin House is subpar super unhealthy Chinese food (go to Viet Nam Village for good Chinese food), and I've never tried the gyros place or the Japanese place. I'll have to admit I'll actually miss this place after I move out of Berkeley. read more

The only reason why I can see this place is called the "Asian Ghetto" is because of the number of Asians here. There's a Greek, Mexican, Italian, and donut restaurant all here too. That's half of the establishments in this food court! I just call it the "Ghetto." Anyway, the place is pretty janky. The tables outside appear to be glazed or something, and the place is always filled with random puddles, pigeons, hobos and overfilled trash cans. It's pretty cool to eat in the Ghetto as a college freshman or if you're just visiting Berkeley but after a while it gets really old. I'd rather just grab my food and just go home and eat. The one redeeming factor? The fact that it's so convenient and the food served is pretty good! The only places I know of that take credit cards now are Steve's Korean BBQ, Gypsy's, and Kingpin. read more

Durant food court is a definite 3 star in anyone's book. The place looks run down, is nowhere near fancy and some may argue it is indeed "ghetto". BUT! it is home to some very yummy asian food. They have a variety of stores that sell anywhere from korean food, thai, vietnamese, milk tea, and even Italian food. Heck, they even have a donut shop. This place is usually pretty busy late night and lunch time. Most stores don't close til midnight so scores of hungry college patrons come here at night. Come here and socialize with people! The food here is pretty good, my favorites are Thai Basil and that Korean restaurant next door. The quicklys here also is good to cure your milk tea cravings. Asian Ghetto is certainly Ghetto, but then again, the food oh so makes up for it. read more

This place is one of the main reasons I cross the Caldecott tunnel to get some food! I love hitting this place up! I almost always hit up the Ramen House and get my usual order, kim chi fried rice! The "Ghetto" has Japanese, Vietnamese, Thai, Korean, and Chinese food. I love hitting up Sweetheart Cafe and getting boba. And the donut shop is great, especially when you get the fresh donuts they just made. It can get pretty busy here with all the Cal students, but there are plenty of tables outside to eat at. This place is definitely a must whenever I'm in Berkeley! I'm getting hungry just thinking about it! read more

What it lacks in quality it makes up for in variety. A popular choice for eating as well as simply meeting up due to its unmistakable features. I would consider it an unofficial Berkeley landmark. An added bonus that a handful of stores are open fairly late to cater to those with late-night drunchies read more

First place most group of friends think about when we want to find a place to eat. Variety of food makes the majority happy. Downside now is that most of them don't take credit card anymore. Shouldn't be too big of an issue since there's a BoA and Walgreens nearby. Sometimes the hobo in front Ghetto plays super loud old-school music that can get annoying if you're eating outside and trying to have a conversation, but he's a nice dude. I personally come here a lot at night for the boba. read more

Tried Steve's Korean BBQ at Durant at GFC (Ghetto Food Court)... The BBQ Beef ($7) was delicious....generous portion with kimchi and steamed sprouts... the BBQ Chicken ($7) was tasty but rather dry... It was strange to see four Hispanic guys running the place and not one asian worker in sight.... Also, it has a clean bathroom for customers... read more