East Bay Spice Co. is easy to miss if you are just walking by! Awesome atmosphere, awesome selection of drinks! My friend who frequents the place brought me here yesterday. I ordered the Old Fashioned and she got a non-alcoholic chai drink. My drink was very strong, but it was good. My friend tells me that the drinks are usually all very strong, which is nice! I hate it when I order a cocktail and I have to wonder if there is actually alcohol in there! We also ordered the Chicken Tikka Masala and the Oxford Street Samosas. The samosas were very good and came with two different sauces. One sauce was sweet and the other was minty. The fillings of chicken, onions, and bacon were very good! The samosas were also perfectly crispy. The Chicken Tikka Masala came on a pretty large platter. It came with naan and rice and some cucumber salad. The sauce was delicious and it went well with the drinks! I will definitely be back! read more

East Bay Spice - Old Fashioned. Strong! - Indian Near Me - Berkeley, California

Not a bad spot for Berkeley. Open late. OK to good cocktails. Service is meh. If you live here, it's probably one of the better spots.

Sat at the bar today. I got the tikka masala flatbread with prawns. DEEELICIOUS!!!!! I just wish it was a little bit more filling but i'd order it again in a heartbeat! The bartender Robbie was awesome! He had great taste in music and kept the tunes going! Watching him make drinks with speed and precision was a treat and he even recommended a ginger drink that was EXACTLY what i was hoping it'd be and more! He gave super friendly service with us as well as across the bar. Will definitely look for him on our next time here. THANK YOU ROBBIE for making our night! read more

On Thursday I arrived just before midnight for a beverage or two. Service seemed cordial despite having to deal with the midnight bar rush. The various cocktails seemed in line with the ~$10-12 price point, prepared with attention to detail with some establishment-unique creations read more

This is such a hipster place and I thoroughly enjoyed it although I'm not a hipster. Came here with a friend for happy hour on a Thursday. They had a live DJ, tasty drinks and good food! What more could you ask for after a stressful week? I put in an order for the Chicken Tikka Masala plate and it still hadn't arrived after about half an hour, however my friend's Tikka Masala flatbread did. Somehow my order got lost or wasn't put in, but the bartender comped me a drink. I can't complain at all, and ended up changing mine to the Tikka Masala flatbread as well and it was so worth it! I had the Classic Daiquiri and another drink that had scotch. I love the ambiance of this place, they make quality cocktails and extremely flavorful food. I'd recommend it as a great happy hour spot! read more

East Bay Spice - Tikka Masala Flatbread - Indian Near Me - Berkeley, California

Seriously becoming my favorite place to grab some Indian food!!! I don't live in Berkeley so I can't come here as often as I would like to ): The food: -The Chicken tikka masala plate is really good! Large portions for a good price. -MY FAVORITE.... the tandoori street tacos. I always get chicken and it is basically chicken tikka masala but taco version. So. Freaking. Bomb. After coming here a couple times after my first visit, the tacos are the only food I get. I really should try something new, I'm pretty sure it'll be just as good. The drinks: Everything in general is pretty strong, they don't play here! Last time we came, my boyfriend tried the Royal Charter and loved it. I asked the server for a tropical kind of drink and she suggested the Improved Masala Caipirinha. I didn't end up liking or drinking it and the waitress kindly took it off the bill for us!! I wish I got her name, she was super sweet. The place: They don't have too much seating so if you come on the busy days, there will definitely be a wait. I went one time with 7 people on a Wednesday night for dinner and we only waited a few minutes! The play movies on the wall and the whole restaurant is dimly lit. I love the ambiance and how intimate the place is. read more

East Bay Spice - It's $9.50 for 2! I think. - Indian Near Me - Berkeley, California

Listen up! East Bay Spice Co is more than the name implies. Is it a spice shop? An Indian restaurant? Something sensual? Yeah, those crossed my mind too. But what they're really all about is crafty cocktails with spice-inspired ingredients. If cocktails are your thing, you won't be disappointed. I tried the "portrait of a lady" ($11) with anchor hop head vodka, tru organic gin, weiss cream, honey, lemon, and fennel bitters. Ooooh mama, so exquisite. My friend had the "the royal charter" ($10) with bourbon, cocchi americano, becherovka, coconut chai syrup, lemon, bergamot bitters, and mint. Are you getting the booze-hound shakes just reading this? I don't blame ya. The drinks are amaze. As a bonus, the atmosphere is thoroughly swank with just the right amount of down-to-earth Berkeleyness. There was a DJ spinning old-school hip hop records on the Saturday we visited, and people weren't shy about appreciating her retro stylings. Aside from sexy cocktails, Indian food is available at modest prices and snackable portion sizes (because no one wants to pig out on tikka masala while everyone around them is sipping dainty cocktails, right?). Service wasn't noticeably friendly, but the drinks were expertly made. Come, admire the low-lit bar, the upstairs loft, strong & sophisticated libations, and a more "grown-up" vibe than you'd usually find at a downtown Berkeley bar. Thanks for doing what you're doing, Spice peeps! read more

East Bay Spice - The pretty glowing bar - Indian Near Me - Berkeley, California

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You come here for the drinks and warm, cozy atmosphere....not for the food. They incidentally have some food offerings to soak up the alcohol, and late night bites until 0200 never hurt a college campus. If one looks at EBSC that way, then it's a 5 Star destination! BUUUUT----if I were to rate just the food and service: waitress made a mistake on the order, resulting in one of our starters coming after the mains. We ordered a lot of things last night for dinner....from chicken samosas to pappads, to lamb vindaloo to chicken tikka masala. It was all very "just ok"---- biggest beef was the horrid rice. not basmati at all..instead, this wet, converted kind of rice that was altogether no flavor, too chewed up, and boring. Vindaloo tasted nothing like that Goan spicy treat. The meat was tender but unseasoned, and the vindaloo lacked..well, everything. $12-13 gives you a "combo" plate of small portioned entree, lots of unpleasant, ill-fitting "rice", a teaspoon of veg, and 2 wedges of naan. Of course, my naan was wet and sogged up by liquid on the bottom of my plate. Tikka masala was too heavy-handed on the cream or butter. Meh---- PS Bar area is very pretty. Easy and comfy for lone diner to cross the street from Cal campus to kick it here n relax. Projection tv on wall is super fun too. read more

Absolutely love this place! Food is AMAZING and Koalson's playlist is the best I've heard, also he makes the best drinks. Highly recommend!

Though the East Bay Spice Company has gone to great lengths to embody a stylish new vibe with updated decor and a crafty cocktail program, the lunch buffet roots of its former life as Punjabi are barely hidden when you taste the lackluster food. Both the tandoori tacos and the chicken tikka masala lacked kick. So much so that I convinced my date to go to Comal after for some spice (true story). And given that chicken tikka in one form or another is in 50% of the dishes on the menu, I didn't think I'd have much luck ordering differently in future. Bottom line: Visit this sexy space for delectable drinks (including interesting beers and ciders) but go elsewhere to eat. read more

Still 5 stars... Just returning to update about their ever-growing mixology with their spirits. 3 weeks before this review, EBSC celebrated their anniversary commemorated by a new drink menu... But I'd say more of a guide... A portion is even dedicated to "uncharted waters" for drinks they are testing out. Recipes for the mixes are provided for each drink as well as a glossary of sorts in the back: yes, remake your favorite drinks at home! As for service, always wonderful! Cheers* P.S. music still hip-hop... The good kind.. Still threw me off... But still good haha read more

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This bar is a bit tucked away. If Troy M didn't pick this spot as part of an epic bar crawl he organized, I wouldn't have known it existed. That said, they offer small nibbles and a wide range of drinks and cocktails. It has an old fashioned appeal with well dressed bartenders and dark wood interior. I had a drink that had chai in it and it was quite tasty and strong. Since it was the end of the evening, I was more than happy and red at this point of the night. My friend and I also shared a small dish which was almost like an Indian version of chips and salsa. It was light enough to tide me over for the night. It wasn't super crowded for a Friday night. In fact, we all ran into a fellow Yelp friend. He didn't even see our check-in's or did he? Overall, this is a good place to catch up with friends and maybe take a date. read more

This place is smaller than what I expected but the atmosphere and decor made me fell in love with this place. It's an Indian restaurant + bar, so don't be shy and give the food and drinks menu a try. I LOVE how all the drinks were extremely smooth. You can definitely taste the kick at first but there's no aftertaste at all (which I hate because it can ruin a drink). I'm not a big fan on darks so all of the cocktails I tried were on the lighter side! (+) Harlequin Gimlet: ($11) gun club gin, ransom old tom gin, bittermens malort,, citra hopped IPA syrup, lime. I was never a fan of gin but I seriously loved this drink (it tastes similar to a tequila cocktail). The citrus flavor balanced well with the gin! I would definitely recommend this drink to anyone. (+) Portrait of a lady $11 . anchor hop head vodka, tru organic gin, msb nitro, honey, lemon, fennel bitters . This one just screams East Bay Spice Co. at you! You can definitely taste the spice flavor ( probably from the fennel bitters) at the first sip , but it was so smooth. I would also recommend this if you're looking to try something out of the box. The rest of the drinks we ordered were off menu and they were all good. Definitely try the Silver Monk here! The bartender was super helpful and nice. We told him to surprise us with off menu drinks and they were all super fresh. He said that all of the juices are freshly squeezed so they only make cocktails with anything that they can squeeze themselves. Love it. The food doesn't start until 5PM and I have say that the food is great. We only tried the Samosas Cholay but it was delicious! All in all, I'm definitely excited to come back again . read more

East Bay Spice - Harlequin Gimlet and Portrait of a Lady! - Indian Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Ummm... drinks shouldn't take 15 minutes to make with an empty bar, no matter how good they are. I wasn't feeling this place. Bartenders were a bit full of themselves and place was stuffy. The cocktails were handcrafted but the service was dry. I don't need to go again. read more

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Some of the best cocktails I've had in the East Bay! Definitely, a jewel in Berkeley and should not be missed if you're looking for some interesting libations. Non-pretentious setting with two levels and great hip-hop piped through the speakers. There are some snacks on the menu as well, but these have been pared down from the original menu. Food is tasty and served quickly. read more

I really wanted to like this place, but there were simply too many issues with my visit that I cannot say that I'll be back anytime soon, if ever. A complaint that I have with all downtown establishments is that parking is far too difficult to find. We circled many times before we finally were able to find parking. If you can, try to take public transportation. Parking aside, since Easy Bay Spice Co. can't really control that, there were numerous issues with EBSC itself. I came here with my friends for happy hour. When we got seated, for our party of 6, we were brought two menus. In case that sounds perfectly reasonable, it might be worth pointing out that that's 4 menus too short. By the time the two people with menus were done picking out a drink, the waitress stopped by and asked us if we were all ready to order drinks. No...? Instead of bringing more menus, the waitress decided to stop by two separate times to collect the last four orders at our table. Talk about inefficient! I understand that happy hour can get busy, but this is the first time ever that I've had to wait 40 minutes to receive a drink. Nothing fancy either, just a beer! Not only did my beer take forever to arrive, we were brought the wrong cocktail once, and then two times in that night, they completely forgot about my friend's order. There is a serious issue with service here, and it's not just the bar. The kitchen has pretty severe issues putting out food. If you order nann for example, expect to wait upwards of 30 minutes for it. One other major issue I have with service is that they do not check if you are done with your plate before removing it from the table. When our nann arrived for example, we split the two pieces of nann and put it on our individual plates. Nann orders comes with some curry for dipping but immediately after the last piece of nann left the plate, the plate was taken off our table and we were left with plain nann to munch on, sans curry. If you can't picture how frustrating this was for me, imagine carefully eating a steak, saving the best bite of steak for your last, only to have the dish taken away as you're able to eat it. Yeah, it's that exact feeling. My girlfriend and I ordered tacos (which turned out to be pretty tasty) here but by the time they arrived some 40 minutes later, we were too impatient and decided to just take the food to go. Get drinks here, food elsewhere. When we got our check, we were shocked that the bill was so expensive, especially since we came during happy hour. When we asked our waitress about it, we were told there was a separate menu for happy hour that we had to ask for. Wow thanks. As I'm writing this review, I'm shaking my head just remembering how frustrating the service was here. Cool bar with a nice atmosphere, but service here is unforgivable. read more

Amazing service amazing food and drinks you should definitely try it out if you're in Berkeley!

Unexpected and amazing. The cocktails are creative, well-balanced, aligned with the theme of the bar and enjoyable. Nightmare on Wax was a particular favorite. Bartenders/service is quick and friendly and customers looked to be a mix of people holding steady at the bar and bar hoppers popping in and out. What took this over the edge was that tikka masala flat bread - which I ordered at the end as a to-go munchie. That thing was so damn delicious it should get its own Netflix show. read more

I loved this place! First time here, great experience. Drinks were excellent- creative & delicious. Yummy food. But the best part was the bartender Ko, who couldn't have been cooler & was playing really good music. Wu-Tang, Tribe, Kendrick, perfect vibes. Will definitely be back. read more

This place is fantastic! There's not many great spots for craft cocktails in the East Bay, and the spot served some super creative drinks, along with some pretty exceptional Indian food. The best part was KO, who was super friendly, knew the drinks, and super fun to talk to. What we really loved, was his playlist! He has excellent taste in music, and down to talk music with anyone who wants. the ability to get an incredible and creative craft cocktail with great food and amazing beats in the background makes this a definite future destination for me read more

Bomb food, music, cocktails and vibes. My fave late night spot in Berkeley. Almost don't wanna write this to keep it from getting TOO crowded but gotta give credit where credit is due! read more

Great cocktails and super yummy dishes at good pricing. Not all dishes are created equal though, so don't skip the vegetable pakora or the chicken tikka masala. We learned from Adam, the GM, that they will be tweaking the menu some more; adding lamb sliders and a chicken tikka pizza. They will also be opening for lunch in a few weeks. Cool. Food pricing is very reasonable although I wonder how college students can afford $10 cocktails. They are very tasty and not lacking in flavor or alcohol content. Lastly, careful you don't miss the front door. They are the only establishment on the block without an awning or obvious signage. If you notice the orange Cinnaholic awning next door, stop and park! It was nice to sit outside on a summer night but we didn't get to observe the bar ladder in action. We will be returning soon! read more

East Bay Spice - Portrait of a Lady and A Noble Truth. Good stuff! - Indian Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Oh my god this place is amazing! Do yourself a favor and get the chicken tikka masala! It is so yummy! Also, their drinks are tasty too. The only thing that's downside is that it's a little expensive. Considering. But they do give decently sized portions. It's worth the splurge every now and then. read more

I've been coming here for roughly five years, which is crazy because they've been around for around 6 years I think. They have changed over the years. In the beginning they might have been a little inconsistent overall, but they have consistently been one of the best cocktail bars in the East Bay. This is clear with how much care they put into the ingredients and time spent coming up with new menus. The tandoori chicken flatbread got mediocre for a few years and it's good again. The bartenders have shifter over the year from Omar being my go-to to Robin and now Josh is killing it for them. Although I love the whole staff right now. If you enjoy a craft cocktail check this spot out. It's fantastic. read more

Hello Adam, Thank you for your response. This shows us that you care about your customer and appreciate our feedback. My friends and I, we love that place and the foods and drinks there are amazing. Once again I want to thank you for taking your time to write back and acknowledge our concern. I, myself, along with my friends we are all work in the restaurant in Berkeley so we understand customer always come first. Having a good personality is a plus because you as a server makes customer feel comfortable like it's a warm welcoming environment. And with good attitude you can build good relationship with customer and they continues to come and bring more friends. Thank you and I salute you for that! read more

Their cocktail variety is worth going there (pricey at $12). Tried Royal charter: was okay... unfortunately forgot hte one that I liked :). Their pizza was really good. Cozy place, so expect to wait. read more

Great little place to grab drinks with your friends. A bit hidden. I didn't even know it existed... I came here for my friend's 21st birthday. The staff was very nice. Everyone got to try almost every cocktail. Loved the gimlet. Almost Bourbon and Branch style. They even had an alcoholic hibiscus drink which was my first time trying. Very unique but good. read more

Really cool spot! They have a solid beer selection (though not extensive) and some really creative cocktails. Despite having gone for the Dolores Saison (which was awesome), I saw the people next to me order cocktails that looked like i needed to come back for cocktails. Also noteworthy is the fact that their kitchen is open late, as opposed to closing way earlier than the bar. Thus, I can easily get behind any place that offers drinks of this caliber combined with Indian food. People, of course, are quick to to discredit the Indian food for being inauthentic or watered down. To that I would say you are looking for Indian food in the wrong place. This place is clearly serving a type of fusion Indian food as evident by the tandoori tacos and the tikka masala flatbread (please name at least one "authentic" Indian dish that has mozzarella in it?) , and I was really into it tbh. The strong point of this place definitely lies in the cocktails and i'm not even mad. Regardless, it took me forever to make it out here and I'm really glad I finally did. Bartenders were really cool, everything was reasonably priced, kitchen open late, you can sit outside or upstairs (sit down tables), and you can tell they really put a lot of effort into the concept/vibe they were going for. I'll definitely be coming back. read more

East Bay Spice - Inside - Indian Near Me - Berkeley, California

This rating is for lunch only. I've walked by here a million times without realizing it's THE East Bay Spice Company that I've been hearing about. So I decided to try it for a quick workday lunch. Unfortunately, since I had to return to work, I could not imbibe in one of their delicious-sounding cocktails or amazing sounding craft beers. The place was empty when I arrived at 12:10 p.m. I chose to sit at a table next to the open window and ordered immediately. At 12:25 p.m., the server/bartender came over and said that the ticket had not gone through to the kitchen when she put in the order, but my food would be out "in just a few minutes". For the next 25 minutes I sat there, sipping my water, reading email, and watching a silent version of "The Jerk" playing on the wall across from my table. My lunch (Chicken Tikka Masala) was served at 12:50 p.m. so I had to wolf it down in less than 10 minutes to get back to my office for my 1:00 p.m. meeting. The food was fine but I wondered what they would ever do if they got a good sized lunch crowd in there for lunch. I won't be back for lunch but definitely want to try the beer/cocktails in the evening sometime! read more

This is definitely a fun place to hang out, and I think as far as bars go in Berkeley, this place would be my preferred sit down bar. I like the ambiance here, and the decorations make you feel welcomed and comfortable, making for a really pleasant evening when you are out with friends and want a trendier place to catch up over some drinks or food. I have sampled some of the food options here, like the chicken tandoori and the chicken samosas, both of which are relatively good. My favorite thing about this place though has to be their unique cocktails that they prepare. I've tried a few of their different options when I have come here, but my new go to favorite which I definitely recommend is the Cup of the Red Fort. It's nice and not too bitter, and has a really pleasant taste overall. Cocktails here are a bit pricy (around $10) but it's worth the atmosphere that you can enjoy. I recently noticed that they change around the menu from time to time, which is also neat because it lets me know that they are trying out new things. Their location is not too big, so they may get crowded on busier nights, but they have a decent amount of seating options on the first floor, by the bar, and they also have a second floor loft. The service here is also friendly, and they are always accommodating even if you have a larger party. It's also not too loud here, so it's relatively easy to have a conversation with the people you are with. Overall, great place and great drinks, and I always look forward to my visits here! read more

East Bay Spice - Assortment of cocktails, cider, and beer - Indian Near Me - Berkeley, California

I came here with a couple of my friends. Parking happened to not be too bad on a Thursday night at 6pm. We were able to find parking right outside. When entered the location, the hostess didn't seem very welcoming, she was on her phone and texting and slouched against the wall. A male waiter then came up and escorted us to the 2nd floor. A very small and cozy location. They have a bar on the 1st floor. The portions are quite big and we ordered a lot of food. We ordered the tacos in both shrimp and chicken, chicken kebob, naan, chickpea korma, and samosa. My favorite was the shrimp taco, followed by the chickpea appetizer. Drinks weren't that great in my opinion, I think they tried to be too creative with the flavors and spices. They don't have a large selection of food, most of their selections are in alcohol. They also have happy hour until 6pm. They have a single bathroom, wasn't the cleanest, and you usually have to wait a couple of minutes. Waiter wasn't 100% there he didn't come by to fill waters or ask about how things were going. read more

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AWESOME place for a hand crafted cocktails and food. The staff really know how to make your visit memorable (Lane, Harrison, and eveyone else working last night) I recommend allowing them to be creative and create a drink for you based on what you like. Fun atmosphere and energy at East Bay Spice Company. -Jessica/ visting from Minnesota read more

Cocktails are ON POINT. Literally every single craft cocktail I've tried is DEE *clap* LIH *clap* SCIOUS *clap*. Each beverage is made with love and care and pure artistry, so expect to pay at least $12 a pop. I love the subtle Indian flavors in the drinks; it lends a gentle exotic touch without being too in-your-face. Honestly, it would be a waste to come here for your typical well drinks. It would be like going to Nordstrom to get a pair of sweat socks. Like... why? Just get one of the awesome specialty cocktails on their menu that you can't get anywhere else, otherwise you might as well go to one of the nearby dive bars instead. The food is also BOMB, and unlike the cocktails, they WILL punch you in the face with rich Indian spices. I definitely recommend the flatbread (that sauce, though!) and the tacos. Make sure to get 1 chicken taco and 1 prawn taco. Super tasty. This place is definitely more of a bar than a restaurant though; the food compliments the cocktails, rather than the cocktails complimenting the food. The cocktails are the main attraction. The service is cordial, even when it's a bustling Saturday night. The place itself is a nice cozy size, good for catching up with a friend or two, or hanging out with your significant other... not that ideal for large groups. Overall, the vibe felt unpretentious and the crowd was a bit more diverse in age and background compared to some of the other bars in the area. I'll be back fasho. read more

East Bay Spice Company is a small and trendy Indian fusion restaurant and bar. Very dim and modern ambiance, good for date night or small get togethers. There's not much seating, so there was a bit of a wait but the food and drinks are worth it. The menu is very small without too much variety, but we enjoyed both the chicken and vegetarian tikka masala. I especially liked the tandoori street tacos served on roti bread. You can choose two from a selection of chicken tandoori or shrimp with yogurt sauce; Flavor was awesome, wasn't too heavy and it filled me up. For an more upscale restaurant, the food was very affordable. Service was friendly and attentive, definitely would come back! read more

East Bay Spice - Tandoori street tacos; Shrimp with yogurt sauce (left) and chicken tandoori (right) - Indian Near Me - Berkeley, California

I am vegan. I haven't eaten meat in YEARS. And despite asking explicitly for the "coconut tikka masala" which is their only vegan option, they gave me a chicken one, unbeknown to me. When I asked for a new one, absolutely horrified that I had eaten chicken, THEY MESSED UP MY ORDER AGAIN, giving me a second chicken tikka masala. I left in tears, brokenhearted. read more

Favorite bar in the Bay! Bartenders are friendly and knowledgeable (and cute). They have an extensive selection behind the bar, and the bespoke menu they're offering right now is great :) Grab a Mango Daddy and a prawn flatbread (or chicken tikka masala) and hang out in the cute parklet right outside the bar! read more

Wow this place was good. The ambience was perfect it was dark and dimly lit. The food was wow. I got the chicken tikka masala flat bread and it did not disappoint. The taste and flavor was just on point and the portion was large enough that I could have shared it with another person. The drinks were interesting and flavorful. I got the golden state curry and the Punjabi by nature and I would say that I enjoyed the punjabi by nature a lot more. Don't think the drinks were that strong though. Service was not the greatest but the food and drinks gives me enough incentive to return. read more

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Food was freakin' great, service was better. I love their music and the fact they're playing pulp fiction on the wall. Only complaint was the chicken tastes overcooked. Keep it up, East Bay Spice company! read more

East Bay Spice - Indian Near Me - Berkeley, California

Glad I was finally able to grab a drink here. The cocktails are better than anything else in the area so if you're feeling up to the cost this is your spot. This isn't to say it's a ripoff at all either, they just use fancier booze and make more complicated drinks and that's going to cost money. I had a papadam on the side and it wasn't really anything special. At some point I'll get a full meal there too. read more

Really good food and cocktails. My wife and I like to hang out here every now and then. Atmosphere is cool. The service has been declining recently. On the last visit I tried ordering the tikka masala flat bread, which is my go-to because it's delicious. I don't remember there ever being onions on it, but I saw it in the menu description, and asked to keep them off. The waiter told me the cook wouldn't "modify" it. I mean, simply not throwing on a topping is a hassle? Whatever, ordered something else. As usual, the food was good, drinks were good, but we kept having to ask for basic things like napkins. Maybe I'm being a bitch about this, but cumulation of little points of poor service just left a bad taste in my mouth. I can't help but be put off by companies that become smug and petty when they reach a steady flow of customers. Go for the great food and atmosphere, but expect the same level of courtesy as you would from a DMV rep. read more