First plop-down customer of the morn.... it was a show plus a spectacular meal.. a meal of what, praytell, Jana?! Of poutine!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What could very easily become my new routine =) Thanks to No Reservations, I was inspired to try this Canadian treat of pommes frites plus a rich, tasty gravy (thank goodness, they did not take liberties with the salt, for the whole thing could have been easily ruined), and the lightest and fluffiest of cheese curds.. all tossed together. OH YUMMEEE FOR ME TUMMEEE (no, Cookie Monster is not in the house) I mean... a whole entire freshly-made-before-my-eyes box of this French snack, and thank goodness I, the rapt observer, was seated inside the warm little cubbyhole, watching the chefs get their groove on, mise en place materializing and carmelizing this and that... i kept warm, and ate with delight! Get it this month, because they very well could change the menu on you by Tax Day....even watched the guy, at lightning warp speed, prep the famed potato puffs in the fryer with his turbo ice cream scoop all-in-one sweep motion... Mesmerized, I tell ya.... Thank goodness the poutine never missed the piehole despite the wonderful distractions of the culinary show! read more

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Gregoire is one of my favorite places in Berkeley. The staff is always friendly, food is always ready on time, and I love the rotating seasonal menu. Cant recommend their salads and puffs enough!! read more

Love their potato puffs! They come out hot and fresh out of the fryer so you must eat them quick! It comes with a garlicky aioli that makes it extra flavorful with you dip it. They are offering take out only and you can order ahead of time through their website. I haven't tried anything else on their menu yet but I will definitely be back! read more

Grégoire - French Near Me - Berkeley, California

I came here on a late Saturday afternoon to grab some food to go. The inside was pretty small. The cashier did not acknowledge me at all for a couple of minutes even though there were no other customers inside. He was just making sandwich boxes and acted as if I was not there. My order: Buttermilk chicken filet sandwich with spicy coleslaw: The chicken filet tasted horrible, like dried flavorless cardboard. The only thing that slightly saved it was the spicy coleslaw which had a kick and amazing flavor. Crispy potato crisps: The outside was crispy, but I did not expect the inside to taste like a mushy mashed potato filling. I came here because I was craving a decent chicken sandwich and this place rated as a 4 star on Yelp. Honestly, I should have gone to Chick Fil A instead and it would not have cost me almost $13 for a chicken sandwich there. This place was a disappointment. read more

Grégoire - Fried buttermilk chicken filet sandwich - French Near Me - Berkeley, California

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So I came across Gregoire when searching "must eat" places in Berkeley on Yelp. It lead me to the gourmet ghetto area of Berkeley which has a plethora of great and unique places to eat. The ingredients used to make the food served at this restaurant is made with the highest quality. My favorite item on the menu is their chicken sandwich but you honestly can't go wrong with anything on their menu. If you find yourself in Berkeley and you want a unique food experience, you gotta check Gregoire out! read more

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I was intrigued by this place, and the raving reviews of the potato puffs. Turns out yes, they are indeed delicious. We also got the fried chicken sandwich. I was surprised that the piece of chicken was so small, but it still was really good and I would totally get it again. We also got the polenta that came with tomatoes and asparagus, which I was really excited about. I was really let down when it was too salty to eat. The service also left something to be desired. The space is small and quaint, I did love the two small tables outside and that my food was handed to me through the window between the tables and the kitchen. It was a weekday and not super busy, although our food did take a bit long which is fine (don't arrive too hungry!). read more

Grégoire - Crispy potato puffs - French Near Me - Berkeley, California

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It's the Best Chicken Sandwich Around! I was Born & raised in Berkeley- I Know!! You Gotta Try it! You'll be Hooked!

This epitomizes the hole-in-the-wall joint. I came here right after eating Cheeseboard since it's right down the street. I'd recommend going to Cheeseboard, then to Gregoire for dessert. I want to try everything. All I had was the Potato Puffs with aioli and the Bread Pudding. Both were excellent. The prices were decent. I like how they serve the food outside of a window. There could be more seating outside, but I guess it would eliminate the hole-in-the-wall feel. The seats outside were kinda dirty, also. But not too dirty that you don't want to sit down. Yet another gem in Berkeley, CA. read more

Grégoire - French Near Me - Berkeley, California

Such a small hole in the wall! A very cute French shack in the middle of the streets. I was shocked to find such a long line in front of thi very very tiny shack!! It was really small with two small outdoor tables that would seat about five people. I was told that they were famous for their fried mashed potato balls! And yes! They were delicious!! We got two orders: one white truffle and one permasean. My preference : the white truffle !! read more

Grégoire - Parmasean and white truffle - French Near Me - Berkeley, California

I've honestly heard so much about this place in all 4 years of school at Berkeley, but finally got the chance to go today. The store is pretty small, with a small bar area for seating inside the store (2-3 seats) and 2 tables outside (fits 4 people per table). My friend and I managed to score a table outside, and we ordered the potato puffs with garlic and parsley topping to share, the fried chicken sandwich for myself, and the scallop and lime ceviche for my friend. The order definitely took a while, but considering how small the place was, it was to be expected. The potato puffs were definitely the highlight. I'd come back here just for that. Each order of potato puffs comes with 9 potato puffs (around golfball size) and a dipping sauce (some kind of aioli?). They taste like fluffy mashed potato balls with a crunchy exterior, but the dipping sauce is what really elevates it to the next level. The sandwiches were alright. The fried chicken sandwich had not enough chicken in my opinion, but the spicy coleslaw and the fresh bread made a good combination. My friend's scallop and lime ceviche sandwich was much better. The balance of the scallops and avocado on dutch crunch bread was really good, and I'd probably get that next time I come. The potato puffs by themselves was $6.50, and with toppings it was an extra $2. The fried chicken sandwich was $12.50 and the scallop and lime ceviche sandwich was $14.50. So this place is definitely not the easiest on your wallet, but the potato puffs are really unique and delicious and I'd definitely recommend coming here just for those. read more

Grégoire - Fried chicken sandwich - French Near Me - Berkeley, California

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FOOD AND SAFETY VIOLATIONS The food here is always fantastic and affordable for a college student-- except for the fact that there are MANY FOOD AND SAFETY VIOLATIONS. We sat at the counter for 20 minutes waiting for our food. In that time period the cook (who happens to also be the manager) DIDNT WASH HIS HANDS ONCE. He went from touching raw chicken with his hands, to raw potato ball batter, to cooked beef, to grabbing raw greens for a salad and raw vegetables for various items that would not be cooked. Not once did he wash his hands or put on protective gloves. I've worked in a restaurant and know that these violate regulations placed on those preparing food. When I went to complain, the cashier told me HE IS THE MANAGER. He kept yelling and being extremely rude to the cashier working there. This establishment needs a reality check, I don't care how good your food is if it's VIOLATING PEOPLES SAFETY. Absolutely disgusting. read more

Grégoire - He went from touching raw meat to greens for a salad and raw vegetables without washing his hands. Absolutely disgusting. - French Near Me - Berkeley, California

The potato puff balls... omg SO GOOD.. Crispy on the outside, soft and fluffy mashed potatoes on the inside. Did I mention that it was SO GOOD? I am a mashed potatoes fanatic, so this is like my dream meal. I also had the tomato basil soup (soup of the day) and it was great! My friend had pita chips and egg salad. Even though it doesn't look like much, it was filling! The shop is tiny, so you have to wait outside. The wait may be long though, but it's worth it! read more

Grégoire - Pita chips, potato puffs and soup - French Near Me - Berkeley, California

Line was out the door, and it smelled amazing outside! The classic potato puffs were delicious, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. I didn't prefer the sauce myself, and wished they had a more sort of garlic aioli paired with them. Also ordered the Pork Patty which was incredibly soft and paired well with the egg and sauce on the bun. The chicken sandwich was huge and delicious! Would recommend all around read more

Grégoire - Crispy Potato puffs - French Near Me - Berkeley, California

Very rarely is something good enough for me to warrant five stars (check my profile). And really, nothing in the bay has me coming back again and again like this, not Ike's, not Ghirardelli, not any shop on the Wharf or Embarcadero. Sure, I may end up elsewhere more often just out of convenience or cost, but Gregoire is where I take my friends who're looking for something cool, special and different. If you're wondering where the location is, it's on ol' Shattuck - just follow the smells. I like that you have a full view of the kitchen while you're waiting, and how there's not too much seating - enjoy the view, the streets outside! People tend to go and sit in the Japanese complex next door, or on the island in the middle of the street, enjoying their gourmet, cars passing by on both sides. The menu differed each time I've come, so it's hard to directly comment on food items, except for one: the crispy potato balls. I'm not exactly sure what they're called, but that's enough of a description - people will know what you're talking about, the most popular item. Fluffly and warm and soft, crispy on the outside...just get them. Even if you miraculously dislike it, your friend will enjoy them for you. As for the other items, they're mostly all good, sandwiches, entree's, whatever. Of course, some are better than others, but I guess that's the fun of it all; that, and getting some clean fancy flavors and cool presentation (boxes and utensils!) at less than next door's Chez Panisse prices. I can't wait to go to Berkeley again. read more

Quality food with quality care! Came here after dinner at Cheeseboard, so we were only looking to try their famous potato puffs (more like fried breaded mashed potato spheres). We paid an extra dollar or so for the truffle oil flavor, and that was absolutely YUMMY. We were lucky enough to get a seat at one of their TWO ONLY outdoor tables. They are all for to-go, takeaway, takeout...whatever you want to call it because of their small space. Their kitchen and cash is "bumper to bumper" and you really feel like you're in Europe with their small space. BUT the food and care of presentation is obviously important. We were originally going to take our potato balls home to eat, but ended up eating on their kooky slanted picnic table while the puffs were fresh out of the fryer. They were delicious, but pretty much mashed potato...but fried in balls. I'd definitely come back to try more items on the menu, I don't think their potato puffs are as drop-dead-nom as people are saying. I loved their packaging of the box as well as their uber French vibes. read more

Grégoire - Potato puffs (extra $1 ish for truffle oil essence) - French Near Me - Berkeley, California

Happened to be walking by and was confronted by a mouth watering smell so I had to stop! Very cute outdoor dining spot with fast service and a delicious seasonal menu- with a few vegetarian options included. Do not skip the crispy potato puffs! read more

Grégoire - Crispy potato puffs - French Near Me - Berkeley, California

The place gets crowded and the food is delicious. The staff are super friendly and helpful

Delicious food and great service! I love the potato puffs and how often they chance their menu. Love it!

Overall really solid, but they seemed a bit rushed in getting the potato puffs out when we were there so those were a bit undercooked and disappointing. BUT we loved the poutine - one of the best I've tried, so simple yet so tasty! We also ordered the duck confit and fried chicken sandwiches, both were good although I was hoping for some stronger flavors on the chicken sandwich. All in all, a good meal! read more

Grégoire - Potato puffs - French Near Me - Berkeley, California

Our favorite little sandwich/salad spot in Berkeley. The food is always delicious, and no order is complete without the potato puffs. If you're lucky, you'll be able to sit on one of the two benches, but if not, you'll have to take it to go. The buttermilk chicken is a must. They recently had a kitchen fire, but it looks like it just reopened. Can't wait to go again. read more

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This review is for their fried chicken sandwich only. If you're a fan of Bakesale Betty's in Oakland, then you're going to love this! Their buttermilk fried chicken sandwich is actually one of their most popular items on the menu. I came here for lunch with Ken L. on a Sunday for lunch. We ordered our sandwiches ahead of time so we wouldn't have to wait when we got there. The online ordering system was quick and easy to use. Our order was waiting for us when we arrived and we were able to find a table outside to eat. Had we known how big the sandwiches were going to be, we might have decided to split! The chicken sandwiches were huge! I definitely enjoyed it a lot more than Bakesale Betty's in Oakland, especially because it wasn't partially hot and cold. Definitely order ahead of time if you don't want to have to wait either. If you haven't been here before, don't expect a sit down restaurant. It's actually a fancier take out restaurant. There is only counter space with room for about 4 people. Parking is limited to street parking so hope luck is on your side when you're looking for parking nearby. While previous reviewers have raved about their crispy potato puffs, I thought they were okay, but not amazing. I rather have their buttermilk fried chicken sandwich instead. Hopefully, I'll make it back up to Berkeley to try other items off their menu. read more

Grégoire - Fried chicken sandwich! It's big! - French Near Me - Berkeley, California

their food was good (very heavy though. you will be falling asleep on your way home lol) but there is barely any seating. Only seating outside in the sun. felt very hectic. read more

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This is such a cute lil' stop in Berkeley. Super close to Chez Panisse as well! This place is pretty famous for their potato balls so I had to go and give it a try! I got the option to add Parmesan and let me tell you, it was such a good call!! And plus they have a dip available with each order and it honestly brings it all together. The only real downfall of this place are the hipster cashiers who give off that "I don't care" vibe but it's Berkeley, what do you expect? Other than that, pretty solid snack place that offers sandwich and dinner options at a specific time. Get the potatoes balls and Togo! There's only 3 table benches outside and just standing room is outside lol. Enjoy! read more

Grégoire - French Near Me - Berkeley, California

This week I've been to Grégoire twice. Initially I had the chicken sandwich with spicy cold slaw. The chicken was quite tender but I wasn't that impressed with the slaw. I think a little more heat and a touch of sugar would do wonders. However, today I ordered the lamb sandwich. That's a winner. Great taste with fresh tomatoes, lettuce and a olive tapenade. The lamb sandwich, highly recommended. read more

Grégoire - Lamb sandwich - French Near Me - Berkeley, California

Super duper delicious and fantastic food. Warm welcome and great service too! Loved watching the passers by while eating at the outdoor tables with our doggies. read more

One of my favorite places in town, Gregoire's is my go-to place in Berkeley. This holds true even after graduation, and I find myself back here eating lunch with one of the girls I've known for over eight years. Because their menu is constantly changing, I always find my tasting experience is always a bit different, though never short of delicious. On this occasion, I had the chicken sandwich, which was a fried buttermilk chicken filet with a spicy cole slaw on a French roll, which was overall just flavorful goodness. For those who have had Bakesale Betty's chicken sandwiches - this is better! Gregoire's flavors tend to be more complex but milder than the vinegary sauce with coarsely chopped lettuce at Bakesale Betty's. They have a fairly new feature of changing their side salad to friend potato balls, which is exactly what I did! I couldn't resist, even though the sandwich itself was so filling already. They seem to have tried to improve their seating - only but a little. Seating always remains the main issue I have with Gregoire's but there really isn't any place to expand, so I forgive them... read more

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An old time favorite when I was a student at Cal. Now I'm excited to bring my boy as we share the wonderful memories and enjoy the same old fabulous potato puffs with him. read more

Every Berkeley student needs to come here at least once to experience the glory of the potato puff! The cool thing about Gregoire's is their rotating menu. It used to change every month, but I think they've cut it down to every quarter to synchronize with the seasons. Not a big deal for most of us, as we don't have the budget (or the arteries) to go more frequently than that! I've only eaten here for lunch, when they offer 4-5 sandwiches featuring different meats and veggies. No matter what time of year, they always offer a fried chicken sandwich, which tells you how good it is! They also do lamb pretty well, so make sure to get it if it's on the menu! The fries here are also pretty dang good, especially with the truffle oil... In terms of facilities, this is more of a grab-and-go restaurant. There are several counter spots and picnic tables, but that's about it. No bathroom! Parking is decent. Lots of non-metered residential parking off of Shattuck. The one thing I don't like about Gregoire's is the cashier. Every time I talk to him (in person or over the phone), he is very short with me - almost impatient. Also very little eye contact. It feels like he's trying to minimize the amount of interaction we have to save himself time to do other more important things like prep to-go boxes. Maybe it's just a personality mismatch, I dunno. Won't stop me from coming here, but he could loosen up a bit - kinda kills the vibe. read more

Grégoire - Leg of lamb sandwich with an obligatory Puffgrade! - French Near Me - Berkeley, California

(July 2016 menu) Tried the spicy fried cajun catfish with tabasco sauce sandwich, the curried potato and cauliflower salad wrap, and the potato puffs today. The cajun catfish sandwich, for $10.50 ($11.50 after tax), was pretty good quality-wise with great seasoning, fresh, flaky gorgeous chunks of catfish, and a delicious sauce and bread. However, I felt a bit cheated quantity-wise, especially for the price. The wrap was $9 (a friend got it) and while it was good, it wasn't $9 good either honestly. I could see it going for $6 or $7 as a side, but I honestly wouldn't place it on the main course section of the menu. The potato puffs were the saving grace, and bring this review up from 3 stars to 4. Fried on-the-spot to order, they're delicious. Most and dense potato balls with a lightly fried, slightly crispy skin on the outside- think donut hole style, but potatoes. I'd be open to trying Gregoire's again for the experience and the quality, but I unfortunately don't see myself being a regular here with these price-to-portion ratios. read more

Grégoire - July 2016 menu! - French Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Yay! Hubers got the leeks and something quiche salad, I got buttermilk chicken sando and also poutine. It was so filling and delicious even though the flavors are so rich and decadent the salad had tangy pickled veg to refresh the palate, and the slaw on the sando was also tangy and spicy, so it was delicious. The poutine of course was a treat, and we still have so much food to still eat! read more

Love their sandwiches and potato puffs! The sandwiches that Gregoire offers is different every month and this menu can be viewed on their website. They usually offer some sort of beef, lamb, chicken, duck, and seafood sandwich but it varies. Each sandwich is served on specialty bread and always, always, the main protein of the sandwich is paired nicely with some sort of greens, sauce, and bread. It's a flavor science that Gregoire has gotten down. The potato puffs are so ingenious! Mashed potato fried, served hot with dipping sauce. Simple but delicious. At $4.95 or so, they might seem expensive compared to McDonald's fries which is just around the corner, but it's definitely worth a try if it's your first time here. One criticism that some people might have about the place is the price is somewhat high (for a sandwich $7-$9) but for the quality of the sandwich, I believe the price is justified. Another criticism that I will agree with though, is sometimes they give you *too* little meat in the sandwich or one of the sauces in the sandwich is too overpowering, such as the horseradish sauce. I've been here for dinner but only once. I wouldn't recommend it. I ordered the lamb and while it was delicious, it was $20 for a single leg of lamb. That was one expensive lamb, considering there was no sides or anything else served with it. Overall, this place is a wonderful place to have a gourmet lunch. read more

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With a menu that changes every month, you never know what will be in store for you here. This month they have Asian style flank steak, which my friend and I had, lamb, tripe, among other unique sandwiches. Their gourmet sandwiches are delicious with well-crisped bread ends and bursts of flavor inbetween. They also have a good selection of sparkling juices and teas inside. And of course, everyone raves about the potato puffs! They are basically like fried pieces of mashed potato aka pufs of cloudy/fatty/oily heaven in your mouth :) Always a must buy from me when I come here. I'd give this place 4 and a half stars if possible, and the only reason for not being 5 stars would be that it is on the expensive side (though still reasonable), and there is hardly any seating :P read more

The second stop on a brunch crawl, Gregoire is an extremely popular hole-in-the-wall within the gourmet ghetto. I've been wanting to give it a try for a long while and decided to get a couple of items. I ordered the fried chicken sandwich and fried potato balls, which they happen to be famous for. I loved both dishes and it was clear that their food is made with a lot of love. The flavors were clean and sophisticated and I can see why people love the food here. They've got a couple of small tables outside that welcome your dogs, but I'd they're occupied you'll have to either head home or to the nearest park. Service was friendly and, while prices are on the high end, are pretty reasonable for the quality. They've got lots of great items that I can't wait to try and will make it a point to return to the area more often. Food: 9/10 Service: 9/10 Price: $$ Atmosphere: 9/10 read more

Grégoire - French Near Me - Berkeley, California

Chicken sandwich is a mess. Coleslaw is runny and tastes like spicy water. Really lacking flavor and substance. Chicken is so rubbery you can't chew through it. Bread is tasty except for that it got so soggy from the coleslaw read more

Grégoire - Chicken sandwich - French Near Me - Berkeley, California

Unpretentious food but the dishes are crafted by someone who knows what they are doing. I've never had something that I did not like from Gregoire. read more

TL;DR potato puffs w/ garlic & parsley are a must try!! Grégoire serves up some yummy yummy potato puffs! Crispy on the outside, light soft and beautifully fluffy on the outside. Topping them with garlic & parsley is a must. The sauce pulls everything together for a heavenly explosion in your mouth. Yes, the potato puffs are on the pricey end, so save your stomach and wallet for a treat yourself night! Thank you Trish P. and Tiffany H. for enjoying these potato puffs with me! read more

Great spot for a late lunch on a cold winter afternoon. The outdoor seating afforded a nice view of the neighborhood and the salad and quiche were both excellent. At second glance, the place looked kind of familiar and I realized I'd visited way back in 2012, and enjoyed it just as much back then. read more

The potato puffs are way too salty for me. The truffle sauce is too strong. I should have ordered the plain one. The chicken salad is nothing special. Chicken could have more flavor. Its pretty bland. For the price i paid for 2 items i don't think its worth it. read more

The potato puffs are back, and I'm so happy! I had ordered them twice earlier this year, and there was something different about them. Maybe it was the oil that they were fried in that tasted odd... The sauce had changed... I didn't like them nearly as much as in the past. I stopped in today and thought I'd give them one more try. So glad that I did. They taste like I remember. The sauce is slightly mustardy and has just the right amount of acid. The puffs are pure goodness. I'm always a fan of the quiche and salad. The combination of pickled and roasted veggies with warm savory quiche hits the spot. I just wish that there was more dressing and that it wasn't in a container that vacuum seals itself when the food is hot. read more

Came here for dinner one night and was surprised at how tiny Grégoire is. There are only four counter seats inside and 2 tables outside-they get a lot of to-go orders placed. Nonetheless, the food was amazing! We managed to snag a seat at the counter; it overlooks the grill/kitchen, so we were able to watch the chefs prepare the food which was cool. Potato Puffs ($6.50): MUST ORDER. These are so yummy! You get 9 puffs, so it is worth the price. Crispy on the outside and super fluffy/creamy on the inside. It had that perfect consistency right between batter-y and cooked (kind of like a mushy brownie consistency), and the sauce was also good. Couldn't tell if there was any cheese in it, but my stomach was fine after, thankfully. Pulled Chicken with Gruyère Cheese on Franchese au Jus(h) ($12.50): This was pretty good, except I think there was too much bread for the amount of chicken. It's sort of like a French Dip, but the bread is already soaked in the au jus, and it is served with chicken instead. Grégoire Salad ($8.50): Baked sweet potato and parsnips, roasted brussel sprouts, onions, pickled cauliflower. I really liked this salad-it had ingredients that have to be cooked/prepared which makes it worth the price. Man I've missed brussels sprouts-they were so good-and I love sweet potato. I also liked the garlic cilantro dressing. Food here is very fresh and pretty much cooked to order. They serve up a seasonal menu-we had dishes from the fall menu. The service was friendly, and we didn't have to wait extremely long for the food. We didn't see water anywhere, and they didn't offer any drinks, so we asked the cashier if they had water. They gave us some tap water which was good enough because I was so thirsty after eating half my meal. The prices are affordable, except I don't think the particular sandwich we got was worth its price. read more

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