I came here for brunch and had a mixed experience. The food was good, but it was a bit pricey, so I expected more attention to detail. When I sat down, there was leftover food on the table, and when I mentioned it, I was told it "comes like that," which was disappointing. Especially with the automatic 18% service charge. The atmosphere was also much louder than expected due to a World Cup game, with people cheering inside and outside. I wish I had known beforehand because I would have chosen outdoor seating. My drink arrived, but I was told they were out of straws, and I also noticed used forks being picked up by hand while my table was being cleaned, which made me uncomfortable. Overall, the food was good, but the service and cleanliness details did not match the price point. read more

Parking: limited parking lot in the back and street parking Exterior: big signs, no steps to go in, steps in the back if you sit outside the patio though Interior: Dim lit, high ceiling, flat floors easy to walk and roll cart or wheelchair, tight spots, bar and bar seats available Service: friendly, helpful, knowledgeable Food/Drinks: I went during their first AYCE, toke way too long, I actually spent 90 mins waiting in line for 2 rounds (6 tacos total) But I've heard they improved it and lessen the wait time Their food are great and their sauce are yummy read more

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We came here specifically for Taco Tuesday after hearing how popular it had become. Street parking was surprisingly easy to find, and the service from the staff throughout our visit was great. Unfortunately, one interaction left a negative impression. Shortly after we arrived, a man pulled over in the middle of the street and began yelling at the employees preparing the tacos. There was some smoke coming from the cooking area, but from where we were sitting, no customers appeared to be complaining. The way he spoke to the employees came across as rude and condescending. He then got back into his car and drove away. About 30 minutes later, I saw him introduce himself to other customers as the owner, which was disappointing to learn. The all-you-can-eat tacos themselves were okay. Nothing particularly stood out for me, but the rest of the staff provided great service and were friendly. Overall, Taco Tuesday was worth trying, but watching employees be spoken to that way definitely affected my experience. How staff are treated matters just as much to me as how customers are treated. read more

The Teen and I traveled over the mountain through the tunnel and to In The Wood to escape the heat and to have a fabulous meal. Well that didn't happen because the food was horrible, and I was so upset. I was hot as the temperature that we were trying to escape. I can't tell you how the food was because they weren't able to accommodate my simple request of swapping out the Canadian bacon for regular bacon, because they were too busy, so I decided just to have water. My daughter had the french toast, which was cold and soggy, and rather disappointing especially at outrageous price of $28 for three small pieces, that's highway robbery. And they charge 18% brunch fee wtf.. Service was lacking, it took a while for the order to get taken and nobody checked on us. There wasn't utensils, and after asking for them, it took about six minutes , the ambience probably was the only thing that was good because of the people enjoying who they were sitting with. Definitely won't be going back! Not worthy of one star .. brunch fee, really? That was the tip!! And another tip is do better, way better!! read more

Service is s l o w. This is the first restaurant I've been to where the hostess barely looks up from her conversation with a coworker and hands you a stack of menus so you can find your own table. Table was filthy. I had the steak chilaquiles, the chips were a soggy mess. read more

We were seated quickly on Saturday afternoon. Waitress wasn't great with English so it was hard to get answers to our questions. The spinach dip with chips was superb. We even had chips left after eating all the dip, how often does that happen? The steak salad was done perfectly. Would have been nice to have a side plate to cut the meat but we figured it out. The El Gordito Pizza had a great crust and very tasty sauce, just right amount of ingredients. Held up nicely when picked up. Soft drink selection was ok. Really liked the brewery list for beers but come on, know which beer it is from each brewery. How many Hazy IPA does Ghost Town make or West Coast IPA does Original Pattern brew? Asked the waitress to check the keg and she came back and said it was an India Pale Ale. Slap my head! Overall, a very solid experience. read more

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I wanted to like this place more than I did. The atmosphere is genuinely nice, the service was friendly, and the food itself looked great and tasted good. My chilaquiles were solid, and while the mole wasn't my favorite style, it had a good kick and was clearly well made. The issue for me is the price. I ended up paying over $30 for an appetizer, chilaquiles, and water, and that just didn't feel like a good value for what I got. This street has a lot of excellent options, including some true five-star spots at similar prices and others that are just better priced for everyday meals. When I'm spending that much for brunch-level food, I expect something that really knocks it out of the park, and this didn't quite get there. Nothing was bad. It was a pleasant experience. I just don't see myself going back given the cost and the competition nearby. If price isn't a concern, you might enjoy it more than I did. For me, it's a solid but expensive meal in a neighborhood with a lot of strong alternatives. read more

In The Wood - Yummy - Gastropubs Near Me - Berkeley, California

Came for their $25 all you can eat tacos! Pretty good deal. We ate SO MUCH. Had about 4 tacos each + quesadillas + a huge torta. They have a little toppings staring with onion, cilantro, pickled onion, lime, and sauces. I liked the green sauce (kinda like avocado). The red sauce was a bit spicy. Go early because the line gets longer throughout the night. read more

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Horrible! Absolutely horrible. I knew of someone who worked there along time ago in the kitchen and was told of the bugs in the kitchen and the bar.. I didnt believe them. We'll today, I decided to go and have a drink and some food. First if all it is true...gnats at the bar...yikes! And the food wasn't as good as it once was. The staff was kind of rude as well, like it was an imposition to wait on me. The server with the bright blue hair was especially rude...very dismissive. I dont know what happened to this place...New people? Cutting corners on food quality? Bugs? This will definately be the last time spending my money for crap service and worse food. Dont believe me about the bugs? Ask to see the health dept report. Beware. read more

The food is pretty mediocre. I wish I could like it more but I don't. Staff was super nice place seemed clean.

Went to their Taco Tuesday AYCE, food was amazing! They had four or five different options for meats and a table full of different taco toppings. Spoke with one of the owners, Richard, and he was a great down-to-earth kind of guy. Would highly recommend for good eats and good vibes! read more

This has been one of the best brunch spots I have been to! We sat outside for brunch which they only do it on the weekends I believe. Our server was amazing! The chilaquiles were outstanding! I got half red sauce and half mole. I highly recommend this place, will definitely be going back! read more

In The Wood - Chicken & Waffle - Gastropubs Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Everything about our visit here was great! The service was so good. We had the sweetest waitress who knew her menu! I can always appreciate that about a waitress. It's like know your craft! And boy did she know it! The place was pretty empty but it totally strikes me as the type of place that packed in the evenings not at 2:00 in the afternoon! So we were actually happy to have the place to ourselves. We had wings and the chicken sandwich and all of it... I do mean all of it was so good! I was starving and forgot to take pics of the food so my apologies but just know it's good! Give them a try for yourself! Cute vibes! Cute spot! 10 out of 10! read more

In The Wood - View from the best table in the house! - Gastropubs Near Me - Berkeley, California

Showed up looking for a new place to try out, ended up eating dinner here. Friendly staff, interesting selection of beers, great sangria we loved it. The wings were amazing, Mac and cheese was unique. Quite delicious. The calamari was cool. They have enough screens, but it is casual enough since not everyone is there for the sports. Definitely recommend 5/5 read more

In The Wood - Calamari, Mac and Cheese - Gastropubs Near Me - Berkeley, California

Honestly, the food was okay. I had ordered 3 things, an omelette, salmon tacos, and a steak salad. The best was the steak salad. It was my first time and the service was okay. We were the only ones in the restaurant and it took quite long for the food to come out though I understood that there was only one chef working at the time. We did not feel the most welcomed and weren't really checked on. read more

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I come here for the experience. It's my go-to home base when I want out of my home. Phenomenal people who always get the job done. Always have wonderful conversations with the customers too. The food is amazing. Multiple cuisine styles and the specials change seasonally. I've brought my dog and cat-dogs onto the patio and my dog even begs me to come when we're walking by haha. read more

The Wife and I stopped in here after a movie, feeling indecisive. Fortunately, this was the right choice, since they have a nice varied menu for a gastro pub. The Warriors were playing (and winning) over the bar, so it was a happy atmosphere. The service was fast and friendly. The Wife ordered a wood fired margarita pizza, while I had a beyond burger. Both were great, especially the pizza. She only got through half - we could have easily shared it. It's a narrow space on College Ave, but opens up nicely once you step inside. Which I recommend you do. read more

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Many of the vegan options on the menu are not actually vegan. This is my 2nd time going here. The first time, i ordered a veggie burger and fries but I was told the fries are not vegan even though they are marked vegan on the menu due to the way they are cooked. The veggie burger was not cooked thoroughly and was slimy. I could not finish it. I went back because I was in the area and we ordered the vegan cheese pizza and they came back to tell us they don't have vegan cheese. It is advertised on the menu and online and it was the only reason we went to this restaurant so we ended up leaving. The staff is kind and the restaurant ambience is clean and nice but they advertise vegan options which they do not have. I thought this would be a good place to go with friends who are not vegan because I thought there were options for me but it's just disappointing that they don't actually have anything. read more

Went here for my daughter's bday because she wanted pizza. Pizza was pretty good though extremely goopy and a little underdone. I had a chicken Caesar salad that was so, so bad guys. Waitstaff were nice but dropped a million things on the floor and it's very loud. One of the pizzas took about 10 min longer to come out so we were halfway through eating when my son's arrived. I rarely write negative reviews but this was a pretty bad experience. read more

Was shopping in Berkeley this afternoon and looking for a good lunch place. Checked Yelp for a restaurant, and In the Wood Bar & Grill had a 4.0 and was right across the street. We ate on the patio, which was pretty noisy at first but soon quieted down as the tables emptied. There was no wait for a table at 1 pm on a Saturday. I had the salmon tacos, hold the jalapeños and mango, and it was wonderful. The salmon was grilled to perfection and topped with cabbage and avocado slices. It was listed as a small plate, but I could barely finish it. My sister had the In the Wood burger, which was huge and had smoked Gouda and bacon and caramelized onion jam on it. She said it was very good. I stole a few of her fries and they were delicious. Service was excellent. Highly recommend In the Wood. read more

In The Wood - Gastropubs Near Me - Berkeley, California

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This is my second review. I visited 7 years ago and was underwhelmed. A friend wanted to go for brunch so I reluctantly gave this place another try. I am still underwhelmed and here is why. I wanted a Bloody Mary and asked if they could make one since it wasn't on the cocktail menu. They brought me a glass of vodka & tomato juice with olives and a lemon wedge. No seasoning of any kind. The server proudly said he made it himself. Is there no bartender in this place? I ordered an omelette, which comes with potatoes. I asked if I could have some toast. The server seemed completely flummoxed by this request and unsure if it could be done. I said never mind. What kind of American brunch spot doesn't have toast? The omelette was supposed to come with sour cream on the side. Instead it was smeared along one half of the omelette, which looked bad and was annoying because I wanted the sour cream for the potatoes, not on the eggs. Other than that, the food was fine. No one ever came to take our dirty dishes away. They were still sitting there when we left. Final straw: we were never presented with an actual bill; instead the server came by with a handheld device that showed only the total-- with an 18% tip already included. I normally tip 20% anyway, but there should have been a notice on the menu about an automatic gratuity for a party of 2, and I would have appreciated being able to see the actual itemized bill. The food was fine-- nothing memorable but fine-- but overall this experience was not worth $95 (for two brunch entrees and two cocktails.). If I'd received the same level of food and service at a cheap diner I would have been OK with it, but at this price there are far better places to spend your money. read more

Really good. A bit upscale from their sister restaurant, Southie, next door. When we want table clothes at lunch, we come here.

Great food and good service! The pizza was great, and the lamb burger was excellent! I also tried my friend's summer veggie pizza, and it was amazing! They also had all you can eat tacos on the patio, but we didn't realize until it was too late! I'll definitely be back for them though! read more

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Doing its job as a Gastropub. The brews had the place smelling good. The self serve water... not knocking that it's obviously tap, or appears that way. These bottles aren't that expensive. And there's Amazon. Replace the caps... and talk to that server that worked 6.28.25 between 6p and 7p. he touched every surface that's supposed to touch a mouth. From silverware to the tops of cups. He bussed tables and never changed his gloves. Speaking of tables. He should make sure he's keeping the wedges in place under the tables. It wobbled none stop. The Shroom was a complete fail. There were barely any mushrooms to call it a mushroom pizza. I was hoping for at least two variations of shroom. But I feel like I was met with room temp poorly salted canned grade mushroom. Some good onion and a premature sauce. If you know pizza, you know sauce. And they cooked theirs that morning. The toppings slid off like a mudslide and the pizza was strait mush almost to the crust. The Instagram ad and what I got was crazy insane. Taking Kid Cudi Day and Night. The Benito. Excellent. But, the peaches didn't looked fresh. Maybe don't let these sit without juice. A few more chunks of chicken and less arugula. How ever nod to the arugula it absolutely pulled each element together. I fully recommend for drinks. The Elmwood Sour was amazing. Be a kid for a second and get some poor sips through that cinnamon stick. Elevated the drink to a whole new height when sick through that bark. My goodness!!!! So delicious until my wife knocked it out the cup. read more

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We visited recently as referred by a social media influencer *(IG) posted some foodie pics of this local eatery in Berkeley. My daughter & I drove 20 miles to try this place. First of all, the staff was friendly& seating outside in patio/side area was comfortable offering shade with a nice breeze. I ordered pasta and unfortunately the cook "decided" to put cayenne pepper flakes without my consent. This seasoning wasn't on the menu under the entree description. It was too spicy! *(I have sensitive gut condition and get heartburn easily if consume spicy food). The waitress was understanding and apologized for the inconvenience. It wasnt an optimal experience, but the server made it right. Also, my daughter ordered the eggs benedict w/ side of potatoes. Thanks again for going above & beyond to correct a mistake. read more

overpriced but decent. my friends got the macncheese and fries and I got a brownie for dessert. service was good but the food wasn't really great enough to justify the prices. I don't see myself coming back. read more

In The Wood - brownie - Gastropubs Near Me - Berkeley, California

I came here for a catch up lunch with a friend, while I was visiting from Los Angeles. This is the part of Berkeley where parking can be really tough, and prepare to pay, as it's only metered parking. The restaurant itself is dark on the inside and the service was decent. There weren't many folks when I arrived but it was pretty full when we left. The food itself was surprisingly good with great portions. I had enough left to take home for dinner. I thought the prices were solid for the portion size. All in all, it's a good lunch choice, if you're in the area. read more

In The Wood - Chicken sandwich and fries - Gastropubs Near Me - Berkeley, California

Finally got a chance to try the food and greatly impressed. Ordered the BBQ wings, the Salmon Tacos and Truffle fries. All were very tasty. Can't wait to try the other items on the menu. read more

In The Wood - Salmon Tacos - Gastropubs Near Me - Berkeley, California

Horrible service. Waitress was rude. Waited for 40 mins to get our food. We had a party of 6 (only ordered 5 entries, 2 of which were salads) and the restaurant was hardly full. Menu states gluten free buns but was rudely told NO, we don't... zero apologies or accommodations. One of our plates was sitting under a warmer forever while the entries were being made and came out cold. Got the bill and saw a 25% gratuity was added for our "large party"?' Of 5 entries? Average food at best but horrible service will not be seeing us again. read more

The taco Tuesday was a JOKE Paid $25 to get in line to find out they were out of steak !!! The most popular meat and they run out!!! Make sure they have what you like before you pay!!! read more

Very disappointed about the chilaquiles I order with red sauce and they gave me mole. I asked for 6oz ribeye steak and they charged me for 12oz not even asking me first. Never coming back here...... read more

Cute little spot. They did not have enough waiters the day we went and we waited quite a bit. But it was nice to be outside to soak in the sun while eating. I really enjoyed the chilaquiles with the steak. The steak was quite perfect. I don't particularly like mole so the mole chilaquiles was not my thing. I think just the reg chilaquiles w chorizo prob would've done the trick. But the red chilaquiles were beyond amazing. My husband doesn't really like chilaquiles, but he found himself wanting more. His brandy French toast were delicious and left your mouth watering. We were hoping we had enough to bring home, but we finished it. Overall, I would go back and try more items. The truffle fries sound beyond! read more

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Came here for Valentines with a friend. We've been wanting to stop by this place and happened to be in the neighborhood. It wasn't terribly busy and we were seated right away. We ordered the mimosa flight, which I HIGHLY reccomend sharing, as we each got our own and it was a bit much. The chicken and waffles plate was very good, the chicken was well seasoned, juicy and tender (a bit spicy) and the waffles were not too sweet. The French toast was light and perfect for an easy brunch item. We will definitely be coming back! read more

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If I were given an option for my last meal, there'd be no doubt In The Wood's macaroni and cheese with bacon would be my main course. 4/5 on the The New Benito, only because I'd prefer more peaches, personally. Atmosphere, service, surprisingly quick! Just overall YUM and awesome random stop on our four hour car ride back inland. read more

In The Wood - The New Benito, Mac and cheese with bacon - Gastropubs Near Me - Berkeley, California

It's alright for a pub, but wasn't wild about anything. From the food to the drinks and the atmosphere. I might go back, but it's lacking something that is enticing. read more

comfort go to place for after class meals. Cosy place, fresh food, easy on wallet. Taco Tuesdays on patio are hit with our group read more

Recently just discovered in the wood this week while searching for a good local restaurant for a special occasion. I was immediately drawn in by the incredibly delicious aroma of freshly made street tacos being grilled on their outdoor patio. Apparently they do a special taco Tuesday event every week and it was really outstanding! This place literally checked all of the boxes! Great atmosphere, great service, and great food! We ordered the fried calamari, a woodfired, oven pizza, a seared Aji salad, a burger, and a couple of delicious cocktails. Everything was outstanding! This is definitely a location that I am going to come back to you again and again no question. The owner of the restaurant, Richard, even walked around from table to table to personally talk with everyone and asked for their feedback. I usually don't write reviews for restaurants unless I really really really enjoyed it at this was absolutely no exception. Highly recommended! 100%! read more

We came here on Valentines day for an impromptu date night. We ordered a couple burgers. I ordered the 'Woods Burger' medium. It was surprisingly good. My wife got a standard classic. It was also good. Nothing amazing here. Bit of a greasy mess, but okay. The fires were a letdown. Very salty and just warmer than room temp. Nothing I'd argue about, but at $19 per plate... that was disappointing. The staff were really overworked. Every table was taken, but they managed alright. They left us alone for most of the meal, as they were too caught up with other folks, but that can be nice on a date, don't need to be checked in on all the time. Would have been a different situation had I liked my drink more. As it was, it was fine. The place is pretty tight, but it's clean and bright. Nothing to cute or artsy about it. Just a regular restaurant. TL;DR: Pretty good burgers. read more

In The Wood - Couple of burgers - Gastropubs Near Me - Berkeley, California

We ate here today. It okay but not great. I had the waffle with chicken wings and my husband had salmon tacos. Although the place wasn't busy, service was very slow. Our server, a stocky Asian woman, was surly. She mumbled in answer to questions, was hard to understand and never returned to our table to make sure everything was okay. When she finally brought our food, she left out the whipped cream. I said, "Excuse me, but the menu says this is supposed to come with whipped cream." Normally I'd expect a waitress to say, "Oh, I'm sorry, I'll get that for you right away." Instead her response was, "If you want whipped cream, just ask and I'll get you some " She came back with a tiny container of it. My husband had salmon tacos which he liked, althoug they were small (the menu described them as large.) I had the waffle with chicken wings. The menu says it comes with 5 jumbo wings, but there were only two--four pieces, each of which was half of a wing. They were delicious, though. The waffle was disappointing. I thought it be homemade, but it was a mushy, undercooked toaster waffle. It did have some nice fruit with it, though. All in all, I wouldn't be in a hurry to come back here. I was surprised to get such poor service in a restaurant that was mostly empty. read more

I returned here after a year as my partner wanted to try. I remember the pizza being very well done and unique, so we went for dinner and were immediately seated. We sat in a corner and it had nice dim lighting and pub vibes. Our waiter was very inviting and gave us recommendations. The spinach and beet salad was very refreshing. I enjoyed the goat cheese and vinaigrette. We also wanted to get truffle fries, but the fish and chips came with fries already. Our waiter was so kind and said they could substitute our normal fries with truffle fries! The fish was so crispy and soft, but just a bit oily for my liking. The truffle fries were indulgent and my partner finished them so quickly. I loved the El Nando pizza. The pairing with burrata cheese and prosciutto was so perfect, and the pesto as a base was my favorite. The crust was so thin and crispy, it was one of the most memorable pizzas I have ever had. I really enjoyed my time here again, and I will come back to try more pizzas! read more

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