4 stars $28 BBQ Chicken Sandwich: perfectly cooked, juicy with a lovely slaw crunch. Flavors ripe with umami added by the melted smoked Gouda. $18 Paper Airplane: that was a fantastic cocktail. $16 Flourless Chocolate Cake: so damn good. As a price sensitive customer, I wouldn't call this worth it. But it was a hell of a lunch. read more

Limewood Bar & Restaurant - BBQ Chicken Sandwich - New American Near Me - Berkeley, California

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The view and vibe of the place is great, and the service was attentive and knowledgeable but the food was subpar. maybe my expectation was too high for this place due to it being attached to the Claremont. Our whole table agreed the food was disappointing. I had the striped bass which at first bite tasted like mud. Everyone else who ordered the bass said the same thing. I had to cover the fish with their habanero sauce and mix it into the rice just so I wouldn't taste the fish. The side of maitake mushrooms, truffle fries, and shishito peppers were all bland and flavorless. Everything was under seasoned - you can see the sauces but it tasted like nothing. We finished with dessert, which was also a mess. I had the panna cotta and it was not a panna cotta. The texture was off. the best thing we had was maybe the sorbet. Good thing the cappuccino was good and so was the raspberry no-jito. 2 stars for the drinks and service. read more

Limewood Bar & Restaurant - New American Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Nothing wrong with the service and ambiance, but the food is subpar. My sister and I stayed at the hotel this past Monday as a treat (we live in town), and I made a reservation for dinner. We ordered oysters first, having been assured they were medium/small sized. They were more large sizes and looked like they'd been frozen. We sent them back and they didn't charge us. The mains were tasteless. So we didn't order desert. We decided to order room service for breakfast. The fried chicken tasted like it had been cooked in the same oil fish was fried in, and the french toast was wet and cold. The coffee was bitter as well. $280 added on to my room bill for both of these aweful meals. Never again. read more

I've been to this establishment before, sometimes you hold on to experiences/memories expecting the same thing!! The food is TERRIBLE!!!! IHOP/Jack in a box is better!! Today I ordered the fried chicken sandwich/French fries for breakfast. The only thing that was good was the chicken. In the past I would order their basic breakfast. There were four of us, the only one that liked their meal ordered poached eggs/sd toast. We spent 300 dollars on a four entrees and four Bloody Mary's. Scrambled eggs were brown and over done, Spanish tortilla was dry. Everything lacked flavor. It gets better!!! We decided to sit in the bar area to spend more money. The bald/older bartended was so self absorbed talking to his colleague/co worker that he completely ignored us!! We literally had to interrupt him from his convo. We got a bottle of champagne and more drinks, we spent around 500+ dollars and everything sucked, but the alcohol/oysters. The only thing that was memorable was the Latina waitress and the half dozen oysters!! Also, it was freezing!!! They had the A/C running at 10 am. I hate this place and will avoid it/never go there again. read more

The service was warm and friendly even if nobody checked on me during my two meals. The waiters dropped off the food and disappeared. Decor is upscale and stylish; they were playing '80s dance pop which lent a high energy vibe. The striped sea bass was a high point as was a flourless chocolate cake. Excellent mocktails and coffee. However a Caesar-inspired salad with gems, cheddar, and creamy caper dressing had one note of flavor throughout. As you can see in my photos, plating was very careless! read more

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A beautifully-appointed restaurant in a historic Berkeley hotel that I really wanted to like, but I ended up thinking the food was a tad boring. I ate there last week and I needed to look at the pictures to remember what I ate because it just wasn't memorable, even though the price tag was high. The raved-about bread was fine, the octopus was fine, the burger was fine... (fries were fine too), and... well, it was fine. Service was good, thought the place is quite busy. We skipped desserts, which I suspect would have been fine too. read more

My husband and I recently visited Limewood and unfortunately had a very disappointing experience. We had reservations and were initially seated indoors. We asked the waitress if it would be okay to move outside, and she said yes, so we moved to an outdoor table. Shortly afterward, the manager came over and asked if we actually had reservations. I explained that we did and that we had asked if we could move outside and were told it was okay. She then said she needed to go ask the hostess, which made us feel as though we were being questioned or not believed. Unfortunately, the service was also very slow, which only added to an already uncomfortable experience. What should have been a nice meal turned into a frustrating evening. We left feeling disappointed, especially considering we had made reservations and were simply trying to accommodate the seating arrangement. read more

Stand by my last review. This is a hotel restaurant with a great view. Service was Meh. Food was a B. Had to pay ten bucks to park and the breakfast was close to $30 sans toast. Toast is $5 more. read more

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Not sure why this isn't better rated, but this place is incredible. My friend brought me here to celebrate my birthday and I was amazed by the view and the food. The service was impeccable, and the waiter went above and beyond. Extremely attentive, and always asking us if we needed anything additional. We ordered quite a bit for 2, but we couldn't decide what we wanted to get so we got a little of everything. Branzino was a 10/10. Extremely fresh, flaky, and delicious. We got a pulled steak sandwich and that was also delicious. The grilled onion along with the sweetness of the bread, honestly burst in my mom. The mussels are so addicting! The garlic w the wine sauce reduction was so good. The crisp of the bread made it perfection! Also, fries is a must in my book! A nice little surprise - they brought me a cheesecake which I couldn't stop eating. read more

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Beautiful views from this upscale restaurant in the Claremont Resort. Service was attentive. The food was very good. We enjoyed the French toast with berries and blueberry thyme syrup. The bagel with lox was a bit over toasted, but edible. The carnitas hash was delicious. Coffee was strong and was topped off regularly. read more

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I'm sorry to share our disappointment with our dining experience at Limewood. The best part of the meal was the buns (highly recommend) and dessert (so unique and lovely). Timing was off, chicken was dry, steak was unseasoned, potatoes didn't match menu, and shrimp app was 3 pieces. It was delicious but felt scant. Husband was sat with sun burning through his retina (his words), and sun shade was inoperable. We would have asked to move but our waitress was no where to be seen. We come here for special evenings and may wait a bit to return. The view is beautiful and the other times we have dined here have been lovely. read more

Limewood Bar & Restaurant - Buns are awesome - New American Near Me - Berkeley, California

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So I apologize in advance for the lack of photos. Once I got my drink I completely forgot the assignment. However Limewood is a great time, the service was great only reason I gave 4 stars was due to the menu being a little lack luster for such a beautiful location. The items ordered were pretty good My drink was the Claremont surprise-delicious My husband had the mezcal magic it too was tasty We shared: the Parker house rolls An octopus dish the 24oz braised short rib The truffle fries We had the butter cake for dessert and I ended my night with the lime drop Everything was pretty good, not to die for but by no means bad I'd like to try their brunch read more

Limewood Bar & Restaurant - The cutesy bathroom - New American Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Solid 4. Ambiance is fabulous! View if Berkeley, Oakland & San Francisco! Wait staff was kind and attentive. The man behind the closed bar at 11:25 Monday 10/13, was abrupt & a tad rude. On to the food: I had the Rock fish sandwich & my neice had the mushroom omelet. All dishes were beautifully plated! The cod was too thin, not very much fish. And the omelet did not have any cheese. I know not all omelets have cheese, but apparently this one needed it. Their complementary birthday cheesecake was very good! I highly recommend for a very wonderful setting, nice vibe & kind staff. read more

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Beautiful views and good service! We have enjoyed dinner before. Tonight dishes seemed to lack a little something compared to other nights. We started with the Parker house rolls which are always a must get! Huge fluffy rolls With marrow butter. The octopus was the best dish of the night!! Tender and flavorful! The burger was good but not as good as past times. We upgraded to truffle steak fries- wedges of potato covered in truffle aioli. The pasta was ok- not as good as past visits. It just seemed to lack something to make it special. The Cobiq was good but again lacking in anything amazing. Martinis are great but over priced at $27. Past experiences have been better so we will be back. read more

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Wow can the Claremont step it up at all?! You're paying for the view. Food is veryyyyyy subpar. Service is fine. Some of the worst food in the Bay but hey, at least you can see the bridge from your table! read more

The view is great. The food is great The service is 5 1 My only complaint, they serve water by the glass. A significant amount of water is saved by serving water to the table in a carafe. A bonus people from all over the world that are dining. We'll say "ah, yes, we're in California" read more

Limewood Bar & Restaurant - Water carafe - New American Near Me - Berkeley, California

Come for the view and to enjoy the festive decor during the holiday season. If it's a weekend and especially if you are a large group, make sure to have a reservation. Even so, our party still had to wait at least 20 minutes before our table was ready. Food was decent but could have been larger portions. It honestly took me a minute to even remember what I had and it was just a couple of weeks ago. Skip the shrimp and grits and just go for your standard breakfast fare if you're there for brunch. With so many other delicious options in Berkeley, I'd probably skip this place next time. read more

This review isn't as much about the food as it is about the prices. $22 for a glass of brut rose bubbles, $28 for 2 pieces of French toast? Okay, I get it, you're at the Claremont. But I certainly wouldn't go out of my way to dine there again unless I was staying at the hotel! read more

I signed a contract on February 10 for my daughter's graduation luncheon for May 18 for 14 guests at the Chef's Table, featuring their three-course prix fixe lunch menu for 1:00pm. We arrived a little early so happy to wait, after multiple check ins with the host, she finally told us our table was ready. When I walked into the restaurant to place name cards and favors, I was "pointed" to the back of the restaurant where they connected multiple tables, NOT the Chef's table I booked and signed a contract for. After escalating the issue to the hostess, she stated there were still people sitting but I reminded her again, that I booked the Chefs Table! After more wait time, finally we were seated but the issues continued when the lunch prix fixe menu was suddenly unavailable and normal menus were being passed out! At this point, I requested to speak with the event coordinator, Marissa Collins, who I communicated by email and booked this event with. After waiting some more, she finally appeared then proceeded to tell me they were not aware of the 3 course Prix Menu. I had to go through my phone to show her my contract and email's confirming that we communicated about this. She then acknowledged the email and finally printed and provided the correct menu. Marissa disappeared after that and made no effort to come back and check on our party or provide a heartfelt apology! Bottom line, THE LIMEWOOD BAR AND RESTAURANT was simply not ready for this event, so not sure what the contract was for?! What was supposed to be a celebration for my daughter's College Graduation became an extremely stressful, and embarrassing situation for me and my guests! Our server Sanu was lovely, she felt bad about the whole debacle which was not her fault at all! The coordinator Marissa did NOT do her job at all! I should have predicted this would end this way since even during the booking process, her email communication was extremely slow and lacking. On one of the emails, she even had to apologize because she "thought" she had replied to me! Unfortunately, I DO NOT RECOMMEND hosting a special event here! read more

The fourth star is for the view, otherwise would have been three only! We made a reservation for outdoor. The table for two is a really small table. Our request for a bigger table was frowned upon and ignored, even though the place was only about half full. The weekend brunch Menu is super limited. A few more options would be greatly appreciated! After ordering drinks, we ordered a gem salad to share and a smash burger to share. The kitchen did send the salad in two plates and sliced the burger in half. However, both were brought to the table at the same time! So, do we eat the salad first, and let the burger get cold?! Ahhh! Would have been so nice to get the burger 10-15' after the salad! Fortunately, the burger was yummy, the fries were meh! The view is amazing! It was a little chilly (in July!} and the tiny heaters were useless! The service was ok, nothing memorable. At this price point, the customer deserves more! read more

Limewood Bar & Restaurant - View of the Bay. - New American Near Me - Berkeley, California

Amazing restaurant in Claremont Resort & Club! We made a reservation & arrived early. We went to the adjacent bar to grab cocktails & watch the game. When our table was ready, we were greeted happily by Em who took us a to a table near the window with gorgeous views of the property & Berkeley. They have an outdoor seating area & we will definitely come back to dine there for brunch. The menu is overwhelming because everything sounded so good, we could not decide! Thankfully, Em recommended a few of her favorite dishes. Sliders: OMG! Amazing! A must order. The prime rib was tender & juicy (& they give a generous portion), the garlic aioli was loaded with flavor & the roll was buttery & fluffy. Braised Oxtail: The oxtail literally melts in your mouth, wow! Seasonal Cake: Make sure to order this with ice cream! So delicious & the perfect amount of sweetness. We were lucky enough to meet Chef John who came by our table to ensure that we were happy we our meal & we gushed about how lovely every dish was. read more

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We've eaten here a number of times over the years and food is usually quite good, ambience is great. We went for Mother's Day brunch this morning and everyone's food was disappointing. In particular, the avocado toast was exceptionally bad. The bread was not toasted, the avocado was a thin layer of brown to black smothered paste, and the eggs were cold and clearly not freshly made. It's not hard to have a beautiful sliced avocado, or nice guacamole type spread, but flavorless barely-visible thin layer that all you can see is that it's black and brown is just not acceptable in California. And when we're paying all-in $50/person (no alcohol, just breakfast and coffees), I'd expect a real avocado and the eggs freshly made. Also, every time the waitress came and poured more coffee she would pull the pot away while still pouring coffee, so just dripped across the tablecloth and across peoples chairs and onto clothes. Unacceptable for such a nice place and price level. I'm sure we'll be back, but maybe for drinks and appetizers. I think it will be a while until we wanna spend $50 a person for breakfast here again. read more

With my bestie in town staying at the Claremont Resort & Club for a work conference this week, we were just going to meet downstairs in the lobby for a drink before heading to Shattuck for dinner. It was almost sunset and pro tip, you can order drinks from the Claremont lounge and take them outside to watch the sunset (the hotel has outdoor furniture) to vibe and imbibe. With Limewood Bar & Restaurant opening at 5pm, we figured why leave these views and brews when we could keep the fun going without having to leave. For a weekday, the restaurant filled pretty quickly and felt alive. It had me wondering if this was a mix of guests from my friend's conference, other guests, or if locals come to the restaurant too. Regardless, without a reservation we grabbed a high top and service was quick and efficient ~ we split a bottle of wine and the Gem Salad to start. What I loved and appreciated from our amazing server was that she made a note for the kitchen to split the salad to serve to us. While splitting a salad with one other person is usually the norm done at the table, it was so nice to sit back, relax, and have the salad cut already for us by the kitchen ready to consume. Also for a mom to not have to cut anything additional when out with a friend is really nice :) We then shared the Steak Sliders and Truffle Fries. Our server asked if for the truffle fries we wanted regular thin fries or the russet wedges that come standard with the dish. She mentioned the truffle fries are served with a few thicker potato pieces on a plate ~ we wanted to sip on our wine and nosh on regular truffle fries and not the thicker cut, so pro tip..ask for the regular fries! Again, much appreciated tip from the server to ensure our meal was to the standard we wanted. Lastly, the Steak Sliders. Man, I've heard about these 'Parker House Rolls' served here from a Check, Please! Bay Area episode, but truly these rolls and this shareable app which turned into a meal for us, drove it home to 5 stars. From the menu, the Steak Sliders include 'shaved prime rib, black garlic aioli, mushroom escabeche, and fiscalini cheddar' ~ they did not disappoint..decadent, photo-worthy (check my snaps), and the perfect close to a long day with comfort in every bite. The rolls actually come by themselves as a starter app served with bone marrow butter. I've been to this restaurant a few years ago and had the smash burger (still on the menu) ~ def. recommend if the tour de smash throughout the East Bay is your thing. Looks like Limewood does breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, and a late night menu served until 10:30p including these epic sliders. You can validate your parking by the host stand or taking a ride share if not staying on location, can't beat it! Post meal there was music playing in the lounge so naturally we gravitated that direction to end the evening with some tunes. Overall, an amazing evening and worth every splurge. Because at the end of the day, who knows when I'll be back..but man did it feel like a nice escape to wine and dine with my bestie at such a historic spot in the East Bay! read more

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The views and vibes. Located in the Claremont Hotel, this is an upscale, but hip hotel restaurant with incredible views of SF. They have comfy booths, but also tables with epic window views of the City below. We caught the sunset and it was beautiful. The food is solid. I wouldn't rave, but I wouldn't say anything bad about it, per se, except, yes, it's expensive. Some would say over priced, but again, those views and vibes. The place was busy on a Wednesday night. A mix of a hotel bar scene and patrons for dinner, mostly looking corporate. But I do need to add: the place was well staffed and provided really good service. I was with the family and the kids ate chicken tenders from the kids menu. Bonus: kids under 5 eat free if you're staying at the hotel. I enjoyed my $18 cocktail, but it was small. I ordered the vegetarian dish which was a broccoli steak in a Thai curry sauce with quinoa. It was healthy, which I was going for and solid, if not a wee boring. My husband's fish was good. It was slightly overcooked, and could have used a little side dish action for the price, but overall a solid dish. We ordered gelato for dessert and I mean no complaints there. In the end, while the food isn't going to blow you away, it is good, but it is quite expensive. You're paying for that view, a high level of service and atmosphere. I 100% will return. It felt like a night away from our lives, perched up on the hill enjoying a luxe night out. read more

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We enjoyed our dinner at the Limewood restaurant this week, to celebrate our anniversary. A beautiful view of sunset over San Francisco from our table by the window am- the internal ambiance and views are a definite high point of this location. We loved the rockfish starter and the pasta but the Cordia fish entree was interesting, not our favorite. Our server was kind and gracious as you would expect at the Claremont Hotel. read more

Limewood Bar & Restaurant - Delicious vegetarian pasta - New American Near Me - Berkeley, California

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This place has gotten better. The wine list is still not very good but the appetizers and entrées are tasty, especially if you just want to sit at the bar after work for a quick meal. Definitely improved over the past few years in some respects. read more

Ate here while waiting for my room to be ready at the resort, and the food was delicious! The service was also good despite being busy, there were runners filling up water constantly and checking in. The hosts & hostesses were also great, addressing me by name after my meal which made me feel special haha. I had a chicken sandwich which was also great mix of sweet and savory, with the doughy bun and sweet glazed chicken. The chicken was thick and juicy, with the perfect crunchy crust all around! I loved the honey sauce it was glazed in, and the coleslaw was a good touch to balance out all the flavors. I had gotten truffle fries which were nice and crispy! The truffle flavor was there and light, not too overpowering. I was seated on the patio facing the bay, which was nice and the weather was good! There are quite a bit of tables out there which is nice, but felt myself almost staring at people trying to look at the view...It was also mainly covered, so no worries about the sun there! There are also space heaters for the area if needed for the cooler nights. It looked like there was a lot of seating inside as well. read more

Limewood Bar & Restaurant - New American Near Me - Berkeley, California

The brunch menu lacks options and creativity. I was disappointed that there was only one salad option, more so it was greens, cheese and croutons. I would not recommended the Brunch. The view was awesome. The presentation of most plates was average see photos. read more

Limewood Bar & Restaurant - Breakfast Plate - New American Near Me - Berkeley, California

The view and the atmosphere is tremendous. I tried the steak slider and it was good. I have to try their brunch once. read more

Limewood Bar & Restaurant - Steak Slider - New American Near Me - Berkeley, California

Awful. Loud. Expensive. They messed up the order. Mediocre food for high end prices. Service was lame and amateur. Nothing nice to say about the whole experience. The really nice dining-room is now only available for private parties. What are they doing? read more

We loved our meal. The service was great. The ambience was lovely. The food was delicious. There were five of us and we all really enjoyed our meals. And the desserts were to die for. I don't understand why other people have given it such low ratings. read more

We came here since we were staying at the hotel . I didn't expect much based on the ratings but I thought it was great and deserved a better score. We ordered oysters, a glass of wine and the fish and BELT sandwich. Everything was great! Service was attentive and quick and the view was wonderful. read more

Came for a work dinner. The portions are large but all the dishes we ordered were odd and not as expected. The steak fries felt way too large and basically like eating a baked potato instead of fries. I ordered the sunchoke dish and was very unpleasantly surprised by a plate of what looked like two heads of broccoli instead with hidden sunchokes somewhere. Drinks were good but overall not impressed. read more

The "steak" slider was surprising as it was just a huge pile thinly sliced fatty roast beef between 4 large rolls. The gem salad with fried chicken was over done and dry. We REALLY miss the Meritage restaurant here and will not eat at the Limewood again. Sadly the Claremont has slipped over the years with the new management. read more

It was my birthday weekend so we went and what an awesome experience. We had reservations for brunch so the Hostess immediately had us seated at a table with sweeping views of the East Bay Area all the way to SF. Then we were greeted by our Server who's service was impeccable was attentive, friendly and helpful with menu suggestions. I ordered the Smash Burger which was cooked to perfection. Compliments to the chef! My drink was equally delicious. Parking was affordable and easy to find and the entrance is accessible. Looking for to my next experience. read more

Limewood Bar & Restaurant - Menu - New American Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Recently dined at Limewood, and the experience was fantastic! I started with an Espresso Martini, which was delicious and perfectly crafted--a solid drink to kick off the evening. For appetizers, I tried the Black-Eyed Peas Fritters paired with a spiced tomato sauce. Fully vegan and incredibly flavorful; the combination was delightful. The Parker House Rolls, served with chives and bone marrow butter, added a rich touch and had great flavor that really set off the meal. Highly recommend the Crispy Rockfish. The hot sauce, buttermilk, and pickled onion added a spicy kick and complemented the fish beautifully. The hot sauce was especially flavorful and packed some heat, making the dish stand out. Overall, I suggest pairing the Espresso Martini with the Parker House Rolls and finishing off with the Crispy Rockfish. Limewood did not disappoint! ‍ read more

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The food and ambiance is great. The deck with sf/bay views is great. It's a touch pricey, but mostly justified. My only gripe is the bar TV. It's blue and dim, basically broken. I would otherwise come here often to watch sports. I work in technology and entertainment, so I have a bug up my butt about it. read more

Limewood Bar & Restaurant - The broken blue and dark tv at the bar. - New American Near Me - Berkeley, California

I would just rather direct you to all the other 1 star reviews below, since they pretty much sum it up for me. I want to like this place, because the decor and views are pristine. I've been visiting and dining here for a few years now, and each time it gets worse. Plus, the way people "dress" to go out whether for lunch or dinner, looks like they think they are in their own home. Could you please at least try to not wear your sweaty athletic gear and pj's? That's not the view I would prefer, while being charged $30 for a glass of wine. Other than that, I will never be coming to eat or drink. Service, please get your act together. Waiting time to get anything there, is ridiculous. Ruins what should be a beautiful spot to dine. read more

I found the vegetarian options to be limited and quite bland. I feel they could do a better job offering some vegetarian and vegan dishes here especially given the price and prestige on the Fairmont. I've had better at other Fairmont hotels across the US and Canada. read more

Limewood Bar & Restaurant - Salad on the lunch menu - New American Near Me - Berkeley, California

You can't beat the location. Great place to have a meal with friends or family. Amazing view beautiful weather. Service was good. We had smash burgers, rockfish sandwich, garlic, prawns, and the piccata for dessert was really good. After seeing the fried chicken plate on someone else's table, I kind of wish I would've had that. That being said, I was happy with my meal. read more

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