I had been craving macaroons for 2 weeks. I finally decided to go to Masse's and give theirs a try. I bought a cherry chocolate, coconut, and raspberry one. The chocolate one was not that good but the raspberry and coconut were delicious. I may come back for more but for the size I thought $1.25 each was somewhat pricey. read more

Wow, I had the best cake I ever had at this place. I thought it would be good but I definitely was impressed and would come back to this place if I need to get a nice cake for a special event or somethin. My friends and I bought the Chocolate on Chocolate cake for our friend's birthday. She really liked the cake and I thought the cake looked pretty and tasted even better than it looked. Just go, I highly recommend this place. read more

There is nothing bad I can say about this place - probably the only place in the gourmet ghetto this is true. They are really on their game. Sort of like a trip to Paris - except, in my opinion, the quality is higher here than overseas. I was craving sun and when you wake a noon all the breakfast places have awnings that shade the tables. This place has on one table on the curb in full sun, so I decided to go for it even though I hate sugar. I hate flour. I avoid bakeries.... MAN ALIVE. I take it all back. I have never been so in love with pastries... We went for it and ordered the gorgeous fruit tarts from the top of the counter (roughly $5 each). They were spiced, flaky, buttery, and 99% fruit. The quality was truly amazing. Like the best apple/spice and pear/blackberry pie ever?....no in a class of its own...I don't know...words can't describe it. After one pastry and I felt healthy and full, not sickened by sweets and cheap ingredients and lack of nutrition, as I fully expected. I was ready to go running and enjoy the day. I also liked the presentation, not only the pastries, but the service. We were given a round metal tray with everything to take outside (white china, quality silverware). When my husband came out, I thought "here comes the English butler". OK - do have one negative point. The cappuccino was 100% traditional, not super-sized like the rest of the block. Not really a fault that they stick to European tradition. This means you get a single shot and froth. Sharing a coffee is out of the question (we normally do because the coffee drinks elsewhere are 3x the size for the price - oh well - next time I will remember). read more

Ahhh best salted caramel macaroons ever!!!!! I used to work near here and would always go for the macaroons! The services is always nice and fast. Also tried a couple of cakes which were pretty good! If you've got a sweet tooth you have to stop by! read more

The best bakery in the entire San francisco east bay. It was same quality and tied with Katrena Roselle who went out of business 2 years ago. I travel from Hayward 3-4x for special occasion cakes. The pastries and cakes are as good as B Pateresier in SF. read more

The pastries are mostly good. The rude and nasty woman (owner) is the biggest b word I have ever dealt with. The man there is nice. Not worth the unpleasantness to spend money in this bakery. you have no right to spoil my day. I can watch the news for that.i have talked to other people about it and they say"0h her. I won't go in there.....etc. too bad. read more

Real pretty cakes- my wife got her birthday cake there, an elegant three-layer confection with orange mousse, chocolate mousse, and chocolate cake ringed with a sheet of chocolate and beautiful chocolate leaves on the top, with candied orange slices. My cousins got their wedding cake there too. For wedding cakes, see also Bewitching Elegance in Burlingame. Those dudes are crazy. read more

My coworker got a me a big raspberry tart for my birthday. It was absolutely beautiful and so delicious. They wrote "Happy Birthday Natasha" across the top on a strip of white chocolate. read more

Masse's Pastries - Worlds better than yellow cake. - Bakeries Near Me - Berkeley, California

The stars are really for their customer service, which I know is not always the case for everyone. It was my friend's birthday and since she is a pastry freak, I said I'd treat her to the best cakes that Berkeley has got to offer. I found Masse's on Yelp and thought I'd give it a try. Several days before we were to go in, I called ahead to ask if there were going to be a selection of individual cakes still if my friend and I went in at 4:30pm. Though the woman on the phone basically told me it's unpredictable when they sell out, she was very charming and helpful. So when the day came, I went in during my lunch break to buy 5 cakes to set aside for later. The woman working the counter was very friendly and helpful (probably the same lady that answered the phone several days back?). I ended up choosing the Mango Mirror, Raspberry Chocolate Torte, Caramel Pear, Guava Cheesecake, and Mocha Walnut. Since I didn't have any place to chill the cakes at the office, I kindly asked if they could store it for me until I come with my friend later in the day and she said yes. I was told to come back before 5:30 but because my friend and I were running late, we got there at 5:45...15 minutes before closing. There was only one cake left in the glass case when we arrived so I am glad I bought ours ahead of time. The remaining cake was the Opera cake, which my friend seemed to eye longingly at so I asked the guy at the counter to wrap it up too (Apologies to the girl who came in right after us and wanted to buy a cake). While I was paying for the cake, a woman (who I assume is Mrs. Masse herself???) asked if we wanted to try the Chocolate Macarons and I politely refused, saying we already bought 6 cakes. However, she insisted and gave us two for free, saying it's an appetizer. As we sat down, she asked us what the occasion was and I said it was my friend's birthday. She was nice to entertain my friend's questions about their wedding cakes. Also, when I asked the guy behind the counter if we could have some water and plates, and he told me that they stop seated serving at 5:30, Mrs. Masse told him that it was okay and cleaned off a silver platter for us and gave us water, forks, and napkins. My friend and I sat down and just admired the pretty cakes in front of us, at which point, Mrs. Masse showed up with two candles and A FREAKIN' BLOWTORCH to light the candles with. She was struggling with lighting it and joked about how she was going to scorch her hair off for my friend's birthday. All in all, it was the exceptional service that made this birthday outing a wonderful experience. The cakes, though good, aren't as good as the ones you can get in Vegas, says my friend. The chocolate macarons, which we bit into last, though, made us "oooooooh" out loud. They are so damn delicious - I'm definitely going back for more! read more

Paul and Marcia were such a pleasure to work with! I am looking forward to using them again and again! Our wedding cake was, 3 tier round passion fruit white choc. cake with butter cream frosting. It was to die for delicious!!! The design we chose was very simple yet elegant. You can view our wedding cake under photos. :o) Thanks Paul and Marcia for making our day so memorable! read more

Masse's Pastries - photo courtesy of www.kellyellisphotography.com - Bakeries Near Me - Berkeley, California

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this place. Granted I have a giant sweet tooth and any dessert makes me happy, Masse's will always be my favorite. I've been getting small cakes from Masse's for "lunch" when I used to work around the area a year ago and I totally got my roommate hooked too. Then it sort of turned into a tradition that my roommate and I get each other a Masse's cake for the other person's birthday (exception for my birthday this year, I had kickass homemade lemon and raspberry tarts that were damn good though a Masse's cake would have made me super happy too). This year I got my roommate a citrus mousse cake lined with lady fingers. IT WAS SO DAMN PRETTY AND FINGER LICKING GOOD! The spongecake was amazing and the mousse wasn't too sweet. There was some tartness from the lemons and raspberries and it added a very pleasant kick. Needless to say, we devoured that thing in an instance. My friend and I also tried a salted caramel macaron, a pistachio (lime?) macaron and a hazelnut macaroon. The salted caramel one was delicious. They actually sprinkled some salt on the shell so it hits your tongue first. The pistachio one was interesting... that's all I have to say. The hazelnut macaroon tastes like a ground up ferrero rocher with extra hazelnut. The macarons were only $1.25 each and I think the macaroon was only $.80 or so. Pretty damn worth it if you ask me. If you go to other pastry shops, be prepared to shell out $2 for a macaron. All in all I like every single thing I've ever eaten from Masse's and I'll definitely be back for more cakes. read more

Masse's is one of my favorite bakeries in Berkeley! Their baked goods are well-crafted and absolutely beautiful. Their mousse is light and airy, and the serving size is just the right amount for a mid-afternoon treat. It's not the cheapest dessert, but it is well worth the occasional splurge! Cost: their tasty treats will cost you between $1-$5 on average Steph's Recommendations: Mango mousse (for the mango lovers) White chocolate passion fruit (the perfect combination of sweet and tart in one dessert) read more

For about $5, you can get a pastry (really, a miniature cake) that looks and tastes better than 99% of the desserts served in formal, sit-down restaurants. It's unbelievable! The staff is extremely friendly and accommodating, and I love getting a window seat and taking my sweet, sweet time. Be sure to also try the macaroons. read more

Having 6 macaroons from Masse's, I feel like in heaven. I visited Masse's the first time today to ease my cravings for macaroons. The ladies in the bakery are nice and patient enough to explain different flavors for us. Every single one of those macaroons look so colorful and delicious. Not knowing which to choose, I decided to buy one of each flavor. I'll give a little review to each flavor: Chocolate- Even though chocolate is my all time favorite, I didn't enjoy this flavor too much. The cream is a bit too thick and sticky to me. And the flavor did not stand out either. Pistachio- light nutty flavor that lingers in my mouth. Yuzu- I can taste the citrus, I find it special and very refreshing. Cassis- sweet blueberry flavor with a hint of lavender. Mixed Berry- taste like a mix of strawberry and cranberry Mango- Doesn't taste too much like mango for me actually. But it has a nice fruity flavor. My favorites are Yuzu and Cassis, the 2 flavors that I didn't think I'd enjoy. I think they change flavors frequently, I will be waiting! read more

This place was the beginning of my macaron craze!! Their macarons are crunchy on the outside, but moist and chewy on the inside with very flavorful cream in between. Pistachio is my favorite because it's not too sweet compared to some of the other flavors. Sometimes they put a cherry in the middle of it, which is not as good as the plain, original one. The first thing I had from here was actually the tiramisu, which was soo delicious too! I have to make a point to try more of their cakes/mousses, but I'm always drawn to the macaron displays first! read more

Best macarons I've had so far!! Found this little place thanks to my friends and I'm so glad they brought me here. I arrived in the afternoon so all the favors they had left was blueberry and salted caramel. I wasn't a fan of the salted caramel but the blueberry was amazing. The cookie portion was perfectly crunchy on the outside and soft and chewy inside and together with the filling...hmmmm. read more

After being skeptical of macarons for the longest time (I only had mediocre ones at Wicked Spoon in Las Vegas), I decided to try out real ones at Masse's. First one I tried was the Salted Caramel, and it was good enough to make me smile upon first bite. The perfect amount of saltiness kicked in right after the richness of the caramel to create a really special little morsel. Second one I tried was the Lychee Rose, which was also delectable. Tasted as advertised, it just didn't stand out to me as much as the Salted Caramel. The cakes are pretty yummy as well, though I probably would only go there for their macarons from now on. The Chocolate Ruffle, which is dark chocolate cake, dark chocolate mousse, wrapped in dark chocolate ruffles, was good, but I have to say it looked better than it tasted. Not quite chocolate-y enough despite the name. Black Angus' Big Mountain Chocolate Fudge Cake is still the best chocolate cake I've ever had. TL;DR - Great macarons and cakes, kinda pricey but what else is new for this type of food. read more

If anyone ever says to me "macarons are just ok tasting", I drag them here and make them buy a $1.25 macaron. And then they change their mind!! (or pretend to, for my sake.) In any case I think macarons here are to die for! They're so ridiculously deliciously light and fluffy and chewy..... ahh I'm craving it right now. The flavors rotate in and out. I like the cassis ones best. In addition to standard size cakes, they also have these great personal mini ones that are good for gifting within a tighter budget, and they're all so beautiful. They even tie a pretty ribbon on it! I usually come here to buy birthday/occasional cakes and then I treat myself to a few macarons for being such a great friend hahahaha. read more

Love this place--we buy all of our birthday cakes here! My brother and his fiance are even getting their wedding cake from Masse's (there was no debate)!! My favorite cakes are the pear, mango, black current, passion fruit...I can't remember the others. You've got to definitely try the macaroons! I can't think of a single negative thing to say about this place (even the staff are awesome)--I guess the only thing is that it's kinda pricey, but that comes with high quality food! Bottomline: You've got to try the desserts at this place and I know you will become addicted! read more

Great customer service. The workers and owner are super friendly in helping us and answering our questions. The place is nicely decorated and have great cakes and macaroons. We always come back for their small cakes whenever it's a friend's birthday. The boxes are nicely tied with ribbons as well. Although a bit far from the UC Berkeley campus, it's definitely worth the trip by bus! read more

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The family who run this business are delightful and the pastries never disappoint! 10/10 definitely recommend!

Superb cake and cookie shop near Chez Panisse on Shattuck Ave in Berkeley. Their Macaroons are to die for. The outer cookie layer is soft enough to melt in your mouth while still having a lightly crisp bite to the cookie. The fillings are unusual and creative. Many of their cakes are like miniaturized versions of multi-layered mouse cakes with wonderful mango, strawberry or other fresh flavored ingredients. Very delicate and subtle. Nice people working here without a stuffy or snobby atmosphere despite the high level of attention to detail. They seem to enjoy waiting on each person who stops by. Wonderful. I stop by whenever in the area and get a few things to go. Not cheap but well worth it. Try it! read more

Looking for a place to celebrate a birthday without buying a gigantic cake? This is the place. We went and sampled two of the delicious cakes, and were not disappointed! I look forward to eventually sampling every one they have. They are so rich, one is more than enough at a time. The flavor was delicious, the presentation was superb. A lovely way to have a dessert just the right size for one person. We had cake, cappucinos, and a sunny seat outdoors- it was wonderful! read more

This is my fave East Bay Bakery. No question. It's in the top three of all Bay Area and Top 5 for My Persoanl Favourite All-Time (and how I do mourn the loss of Wilsons). First off, you have to go and have a chocolate croisant. I am usually a plain butter crois guy, but this was fantastic, easily the best I've had outside of Montreal (which is as close to Paris as I've gotten) and the Chocolate Raspberry Torte I had blew me away. I'm a raspberry fiend (though I'm not as big a fan of fresh Rasp as some) and this was just like heaven. I mean, I couldn't stand to be without it. I'm now crying because I don't have one. DOn't cry, emo guy, you can always go back and get another... read more

The woman behind the counter was super friendly and helpful. Because it was my first time there and the display of beautiful desserts weren't labeled, she actually walked us through each the pastries. What nice service! It was difficult to choose with so many alluring pastries calling out to me, but I finally decided on: Passion Fruit Mousse Torte - totally hit the spot. I wanted something *relatively* light, but substantial enough to satisfy my sweet tooth. The passion fruit was bright (but not too tart) and tickled my taste buds among the layers of creamy mousse and moist cake, while the white chocolate wrapping provided a decadent element. That amount of white chocolate was too sweet for me, but I appreciated the pretty packaging and peeled part of it off...like opening a present! Salted Caramel and Pistachio Macaroons - I love practically anything salted caramel (especially the Bi-Rite's salted caramel ice cream!), so I was thrilled to see it in macaroon form. However, these macaroons tasted a little flat and didn't capture the depth of the salted caramel flavor. The pistachio macaroon actually tasted better. Overall, not the best macaroons I've had, but pretty good. I look forward to trying more of Masse's Pastries the next time I'm in the area. read more

Ahh, Masse's. Every time I head to Berkeley, this has got to be the only place I seem to hit on a consistent basis. Their macaroons are artery clogging goodness and their cakes look delectable although I have not personally tried any yet. However, they are consistently the prettiest cakes I have ever seen. The next time I visit, I'll be sure to buy a mini cake to try and who knows, when Chinese New Years rolls around, I may be first in line to buy a cake or two or three for the family. :) (P.S. Get the salted caramel macaroons. DO IT!) read more

I was looking for a cake for my husband's birthday and I stumbled upon Masse's on Yelp. Just went there a few hours before the party and I was able to get the best-tasting cake I've had here in the bay area! The staff were really helpful and friendly, their cakes taste heavenly and so beautifully made and not to mention really affordable! Need I say more? read more

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After seeing so many positive reviews, I decided to head to Masse's to try out their French macarons. I love French macarons, and I was excited to see a place in the East Bay that sold them. Unfortunately, I was quite disappointed with my macarons from Masse's. I tried the following: Salted Caramel: It was completely chewy and tasted like it was old and stale. It was absolutely horrible. Pistachio: It was also chewy but not quite as bad as the salted caramel. I didn't get much of a pistachio flavor. Chocolate: The only macaron I had that was the proper texture. There was no chewiness, and it had a good chocolate taste. This was the macaron that stopped me from giving Masse's one star. If you want to have tasty French macarons in the Bay Area, skip Masse's and head to Paulette in San Francisco. If you want the best French macarons made anywhere in the world, try Pierre Herme (available in France, London, and Tokyo). Once you've had Pierre Herme, nothing else will live up to it. read more

This review is based only on their macaroons. OH my OH MY! If you love french macaroons and are in the area I highly suggest this cute little shop. They have about a dozen different flavors which is enough for you to try and indulge in without feeling too guilty. Plus they tie up your box with their cute ribbon. The best one is the salted caramel!! TO DIE FOR. Verdict: Must go back and get another dozen or two or three and get a few of their other pastries/goodies while I'm at it. read more

Masse's little cakes are adorable and beautifully decorated. I give all the chocolate themed ones 5 stars and the fruity ones 4 stars. The fruit ones are for those who like a sweeter palate. The chocolate ones are creamy, rich, little purveyors of happiness. These have been my go-to treat to pick up for special occasions for my parents and my husband and they are always a hit. If you're looking to spoil yourself (and let's face it--we all deserve a little spoiling now and then) this is the perfect place to go, and the pint sized cakes are just right so you can't really do that much damage to the figure if you eat a whole one. =) read more

The best chai latte I've ever had. The owners may occasionally come off as a little rough around the edges but but in fact they are simply hard workers, consistently busy, often stressed out and highly dedicated to their craft. I've had warm welcomes and good service more often than not. I still remember the delicious key lime pie they made me for my birthday about 10 years ago. That may be kind of embarassing to admit, but I'll sell my soul for the sake of a well-deserved review. They've done several other cakes for friends and family throughout the years and they've been consistently good. The space itself is sweet. Small, but there is some outside seating and plenty of spots in the surrounding GG. read more

Amazing.. Nice and Friendly stuff. Comfy seats. Everything still looks and tastes the same compare to years ago!!! Their cappuccino is one of the best I have had. Every one of their cakes is delicious. I like their macaroons better than Bottega Louis in LA - smaller, more chewy, and less sweet. One of the few places that you can get mont blanc which is my favorite. Just a great place!!! read more

I discovered Masse's during my wedding planning 10 years ago. I fell in love with their passion fruit torte and mango mousse cakes. The bakery is in a great neighborhood and a nice place to grab a cup of tea and some macarons. read more

Masse's Pastries - Lingonberry, salted caramel, and pistachio macarons. Yummy!! - Bakeries Near Me - Berkeley, California

This guy... He will take your wedding/bday/etc cake order and do the impossible. He'll make it taste GREAT! But that's not what I'm writing about... In the front of his store, for the neighborhood, he has a small selection of $5 cakes, foams, cookies, and most tasty of all, tarts! My fav is the apricot cookie & the apricot tart, but the espresso cake is so good that I restrain myself and only have for special occasions such as bdays, etc as a special treat. THIS and no other reason is why I visit Berkeley. read more

I decided to continue my search for macarons, outside of San Francisco. I had seen great reviews about this place and noticed the vast selection of macarons in pictures. Now what convinced me to go was the fact that compared to other places, this shop offered macarons for $1.25 each (which is the cheapest I've seen them in the Bay Area). When I arrived at around 2 pm on a Sunday, I was disappointed to see a very small selection of macarons. There was tons of Vanilla (which was so rich in flavor) and Lychee Rose (which I got excited about but was left disappointed in the lack of flavor of rose and lychee). There were a few mango ones left (tasted sweet but not like mango), one Salted Caramel (very rich flavor with a surprise hazelnut inside), and one Strawberry (beyond sweet...ick). I still bought 8, which came out to $10. The texture is great, firm on the outside but soft on the inside. The filling was a little runny, which caused the macarons to slide apart. That being said, the shape looks pretty crummy and could be improved. They are very sweet and often lose the essential flavor from all the sugar. After two macarons they all taste the same. For the price, I would buy them. Just maybe next time I won't buy as many. read more

Masse's macarons are the best in the bay. I came across the pastry shop because its in the same neighborhood as my office. 5 stars all the way! *I was instantly impressed with their presentation of cakes, macarons and specialty pastries. *The prices for macarons was great too, and actually lower than many other places I quoted when I was planning my party. *What was also great about Masse, was that the flavors were seasonal. Luckily, my party fell around Chinese New Year, so I was able to get asian inspired flavors such as coconut pandan, mango and lychee. This was perfect as we served Filipino food for the meal. No doubt, Masse has an expert technique, as all the flavors were exceptional and the size of each macaron was consistent. *We had an anniversary party with nearly 100 guests, so I ordered 300 macarons. After the party, I had several friends reach out to me and ask where we got dessert, because they were eager to buy some more. *Customer service was good too. Although I couldn't reach the owner for a conversation over the phone, when I walked in the shop one day, she was eager to take down my order, and also fed me macarons as we chatted. Perhaps the one downside was that Masse did not offer delivery. It would have helped to not have to run one more errand on the day of the big event, but the macarons were ready for pick up pretty early in the day. So all worked out in the end. Thanks to the hardworking pastry chefs that made these magnificent cookies! read more

The One And Only last minute buys, beutiful cakes very helpful, they are always fríendly And nice. I Am a Big shopper you never go wrong the master itself is very very nice read more

Masse's Pastries - Bakeries Near Me - Berkeley, California

I love this place! Pastries are amazing, delicious and super cute! I like to order a cappuccino with my pastries when I eat them there and they're also awesome with champagne at home. The lady who I'm pretty sure is the owner is very sweet and always brings my dogs water when they're with me (love that). The salted caramel macaroon is delicious and also my favorite! read more

Masse's Pastries - Delicious and beautiful - Bakeries Near Me - Berkeley, California

Small little bakery with some really tasty options to choose from! The staff were very friendly and willing to answer any questions we had about the cakes. Although they are alittle expensive at $6 a piece, it is a nice splurge and well worth it. Their mango mousse is pretty bomb! read more

Masses was my go-to when it comes to ordering delicious and beautiful cakes for special occasions! They have a list of seasonal cakes online and you must call 48 hours in advance with your credit card information. The bakery also makes a couple different cakes that are sold everyday. But to ensure that you have the cake of your choice, be sure to order a cake 48 hours in advance (and no, there isn't a fee for ordering a cake!) However, there was one incident where Masses forgot to make my cake and the response to their mistake was unprofessional. I called in advance to order a raspberry pistachio cake for my dad's birthday. I dropped by around 5:40 (apparently there is a policy to pick up cakes before 5:30 pm but I had previously picked up a cake closer to 6 pm with no problem or warning)... only to find out that my cake wasn't there! The server blamed me for coming by after 5:30 pm, which didn't make sense to me. I didn't think they'd sell my cake to another customer just because I came by a bit after 5:30. She then checked the receipts and found out that the chef never even made the cake in the first place! She didn't even apologize and just asked me to pick a cake out of the leftover ones. I was definitely upset because I chose the raspberry pistachio specifically for my picky Asian parents. And at the end of the day, there weren't many cakes left over to choose from. Only after she noticed that I was upset that she offered to give me a free mini-cake and apologized. I'm still giving Masses 4 stars despite this incident because the cake I did end up choosing for my parents - the guava goat cheesecake- was delicious and my family loved it. And though the server was initially rude, she did eventually apologize and gave us a free small cake. In the future, I would reconsider ordering from Masses for a special occasion, because they made this mistake for my dad's birthday. read more