I go to Nation's pretty frequently since I can get a burger with no bun or an omelette easily. Plus they're open late which is super handy. I found out tonight the hashbrowns are gluten free, which about sent me over the moon. I'm going to send in a comment that they should offer a gluten free pie option or two (cherry cheesecake plz, thx). Only downside of Nation's, aside from the sometimes questionable patrons, is that sometimes when it's not even busy it takes ages for them to make your food. read more

I haven't been to NATIONS in a long time but recently stopped on by. I gave it 4 stars mainly because this is one of only burger diner's in Berkeley that I know of besides Mel's Diner. Food wise- the cheeseburger was huge, even the tomatoes and onion were massively huge!!! which wasn't to appealing- had to take a chunck of my tomatoe out and eat it, but that chesseburger was darn tasty-yup it was full of lard and fat, heck the bun was white bread (and i'm into wheat bread). The fries were i have to say not the best, although it wasn't as greasy as fast food burger joints like McDonalds or BK... I also liked this place was huge and had plenty of seating areas and I feld I had my own private eating area- seriously! they are so high and separated (some) that it feels you can have have all the privacy in the world...then again a mass murderer can be sititng in the booth behind u without u even being aware of it... i've tasted Nation's pies on numerous occassions and they are damn delicious and fattening- especially that cheesecake! read more

If you're looking for a big, fresh, hot hamburger joint, Nation's does the job. Kind of like In n' Out, but marginally less good. read more

This review is for the banana cream pie, and ONLY the banana cream pie. Anything else you get at Nation's will be mediocre -- not great but also not terrible. Even the other pies are not particularly great: I've tried pumpkin, pecan, and blueberry and always regret trying the other flavors when I could have just had an awesome banana cream pie. The banana cream pie comes in giant quarter slices, so you can definitely share with a friend (or two, if you're small and/or eat like a bird). There's a bit too much whipped cream, so I usually end up scraping most of it off. But the banana cream is fresh (even the bananas taste fresh!) and tasty, with a smooth, creamy finish. And it pairs perfectly with the crust, which is pretty fantastic: not too sweet and also not soggy. Nation's has great hours (open past midnight!) for the local college kids who are looking for a midnight dessert. It's also really easy to access even if you don't have a car, since the 51B bus stop is right there! This is the most dependable place to grab a delicious late night dessert near Berkeley campus. read more

Conveniently located at a 51 bus stop, Nation's is great for when you're craving to put some unhealthiness into your body. Hamburgers: Definitely way better than most fast-food places, on par with places like UCB's Faculty Club and Smart Alec's, but definitely not as good as In-N-Out, which reigns supreme for me in terms of hamburgers. I didn't know there was so much mayo on Nation's hamburgers, and I didn't know you could get grilled onions like at In-N-Out. Definitely a n00b...will get grilled onions next time. ;) The burger itself was giant (like can't-even-fit-it-in-my-mouth-for-a-bite giant), making up for it's $4.70 price. Chili Fries: Simple yet awesome. That's all. Highly recommended! Pies: One of my colleagues frequently brings a Nation's pie to potlucks, and that was previously my only experience with Nation's. I like the apple streusel pie a la mode. Mmmm...crumbly warm apple goodness with ice cream... Sundaes: Just $1.10, and more creamy delight to clog your arteries with! :D Milkshakes: There's a small and regular size, just be aware of that. Chocolate, vanilla, or strawberry. Pretty good standard milkshake! Breakfast: Looks good, but didn't try it. I'd be interested in trying those pancakes sometime! Great for groups - you can reserve the room on the right side for large groups ahead of time! read more

Considering how much I love Nations in Daly City, this one was a huge letdown. My burger came under a HUGE glop of mayonnaise. Granted I asked for a cheeseburger with mayo, but when there is more mayo than burger I have issues. When I bit into it, all I could taste was mayo, I couldn't find my burger. No exaggeration. In some bites there was pure mayo and bun, I don't' know where the burger went. I tried to finish the burger aiming to have just one good bite but halfway through I ended up running back into the restaurant and throwing up. Ruined my experience. I had been looking forward to it also for hours, from when I first drove into Berkeley on my way to a morning meeting. In fact when all my meetings were over, I literally ran to my car to go to Nations. Got in line, ordered, just as 8 different parties of people walked in. Congratulated myself for beating the lunch rush. Waited anxiously as I watched them make my burger. Ran to pick it up when they called my magical # 168. Rushed to the car to get in, and eat it............and then............. Huge letdown, I don't know if I will recover from this one. I hope the other locations aren't like this. Who the heck has a burger on the side with their mayo? read more

The food is freaking delicious! Flavorful, juicy burgers with all the right stuff inside (although a bit too much mayo). The hot dogs are great, but how do you mess up a hot dog? My friend and family love the cheeseburgers. I've heard the pies are great. The only thing I'm meh on are the fries which were bland to say the least. It's great that there is a private parking lot just for them. It's really not a busy place, although apparently it's in business. The restaurant is diner styled and homeless people go inside but overall, I'm a fan of the food. read more

I've been here several times the food is consistently satisfying. I would definitely recommend the french toast - the bread is perfectly fluffy and it's always cooked exactly the way french toast should be. I've also had the two eggs over-easy with bacon, extra crispy, with wheat toast. To give you a heads up: they always butter the toast for you, so I usually have to soak up extra butter with a napkin. Why not five stars? I ordered an egg white omelette with bacon and cheese and not only did they not use egg whites in my omelette, but it was one of the worst that I've ever had. Lesson learned. read more

Note: this review is mainly for the pie. I came here last weekend with a couple of friends for dinner. I ended up ordering pancakes and scrambled eggs, which were pretty basic -- so if you're looking for fancy spices and flavors, this is not the place to be. According to my friend, the hamburger was to die for! All in all, Nation's is very much a basic all-American diner (with no credit card minimum, woo hoo.) When the time finally came for dessert, the cashier was nice enough to allow me a taste of various pies, due to my indecision. BANANA CREME PIE: Hands down, my all-time favorite! Only downside to all the pies is that they have too much whipped cream, which I end up scooped off and leaving to the side. PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE: I loved this, since it wasn't too thick and didn't leave a heavy taste on the tongue. CHOCOLATE CREME PIE: Eh. The chocolate pudding filling tastes like aspartame. Again, too much whipped cream here. PUMPKIN CREME PIE: Again, eh. It's literally pumpkin pie covered with dollops of whipped cream. If that's what you'd like, then go for it! Just a heads up -- you must go to the counter to ask for a token in order to unlock the bathrooms, which are quite dirty. read more

Sort of surprised at all the bad reviews... maybe I just have bad taste. Or appropriate expectations. To be fair, I'm usually only here when it's: a) after midnight, and/or b) I'm drunk off my ass, and c) I'm feeling particularly fatty and iron-deprived (I still retain the old ex-vegetarian habit of not handling meat myself so I don't really eat it all that often... when I'm feeling weak, it's time for a huge slab of beef. BUUUUUUURGGGGER!) ...but I always leave feeling extremely satisfied. It's not like fucking Bobby Flay is grilling you your burger; Nations is nothing more or less than a high-class McDonald's (which, as I hope you realize, is -100 points past 'abominably bad' on the burger joint continuum) so I judge it on that merit: the edible AND delicious food (which is, as far as I know, not full of 'flavor enhancers' like its lower-class cousin), cooked by appropriately surly staff (who, face it, get the job done - I've never felt the urge to slap any of 'em upside the head) is five-starry awesome in my book. read more

Comparing this branch to the one in Daly City, this place needs to pick up the pace! They don't know how to fulfill orders quickly. They're slow even when no one is there! Besides that, food is average for nations, which means it's delicious of course. Classic burgers and thick cut fries for a great price. I can't help but always finish off my meal with a simple ice cream sundae for under $2. They're open late. Always my go-to after 10pm. And there's plenty of seating - good for groups. read more

A great place to people watch. I was entertained by a group of students... who were not under any influence... purchase the whole pie display and sit in the section next to us and sample each flavor. That is dedication... but what student had that much money to waste on desserts? read more

Figured I would give this place another shot. Christine was manning the register again and she was as rude as ever. I guess management doesn't care about customer service enough to have a word with her. Oh well, Christine is the black lady that works here. If she is at the register prepare to be treated like you wasting her time. read more

I had walked past Nation's during the day and not noticed it. At night, though, the architecture and lighting design shines. My first stop was for a piece of pie to kill some time. DELICIOUS! My next stop was during the morning for some breakfast. It was basic tasty fare, but what really sold me was that you can trade out potatoes (lame filler food) and toast for pancakes or french toast. So...Bacon, eggs, and french toast? Three items I actually WANT instead of a full plate with stuff I don't want? AWESOME! The decor is clean diner lines, and the condition is clean diner style. Love it! read more

Stopped by here just for the banana cream pie and it was delicious! The pie is subtly sweet with a touch of saltiness that perfectly balances the cream, bananas, and light frothy whipped cream. Will definetly come back for more. read more

Nation's Giant Hamburgers - Delicious slice of banana cream pie ~ $7 for half a pie - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Berkeley, California

Dont count on them opening at 6am. Got there at 6am and was told by the employee through the window they werent open yet. Waited 10 mins still not open. Very unreliable staff. Very unprofessional for them to make us wait outside at 6am during the fall. Only employee in there was the cook she cooked and ignored us. read more

All my Berkeley friends kept raving about the banana cream pie here, but strangely enough, I actually think Marie Callendar's makes a better pie. Does that make me weird? Maybe, but hey...there's a reason why Marie has her own line of products at the grocery store and why she was able to franchise all her restaurants - I'm just sayin'. The area is quite shady. The burgers and fries are pretty good...but I definitely wouldn't say there's anything outstanding or extraordinary about this place. read more

Mm, mm! Don't pay attention to the haters. These are some good, greasy burgers. On a diet? This is a bad place. Want to drown your sorrows in some good old fashioned, greasy comfort food? COME ON IN! Their burgers are, well, giant. 3/4 of a pound of cow -- only veggie loving Berkeley-types could hate it. You guys can have your lentils and brown rice -- that just leaves more meat for the meat eaters. LIKE ME :D They serve the classic American burger here -- grilled on the flat top with crisp lettuce and tomato with the crispy toasted bun slathered generously with mayo. Add some cheese and grilled onions -- yeah, that's a bit of caloric heaven right there folks. Their fries are also worth mentioning. Truly great fries are a rare thing these days but luckily, Nation's has them. They're golden and crisp on the outside, warm and mealy on the inside with just the right amount of salt. Truly good stuff. And yes, there's breakfast all day. As I waited for my burger, I salivated jealously at other people's breakfast plates. Classic American diner breakfasts at awesome prices. Who can complain? A cheeseburger, fries, small slice of pie and a drink will set you back about $10. Not the cheapest meal in the world if you get the whole shebang but at about $4 for a cheeseburger, it's actually quite a deal for the size. read more

I come here a lot. It's a great place to get a burger in Berkeley, and it's really close to my house. The burgers are good, the fries are good, and even the pies are pretty good. The pies are the right price, too; if you're looking for something inexpensive to bring as a gift for a host, grab a pie at Nation's. Nothing here is amazingly mindblowingly great, but, hey, it's a burger joint. Their number is programmed into my cellphone. Why? I always call ahead. Most everything you can order is made fresh, so it takes a while, and the staff usually moves pretty slow. I don't blame them; there's no tip jar. read more

Well, I dined here last night after a full day in the library. So I was brain-dead and hungry for fries and a burger. The ladies working were very nice and polite, which is a plus and which gained 1 additional star in this review. Otherwise, I would have given it a 2-star. The burger really wasn't that good, unless you really like onions. It seemed like there were four big-ass onions on the burger! And the bun was cold. So was the cheese. The bacon on the burger was good, however. The fries were average. The place needs to be cleaned. There were several open tables when I visited, and all of them were dirty. The cleanest one had dried ketchup (I hope it was ketchup) on it. There's no excuse for that! If I were the manager, I would get some bleach and steam clean that place! If it's late and you're hungry and can't see, or drunk and hungry and can't see, then you will probably be happy. Otherwise, I'd go somewhere else. I did not try the pie. I did have a blackberry pie at the Nations in Livermore a couple of weeks ago, and it was damn good! So maybe if you're a pie guy or gal, you'd be happy. read more

Pros: Good for big groups, they don't skimp on the bacon & hashbrowns and thick patties for burgers. Awesome deal for starving college students. Cons: The strawberry pie is always sold out when I go. Poop! read more

This place is great but if you are dieting; stay away from this place. One entree will exceed your daily intake of 2000 calories. I was told that the quality of hamburger joint is determined by the amount of grease on to-go bags and i have to admit, my bags were pretty much transparent. Still love this place, great burger with come cheesecake is simply put: heavenly. read more

This revamped establishment is a great place to eat late at night. It is not open too late, but it gives you options from all day breakfast to burgers and fries to pie. Lots and lots of sweet, precious pie. Tonight I had a cheeseburger with grilled onions. It was awesome. Then step two was a regular slice of lemon meringue pie. With the new cleaned up look, Nations is a pleasant experience. read more

Update, 9/8/2007: Bumping this down to two stars from four stars for two reasons. (1) After trying several other burger places around the Bay Area, namely Pearl's in San Francisco and The Smokehouse in South Berkeley, Nation's fails to deliver. The chili cheese fries at Nation's is particularly atrocious -- plain chili with slices of processed cheese plopped on top of it. (2) The wait is ridiculous on weekend nights. It's nice to be in a crowded diner at night since you feel safer, but it's just not worth the 20-30 minute wait to get your food. Original review follows. ----- Unlike any major city in Southern California, In-N-Out doesn't rule supreme in Berkeley. Going to burger joints around here have resulted in a string of disappointments. And they're overpriced. Nation's is an okay substitute for In-N-Out, but not really. It seems like they use big, fat wads of lettuce and onions to give the impression that they're gigantic. Their menu selection is definitely respectable, since they have pies, salads, and breakfast items. The prices are good -- $3.90 for a cheeseburger handily beats places like Bongo Burger. Beware their breakfast menu. The first time I came here, their hash browns were poorly cooked, dry pieces of trash. The second time I came, it was nice and crispy. Same for their sausage and bacon. If you're able to, I'd recommend making the trip to Ann's Kitchen on Telegraph over the breakfast menu at Nation's because it has a better value. But for burgers, Nation's is worth a visit. read more

I am a fan of this place, but mostly the food the service was bad. I am not sure if they made the burgers after you order but it took a good twenty minutes to get the food and there was not that many people in the place. My best guess is that they were understaffed. Anyway the burgers are huge and tasted delicious didn't pay but the cost seemed decent. Plus they hired former A's manager Ken Macha as a spokesmen for a while, so you gotta like that. They also offer pie, which is unique for a burger joint. I also recommend you buy a shake, the shake was really really good...reallly! read more

I will probably be stoned for saying this, but I have to admit that I prefer Nation's burgers to those of In N Out. I love INO, and I'll give it to them that they probably have the freshest and best-quality ingredients out of all of the chains in its price bracket, but the few times I get to have it these days always leads to the conclusion that their burgers are too salty for me. Nation's has a whole 'nother problem: it's about three times the size of an INO burger. It's really a pretty piece of heart attack served with pickles and grilled onions, if you so wish, but it tastes so good. Their cheese is rich and velvety, their pickles are something else-- I can't point a finger on it. Pardon me for eroticizing processed cheese and vinegary cucumbers, but really, sandwiched between the soft buns at Nations with a griddled meat patty, they are magic. Sure, a lot of the times I prefer a charcoal-grilled patty over a griddled one. I have Oscar's for that. But Nations is for when I'm feeling really naughty, for when I want to wrestle with almost a pound of food in my hand (NOTE: the patties are not 3/4 pounders; that's what the entire totals to. You didn't seriously think you were eating almost a pound of cow. What do you think you are, a pig?) and then have a slice of pie afterwards. My favorite is the coconut cream, which is probably not exceptionally done at Nation's, but fortunately it is one that is very difficult to fuck up, and Nation's goes the easy route. Their pie crust is more on the crumbly side as opposed to flaky. I'm sure there's a ton of artificial additives and what-not, and really, for a fruit pie one should have a flaky crust. But it goes well with the cream pies; I would pick the banana or coconut cream over, say, the strawberry tart, which is a seasonal offering of fresh strawberries drenched in syrup and then haplessly thrown into a pie shell. I have to say that I'm not a fan of their pumpkin or sweet potato; something's off with the spice. But if it's approaching midnight and I have to have me some pie, I'll usually let minor technicalities slide. The major problem that Nation's has is that they try to spread themselves too thinly. One bite of their chili is proof that they need to stick to burgers. Although I'm dying to try their breakfasts, fresh off the griddle, if even the hash browns always look limp and unappetizing. Great burgers, good pies, and one of the only restaurants open past nine. All contributing factors to why I love this place so much. And why I should probably hit the gym more often. read more

The only place I could get a cheese cake with my burger. So Bomb! Classic Americana! read more

Four of us came here post-Berkeley Kite Festival looking for some much needed refueling. We ordered a single serving breakfast platter, a grilled cheese sandwich and fries, a shake, two slices of pie, and a strawberry tart. The breakfast platter ended up being just the right amount of food for me. The hash-browns were done really well, with a good proportion of more crisp pieces and non-crisp ones. The eggs, which I had scrambled, were also cooked very well, not under or over-cooked in the slightest. The whole wheat toast, with its generous heaping of butter, was also very tasty. That being said, I didn't think any of the pies or the strawberry tart were noteworthy. The cheesecake was oddly fluffy and didn't have the nice heavy dense flavor that I expected. The strawberry tart was literally strawberries piled into a very dry crust with some gelatinous substance poured over it so that it wouldn't fall over. Give me some strawberries, a store-bought tart crust, and some gelatin and I could make the same thing. I walked out of nations satisfied in terms of hunger level, but still lacking in terms of satisfyingly delicious food. read more

First time here. Put in your order. Wait for your number to be called. Sit down and eat. Kind of like In and Out burger, but with pies and pancakes. read more

Consistent. Best when you have cravings. Their pies are affordable and will do the job of getting the pie-hit you need when you're body is going pie-crazy. Their other food is good. Standard breakfast and hamburgers. Try one of the burgers with an overeasy or sunnyside-up egg on the patty. (like fatburger.) It is, yes, delicious. love ezra read more

The burgers are nothing special and I'd give them a 2 or 3 star rating if it werent for three factors. 1) the paucity of late-night places in Berkeley makes the fact that they are open until 1am (or was it 2?) that much more significant. 2) good pies 3) fantastic BLTs. read more

The veggie burger here is surprisingly tasty. Rather than being a reheated mushy patty, it has fresh and healthy taste and texture. It's wise to ask them to go light on toppings. The default burger toppings comprise basically an entire salad. read more

Been here a couple of times and have never been disappointed with their pies! Pros: -Affordable and scrumptious pies: Only $3 for a huge slice of pie. My favorite is the chocolate pudding one and the lemon merengue. If you want to stop by for a quick dessert, this is the place to go! -Parking lot: No need to look for parking on the streets like most restaurants on University. -Quick service: Even when you're starving, they truly are a "fast-food" restaurant. Your food comes out quickly and without any hassles. -They serve really great burgers and fries as well! I've never tried a burger but my friend has and really liked it. The fries that I stole from her were great and totally hit the spot late at night -They are open super late! So if you're having that late night food craving, this is a great and affordable place to stop by! Cons: -The ambiance of the diner is a little grim. I wish there was a little more light, but hey, it's a diner so I guess you can't expect too much. Verdict: I will definitely be going back! I want to try their fast food and shakes, and of course, take home some pie! read more

You get what you want at Nation's. Like most chains, the food's consistent, so you're never disappointed with anything. Only complaint is that service can be slow but that's probably because they're making burgers to order. For the price, probably one of the better burgers in the area. Not as healthy and eco-conscious as Amanda's downtown, but portions are bigger and more filling. Not as good as Triple Rock burgers, but Nation's cost 2/3 less. And I won't even mention the McDonald's. read more

This is the only location I've been to.... so maybe other locations are a different story.... but this place was downright gross. It was filthy inside, the people who worked there were strange and incompetent and the food was just horrible. The "chili cheese" fries looked like they were made in some kids dorm room with frozen fries, 2 slices of american cheese and some watered down meat juice used as "chili"-- served just below room temperature. Sensing that I had made a horrible, horrible decision by visiting this establishment, I skipped my burger entirely and went straight to the strawberry cheesecake..... which was also served at room temperature.... and the strawberries were carbonated (a.k.a. - spoiled). Nasty. read more

Was in the area for work and needed a late night meal close by. Found Nations' menu online and ordered by phone. They said my burger would be ready in 10 minutes. I showed up 10 minutes later, paid, and picked up my freshly grilled and prepared burger. Unfortunately, I wasn't that impressed overall by it. The bun was soft and buttery, which was nice. But the patty was bland. And they dressed it with waaaay too much mayo (it was dripping out in globs). They didn't skimp out on the veggies though which I do appreciate. Every bite contained a bit of tomato, lettuce, grilled onion, and sliced pickle. But all in all, I wouldn't recommend this place to someone looking for a good burger. read more

I was staying in Berkeley for an event, and our party got hungry a few times during the weekend. This was perfect! I got breakfast at midnight, my friends got hamburgers and one even had egg in it. Everyone was well fed and we returned the next day for a repeat visit! read more

Nation's Giant Hamburgers - Hit the spot!!! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Berkeley, California

I tasted the peaches and cream, coconut creme, and berry pies as well as the cheesecake. Service is fast and they satisfy the late night sweet craving. The creme pies can be a bit much since they can be too rich and sweet. The cheesecake was great! Also, I like their french fries! read more

1 star for being open 24 hours, 1 star for grilled cheese sandwich with everything (lettuce, tomato, onions, mayo) 1 star for two-eggers 1 star for banana cream pie read more

Burgers are filled with ingredients ans full of flavours that you just melt while eating. The burgers are giant size,which corrects the name perfectly. I had the traditional cheesecake which I believe gave me a sneak peak of heaven. The place is clean and has a beatiful diner atmosphere. Definetly will come again. read more