What a cute restaurant concept! This place gets really busy so you might need to wait a bit for a…read moretable to open up. I decided to order the champions bowl, which came with chicken apple sausage, potatoes, cheese, over easy eggs, and toast over a bed of salad. I was skeptical about all these ingredients working well together, but it most certainly did. The plate was both light and filling at the same time, and very delicious, especially when I got a nice bite of cheesy potatoes. If you come here, you must get one of their drinks. I got the iced matcha latter and my daughter got a kids hot chocolate. Both come with a super detailed bear ice cube. The matcha latte is a matcha ice cub bear and the hot chocolate is a chocolate iced bear. The idea is that as you sip your drink and the normal ice cubes melt, your drink won't be diluted because you also have more of the drink flavor blending in at the same time. For the hot chocolate, the bear helped to cool down the overall drink which made it a perfect sipping temperature for my 3 year old. Overall, great brunch spot, would highly recommend!

A cute brunch spot on Solano with a menu that makes you want to come back and try more…read more Went today with Face for breakfast after wanting to try this place since Monday. Luckily there was no line and we were seated immediately. I ordered the Carb Platter, which came with French toast, a croffle, waffle, fruit, berries, a creamy dipping sauce, and a side of bacon. The French toast was definitely the standout for me -- really flavorful and well done. The waffle had a nice crisp texture, and the croffle was buttery with good flavor as well. The bacon unfortunately missed the mark. It was very limp and chewy instead of crispy, almost like it had been boiled rather than cooked properly. Face ordered the California Omelette, which came with potatoes topped with a garlic pesto situation that was honestly really good. For drinks, I had the caramel latte, which was decent but could've used a little more sweetness. Face ordered the strawberry matcha latte, which had an adorable bear-shaped matcha ice cube on top -- super cute presentation -- though she also felt it could've used a bit more strawberry flavor and sweetness. Overall, definitely a place I'd come back to because there were several other things on the menu I'd like to try. Street parking only and metered, so plan ahead a little. Also realized this is where the old pastrami spot used to be -- RIP

Kitava is the best. Great food, service and clean atmosphere…read more Evolved ceasar + salmon the bests. Brunch is 100. Soft serve ice cream amazing.

I was genuinely excited to try this new healthy spot in my neighborhood, but the service didn't…read morematch the welcoming vibe of the space. When I arrived with my daughter, we weren't greeted, and the staff member seemed bothered by our presence. The décor is lovely, and we settled in to wait for our food. When it was brought to us, I thanked the server, but there was no response or friendly acknowledgment. This was at 11 a.m. on Friday. Unfortunately, I did not have the same experience as other people on here when it comes to customer service.

Lulu is one of my absolute favorite brunch spots!!! I came here for my birthday last year and fell…read morein love with their shukaquiles and other beautifully presented dishes! Gorgeous, fresh, and delicious! Everything I've tried on the menu is so good! I've tried their baklava french toast, turkish eggs, shukaquiles, loaded toum fries with braised lamb, habi-bimbap bowl, rose brûlée cappuccino, and baklava brûlée cappuccino. We tried the loaded toum fries recently and the lamb was so tender; all the ingredients worked so well together!!! It was also our first time having the habi-bimbap bowl and I love all the fresh and vibrant ingredients that were being incorporated with the perfectly cooked and seasoned chicken thighs! They are currently closed until Valentine's Day to rebrand and make adjustments and transition to "Lulu's Little Kitchen". Hoping some of these items will stay on the menu, but can't wait to see what amazing dishes Chef Mona Leena has in store!

4 stars $19.84…read moreFennel Scented Falafel Bowl was: delicious and vegan. Best falafel balls I've had though I can say if that's high praise. Still, very good and worth eating again. Vegan. $ was OK too.

So fresh so delicious so healthy! My favorite stop on Solano for a quick smoothie or juice to put…read moresome pep in my step! Tricked my husband and made him take a turmeric cayenne ginger shot and he almost cried. Now he'll live forever. Everyone who works here is really kind and quick, probably because they'll also live forever. Come get a smoothie and bask in the big sunny windows!

The parking sucks balls but it's worth it! My favorite salad is the ahi tuna salad and all their…read morepressed juices are really fresh and yummy. I've also hand their paninis, Cobb salad and Thai girl salad- also wonderful. Worth checking out if you can find parking.

Yum! This is very good fried chicken with a slight Japanese flavor, somewhat like kara-age. The…read morecoating is not too thick, very crunchy and very tasty, and the chicken itself is nicely done. They offer sauces that come with your order but really, it doesn't need them. Given that it was fresh cooked, wait time was reasonable. And even after it's cold, it's still very good to eat, even still slightly crispy.

Ordered for uber eats pick up. The chicken was very crunchy but I wished it was saltier. I know…read moreit's fried chicken but it felt very greasy so I couldn't eat too much of it. I would get it again for the crispiness.

Benny and his workers amazing my friend and I had the best service in a long time. Very attentive…read morefood was great, we will return day by day to try new things. Our new favorite spot thanks for the hospitality. Very pretty establishment and beautiful ambiance.

Came here on a Saturday, I'd advise to come early because the line gets super long…read more Ate upstairs, the ambiance is super chill. Service was excellent and attentive! My friend and I ordered the steak chilaquiles verde and tres leches French toast. I forgot to take a pic of the French toast- but both was 5/5. The steak was cooked perfectly, presentation was pretty, and it all tasted so good together. The French toast with berry compote was super yummy and balanced. Not too sweet. My friend and I also got a bottle of champagne to make mimosas. We had the guava, mango, and cranberry (I think I didn't taste this one) on the side in little glasses I love guava but the mango was the best flavor! I would recommend this place for the service and especially the food! I want to come back and try more.

A true hidden gem right at the bottom of Solano Ave in Albany!…read more I'm embarrassed to admit that Picnic has been around for about 5 years in the east bay and I've just tried it for the first time this week. But I'm so glad I was finally introduced to it. The staff greet you promptly when you enter and you can even watch them work effortlessly together in the open prep-station behind the counter. They have a gorgeous display of deli items, wines, cheeses, cold sides, and even some cute candles & house made croutons. They've got everything you would need for an elevated picnic or even a barbecue with the family. They have an intriguing selection of house made sausages-- the Chicken Tikka Masala sausage caught my eye and I can't wait to try it. They also sell whole smoked quail that are seasoned heavily yet each bite has just the right amount of smokiness, spices, and salt. Their hot food items and sandwiches are perfect for a quick lunch during your break from work or on your way home. There are also a few counter seats if you want to enjoy your meal there. So far I've tried the smoked quail, the Muffaletta sandwich, and their green lentil soup with chicken + veg. The sandwich was filled to the brim and each bite was a flavor bomb. The lentil soup was very comforting & paired well with the smoked quail. I'm looking forward to trying everything they have to offer.

I really wanted to love this place. Very small and quirky, limited menu. I'm not really a "salad is…read morea meal" person, although my two best friends are. They were very happy with their arugula salads. I ordered the mac n cheese which was okay. Even though I grew up in El Cerrito, I sometimes feel like my NorCal green card has expired. I've lost touch with my small batch, organic self. (Although I have never liked arugula) This store is adorable and just the kind of independent neighborhood place that should be frequented and appreciated. Unfortunately I also had to use the bathroom and they don't have one for customers. So they recommended walking a block away to the BevMo. So I guess that added some negative feelings.

INCREDIBLE FOOD! My girlfriend and I got combination shawarma plates: chicken and lamb. Great pick…read more I got the rice and it was really good. The rice had corn and chickpeas in it. The waitress was nice and gave quick food service considering what we ordered. The environment is cozy and warm like a family member's house. When you see a cozy restaurant you KNOW it's going to be good. 10/10, would love to come back again when in the area!

It was sketch at first, but the food was amazing. All of the ingredients looked so fresh. I got the…read morecombo plate, salad was amazing. It tasted like there was crushed basil on it, the chicken, lamb, and humans were amazing. The pita bread was so good, I like how you could make mini shawarmas with it. The staff was nice, the bathroom had funny jokes in it. Honestly 10/10 don't judge a book by its cover. I would love to come back and would def recommend!

I first discovered this place a few months back and have since then become a regular. While the…read morefood is great, what has kept me coming back has actually been the staff and their quality of service that has kept me coming back for more. Raul, their store manager has always been extremely friendly while also setting a high standard of generosity with the food portions. As a local resident who has come to this location about a dozen times, I've seen this standard of service be upheld by all staff members reliably across different times and days of the week, which is what has largely created such a consistently welcoming and comfortable atmosphere. This is more of a thank you post than a review. You're in for a treat if you visit this location.

Best establishment, INCREDIBLE service. Shoutout Employee Daniel for wonderful service!! He…read morehand-delivered our food and was very kind. We got Chicken on the rocks and a chicken shwarma wrap and they were both delicious and incredibly large portioned. Spice on the side was a good move The fries were perfectly crispy and the ambiance in the store + music choices were great. 10/10 will return

Perfect brunch place for a group, many menu options and seats! My party got a caramel macchiato,…read morehot chocolate, green tea and a chai latte, all turned out great. Everyone loved what they got, croissant sandwich, egg/avocado toast, bagel sandwich (pictured). So nice to see they have gluten-free toast available! Service was quick especially for the amount we ordered. Everyone was nice, especially the worker that hand scooped our Booza icecream at the end. Didn't even get a picture because we were too excited to try it!

Everything, from booza ice cream to knafeh, to sandwiches and drinks, are delicious at Roast &…read moreToast. My four year-old didn't like all the mixings on top, so we let him try just the booza and he liked it! He even carried it all the way home and tried to put it in the freezer for later. The vibe is immaculate. Lots of people like to sit at the tables indoors yet the outdoor seating is truly delightful in Berkeley if you are lucky enough to get a table.