No longer have to go all the way to Oakland for legit Burmese food! The staff and food were exquisite! The tea leaf salad is also to die for. So this sweet little gem in Berkeley is kind of extension of Burma Superstar(Not really). The old chef decided to open his own joint and create his own menu, which is similar to that or Burma Superstars. With that being said, the food was AMAZING! The same bold flavors as Burma Superstar with some small enhancements here and there. The place is cozy and intimate, perfect place for a dinner date, and the owners are so sweet. They are genuinely nice people and want to make sure your experience is as pleasurable as possible. Starter: -Tea Leaf Salad (5/5): It was so delicious! The flavors just blend so well together. It is a MUST if you are coming to eat here. Definitely the highlight of my dinner! Entrees: -Mint Jalapeno Pork(5/5): Definitely something you should try if you are a fan of bold and spicy flavors! The mint adds an extra kick of flavor and is the perfect touch to this dish. The pork was diced really well and was perfectly cooked. -Garlic Noodles with Roast Duck(4.5/5): They were good. I am not a huge fan of noodles but I still liked them. These noodles aren't as bold in flavor as some of the other Burmese dishes I have tried. If you want to get something on the lighter side of flavors this is the dish for you! The duck was perfectly cooked as well. Its easy to overcook duck and this place avoided doing so. THE SAUCE ON THE SIDE IS REALLY SCRUMPTIOUS TOO! Sides: -Coconut rice: This is just rice cooked in coconut water as opposed to normal water! IT IS SO GOOD! But then again I really love coconut so this is a bit biased. We got a complementary dessert from the chef who came out and greeted everyone. It was a tapioca taro pudding. It was pretty delicious. I have had this at several Chinese food restaurants and this definitely topped those places. SERVICE IS TOP NOTCH!!!! The server was a very hip and sweet girl who greeted us with great enthusiasm and constantly checked that we were satisfied without being too overbearing. The only downside: NO ALCOHOL YET =( I will definitely be coming back!!!! read more

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I had a gathering here with some old friends. The service was superb and the food tasted really good. None of the cheap tasting that is prevalent around UC Berkeley area. But what I liked the most was that it actually looked like a restaurant. Keep up the good work! :] read more

I was super excited to come to this restaurant with my grandmother. She had come here previously with my mom and brother and I heard nothing but rave reviews. We came in for dinner this past Saturday evening and had to wait a little while to be seated as there were two parties waiting before us, totally understandable. When we were finally sat, ironically alongside the other two parties ahead of us we were ignored. The two parties who were seated a mere five minutes before we were had their orders placed and already received their appetizers before someone even came by to greet us or give us water. We had to flag someone down to get any attention. The food came out swiftly after we ordered but I had to keep flagging staff down to get my water refilled and no one came by to check on us to see how we were enjoying our meal. The restaurant had emptied out and I thought someone would at least then come by to check on us, but no. I had to flag the hostess to get a dessert menu and from there I had to flag down a busser and then a server for someone to take our order. Again had to flag down yet another person, I think he was the owner or manager, to get our check and our food boxed up. Severely disappointing. The only thing keeping me from giving this a 1 star review, is that the food was actually delicious. Our dining experience stretched a long 2.5 hours when it should have only been one. My grandmother is 5'4" and less than 80 lbs. She did not need this dragged out so late, it was almost her bedtime by the time I was able to bring her home. read more

Went here with some friends for dinner while I was in town, and we tried a range of dishes. The tea leaf salad is truly special, and something I would recommend everyone try. It was delicious and so beautiful! We had several other dishes, including a pumpkin and goat dish, which I absolutely loved. The coconut rice was totally worth the extra charge, as it took everything up several notches in terms of deliciousness. It was a great experience, and my first with Burmese cuisine. The atmosphere was nothing extraordinary but it was comfortable and attractive. Service was quite attentive, which I always appreciate. I would definitely come back again the next time I'm in town! read more

I love this restaurant for its food and friendly staff and ownership. Royal Rangoon is the true definition of a great neighborhood restaurant. Tun, the owner, is sensitive to his customers' needs, and is always interested in their well-being. The food is very fresh and tasty, and we feel very satisfied when we leave. Currently, we are in "take-out" mode. The preparation is quick and well organized, and I feel very safe in ordering food from Royal Rangoon. The Mango Salad and Chicken Curry with coconut rice is one of my favorite meals!. Go for food and friendliness, you will always be satisfied. read more

The guys who worked there looked at their watches as soon as we walked through the door. We still had over 35 minutes before they were due to close from lunch service. As soon as the waiter came to our table he told us they close at 2:30, then added that this only gives us about 30 minutes before we will have to leave. He then went back talking to his friend, not bothering to keep an eye on us for our order...or even to get 1 or 2 dishes started. I was so stressed that we told him we could not stay and eat under such strict timelines and left. I don't care how good it is, there's no reason to greet guests in this rude manner. . read more

My favorite Burmese restaurant in the east bay. This is a truly authentic Burmese restaurant. We love all the dishes here - country style beef curry, nangyi dok, tea leaf salad, coconut noodle soup. The staff is extremely friendly and even made a point to cheer up my kids who were having a rough day. I prefer this over Burma Superstar which has 3x the wait but the food quality is equally as good. read more

MINDBLOWN. This was my first time having Burmese food, and by no means am I an expert on Burmese cuisine but whatever kind of cuisine this was, we need more!! The tea leaf salad was... very interesting & unique. I don't think I've ever tasted anything like it. If you're not a tea person, then this might not be for you because the flavor is very strong. But if you are, or just want to be adventurous, YOU MUST TRY THIS WHEN YOU COME HERE! The Nan Gyi Dok (which was rice noodles with coconut chicken sauce, yellow bean powder, cilantro, fried onion, and a hardboiled egg) was amazing. I'm a huge fan of coconut so this is right down my alley. The service was spot on. Luckily when I came, they weren't very busy so the servers were very attentive. They even mix the food for you, that was coool. There were so many other things on the menu that I'll definitely come back to try! read more

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An ah-mazing dining experience. The decor of the restaurant is really warm. Dim lighting, wooden floors and a full bar. The service is impeccable. I recommend it for big groups and special occasions. The walnut shrimp was delicious and mint pork were as well. I recommend getting medium spice on the mint pork the mild has no spice. read more

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Pros: - delicious food! Wide variety of options - quick waiter service - brought out dessert plate for birthday celebration - accommodated 20 person party Cons: - not really any cons, but I wasn't a fan of the chicken dish we ordered - food seemed more Thai than Burmese Bottom line: solid food, but I don't have any real reasons to return. read more

Royal Rangoon - complimentary birthday dessert platter - Asian Fusion Near Me - Berkeley, California

I decided to try this place with a friend after hearing about it a while back. I've gone to Burma superstar once, and while the food was good, I can't say it was worth the 1+ hour wait. I first heard about Rangoon super stars from a co-worker and found out it was owned by the same owners as Burma SS. We went on a Sunday evening around 7pm and parked right in front of the restaurant. We walked in and were seated immediately. I can't recall if the menu is the same as Burma S.S. since it's been a while, but we ended up ordering the tea leaf salad, Garlic noodles and Fiery Tofu with Chicken. The tea leaf salad was delicious. It was very flavorful and you can taste the tea leaves. I loved that it had fried garlic which basically sealed the deal. The Garlic noodles weren't that great. I was expecting them to use egg noodles, but they used flat noodles. There wasn't too much of a garlic taste to them at all and lacked flavor in my opinion. On to the final dish of the night, the Fiery tofu with chicken. This was good. It had the right amount of heat to keep you on your toes, but not too much where if you're not a spicy food eater, you can still enjoy the dish. 3 dishes and 2 bowls of rice came out to around $40. Not too pricey, but for asian food it's a bit steep. I'd come back again, but probably bring a bigger group next time so I can try more dishes. I forgot to mention, service was terrific. read more

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Service was great and the staff was so accommodating! These are definitely people that you'd want to give business to. They're all passionate about what they do and I can't think of a better meal I've eaten at Berkeley. The serving sizes were very good and the food was second to none for the price. We can't wait to come back read more

Never really tried that many Authentic Burmese dishes before in my life until now. I went to the restaurant yesterday with friends of mine. At first, I was hesitated to order given that I had no idea what I was going to order. But then, after consulting with the waitress, I found my perfect dishes. The Garlic Shrimp. Pumpkin Tofu, and the soup Moh Higah made my stomach full and satisfied. The first day was very busy, and I thought the staff there were a little disorganized. However, given the quality of the food and prices, I will definitely come back again. read more

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If you like Burma Superstar, you will love Rangoon Super stars. Open less than a month, food was excellent, fresh ingredients, intense flavors, but not salty or greasy. We were 2 families (8) and it was nice to be able to make reservations and get seated right away. Here is the low down Apps- Pallata (think Roti Canai or Flatbread with curry gravy.) Tea Leaf Salad - Flavorful, tea leaf from Burma, fresh lemon juice squeezed on prior to mixing is what sets this dish apart. Rice Salad - Chili, rice, cabbage, shallots, peanuts Vegan Samosa Soup - hearty pieces of samosa, with veggie based curry broth and hint of lemon juice makes you want to eat more. Monk Hingar -CatFish Chowder Soup - rice noodles, hard boiled egg, reminds me of Indonesian Laksa. Entrees: Mango Chicken - Tender with bits of fresh mango, slightly spicy. Lamb Curry with potato - tender with intense curry flavor. Coconut Rice - Yum!!!! Fresh coconut - yum!!! Dessert - Pricey, so I would recommend the sticky rice over the others. Service was attentive and eager to please and maybe a little too eager at times. We were asked if we wanted more water at least once every 5 minutes and usually by different servers. It made it hard to have a conversation while being asked if we needed water, even if the glasses were 1/2 full. Regardless, food was great and we will definitely be back. read more

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Came here for lunch on a weekday. Passed up a metered spot in front to grab a free spot around the corner about a half a block away. Nice restaurant inside, unfortunately divided in half by a wall. However, I did notice that with the wall, the restaurant was very quiet. Presumably, it's busier and noisier at dinner. I had the red curry chicken which was OK. I liked the Indian rice. Because I'm such a wuss about spicy food, I asked for the chicken to be cooked with only their mild spicy treatment. Came out just fine and I appreciate Royal Rangoon's consideration for my taste buds. Very good service. I'd eat here again. read more

You know it's good when people at the tables around you exclaim happily on their first taste. My husband loved this spot more than Burma superstar. My sister who has been to Burma said the food is authentic :-) we ordered the tea leaf salad (flavor party in the mouth!), coconut chicken noodle soup (rich brothy goodness), village catfish (my husband usually doesn't like fish but he praised the dish) and the Rangoon lemongrass pork (also pretty delish). All in all yummy taste experience and great service. Will definitely be back.. With friends so we can order more to share! P.S el hub wants me to include that his mango lassi was yummy too! read more

Just as yummy as last time. The mint jalapeño shredded pork was a new dish or me. The spike of mint calms the jalapeño. Don't be afraid to get spicy; it's tingling feeling. Pork was tender & went nicely with the coconut rice. It has just the essence do its not sweet. The blistered green beans with chills was the star. It's packed on Sat nite do come early read more

Royal Rangoon - Mint jalapeño shredded pork - Asian Fusion Near Me - Berkeley, California

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My husband and I came over here for a friend's baby shower. The interior is very nice, The service is stellar... They're very attentive and they make sure we have everything. Also, the timing they put the food out was perfect! Food is over the top.. Really really rich in flavor. Our favorite was the mango salad, mango lassi, lamb curry, coconut rice and the mango chicken. Portion is really generous too. Soo, overall.. They gave me everything I want in a restaurant from ambiance, service and amazing food.. I can't ask for anything else. I highly recommend this place! read more

Note to self: skip the rice salad. Even after I scraped the insanely spicy part off, it still wasn't good. The green beans are fantastic. The chicken was fine. We're going to try again and order a different selection from the menu. The staff is really nice and they have curbside delivery. read more

Delicious. Totally delicious. Do I know a lot about Burmese cuisine? No. Have I tried a few Burmese restaurants in the area? Sure. Here's my ten cents on Royal Rangoon: Best I've had. I'm writing this in the afterglow of a takeout feast that left me very, very happy. The menu is super appealing with a great variety of vegetarian, meat, and seafood dishes, from saucy dishes with warm spices to lovely salads with tons of flavor and texture. I'm looking forward to trying more of the dishes to. I can recommend: -Ohnoh Kawt Swe (Coconut Noodle Soup) -- Comforting and flavorful, I'd eat any day. -Tea Leaf Salad -- Popular for a reason, and better than a certain well-known restaurant group. - Mango salad -- Also awesome. Refreshing and, in my opinion, these salads are also a very reasonable price. - Nan Gyi Dok - I'm probably getting this dead wrong, but this feels like a "dry" cousin of the soup and I'm here for that. - Minted jalapeno chicken - Spicy, sweet, fresh, simple but doesn't taste like it. I've made a recipe at home but it wasn't as good :) - Chili Fish - OMG. Fried catfish with a ton of dried red chilis, garlic chips, fried onion/shallot... completely addictive. Take my money. - Yellow Tofu + Red Curry - First time trying Burmese yellow tofu and it was amazing! My first bite through the flaky fried exterior had me thinking for a moment that it was some kind of sweet potato custard. Nope, it's chickpea tofu and it's the smoothest rectangle you'll ever eat in your life. Can't wait to try more yellow tofu dishes and revisit some of the dishes I've loved so far. Plus snow pea leaves when they're in season. Mmm. read more

Great food. Good service. Tea leaf salad is great. The prices for the drinks are high. Food is good but towards closing time, the experience drops, like the tea leaf salad coming premixed. read more

Ok....I dont know how this place can get high ratings...very puzzled. Went in on a sunday, 615pm. Older lady asked if I wanted a table, and I said to go please. She was kinda dismissive and said to wait for someone to take my order...A nice gentleman took my order and I waited for it. Took it home and started to eat my chicken salad. Chicken tasted cold and weird, almost gamey. I avoided the chicken altogether and tried to finish the salad but could not, due to it having no flavor at all. It's now an hour later and I have a major stomach ache, and on the can. Oh man, I hope I didnt get food poisoning. The only meal I had all day was 3 tacos from a taco truck that I've been eating from for 10 years, without an incident ever. Your mileage may vary...but beware. read more

Royal Rangoon - Asian Fusion Near Me - Berkeley, California

Either these guys are just very very cheap, in a way that defies all understanding, or they have no concept of customer service. We went there on Tuesday, September 24th, the day the high was 92 or 93. The place was broiling, and there wasn't even any evidence of fans. We tried to see if we could sit there, but it was just too hot. Also, at 5:10, with only one other table occupied, nobody came to take our order for 10 minutes. Finally, we had to get up and leave, it was just too hot. I had assumed they didn't have air conditioning. As we were leaving, I asked. And he says: we just opened, and we haven't turned it on yet! They had been open for at least 20 minutes by the time we left. What on earth were they waiting for before they turned on the air conditioning? read more

Had been meaning to try this place for a while. Yesterday was the day. Nice big space unlike Burma Superstar and much better ambiance - no discordant dim light inside with bright light streaming in through Burma Superstar's window, no huge line and no way too loud interior). We had just worked out at the pool for an hour and were starving. Got rice salad - really, really good. Rice not super crispy as in broken rice salad but warm and delicious with a plethora of other ingredients. Tea leaf salad delightful. Note that I ordered both vegetarian, so without powdered shrimp and they were great. I'm sure they would have been even more tasty with the shrimp powder. We also had the green beans. Good flavor but next time I'll ask for easy on the soy sauce as they were a bit salty. The pea shoots with garlic were some of the best I've ever had. Ditto the single order of coconut rice. My wife got the lemongrass pork and exclaimed, "this is how pork should be cooked." The menu said it had green beans in it but it came with snap peas. I think the kitchen thoughtfully subbed those as we had a dish of green beans. But I didn't ask. The Mango lassi was good but had way too much ice. Next time I will ask to skip ice. Prices on the high side but good sized portions. A really nice dining experience. read more

We came to this restaurant because we've been to Burma superstar and loved it. This experience was no different. The staff was friendly, helpful, and attentive. We ended up ordering the tea leaf salad, coconut rice, and rangoon lemon grass chicken. We loved all of it and are excited to go again. I'm sure this will be a weekend regular spot for us. read more

Royal Rangoon - Tea Leaf Salad - Asian Fusion Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Royal Rangoon is easily my favorite restaurant in Berkeley. I can't get enough!! The restaurant has plenty of options for vegetarians and meat-lovers alike. Would highly recommend the samosa salad and fiery tofu. The tea leaf salad is decent, although I think the samosa salad is much better (there's additional richness from the samosa filling, and you still get a good amount of crunch from the fried lentils and samosa shell). The coconut rice is a MUST HAVE. It's slightly sweet, but mostly savory, and comes with crispy onions on top. I've never had a problem with seating here, and there seems to be enough space for large groups (though you should probably call in advance). read more

When we ordered drinks at the beginning they brought us bottles of coke... Then after checking in with Yelp, I received a get a coke free. I asked the waitress and she said I could not use it on the bottled coke and only canned coke! My question is...... How am I supposed to know that? Did I get the option of choosing the which at the beginning??? Nope!! Does the "free drink" coupon state a canned beverage only?Nope! Is the food great? Yes!! Did this effect my experience?? YES!! Will I come back?? Ehhhh... Maybe!! ;) read more

Royal Rangoon - The difference between the "free" coke and the "house coke" - Asian Fusion Near Me - Berkeley, California

We had our last "Linden House" dinner here and all 6 of us came out happy! We decided on family-style and ordered 5 dishes: Rangoon Rainbow Salad ($12) - This was everyone's, hands down, most favorite dish of the night. Crunchy texture with a variety of different noodles and flavors that explode in your mouth. Burmese Garlic Noodle w/ Fried Tofu ($10) - Typical garlic noodle dish. Good but forgettable. Rangoon Lemon Grass Chicken ($14) - Pretty delicious chicken dish and the lemon grass flavor was refreshing. Mango Swai ($15) - After the Rangoon Rainbow Salad, this dish takes second place. I LOVE LOVE LOVE the mango-flavored white-flesh fish. The mango puree can be eaten by itself, which is exactly what I did (unashamedly). Basil Chili Beef ($14) - Again, typical beef dish. On the spicy end. 5 dishes was not enough for 6 people, especially since the portions were relatively moderate. We ended up ordering a 6th dish, which I can't remember because it wasn't memorable. Between the 6 of us, we shared 3-4 portions of coconut & jasmine rice. read more

Solid, fresh food. Feels like home cooking. You won't feel heavy, as they keep the oil pretty light.

One of the best Burmese places and options in Berkeley. We came here all the time and the people working here are great and very accommodating to our little newborn at the time. Highly recommend the tea leaf salad, pumpkin curry, and pretty much anything. We miss coming here now that we're in the east bay! read more

Absolutely awesome burmese cuisine. Admittedly, my experience is limited to soup and an appetizer on this visit, however both a wonderful feast for the tastebuds. The service was warm and friendly. read more

Fragrant and savory goodness! The MUST GETS: Coconut Juice - straight from the mother fruit itself! don't forget to scoop out the meat with the teaspoon, a great refreshing addition to any meal Tea Leaf Salad - there are so many different tastes and textures including crunchy sesame, tart lemon, crispy deep fried garlic chips, mushy tea leaves and fresh lettuce. it was a great appetizer Coconut Rice - i know it sounds so simple, but it's SO GOOD! I could eat this alone. its not the typical one thats just made with coconut milk, this rice was SWEET, halfway to dessert status and also fragrant (unlike the ones just made with coconut milk that just taste heavy) Nan Gyidok - AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! curry-ish chicken, noodles, onions and spices! mix that in with egg yolk and it becomes a creamy pool of goodness. I wish I could have had this whole plate to myself! the OK's: Fiery Beef Tofu - tasted like a cheap chinese stirfry - thick soy-saucy-cornstarchy gravy, not to say that it was bad though. Dessert Palata - chinese pancake (without the green onion of course) with ice cream, strawberries, and bananas. get the coconut ice cream (the mango ice cream looks and tastes totally chemical fake) service was great and they took the time to explain the dishes I'd certainly come back here again, and I would feel this would be a safe place to bring my picky asian parents read more

Absolute favorite restaurant in Berkeley. Get their tea leaf salad, nan gyi dok, egg & okra curry, vegan samosa soup, coconut rice, shrimp and eggplant curry, burmese pork curry, and burmese milk tea. read more

Cute little place with a super cute server who was hilarious and very efficient in his work. We tried the Deep Fried Calamari which was deliciously crispy but not too oily and did not turn soggy after sitting out for awhile. We also ordered the Lemongrass Pork, Tea Leaf salad, and Garlic Noodles with roasted duck. Out of those options, I would say the Tea Leaf salad was unique and the Lemongrass pork was a bit spicy but very flavorful. The Garlic Noodles with roast duck came with a sweet and sour sauce that was nice but not memorable and not on my recommendations list. I would definitely suggest you to try the coconut rice, very rich and tasty. read more

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My cousins and I were excited to hear about a Burmese restaurant nearby as we had all traveled together to Myanmar last year. The food was unique, flavorful, and satisfying. We tried all new dishes than we had in Myanmar and it contributed to our overall positive impression of this beautiful country. read more

Royal Rangoon - From top left going clockwise: rainbow salad, nan gyi dok, pumpkin salmon stew, and minted jalapeño chicken. - Asian Fusion Near Me - Berkeley, California

Stopped in for a late dinner on the way to Napa Valley. Great place, located on Telegraph Avenue. Bigger than it looks when you walk in. The tea salad was mixed fresh at the table. Excellent flavor and texture. Basil beef was also full of flavor, spice. The lemongrass chicken, fantastic. Definitely will come back. read more

Royal Rangoon - Burmese Beef with Basil - Asian Fusion Near Me - Berkeley, California

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The Food: I've tried 2 things here--the tea leaf salad and the garlic noodles and both are wonderful. The tea leaf salad is the first time i've ever tried a salad like this--whoever thought of this idea knew what they were thinking. It's not boring like a lot of salads before, and i would actually eat this even if I wasn't interested in a healthy meal. As a warning though, this salad may be an acquired taste. I've had friends who never cared for this and I've had friends who have loved this salad. It's a hit or miss. The garlic noodles were pretty good, it tastes exactly like you think it would taste like. The noodles were well baked and the amount of garlic was just right. Our friends got the milk tea as well, and were happy with their choice. They said it was actually some one of the best teas they've ever had! The Atmosphere: Good atmosphere! I came here the day after graduation and I thought it would be super crowded but it actually wasn't too bad, we got seats fairly quickly. Also, special shout out to the staff, they are SO nice. They were accommodating to our group and always checked in on us. We asked them to take pictures for us and they were super willing and even took a solid 5 minutes taking us to their "best picture taking areas". Recommendations: Tea Leaf Salad and Garlic Noodles read more

We called for reservation and was promptly seated when we arrived at the restaurant. The inside of the restaurant was surprisingly big. There was three separate seating areas and a bar. Service was excellent. Water glasses were already filled when we arrived at the table. There were separeate plates for apetizers and main courses, white linen napkins. Plates were promptly taken away. Unfortunately we were disappointed in the food. Half of the stuff we ordered were bland and nothing really stands out. What we ordered: - Yellow toffu: good in itself but the sweet and sour sauce poured on top sorta ruined the whole dish for me - Mohk hingar: very good, hearty and tasty, very good texture - Rangoon chicken curry: ok - String beans: ok - Special menu fish: catfish cooked with banana blossom and wrapped in banana leaf - impressive looking but very bland tasting - Garlic noodle - drenched in oil, bland, could barely taste the garlic - Coconut rice - very good, just the right amount of sweetness and flavor read more

We have been coming here for years. The owner is maintaining the food quality at high standards. Food and service is awesome. Large range of food and appetizer choices. Choice of drinks is equally attractive. Parking is quite easy and finding a reservation is not hard. read more

I've been here a few times now, and their quality of food have not changed since the first time around, which is still yummy! Their tea leaf salad is so good! Flavorful, with some crunch from the salad and the nuts, the spices in it makes you forget that there's no sauce with it. The coconut rice is one of the best rice I have ever had. It moist, with some coconut flavor and has a little of fried garlic on top to give it a different crunch. Definitely something I can AND have ate by itself. The pumpkin chicken stew we had was yummy and the pad Thai was also very different since this is their version of it. I would definitely keep coming back, just for the tea leaf salad and the coconut rice! Haha read more