Barney's Gourmet Hamburgers

The only problem here is the way the service is setup. Maybe its more of a management issue. One server for tons of tables, and the food takes a while to come out. So if you plan on coming here, don't be in a hurry, since it may take a while...but it'll be well worth it. You may not want to eat for say...a month...before coming here though. The portions are huge--not a problem most complain about.

Basket of fried vegetables...so good, so filling. I'm so full.

Burger comes...can't even take a bite. Okay maybe one.

Incredible spot in Berkeley!

PRICE: Burgers and sandwiches seem a bit pricey, at $20+ each, but the portions make it incredibly worth it!

FOOD: The Carolina Crispy Chicken Sandwich was hot hot hot! The size of the tenders left me with a full sandwich and two pieces leftover. The seasoning is rich and spicy--totally recommend! The other star of the show is their shoestring curly fries. Order a side (one tall cup) for the table!

LOCATION: There's multiple Barney's in Berkeley, and all seem to be great choices. This specific location on College Ave doesn't have a ton of parking nearby, so consider taking a bike or bus. Enjoy walking up and down College Ave after and grabbing dessert from one of the many places nearby!

Ok, so the food was fine--Midwestern third-tier city fine, not Bay Area fine--so we're starting off at around three possible stars.

But here's what was terrible:
1. the overwhelming smell of cleaning fluid, that seemed to being actively sprayed during mealtime. We were seated next to an open door to the patio, and even then it was overwhelming.
2. attention to detail: my son ordered corn on the cob on the side of his kid's meal; they brought fries. My spouse and MiL ordered vinaigrette on the side of their salad; they brought ranch. I would _not_ want to go to this place with some sort of severe food allergy, as the service was clearly too inattentive or incapable of actually doing things well.
3. lack of sanitary practices and attention to a kid's needs. My kid was about to eat his burger--his hand had already been on it--when we alerted the server that he had requested corn, rather than fries. She took the plate away, that had already been at a customer's table, to the back. A plate that has been at a table should never be taken back to the cooking area. So unsanitary. Did they serve the fries that my elementary-aged kid had already breathed on to another patron? Who knows? Did they make my kid have to wait more time for food? They did.

This place was three-midwestern-star fine in the late 90s/early 2000s, but wow: it's probably just riding on cheap overhead and reputation at this point.

Yeah, $20+ for a burger is a bit steep, but overall I was happy with the flavor, quality, and service for Barney's.

This place is a cute local joint (now with several Bay locations) on the charming College Ave in Rockridge. They advertise as gourmet burgers, and they definitely are -- but with all the possible toppings, be prepared to pay quite a bit for each add-on you're interested in.

I ordered the Moroccan Burger (with sprouts) and the skinny fries, to-go. They prepped my food quickly and it gave me a few minutes to walk around the area and check out the cute cafes. It's a short walk from the BART station, but there's also plenty of parking on College Ave (I had no problem parking).

I'd definitely recommend the pretzel bun, as the soft and salty flavor added a unique twist to the burgers. The meat was tasty and you can specify if you want medium rare, medium, or well-done. I also liked how the toppings were overflowing -- you might have to pay $3.50 to add something like crispy onions to your burger, but for that price they'll make sure you get more than enough to fill your burger (and plate!).

Overall, it's a nice choice for a casual burger in Rockridge.

I didn't really have high expectations for a lunch here with friends but was pleasantly surprised.

I took BART to the Rockridge station and it only about 2 blocks away. We sat in the lovely little patio out back. I had sussed out the menu in advance and was looking for a "club sandwich partner", and one friend took the bait, so we split it - the sandwich is far too big for 1 person. It was a very solid club sandwich. Mayo served on the side - which I appreciated. We also split the onion rings (battered not breaded - aka the BEST kind). The rings themselves were HUGE - I kinda would have preferred thinner slices and more quantity, but it is all good.

The place was clean (as was the bathroom) - Our service was efficient, but not super friendly.

I haven't been to Barneys since pre-pandemic times, and I have to say my experience here at the Rockridge location was exceptional. It was pretty empty when my friend and I came in, so we got to choose are seats. The waiter was very courteous and quick to give us our menus.

Barneys are known for their gourmet burgers, though they also carry sandwiches, salads, shakes and drinks. This time I choose the sunshine toast with a salmon burger. My friend who is vegan (another great reason to eat here- they have burgers for both meat eaters and vegetarians), chose a veggie burger with barbecue sauce. It didn't take long to get our food, a great plus! I have to say I've never tasted a more juicer/ tasty salmon patty than Barney's. It was definitely delectable, my taste buds were in heaven. and I actually finished the whole toast! Usually Barneys burgers are a bit larger for my appetite but this salmon toast was just THAT fabulous. I wholeheartedly recommend it. Definitely 5 stars. As for overall experience at this Barneys an easy 5 stars.

What happened to this place? I went a few months ago and didn't post a review because I thought give them a chance... they are still recovering post covid. But, the BLAT my spouse and I ordered this week was inedible. The kids menu was fine, it is still a family friendly place... but not at the ludicrous pricing for adult meals. They haven't earned the right to charge $18+ for a basic burgers -no fries. I give the place 2 stars bc the shake my spouse ordered was very good. Otherwise the food and price combo would drop this to 1 star. I really hate to say this.... They need to scrap the entire kitchen and reinvent themselves.

Also, if the restaurant reads this review, I would recommend not using really strong scented cleaning products so close to lunch. We were outside, and everybody thought that it was overwhelming.

Hubby & i went for a late lunch, early dinner. Hubby ordered a turkey burger. I received my meal before hubby's order was ready. I kept seeing the cook smashing the turkey burger over and over on the grill. When turkey burger arrived I told hubby to check burger before taking a bite. Turkey burger was still raw in the center. Not good.

Excellent fries, decent burgers although not outstanding, pretty good wedge cobb salad. Service was just okay.

We will be back at some point.

Today I found mold on my bun.
I decided to buy from Barney's today for my whole family and never had any problem with their food but today finding mold was crazy. I've never experienced this before. I called and spoke to a manager and their claim was that the weather was changing and it was a possible reason for the causation of mold.
I am extremely upset with my order.

Absolutely love this place! The outdoor patio is lovely, as well as the indoor seating arrangement. Very open, with really comfy booths. The service is always on point, very quick and made to order. I try a new burger everytime I visit, and they are all delightful! Today I had the Moroccan burger with extra pickles and a big basket of curly fries to share (the ranch dip that comes with it is sooooo good). Topped it off with a classic root beer float (the good stuff too). Again, I love coming over here for a burger, it's always good