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My Berkeley Stops and Shops
These were my spots when i lived in Berkeley. My local dry cleaner, dentist, bar (who still calls it a watering hole?), wine shop, cafe, and other food stuffs.
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21 Places
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Reuben’s 4-star review: This is a fine Thai restaurant. It's probably not the best Thai you'll ever have in your life but it certainly makes me happy. I love that it is only two blocks away from my apartment so i can order some take out and pick it up and walk home. -
Reuben’s 4-star review: Gypsies is actually very good Italian food for being run by Mexicans in the "Asian Ghetto" so near UC Berkeley. The prices are very good and the food is excellent and come out in good portions. I stopped here on many occassions between classses to get a chicken salad or Victor's Spaghetti for lunch. The Calzones are quite good, quite big, and quite popular. Its all good. -
Reuben’s 4-star review: I like Nanayiro for sushi. As a college student, I would prefer this place over Joshu-Ya Sushi Boat. It's a little more expensive but i feel the quality of sushi is much better and im always willing to pay extra for the extra mile. The atmosphere is nice and the service is friendly. They have a good selection of sushi and a decent selection of Sake as well to go along with your dinner. -
Reuben’s 5-star review: This is a great spot hidden away a short stride from Shattuck and Cedar in North Berkeley. It is basically French take-out with VERY limited seating, if you are so inclined to eat there. And this seating only exists outside on a picnic bench. So, lets just say you should take it home with you. And thats not hard. The food comes out in adorable little boxes with checkerboard paper. It is quite cute and perfect for, say, a romantic picnic. That is my next goal with Gregoir's. Their Duck Confit is a staple on their menu, even though its supposed to change every month. If you dont find it one month, easily expect it there the next. Also, the Potato Puffs are quite tasty. Don't order the fries. If i had to pick one bad thing, it would be the fries. Totally not worth it both in taste and price. Get a better side. -
Reuben’s 5-star review: My review is less of this specific location than of the entire Jamba Juice chain. And oh how i love Jamba Juice! Come as you will and come as you are. Jamba is awesome. Go ahead and let the false promises of healthy drinking wash over you as you sip ever closer to a brain freeze or unpleasant detox. Jamba just makes me happy. I order the same thing all the time. Regular size Mango-A-Go-Go with no boost. Sure, they are free. But they are free because they are pointless. Trust me, i had to make these things once upon a time a go. As suggested, if it makes you feel better that a powdery disk is going to help you stay awake or burn fat better than coffee or excersie, then god bless you. For me, i just want to feel the cool sensation of mango and pineapple running down my throat as i walked to/from class or back to my apartment. -
Reuben’s 3-star review: It's a burger joint. And a good one at that. No frills or table cloths. Just burgers, hot dogs, fries, milkshakes, and sodas. It looses points for just seeming kinda dirty at times. Cant really confirm the legitimacy of that dirt, but oh well. I come for a burger when i want one. Not because the joint is pretty. It's all around good stuff. -
Reuben’s 5-star review: Strada is by far the quintessential of all coffee houses that you would think of. It is an excellent space with open air seating on the nice corner of College & Bancroft, across from the UC Berkeley Shool of Law. Here, you will find people drinking coffee and reading a book for fun, for study, or because they are trying to look smart (or all of the above). They will discuss everything from politics to movies. Many of the university's GSI's (graduate student instructors) will hold their office hours here during the spring and summer months. Even when it gets cold, they have plenty of heaters keeping you warm when it gets cold and the trees provide shade from the sun when it's bright. I truly love it. Their prices are good and their coffee is excellent. I would always get a small mocha and, when necessary, request an extra shot of espresso. They also provide a delightful, though small, selection of pastries. The only downside is that they are cash only. I just dont get behind the cash only concept. It's just not practical. And if your laptop has range, you can swing free wifi from the campus' AirBears network. the proprietors of Strada apparently also operate the Free Speech Movement Cafe (FSM) that is actually on the the campus in the undergraduate library (why do they split us up like that? that just seems mean). I prefer Strada over FSM personally, but FSM has more seating available. Especially during the summer because they have a bigger patio. -
Reuben’s 5-star review: Jupiter still rocks! I just had to come back and comment on my latest experience with live jazz. First off, i love jazz. I've had an affection for it since the cartoon "Hey Arnold!" turned me onto it as a kid. I've played the saxaphone for years now and i just love jazz. So when you mix live jazz with good beer (Honey Wheat is still my fav) and good pizza (im a simpleton: Ares pizza), it just makes me very happy. Gotta love it when the weather warms up enough to let you chill out on the patio next to the fire and listen to music. -
Reuben’s 4-star review: I like Thalassa for the same reason that straight girls go with their gay friends to gay bars in the Castro. I like it because i don't have to worry about impressing anyone! Thalassa is my "close to home neighborhood dive" place for that reason. When some of my straight friends want to go out and dont want to go to a gay club or maybe i'm just not feeling like "impressing" anyone in the Castro, i like to suggest Thalassa. It has a full bar (which, oddly, is more difficult to find in Berkeley than you think) where i can get cocktails as well as beer and scotch (i like scotch). Plus! Who doesnt enjoy a game of drunk pool. I find it actually improves my game. I have a good time while im there and i feel quite comfortable. I'm a fan. -
Reuben’s 5-star review: When it comes to pizza, i am picky. I LOVE pizza. Nothing puts a smile on my face faster than a thin crispy/flaky crust pizza from a hot wood or coal fired oven. I'm pleased to say that Boby G's pizza comes close to achieving my goal of the perfect pizza. I can't say that they use wood or coal to heat their pizza's (i didnt go into the kitchen), but whatever they used works very well. My friends and i ordered two pizzas. One was called the Meat Lovers and the other was some hawaiin style pizza with ham and pineapple but with the addition of a mango puree. I have to say, my preferred pizza was the meatlover but the other one was quite good. The mango puree was an interesting addition but it worked out well. In addition, we went during the evening when they had live music - blues - playing. It was very good. I personally really like blues because it reminds me of my father and my uncle who used to take me to blues bars when i was young. While i had a coke, they drank beer and relived their time in San Francisco during the 60's & 70's. The only downside is that, though the owner might argue he intended to have live music there all the time, the space wasnt acoustically set up for it. When music plays, you cant hear anything but the vibrating strings of the guitar. I suppose it could be worse... All that together puts Bobby G's on a good rating with me. -
Reuben’s 5-star review: Solano Cellas is a great local wine shop with a fabulous variety of bottles that you wont really find in many other wine shops. I found my absolute FAV bottle of wine here, a Malbec-Corvina blend only $20. Delicious! Unfortunately, as one reviewer pointed out, the small distribution factor means that they can run out... which happened a few times and then, all of a sudden, nothing. No more. Im really bummed about that. But i love how the staff can come to my aid and say, "since you liked this wine so much, youll probably enjoy this one...". The quest for good wine continues! The staff here is absolutely delightful. I feel soo bad that i cant remember her name, but she is a fix here everytime i enter and im so glaad she remembers me and is very friendly and helpful when i ask questions about the wine. This is just a great wine shop that i highly reccommend. -
Reuben’s 4-star review: La Mediterranee (La Med) is just one of those staples that college students, who are willing to trek outside of what is immediate to the Cal campus, as well as Elmwood families and university professors, will know and love. The food is excellent, the service is friendly and the prices are reasonable. The only downside, if you need one, is the seating. It's a popular place to stop and eat so seating can be difficult and time wasting if you go on the right (or wrong) day. Plus some seating leaves little to your own private conversation. Other than that it's just an all around great local eatery. I love to go with friends for lunch on a cool sunny afternoon and eat on their patio. I usually order one of two items any given time. Not because the other items arent delicious. I'm just a fan of these two in particular. I highly reccommend this place to my friends and readers as it will alwas be one of those restaurants i remember eating at during my "college years". -
Reuben’s 5-star review: I LOVE Uni Tailor. It is by far the best place to get your clothes tailored and altered in Berkeley. I strongly beleive in tailoring and more people (men in particular) should take the time (and money) to tailor a shirt so that it fits well. I think people appreciate it when you have a tailored look to yourself. Anywho, the woman is soo sweet and patient. For me to say that is a lot because i am not an easy customer. I am a picky tailoring customer. She takes the time to work on a shirt or coat and still willing to work more because the first time just wasn't exactly what i had pictured. That's quality service right there. Not to mention, the shirts and coats, in the end, are fabulous. Definitely recommend Uni Tailor for any and all of your tailoring needs. -
Reuben’s 4-star review: This place is close to campus and near my apartment so gets a plus for me right there. The service is good quality, the prices are very reasonable, and the employees are very friendly. I took my car there to have its preventative maintanence taken care of and i can say that my car is running quite nicely. When they found something that needed to to be repaired, the man on the phone was very nice and patient and explained what he had found with no pressure. He even offered to have me come down to the shop so he could visually explain it. I think thats great of any auto shop to be willing to explain what they do so you dont feel like you are being taken advantage of. The only issue with the place i had and why i deduct one star is because of 1) Time. It took 3 days to complete all work. I took my car in on a Friday afternoon for its preventative maintanence. Because it was around 1PM, they said they may need to keep it into Saturday. I recieved a call on Saturday giving me the news about the extra repair and that they would need to keep the car until Monday (not open sundays). Come Monday, they said i wouldnt be able to pick up the car until Tusday late-afternoon because they couldnt get a part in time and they also purposely broke a "stubborn" hose in order to conduct repairs. So i was frustrated with the time issue but also with the fact that i had to pay for that broken hose. And 2) I feel they used up a decent amount gas doing... whatever it is they do to test the vehicle. Dont get me wrong, i like that places test vehichles... but given the current gas price issue, it would be nice if maybe they deducted something for it... or paid for that broken hose themselves. Oh well. My car still runs well and i'll still return. -
Reuben’s 5-star review: Ok, lets ignore the fact that he has the same name as a classic Simpson character (which, is really just a plus). Dr. Smithers is by far the best dentist i have ever had! He is a kind and soft spoken man. And just like lovers, don't we all want our dentists to be kind and hold us? Well, ok, he wont exactly hold you (or he might, who knows), but he will chat you up about everything from school to jobs to politics. As a Dentist, he is excellent. He has been doing this for a while so has all the procedures down and will not hesitate to stop and explain what he's doing and why. It's true what the previous reviewer says when they say he is a popular dentist. He is quite booked and it is amazing that i became a patient in the first place. My story was that a retained baby tooth decided to fall out my freshman year at UCB and freaked me out (i didnt know it was a baby tooth). So i picked the closest dentist near my dorms off the UCB Health website and it was Dr. Smithers. They did tell me that he wasnt really accepting new patients at the time, but Dr. Smithers himself said he would check out my situation and the rest is dental history. Truly a great man and a great dentist! If you can get in the door, stay there! -
Reuben’s 3-star review: Tilden Golf Course is great, despite what the more "experienced" golfer might say. I dont claim to be a great golfer and all, but i've been around enough to notice and appreciate the difference between golf courses. And considering that Tilden is easily accessible, decently priced, and not terribly difficult for novice to experienced players, it fits the bill quite nicely. The scenery is beautiful with thick woodlands surrounding the area. On a nice sunny day in the summer, you can have a pleasant round in shorts and a polo. However, there are a couple downsides to its pros. The fact that it is a nice course creates the problem many here alude to, which is that many people play (especially on weekends), which creates the long game times. But, again, it makes perfect sense to me because of the courses easy access. The last time i was at Tilden, i just hit the driving range with a friend who wanted to get some of the basics down, such as motion. We just got a bucket of balls (hehehe) and hit for about an hour. I do have to complain about the club they let me use. The darn golf head broke off after the first swing. I almost hit the man next to me. Very embarassing and very frustrating that i would have recieved such a defective club. But the guys at the shop were nice and joked about it and gave me a new club. As long as no one was hurt, i guess its ok. But one of those things that shouldnt happen again, you know. For all those people who complain about the waits and condition of the course, i suggest you crack open your walletts and fork over the extra cash to join a private club. Golf should be accessible to everyone who wants to learn and enjoy the game, making me a fan of quality public courses, such as Tilden. -
Reuben’s 5-star review: I really like Berkeley Orthodontics. Orthodontia is totally not something that you really look forward to. It's long and unnecessarily painful (braces anyone?). But these people really know how to make you feel comfortable and enjoy (as much as you can) your experience and time with them. The office staff is incredibly friendly. I am on a first name basis with two of them, the woman who adjusts my braces, and the man at the front desk. The woman an I have developed a "Safe Word". It's "Banana". I haven't had to use it yet, well, not seriously at least. But its nice to know its there. The practice itself is quite excellent. They are a group practice so every patient actually gets the attention of all the doctors in the practice. Feel free to test them. I have and they all passed by knowing who i was and the issues unique to my case. Good job! Definitely recommend to anyone looking to start an ordeal for the reward of a better smile. -
Reuben’s 3-star review: Berkeley Marina is cute. Gorgeous views on clear days and a great place to relax during warm summer days if you're feeling a little lazy and not wanting to trek to the other side of the bay to hit the ocean. You can fish off the pier and i often see people doing it, but i really don't know what they are fishing for. I don't want to eat anything they catch, in all honesty. I love how the pier is ridiculously long and walking up and down is a little activity in itself. It's a great place for a date at night during the summer because the views are clear and the city lights glow from Oakland to Emeryville, to San Francisco. Plus, the Golden Gate Bridge with it's lights rising and dipping from the cables is gorgeous too. Definitely can be a place to get all lovey with the lovely. So why 3 stars? Well, for all it's charm, the Berkeley Marina needs a beach. I need sand and i need access to the water. Maybe i should just learn to sail. Oh well. So while it is a great spot true to its urban roots, it falls a tad short for this California dreamer. -
Reuben’s 5-star review: One year after graduation, i feel compelled to review my now alma mater. Lets start off by saying UC Berkeley (aka, "Cal") is a fabulous institution and anyone who has the opportunity to attend Cal should do it. Its a great experience of learning and social life that i will never forget. Having said that, here is a more detailed review of my two departments: Sociology I loved the subject matter and the professors. The professors are soo cool and a little crazy, but that just makes for a fun classroom experience. The subject matter is facinating, but not for everyone. Sociology you will either enjoy for its take on the world and hate because you think its obvious and/or pointless to your life. If you fall in the latter, you probably are not or should not be a Sociology major. The only critiques i will give of Soc is that 1) its very subjective and 2) the GSI's are jerks. Explanation is that Sociology is very much based on personal outlook. Yes, there are standard theories of Socilogy of whcih it is based, but your interpretation of that can vary slightly enough to make writing your argument a little difficult. Advice, just regurgitate the theory and show you understand it, whether you agree with it or not, which relates to my next point. The issue with the Soc GSI's (known as TA's at other universities) is that they are soo narrow. I beleive its because Sociology grad students usually took Sociology as an undergrad major so they really know nothing but Soc. So they teach as if they are experts on the subject and are rather hard liners on the issues. Theres not a whole lot of wiggle room. Legal Studies Legal Studies has to be the best major ever! The professors are all amazing (usually law school professors) and are excellent teachers. The GSI's in this department are equally as amazing because they are so down to earth and rounded that i have had such great office hours with them drinking coffee and talking about things OTHER than school. Unlike with the Soc GSI's, i attribute the Legal Studies GSI's roundness to the fact that there is no real "path" to law school. These grad students have degrees in a range of subjects as opposed to narrowly following on path from undergrad to grad school. They are just too cool. Overall, Cal is amazing and you should go if you have the chance. Just remember to pick a major that you enjoy. Your experiences and gpa will greatly appreciate it. -
Reuben’s 5-star review: I love King Pin donuts! Best donuts in Berkeley. Open late for those over-the-legal-limit munchies and delicious all around. In all things equal, the place really is JUST a donut shop. So there is very little to review. The donuts are excellent and plentiful. They are always making them fresh minute by minute. Since it is located in the Asian Ghetto, there is plenty of seating available if you wish to enjoy your pastry amongst other college students. But i would just grab my glazed donut, 1/2 dozen donut holes, chocolate bar, or cinnamon roll (no, i didnt get them all at once) and walk home both enjoying my purchase and reasoning i was burning the calories in the 6 blocks to my apartment. King Pin is a good solid memory from my times at UC Berkeley and i will miss it when it comes time for me to find new horizons. -
Reuben’s 5-star review: How has it been i have yet to review Top Dogs after living in Berkeley for over five years? Welcome to Top Dog, a Berkeley institution since my father was going to law school in panchos and flip flops. Stoners, drunkies, and night owls unite over the additional option of late night munching. Top Dog stays open late into the night to feed your rumbling and over the legal limit tummies serving up some excellet dogs. From a classic Bratwurst to hot links to the local favorite of chicken apple, nothing says "good morning" like a 2am bite into tube filled goodness wrapped in toasted buns served with the venerable classics of mustard onions, jalepenos and the balancing sweetness of relish. Do you want a Coke with that? Hell to the no! They don't serve the evil corporation Berkeley is known to disdain. It's all RC Cola here. Say what you want about this d-list cola, it reminds me of my grandmas house and how she stacked the stuff in the corner by the dining table because she would stock up when on sale. Delicious. Are you a tourist? Then don't stand at the counter and ponder over the menu (i mean, really... there are like 8 items in total). The efficient and hard hitting men behind the counter will give you about five seconds to order before moving on to the next customer, but not before providing you with a sarcastic pep talk to not waste their time. It's serious business here. After all, as Anthony Bourdain would say, is there anything better than meat in tube form? No, i dont think so either.
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