We’re taking our son to Berkeley in a few weeks for a computer science camp, staying at Claremont Resort, looking for restaurant reccs - not Michelin-quality but nice, wife wants to ‘experience Berkeley’ in some way, in case a miracle occurs and he gets in when he applies.
Depends a little what you’re looking for, more fine dining or more casual that a student might go to. I’d get into the center of town, right near campus. If you like Mexican, Comal is a very fun place with good food. There are tons of asian restos of every kind. Someone who spends more time up there will be able to help more
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Casual or moderate - more what we’d take a student to rather than some place where he can get cheap slices of pizza
Great China for the duck and burgundy list naturally!
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I’d love that, but I’d be the ONLY one eating the duck, so that won’t work - wife and son wouldn’t touch it
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Lived in Berkeley for about 6 years.
Cheeseboard is one of those iconic Berkeley restaurants. I think there’s better pizza but it’s iconic. Grabbing a pizza and sitting in the Shattuck divider is very Berkeley. Right around the corner is Gregoire’s which is a great French style sandwich place. The fried potato puffs are wonderful.
There are a quite a few restaurants a bit further down that I enjoy im Albany but it’s not really Berkeley anymore. China Village for Sichuan or Wojia Cuisine for Hunan. Both very authentic and delicious.
Near westside campus there’s Angeline’s Louisiana cuisine which I love. They make Creole/Cajun food although I think it leans more Creole.
Funky Elephant for Thai although it’s a bit further away from campus.
If you go a bit down College Ave, Bellotti is a great trattoria.
Fat Apples is a traditional American brunch style place. We used to get the apple fritters there all the time.
Brazil Cafe has been around since my college days and I think it’s still around. Tritip sandwiches with cilantro garlic sauce is the order here.
It’s a chain but there is an Ippuku as well near the BART station.
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They also have a pretty good selection of Chinese staples, rather extensive menu.
Second Daniel’s recs especially Ippuku for the yakitori, Belottis and of course cheeseboard.
Would also add La Note for brunch and Kiraku for japanese bar food. Chez Panisse can sometimes be quite good but also on the fancier side.
Son is going to need to expand his eating habits, or won’t survive any college these days 
Belotti is stellar. Outside of La Ciccia when Massimo and Lorella were running the show, it’s the best trattoria I’ve found in the area. And reasonably priced. It is popular for good reason so reservations are a must.
Sandi and I went recently with another couple who had just eaten at Cyrus the week before. They got just as much pleasure from Belotti.
I’ll vouch for Wojia Cuisine. I went with Daniel a couple of months ago.
There’s alway the Cafe at Chez Panisse. I’m much more of a fan of the Cafe than the restaurant.
You need reservations even for the cafe, opens 30 days in advance. Though cancellations will appear.
In terms of ‘right near campus’, I second the recs for Angeline’s Louisiana Kitchen, and La Note. Would add Gather to this list, tho I haven’t been in a few years so it may be better or worse than I remember. A bit further west down University (at San Pablo) is La Marcha Tapas Bar, and further west from there is Vic’s Chaat House (great but very casual S.Indian food). Heading south on College Ave and just across the ‘border’ in Oakland (Rockridge neighborhood) is Wood Tavern.
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Love Wood Tavern, but it is pretty far away, not really a “campus experience”, and is very noisy. But convenient from the Claremont!
awesome, thanks, all!
Ha! We’re not there until Mid-June 
And our trip (mine and my wife’s) is 24 hours almost - super quick one, so we can get back in time for Fathers Day dinner
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Spent the better part of my 20s in the Bay. Every time I am back, I make it a point to stop by Vik’s Chaat House and get their chana masala and chole bhature. You will not regret it.
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Wat Mongkolratanaram is a Thai temple that does, on Sundays for brunch, a sort of street food thing with food cooked by Thai grandmothers. There’s plenty of seating and IMO it is one of the very best things about Berkeley. You should also check out the croissants at Fournée Bakery right next to the Claremont. For dinner Ippuku is my most favorite of all the names mentioned (with Great China as #2); it’s very chicken-centric and there should be something for every taste (my favorite is the tsukune/meatball)
Vik’s Chaat is absolutely amazing; I haven’t found anything in the Bay Area that’s better, and lord knows I’ve tried. But if your family doesn’t do duck they might not take to this…
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Let’s go!
Oh that’d be nice. Weekend brunch outing?
The Snail Bar is right on the border of Berkeley/Oakland.
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