Tilden Regional Park is one of my favorite places in the Bay Area and a park that never feels the same twice. Tucked into the Berkeley Hills, it is a world of its own with forests, meadows, lakes, ridges, and open spaces that make you forget you are so close to the city. Every visit feels like a new adventure, whether I am walking quiet trails under the trees, looking out at sweeping views of the Bay and Golden Gate Bridge, or spending the day around the lakes and picnic areas with family and friends. One of the highlights for me is Lake Anza. The trail around the lake is peaceful, and on warm days people swim at the small beach or set up picnics nearby. The Tilden Merry-Go-Round is another classic, a beautiful carousel from the early 1900s that still brings joy to kids and adults alike. The Little Farm is also special, with goats, cows, chickens, and pigs that you can visit and even feed. Families love it, and it adds to the park’s charm and variety. The Botanic Garden is another gem, showcasing native California plants in a way that feels like a walk across the whole state. Beyond that, the park has golf courses, campgrounds, BBQ and picnic areas, and miles of trails for hiking, biking, and horseback riding. It is a place with something for everyone, no matter what kind of day you want to have. For me, Tilden is more than just a park. It is a place to recharge, to connect with nature, and to make memories. Whether I am hiking the ridge trails, feeding the animals at the Little Farm, or just sitting by Lake Anza watching the light on the water, Tilden always leaves me feeling grounded and grateful. It is one of the true treasures of the Bay Area and a place I will always return to.

It's a beautiful experience. Today it was raining so the trail was muddy. I crossed the bridge but turned back toward the parking area after viewing the lake.

A magical place to visit. From the trails and wooden bridges near the Little Farm, the Little Farm itself, the Visitor Center that gives you a rundown of all wildlife and history of the nearby area, while also having activities for little ones on specific days! My favorite are the trails around Lake Anza personally. You can sit and just truly appreciate the beauty of the entire area on a nearby bench and just take life in. My fiancée abd I ended up coming here to when we had to process the passing of a loved one, which was one of the most difficult times on our lives, and i beleive being in nature truly helped us grieve and let out all that we had been holding in. Its a very peaceful place. Whenever I have a stressful week, I find myself coming here to unwind and relax. You can book a site for parties here as well which is really fun to do too if you're planning a birthday or baby shower or something and want to BBQ. This will always be one of my favorite spots in the East Bay.

What a fantastic outdoor space, a little oasis right near the city. Saw a bunch of critters, large and small. Met the king of the forest, some surly squirrels, two cows, a couple of very sleepy pigs, and the ambassador of Pack Rat Trail. We’re soooo lucky to have these outdoor spaces so closeby! Great place for kids to learn about animals and a cool network of beginner friendly trails with a variety of flora. Remember to respect the wildlife while we visit their homes.

Amazing trails to run and hike on. Looked like fun camping as well. Nice and shaded.

So much fun! Nicest engineers running the trains and taking tickets. Beautiful setting. My son, dog, and I rode it 4 times.

Came here with family and friends last Sunday afternoon. A beautiful park. Lots of fun things to do whatever you're interested in. We went on a little steam train ride with my 1-year-old niece. She loved it as did her family of adults. There are some great picnic areas, both sunny and shady spots. We rode the merry-go-round and we enjoyed one of the trails that gave us some great views of San Francisco. Well worth the time to visit this spot. Everything seems to be well maintained and staff was very friendly.

🌹 Vast Rose Collection: Home to 1,500 rose bushes with 250 unique varieties. * vistas Stunning Bay Views: Offers breathtaking panoramic views of the San Francisco Bay. * ✅ Free Admission: Open to the public with no entry fee. * ️ Recreational Facilities: Includes nearby sports fields and tennis courts. * 📍 Iconic Location: A popular and beloved landmark in the Berkeley Hills.

Since 1937, this garden has provided a wonder experience for many individuals as well as families. No dogs allowed. There are steep stairs so be aware

Great space full of different kind of flowers, very well maintained and colorful. You can take a walk and smell the different roses they keep there. You can get there by car and park outside, no animals allowed.

What an amazing garden with so many beautiful roses - I couldn't help but stop every other minute for pictures. There was also almost no one else around 8am on a Sunday when I visited.

Beautiful, free, plenty of free street parking, restrooms available, never too crowded, what more can you ask for? Lots of stairs though

Beautiful location for walking and strolling around with a nearby tennis court. Great views

Beautiful, serene, peaceful. Definitely a calming experience. Probably best as a solo adventure.

The entrance fee is $14 but there are a lot of discounted and free categories. They also have a coat check service available. The museum is manageable, you would be able to cover all exhibitions in a short time. The wall texts sometimes provide a lot of information but sometimes they don't which is a shame because many of the well described wall text helps me understand the materials, concepts and artist interpretation. Generally the exhibition is curated well too. The gift store is small but has a lot of fun things to buy.

Totally worth checking out. Free if you are Berkeley student. Great collection of changing exhibits locally rooted and relevant. Helpful guides and resource people. Must visit if you are visiting. Weekly film screenings as well

A good museum for contemporary art. It's big but with a lot of hopeful empty space. It didn't take me that long to finish the displays. The art is beautiful but it needs bigger names to generate more appeal to the masses. Maybe they should reduce the $14 admission fee or just make it a free entry museum. Their gift shop is nice, go check it out. There's a cafeteria but it was closed the day I was there. It's better to get there on public transportation than to hunt for parking spaces. Have a meal after the visit at one of the many nice restaurants nearby.

Visited BAMPFA for the first time and was truly impressed by the exhibits. "Routed West" featured an incredible quilt collection that highlighted the history of quilts in California, particularly among African Americans. I was also captivated by "Lee ShinJa: Drawing with Thread," which showcased the artist’s bold innovations in fiber art. It’s astonishing how she created such intricate pieces over five decades, with remarkable attention to detail. Additionally, "Matrix 287," an exhibit in one of the halls, presented anthropomorphic assemblages with fused prostheses that challenge standardized body expectations. Be sure not to miss the Art Wall at the entrance, which features impressive work by artist Stephanie Syjuco in a modern setting. You will definitely enjoy the exhibits if you’re into art and history. Definitely give it a visit if you’re around. Exhibits can be seen in an hour time.

We went to a Quilt exhibit which was extensive and well documented. A definite must see if you are in the area. The collection was culled from the museum's 3,000 quilt collection.

Beautiful exhibit, “Routed West: Twentieth-Century African American Quilts in California," open through November 30, 2025

Excited to attend quilting exhibition. Was looking closely....not touching pointing to patterns. discussing techniques with my daughter, I am a little shortsighted so may have been very slightly close when pompous offiocious unfriendly stewarding burst bubble ...left early. Sad. Expressive folk art made inaccessable... and un-fun.

Ate upstairs in the cafe, and had a lovely experience. I love the open kitchen. I love the rustic design of the restaurant. I love the mid century style lights and stained glass. The vibe is almost cabin-like. Being able to watch as bread and pizzas went into the wood-fired oven was a treat. Service was a bit relaxed and not as I had expected. Not bad, but just mediocre. I was anticipating hearing more about the food. It’s okay - they let me take home the menu. The food was simple yet abound with subtleties. The dishes spoke for themselves. They spoke of the land and the fields and the farms they came from. The Bronx grapes for dessert were a treat. Unpretentious, high-quality food in a cozy atmosphere. I could really settle into this place for awhile.

This review is coming in a week late but very necessary. I celebrated my birthday here last October 15th with my significant other. My original time slot was at 8:30am but that very morning I got a call from my doctor insisting I needed to be hospitalized soon as possible for a low platelet count. I was torn between giving up my reservation the very same day or proceeding with dinner. Chez Panisse was very accommodating and very considerate and moved my slot from 8:30 to 6:30. That may not sound like a lot but it meant the world to me. I did not want to eat hospital food on the night of my birthday and it’s so hard to get a reservation here and I can see why. I arrived at the restaurant with a happy heart and left with an even happier full stomach. The experience is like no other. The atmosphere is cozy, pristine and impeccable. The staff made me feel so welcome and respected. The entire dinner was fantastic and well prepared. Tasted like heaven. I was the happiest girl in the world. I yearn for another chance to come back to Chez Panisse~

The food is outstanding. The only thing is the menu being available Sundays and when you have a reservation for Monday or Tuesday, you can’t cancel if you are not fan of the menu served that day. Sadly, it was too late for me to cancel because my menu was salmon. I love salmon, I cook it many times and was disappointed to have such common fish on the menu. I think I would have been happier if they served meatloaf! Next time I’m going there, I’ll make sure to have 2 different reservations on Wednesday and after so I can cancel one of them when the menu comes out. Besides that, the good is great. Prices are high and the mandatory service charged on the check is kinda annoying. I get it why some restaurants do that, yet it’s annoying. I have had much better service at lower level restaurants. But definitely, one has to go chez panisse.

Went for a birthday dinner last year, and it’s just not worth it. Did the set menu with my partner, and he did the wine paring. Incredible app, and forgettable everything else. I also would’ve expected better service at a fine dining establishment such as this. Wouldn’t go back nor recommend.

Food was excellent. We had a party of 4 and were able to try everything on the cafe menu. It was a fun outing for a birthday. The service was lacking and a bit slow. Was thinking that it made have been because it is the cafe. I think we may have too high expectations for the service as we have eaten at a variety of nice establishments. The food definitely outweighed the dip in service.

Here's my straightforward review. The food is average. I felt the salad portion was on the smaller side. While I appreciated the clean presentation and how they brought out new plates for each dish, I think putting a bit more attention into the food itself would make the overall experience even better.

I was super excited to dine at Alice Waters’ restaurant. Had to make our reservation a month in advance. However, I was quite disappointed with how salty the food was. My halibut entree was like a salted fish dish. I had to send it away and order a new pasta entree which was also quite salty, but not as bad. I was hoping it might be my own palate because I had high hopes for this restaurant, but I brought the leftovers home and my wife also complained about how salty the food was. I love the ambience and the menu, but unfortunately would be afraid to go back. Really too salty. For this price, I would expect things to be prepared properly.

Reliable place. Large portions for many dishes so a good place for sharing out. Quick service with counter pickup. The attached grocery store is also great for Indian ingredients, some produce, frozen items.

This was a very bad experience for us. Food didn’t show up for an hour and was not the right order. We spent all this time waiting at the counter instead of having a good peaceful meal. AVOID - nothing this crappy place serves that is worth your wait. Food was not tasteful. Ordered Indian sweets and those had been sitting there for a while.

Overall my absolute favorite place to get Indian food in the Bay. Feels like an Indian University Canteen with reasonably priced food and cleanliness. Taste wise the food is amazing and nothing has disappointed me so far. Best place to hangout with a big group of friends and have loud conversations.

Unfortunately, this was the worst Indian food we've had in the Bay Area. The overall quality was disappointing, with dishes that were overly greasy and lacking in flavor. We ordered the thali and the yogurt papdi chaat - the kofta in the thali was particularly oily and underwhelming. The restaurant was also quite crowded inside, which made for an uncomfortable dining experience. For the price, it just didn’t feel worth it. On the positive side, there's ample parking available, and the service was fast and efficient.

Ok chole bhature, good fluffy bhatura and meh chole. Dahi papdi and dahi batata puri were terrible, worst I've ever had. Extremely dry, flavorless, and all it had was peppery. None of the sweet/sour you expect from any half decent chaat. Would not recommend.

Great food and chaat. Just a little less spicy for indian streetfood but I understand they need to appeal to all kinds of audience.

Located inside a supermarket. Cafeteria style. Order and pay at the counter where the menus are posted, find seating, and wait for them to call your name to pick up your food. The food may not all come at one time depending on what you order. Self serve water station available. Not your typical naan and curry Indian food. I guess they call this Indian street food. We ordered the masala dosa $15, pani puri $9, daily special mutton curry $21, daily special black pepper chicken $19. All the food was pretty good. The meat curry dishes were not super heavy like most Indian curries are, a bit salty but ok overall. I wouldn't say the food is cheap, but it's fairly priced and portions are good. They have plenty of both indoor and outdoor seating. Clean bathrooms. Parking is plentiful. Lots of Indian customers so you know it's legit. Overall, it's pretty good and I would go back and try other dishes

I had the pleasure of celebrating my 41st birthday at Great China Restaurant, and it was an unforgettable experience. The food was absolutely delicious—every dish was packed with flavor and cooked to perfection. The service was top-notch 👌—friendly, attentive, and made us feel truly welcome. The atmosphere was warm, family-friendly, and perfect for both kids and adults. I’m so glad I chose this place for my special day. I’ll definitely be coming back and highly recommend Great China to anyone looking for amazing Chinese cuisine and a great dining experience!

Such a good place. A stalwart of the epicurean experience in Berkeley after decades downtown and it’s still serving up good dishes. Went for a quick lunch and their lunch menu is better than what I remembered when they were on Kittridge years ago. It’s large portion and reasonably priced. If you are vegetarian they have several options.

We came here to celebrate a birthday and ordered the Peking Roast Duck, Double Skin, Zhen Jiang Spareribs, and Chinese String Beans with Beef and Mushrooms. The Peking Roast Duck and the Double Skin were both excellent! The whole duck was deboned and came with 24 pancakes, which you can pair with plum sauce and scallions. My favorite dish was the Double Skin; it was my first time trying it. It came with Mung bean noodles, carrots, cucumber, egg crepe, calamari, shrimp, sea cucumber, onions, mushrooms, and pork. The combo of ingredients created a flavorful and unique texture that I really enjoyed. I highly recommend this dish! The other dishes were also quite good. *Make sure to make a reservation online to avoid a long wait. Parking is a bit difficult around the area.

Great China is a true gem for Chinese cuisine lovers. From the moment you step inside, you are greeted with warm hospitality and a cozy, authentic ambiance that instantly makes you feel at home. The menu offers an impressive variety of traditional and modern Chinese dishes, each prepared with fresh ingredients and bold flavors. We started with the hot and sour soup, which was perfectly balanced – not too spicy, with perfect amount of tanginess that awakened the taste buds. For the main course, the Peking Duck is a must-try, with its crispy skin and succulent meat, served with thin pancakes, sauce and green onions. What sets Great China apart is their attention to detail. Every dish is beautifully presented, and the portions are generous without being overwhelming. The service was prompt and attentive without being intrusive, and the staff was knowledgeable, offering great recommendations. Whether you’re looking for a casual lunch, a family dinner, or a celebratory feast, Great China delivers an unforgettable dining experience. I can’t recommend it enough for anyone seeking top-notch Chinese food in a warm and inviting atmosphere. Five stars!

Best Chinese food in the Bay Area. They satisfy the palates of Chinese people as well as non-Chinese. Also definitely some of the best service you’ll find at a Chinese restaurant.

Food is good, service is ok, atmosphere is decent. Space looks modern/minimalist, interior mix of concrete/wood, lighting is terrible (spots too white/bright) and makes it look like a canteen at night… Peking Duck is excellent… overall too pricey for what it is.

Elegant restaurant me and my husband eat here maybe once every two months. And it is incredibly delicious, we always get the garlic, fried rice, and the Mongolian beef. I’ve been going here for the past 7-8 years. One of the best Chinese restaurants around.

Food was okay, but as other reviews said, it’s very dark inside, especially as we sat in the little booth across the bar area. Overall an authentic izakaya experience. Would recommend small groups to dine there.

The atmosphere is super cool with traditional izakaya place. However, the food should be better with more seasonal to taste with the wine. A bit pricey!

Great seasonal dishes with occasional misses, on-point ambience, slightly pricey House pickles are good, crunchy, not too acidic, and offer different textures. Good side to order when you order more than one fried item. Winter oden has a good broth that's mellow and easy on the stomach, but at $20 I may as well just make my own. Fried maitake is a great vegetarian choice with texture, flavor, and aroma. Yakitori set is cooked well, but was under seasoned this time. Tare flavor was too light; it didn't even come off as well salted. Sweet potato would be a great dessert if they could just bring it last.

This place has been in my to-go list forever but it fell short for me. I got to try a few things including the skewers, squid fried rice, wings, porridge, and only standout was the wings. Love the vibe tho!

Delicious skewers, seafood, rice dishes 🥰 I appreciated the friendly staff. It’s been over ten years since my last visit, I’m sure to be back again!

The atmosphere here is a bit dark, really good for girls, lovers , small group, close friends to hangout, chat in a privately place, with alcohol, you will enjoy the most of the time. The food was good, vary by your own taste, portion is small but not pricey, attentive service inside, but they may be long wait if you’re coming at the busy hours

This is probbaly the most authentic Izakaya style restaurant in the Bay Area. Yakitori with variety of choices. Chiken momo is really yummy. Good wine list too.

Had a lovely dinner there last night. Our waitress was very attentive. We had the whole roasted chicken and it came with lovely tortillas, beans and rice. Cocktails were yummy too. I liked the ceviche, though there could’ve been more shrimp. The Tlayuda was very good. Also, there were a lot of adorable children running around, which is always a plus.

Was pleasantly surprised by the atmosphere of the back area of Comal. From the front, it doesn’t really look that big but once your inside they an elegant sit down interior and then their back area has a tall ceiling and a very earthy vibe with a bar connected. The food itself is authentic. Especially their hand pressed tortillas. The prices are a bit steep but it’s worth it for a cute dinner date or elegant time with the family. I got the cod tacos which were extremely delicious. The tortillas are super soft and surprisingly light.

Alex and Jose at the outdoor bar totally made our experience!! We enjoyed the Comal Swizzle and whole cod! Felt like in a different tropical country :) Wow yum! Will be back with friends :)

I would say you’re paying mostly for the ambience. The food was alright I liked the tlayuda. Aside from that everything was average.

Excellent meal prior to a show at the Greek Theatre. Started with a beautiful tequila flight and papas fritas and shared the ensalada picada and tlayuda (think Mexican pizza - NOT the Taco Bell kind!). Everything was excellent and the atmosphere was festive. Highly recommend and wish we could have eaten more because everything at the surrounding tables looked delicious!

I have been to Comal around 5 times and tonight made me think they have a new chef or new ownership. The food in some cases was inedible and not good. Yes, chips and salsa are fine. The bar is good. However, the food is off. The tacos are mushy with no flavor. My wife had the fish tacos and they were not good. I had the kale and potato tacos and it was boiled kale and potatoes with no flavor and mushy. No flavor. This is disappointing as comal was a goto spot for entertaining visitors. I will not be returning.

Fairly awful experience, but maybe just an off day (2/5). I brought a visiting friend to Comal, as I’d never been and figured it would be a nice place to try out. There were plenty of people having a great time out back, dancing to music under strings of lights in the lovely garden. Alas, we were having a not-so-great time inside. The hostess was laughably rude. We seemed to interrupt a little tiff she was having with some dude and she was clearly unhappy having to pause her drama to deal with us. As we walked up she looked over and said “Yes?” in a very irritated tone. I felt like saying, well surprise surprise, we’d like a table! What do people who walk in normally want? Even though it was later in the evening and there were plenty of tables, she sat us right beside the bathrooms, as if to make it clear that she was unhappy with us interrupting her night. The server was okay but honestly pretty cold. I guess he was a bit burned out after a long night. It also would have been nice to get some input on our order as we ordered chips & guac but also fried cassava. I was thinking that the cassava would be in chunks but they were actually shaved into chips. So we had chips and then more chips! The regular chips were not great (we were divided on the guacamole), the cassava chips were superfluous, and the mushroom quesadilla was, unfortunately, unremarkable. And it cost a lot. For just a quick drink and bite (2 x beers, 1 x guac and chips, 1 x cassava, 1 x quesadilla) it came to around $80 total. Also, I’m scoring Comal 3.5/5 Green Stars for social and environmental impact, based on these factors: • Comal’s menu caters reasonably well to vegetarians and also has a few vegan dishes. • The biggest thing Comal could to do improve its impact is to remove beef from the menu – it’s well known (esp. since Poore & Nemecek’s seminal 2018 paper) that the environmental footprints of beef (carbon, land, etc.) dwarf those of other meats like chicken or pork (which in turn dwarf legumes). Shrimp also has large environmental footprints and impacts on ocean biodiversity, so that would be second in line to find a good substitute for. • Comal is known for efforts to ensure a decent pay for staff (e.g., a fixed 20% service charge). • The building was designed with sustainability in mind (re-use of materials, etc.) • I believe that Comal does its best to reduce single-use plastic, for example in to-go orders. • Decent selection of local draft beers, Numi tea. • There’s no info on menu or website regarding ingredient sourcing. • It is a nice gathering spot that also supports the community.