Berkeley Social Club

Berkeley Social Club, located near downtown Berkeley and UC Berkeley’s campus, is a beloved gathering place for many, especially young people and students. It tends to draw a large crowd of enthusiastic patrons, especially on weekends, for brunch. They also serve lunch and dinner, but Berkeley Social Club serves a legendary breakfast.

On many weekend mornings, each table is filled, and a crowd of eager customers waits outside patiently for another table to open. It’s not that there aren’t countless restaurants nearby; it’s just that these people have their hearts set on Berkeley Social Club’s menu, which seems to have something for everyone.

The morning menu includes a variety of items, like avocado toast, egg dishes such as poached or scrambled eggs, griddle favorites, like pancakes and French toast, Korean-fusion dishes like bugolgi, bimimbap, pajun pancake, and curry, and their famous millionaire’s bacon. People who care about breakfast tend to love this place for the unique, intricate, and delicious recipes. The sweet items, like the marscarpone blueberry stuffed crunch French toast, the deep fried French toast, the lemon ricotta pancake, and the buttermilk pancake, are beloved by a loyal following, but many people find the egg dishes hard to argue with. The dishes all take a special spin on the old classics to create something that is both original and traditional.

For those who don’t understand the hype around an incredible breakfast food experience, Berkeley Social Club starts serving their lunch menu at 9:00 am as well. You can get a pretty solid burger or chicken sandwich off the lunch menu. They also serve other sandwiches and entrees. The food mostly sticks to a fusion Korean-Californian theme. It’s a hearty, satisfying meal every time.

Berkeley Social Club is a higher-end type of place without being fancy. The food costs a bit more than some competitor prices, but you can see that the added fee goes into the quality of the ingredients and the culinary expertise of the chefs. Here, the recipes are fine-tuned with special touches and unique flair to make food that is attractive, tasty, and memorable. But the dining area is stripped back, with rows of simple tables not far from one another.

The environment is lively and fun, geared especially toward young adults. The large televisions tend to show sporting events. There’s often pleasant pop/rock playing in the background, but mostly, what you hear is the sound of other patrons enjoying the meal and time with one another. The restaurant becomes very loud at peak hours because it is a place where enthusiastic customers, especially young ones, come to grab a bite, a coffee, or even a drink (they have morning cocktails).

Although there’s often a line out the door, there is never a rush to turn over tables. The food and beverages are ordered and served at a leisurely pace, providing ample time to socialize with other guests. The service is polite but minimal, making the focus of every meal at Berkeley Social Club the people you came with.

Overall, Berkeley Social Club serves delicious breakfast favorites and provides an enjoyable eating experience that breaks away from the cliche of a quiet and mature eating area catered toward adults. Instead, Berkeley Social Club is a place that has, for years, catered to the young-at-heart crowd here in Berkeley, people who prefer to chatter loudly, watch sports, and enjoy a meal amongst friends. I’ve been here with others many times and will certainly come back!