Julia's Restaurant - Berkeley, California

Yeonhwa S.

Cute little restaurant and bar right off of Berkeley campus. It's inside some club building so you need to ring a bell and ask them to let you in, then go upstairs. Quite interesting setup.
The building has a classic feel and it was really nice walking around the ornaments and decorations.

They have a separate section for a bar but you can order drinks and cocktails in the dining area too.

Food was very delicious and presented in a beautiful way. Server seemed a bit inexperienced but he was the sweetest guy! Definitely going back to this place. Highly recommend!

(Gotta do street parking but there were plenty of spots when we went on a Wednesday around dinner time)

Anna K.

Had afternoon tea here, which is served Tuesday afternoons. The ambiance was beautiful, as expected from a Julia Morgan building, with old school charm including white tablecloths and flowers on the table. Service was prompt and professional.

I enjoyed the afternoon tea set, which came with ~ 5 assorted finger sandwiches (egg salad, chicken salad, tomato mozzarella pesto, cucumber, and smoked salmon), 2 scones (one plain, one sweet one with raisins), and assorted sweets (lemon tart, chocolate covered strawberry, macaron, and -oddly- a glazed donut hole), and a pot of tea (the jasmine green tea was fragrant and delicious). For $35 per person it's a great deal, I couldn't even finish my serving. It's not going to be the most traditional experience; for example, they serve whipped cream instead of a proper clotted cream, and marmalade as opposed to lemon curd, but experience and value-wise it is a solid choice for afternoon tea in the East Bay. Would definitely come again. Be sure to make reservations as it is a small dining room.

Heather G.

We had such a lovely time. Setting is perfect for a cute romantic date.

Deborah T.

Very cute restaurant and lounge area. Fast and friendly service that doesn't feel rushed. The food was well prepared with quality ingredients, beautifully presented and absolutely delicious.

Clarice O. H.

I have been here last month for lunch during Restaurant Week, and I really enjoyed this place. It is located in a very beautiful small castle built in 1930, that works also as a hotel today. Food is very tasteful, service is impeccable and the price is pretty much fair. The restaurant is very small, you should reserve a table by the window and prove their delicious creme brulee. The only reason that I do not give five stars is that I think they need a revitalization, a kind of update without losing the historic style.

Ann

Food was good and afternoon tea was nice. The plan was to check out Julia's for the Restaurant Week menu, but they do not serve the lunch menu on weekends. This was very disappointing because this was not stated on the posted lunch menu or Julia's Restaurant Week page.

As typical for restaurants that do not specialize in steaks, ordering medium-rare gets you a solid medium. (This is a trick we learned long ago after getting tired of eating almost well-done steaks when ordering medium and not wanting to contribute to food waste.)

The black tea was subpar and slightly bitter. On the bright side, the African root tea was a great discovery. Scones and Devonshire cream we're delightful- it's half of the reason I love afternoon tea.

Pros: solid spot for afternoon tea, although pricy (~$50/person after tax and tip)
Cons: lack of info online pertaining to times of Restaurant Week participation, parking, subpar steak

Klaus F.

Excellent food, prepared in authentic French style and served professionally. Good wine and dessert. Will come back soon to sample other menu items.

Monique O.

The plus is the unique Gothic style Julian Morgan building. Architectural history in true form. I even like that it is an older small crowd that goes to exercise, eat, and have a drink. The food is picked with quality and no fuse. I ate the pork loin with carrots, veggies, and some finger potatoes. The coconut desert with fresh fruit was nice. The price was average given we had some cocktails. The servers were attentive. My date thought it was a sad place, but I disagree. I think it is an old historic place that would loose its charm if upgraded. Some of the items can never be replaced, because they just don't take care of detail like during the Goth period.