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Adagia Restaurant - CLOSED
Category: Restaurants Mediterranean Mediterranean [Edit]
2700 Bancroft Way(at College Ave)
Berkeley, CA 94704
Neighborhood: UC Campus Area
(510) 647-2300
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Garage, Street, Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
Soraia G. said: "I went to La Mediterranee on Filmore to do a tasting for our reception. Food was fabulous and the ambiance was charming. Thanks to Arthur, the service was more than I could have hoped for!" read more »
130 reviews for Adagia Restaurant
Review Highlights
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"You GOTTA get the Chocolate Bread Pudding." In 8 reviews -
"For dessert, we had the Ici ice cream, which of course did..." In 5 reviews -
"I can't wait to go back when the fireplace is going." In 20 reviews
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130 reviews in English
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Review from Jennifer M.
Berkeley, CA
8/17/2011
I've eaten at Adagia three times now, so thought it was finally time to write a review! First I came here for lunch with a Professor, a second time with a student group, and a third time with my dad and boyfriend. All three times the food was excellent, and the service was great. I am a huge fan of the lamb burger - it is cooked to perfection and tastes wonderful!
The atmosphere at Adagia is very nice, as well, although when the restaurant isn't particularly busy it can seem a little large and vacant because of the high ceilings and relatively plain walls. There's a nice fireplace in the back, and very nice large wooden tables, though, and exposed wood beams which give the atmosphere a warmer feel.
I'm looking forward to going back to Adagia for a 4th time! -
Review from Betty T.
Berkeley, CA
12/14/2011
The chocolate bread pudding is amazing... Soft and warm. Comfort food!!!
Everything else is mediocre. If you are looking for small portions of complex salads, this is the place for you. -
Review from Alicia W.
6/23/2011
My bosses took me here to celebrate my graduation and I had a wonderful time.
The host was very accommodating, we stood in the restaurant for a bit deciding to sit inside or outside, we thought about inside, but it was actually a bit cool, so we decided to sit outside since it was a very sunny day. Unfortunately, the sun was in our eyes, but the host was very attentive and went to move the giant umbrella so that we would have shade.
I ordered the Adagia Chicken Salad and I loved it! The croutons were a bit hard, but I loved the dressing, the chicken, the cranberries, the walnuts, pretty much everything. The bread that they serve before the entree was very good too.
I didn't try anything else, but all the food that everyone ordered looked really good. I am definitely going to come back and try something else next time.Listed in: My Fav Places in Berkeley
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Review from Daniel K.
Berkeley, CA
9/16/2011
I've been here a few times--ambience is wonderful, location is superb, the food is great, but prices are high and the portions are too small.
That's it in a nutshell--it all depends on what you're looking for. -
Review from Rich H.
Second Mesa, AZ
6/25/2011
Summary based on 1 dinner:
--food was just ok. I had a spinach salad with strawberries and cheese, which mostly worked together with farro with veg, which mostly didn't work. The farro dish was bland and pretty uninteresting.
--service was very good
--setting is quite nice
--cost was ok
--parking wasn't a problem (person driving had a UCB pass)
If you go to a restaurant for the food, this was disappointing. In the same general area, though more downtown, I'd recommend Corso. -
Review from Alison S.
12/9/2010
I'd never been to Adagia, so when my roommates suggested it for an apartment dinner, I readily agreed. I have walked past Adagia so many times and always just marveled at how *cute* the building is!
We entered the restaurant (perhaps it is a converted church? looks like it? or an old house?) and were greeted by a friendly host. We were quickly seated and water was brought. We were also readily supplied with bread throughout the meal.
My roommates ordered the hamburger, the vegetarian flatbread, the roasted chicken, and the sweet potato appetizer. I had the steamed mussels.
Although I didn't really try my friends' dishes, I did try the sweet potatoes, which were really, really delicious. They were drizzled with spices and honey.
My mussels were also very tasty, and no dead ones in the bunch. They were pairs with crispy potato thins that readily soaked up the tomato-based broth. Delish!
Our server was very nice and readily agreed to split our bill for us and take a table picture.
I think I would definitely come back to Adagia in the future, it's one of those places that you could actually take your parents for lunch and they'd enjoy it. It's also a place I wish I knew about sooner before subjecting my boyfriend to multiple visits to Asian Ghetto when he's visited Berkeley over the past 3 years. Sorry?? -
Review from Yushan K.
Berkeley, CA
4/23/2011
For the price, I expect better quality food and better service. The experience was just...meh. There wasn't any one particular thing that made for a bad meal or anything, but the pieces just didn't come together right.
I had the sole, which was recommended to me by the waitress as a popular item. I'm lucky I don't have a big appetite, because a big hungry dude would be sorely disappointed by the size of this entree. The sole was pretty good, but the accompanying mussels, which I usually like, were really chewy (overcooked?) and had a funky aftertaste (not fresh?) Maybe the usual clientele likes this dish, but I didn't care for it. Appetizers were just ok - not memorable. But the chocolate bread pudding was great.
Also, considering the place wasn't bustling and full on the weeknight we went, it took forever to get our food. The service wasn't very attentive, and I felt like we had to flag down our waitress every time.
Because of location, this place won't have any trouble staying in business because they occupy an otherwise empty upper-scale niche close to campus. But I probably won't volunteer to come back unless someone else is paying ;) -
Review from Bronwen H.
Berkeley, CA
4/14/2011
This is a lunch review:
Had their flat bread pizza and it was tasty albeit a bit salty so after about two slices I was good but not full yet. Which was fine I got the tomato soup too which I felt was a bit bland.
The rose brut I had was lovely and my mum quite enjoyed her mushroom and onion soup and her salad as well.
What gets 5 stars is Caitlin our server. Her demeanor was outstanding. She was full of life but not intrusive. Her manner while serving us just impressed me and put me in a good mood. Ask to be seated in her section if she is serving and you will not be disappointed!!
Though I wasn't blown away by the food I'd keep coming back just so she could serve me. Maybe have some more of that lovely rose and enjoy the impeccable service.
bliss -
Review from Kim D.
Updated - 7/27/2010 3 photos
Friendly business dinner tonight with an extremely picky eater... As in: he eats meat, salad, hates fruit and the only cooked vegetable he will eat is asparagus.
I called and made a reservation today for 6:45 and verified that they had the spoon-tender beef cheeks still on le menu, which changes frequently. Score!
I was so enthralled with my last dinner there... LAST WEEK that I basically ordered the same items from the menu.
Picky Eater glanced at the menu and scowled when I declared that I was definitely doing the beef cheeks. "I've never had beef cheeks and I'm worried about the coffee thing," he said, squirming and getting ready to bolt.
"Chillax, Picky Eater; it's like the most amazing pot roast you've ever had in your entire life, and the coffee is very subtle, so just go with it." Well, that's the gist of what I said. Actually, I really had to coax him into considering it and not going with something else.
He had the Caesar salad, I had the Sexy Arugala. He proclaimed his delicious. It was my turn to scowl when he picked off the grana with a neat little "x" of anchovy fillets, but I wasn't about to get all neurotic on him for being... neurotic.
I wanted the Pork Belly Flat Bread with sweet pea puree again; he devoured it with relish. Yessss! Impressing Picky Eater is exceptionally difficult. He ate the chiles (served on the side) on his, with gusto.
When our entrees hit the table, he actually turned to me and said, "This is how much I trust you - I would never order this in a million years. So... okay, here goes..." And with that, he took a tentative bite.
I managed to keep my yap shut for almost three seconds before I blurted, "So... does the fact that you're sighing and chewing and marveling at what your taste buds are telling you mean you like it?"
He laughed. "This is absolutely incredible!" Picky Eater literally ate his words, and expanded his limited foodage horizon. I lost track of how many times he said, "WOW!" before he wiped his plate clean.
I didn't take any snaps last time I was in, so I managed to sneak a few before we disappeared our meal.
Grazie, Adagia!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/16/2010
What a lovely discovery - Food Baby and I are delighted to make the acquaintance of Adagia. The… Read more »
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Review from Jo L.
San Francisco, CA
4/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
Having met with clients, I wanted to treat them to lunch. One of them recommended Adagia, and so we hoofed it from campus to the restaurant.
The restaurant has an air of sophistication. There was a beautiful fireplace that framed the entire indoor dining area. We were given the option of eating in their courtyard, and decided to soak in the sun.
I had the Seared Petrale Sole, and it was delicious! It was the largest, thickest chunk of sole I have ever witnessed, and the entire fish was delectable. Excellent seasoning, and a very fresh tasting fish.
The service by our waitress was excellent. We were served outdoors, and the entire meal was quite perfect. I couldn't ask for more.
I think $16 was very reasonable for the quality and quantity of the fish.
I would highly recommend to partake in their lunch offerings. -
Review from Jessica L.
San Francisco, CA
6/24/2010
I came here for a business lunch and was neither extremely disappointed or very impressed. The menu was fine, not exciting and one of those places you know you'll get full, but won't be blown away. Our waitress was friendly and helpful and tolerated us being the last ones in the place while we finished our meeting and our lunch and she didn't rush us out at all.
Parking is a pain in the ass and I just don't feel like it's worth the hassle for average food. -
Review from Jessica P.
Emeryville, CA
6/3/2008
I have to say, I would've never thought I'd step into a place like this. I rarely find myself around the Berkeley area, even less so until the students are gone. I decided to ride my bike there (gee, no one told me that hill goes on forever!) and enjoy brunch with some fellow yelpers.
I immediately felt like I was in Hogwarts, yet Hogwarts for wizards who have thrown in the hat. We were probably the youngest table by about, oh, 20-30 years. The service was nice and attentive (good gig if you ARE a student) and the hostess was knowledgeable about the history of the building, I like that. It was a frat house, a multi-purpose room, student living etc...impressive!
The prices are a bit too high for what you get. I had to laugh at the $5 red wine garlic sausages that looked like two links from Jimmy Dean's home for retired weiners. A fellow bruncher commented on how each bite was about oh, .30...not impressed!
I enjoyed the asparagus frittata, but it was more of a scramble than frittata, and the asparagus was not IN it, rather under it, but I'm a sucker for a good stalk. I immediately ordered a mimosa to quench my thirst, but for $7, I could have had the entire bottle of champagne they probably used. Le sigh.
It was a lovely area, I just wish the joint was jumpin' a bit more, you got more meat for your money and the air of Shady Pines didn't linger on.
I think Adagia gave me agita. -
Review from Adrienne G.
San Francisco, CA
6/28/2009
You GOTTA get the Chocolate Bread Pudding!
Came to Adagia for a pre-Greek dinner before seeing the amazing DAVID BYRNE
Walk into an extremely pleasant & richly assembled wooden room - reminds me of a posh Country Club
Staff is super friendly & while our server was helping a multitude of tables, we felt well-attended
Started out w/ the Bistro Bites & Nectarine Salad for the table
Bistro Bites - Sheep Cheese drizzled in Honey, fresh olives, marinated Zucchini & Mushroom Pate on crusty bread
Nectarine Salad was awesome w/ the sweet fruit & crunchy almonds in a light vinaigrette
Both got the Goat Cheese Crostada. Sis loved it to no end & I thought it was very good. Goat Cheese & Rice shaped into patties & fried up - paired w/ these amazing roasted tomatoes & olive tampenade
Dessert for both was the Chocolate Bread Pudding & I haven't been so bowled over by a dessert in a long time - this was the bomb!
It comes out like a brownie - it's so rich & fudgey & as we sliced into it, the schwooshe of the saturated bread goes plop as it reluctantly pulls apart....it was incredible. Too sweet for Sis but she's more of a savory girl
So holding true to our designations, she liked the Crostada more & I liked the Bread Pudding more - I'm sugar, she's spice.......we're everything nice!
Will def come back here before more Greek adventures! -
Review from Angel S.
Long Island, NY
5/9/2010 4 photos
To say that I was disappointed by my mother's day dining experience at Adagia would be an understatement. I wanted to like the place, so much that I spent part of my drive back home trying to convince myself to give a "mild" four stars, or at the very least, a three star rating. I guess I'm resigned to the thought that I'm just going to have to disagree with Zagat and Michelin on this one (no stars but a Michelin recommended place, supposedly). I remember reading the glowing Zagat write up as I was leaving and thought, "seriously? I mean, seriously?" But to be perfectly honest, the only saving grace was having my family around and seeing all the improvements at the law school across the street.
Adagia boasts high quality sustainable and organic ingredients from local farms, admirable and true, but unfortunately these factors did not necessarily translate to quality California-Mediterranean cuisine. The overpriced burger was dry and bland, and adding avocado only mutes what little flavor it had. The fried green tomatoes were crispy but very tough. The steak lettuce wraps featured soggy wet lettuce, covering (or perhaps causing) a tasteless ranch skirt steak. I did, however, enjoy the asparagus soup, which was absolutely delicious, probably the only highlight of the meal. We even ordered each of their dessert options, none came close to being impressive. The mango sorbet was, at best, above average.
Service was wonderful. Our host was warm, friendly, and attentive. I can't really say much about the ambiance, we were seated at the private dining room separate from the main dining hall. From what I tell, the main hall can be a bit loud (the large room generates echoes) and it has a sleepy dungeon feel.
It's clear Adagia was established to cater to professors and professionals in the area, not necessarily to college students. My guess is that they wont satisfy either. College students wont (for good reason) shell out $16 for a small dish. Graduates and professionals may opt for more upscale, sophisticated dining. Given the wealth of options in Berkeley, I suggest holding out for a better place. I know this is conveniently located across the street, fortunately, you wont have to look very far. -
Review from Rachel R.
San Jose, CA
6/1/2008
Don't let the outside of the restaurant or the prices fool you it's not so upscale as one might think. The outside is gorgeous. A beautifully landscaped fairy tale confection. The dining room reminded JP of the Hogwarts dining room. Oh how I wished it was the Hogwarts dining room because the food could have used some magic.
I had the frittata with grilled asparagus, onions, ricotta, crispy potatoes, toast and bacon. It was less like a frittata and more like scrambled eggs. The crispy potatoes were served with no accompaniment. A aioli would have been nice. Bacon was cooked perfect. SG was kind enough to share his raspberry preserve which was delicious on toast. Our main server was 5 stars.
The prices are to high for what you get. That might be part of the reason why the dinning room was mostly empty.
The best part of the meal was the company.Listed in: The Brunch Brigade
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Review from Sara M.
Silver Spring, MD
10/8/2006
I'm editing my previous review. Since my original review I've been to Adagia several more times, and have now decided that it's not worth the effort. I've continually has sub-par service. The food looks like it would be good but is only mediocre.
Once I was there for lunch with my husband. He ordered a burger and when it finally came (slow service, especially for lunch) it was raw in the middle. Not rare and juicy, *raw*. It was as if it had been put on the grill frozen and removed just when the outside was brown. I had to physically go find the server because he just would not come anywhere near our table. They nuked the burger or something, then offered us free dessert. We explained that we were now late and didn't have time for dessert, and they didn't even comp the burger or anything. Lame.
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Gorgeous room, as others have said. I can't wait to go back when the fireplace is going. I had a delicious lamb shank last time I was there. The fritto misto was also good.
The service was a little iffy, however. It took a *long* time to bring the wine out after we had ordered - maybe 15 minutes? That was a major drag.
The location is great for me - very convenient to my house. It is right across the street from the Berkeley campus on Bancroft, almost right across from the law school.Listed in: Fancier Berkeley Dinners
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Review from Michael P.
Cambridge, MA
6/17/2009
Anytime I want to treat my gf out for a nice celebratory dinner, I take her here if our busy schedules don't allow us to stray far away from campus. Meals are slightly expensive but well worth its quality and dining experience.
**FOOD
Menu changes seasonally so I can't offer insights on any particular dish. I can however offer general recommendations on what to order.
For appetizers, the bistro bite (or variations of it) seems to always be on the menu. Definitely a good, light mixed dish to start off your meal. Fresh olives if you like em. Put the zucchini, feta and mushroom all on the small toast or eat them individually, it's all good. All ingredients are fresh and flavorful.
For the entree, I highly recommend ordering a meat-centric dish (e.g. chicken, pork, lamb, etc). They're always cooked to perfection; tender, juicy, falls right off the bone (if there is one) and melts in your mouth.
For dessert, I recommend their puddings or custards; they never disappoint me. Ice cream and gelatos are ok here. They always have the Ici option for dessert; I'd rather just to go Ici myself where I can taste the flavors before purchasing.
**AMBIANCE/SERVICE
Beautiful hardwood decor in the main dining hall. Candle-like incandescent lighting in the room with a fire pit tfills the room with warmth and elegance. I suggest you wear something a step up from casual so you don't feel out of place. Service is very friendly and attentive. Great dining atmosphere for a nice dinner out! -
Review from Eric G.
Berkeley, CA
8/21/2007
I've been trying really hard to eat here. I'm up to three attempts and it was closed each time during normal hours.
This review will constrained to the hours of operation of this mystery spot.
- Why won't you let me eat here? Why are the hours a secret?
- How about a sign?
- Should I try one more time?
Someday I hope to complete this review. It won't be in the Summer though because I just found out they're closed from 10:30am to 5pm. If you think that means they are open before 10:30am you're wrong. That time is an arbitrary random time. The ACTUAL summer hours are 5pm-10pm -
Review from Andrew K.
8/20/2009
The menu is promising - grass fed beef for example.
But, the food is so-so/unremarkable. You eat it on a pretty outdoor patio. But, the portions are small. And, the prices are high. Like $12 for a subpar overcooked small burger.
But there's grass fed beef. -
Review from Allison L.
Berkeley, CA
5/8/2008
On the night before my wedding, Adagia took on the impossible: Hosting two families. If you think that's not the impossible, you haven't met Adam's family or mine (particularly mine).
It's a beautiful place with a great location, though parking can tend to suck balls. We got lucky, though, so bully for us. The bathroom setup is weird. As I recall, they're outside in the courtyard. A bit of a schlep, but whatever.
I'm going to lead with my biggest negative: We reserved the private dining room a week in advance so if anyone was going to be tossing free-range tomatoes at anyone else's head, it wouldn't interrupt anyone else's organic dinner. A half hour before we slipped on our flak jackets and headed over, we got a phone call: A previous party took its sweet time getting out of the private room and threw the whole schedule off. Would we mind eating in the main dining room?
Normally, no, we wouldn't, and we did so, and it was fine. But here's the deal: You make a reservation a week in advance, you want that room. That alone knocked Adagia down for me. When we came in, the manager comped us two fizzy alcoholic drinks. Nice touch, but he could've done better.
Adam had the vegetable risotto and I had the grilled flat-iron steak. Both were good, but not remarkable.
Service, however, was excellent. Very personable and sweet, and trust me when I say they had a handful that night.
So would I go back to Adagia? Probably not. But you know what, guys? You fed me on my last night as a single girl. Thanks for the memories. -
Review from Stephanie L.
Rancho Cordova, CA
3/26/2009 4 Check-ins Here
I come here quite often and the food and service have been pretty good everytime.
It's usually empty when I go in to eat (late lunch or early dinner time). I ordered the fried seafood appetizer once and it was nothing special.
For lunch, I always get the burger. The meat is of excellent quality and the fries are pretty good too! It may look small but it's worth every bite. For dinner, the steak (or was it rib-eye?) is very delicious. And of course, always order the bread pudding for dessert.
The service is usually ok because it's so empty.Listed in: College Eats
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Review from Mallori M.
Berkeley, CA
10/2/2010
After reading all of the reviews on Yelp, I decided that the only way to figure out if Adagia was any good would be to try them for myself. So last night, I did and was very impressed.
The ambiance was great- the restaurant is spacious and well-decorated to keep with it's simple, casual and classy theme. My boyfriend remarked that it's the kind of place you can go with friends for a good meal and end up staying for hours, voices getting louder and louder with each glass of wine and nobody minds.
As for the food- we weren't way too hungry, so we noshed on the delicious bread and had a couple of salads and split an entree. I had the Full Belly Farms Caeser Salad, and Boyfriend has the Caprese. Both were fairly large and very fresh. My Caeser had very fresh, crisp lettuce, nice parm cheese, a parm crisp and a couple of delish anchovies on top. The dressing was very light- not the typical mayo-heavy Caeser but more of a lemon-Caeser vinaigrette. Boyfriend's Caprese had thick orange and red tomatoes, an awesome sheep ricotta, olive oil croutons, romesco and a basil paste. Both were really very good. For our entree, we went with the chicken, which was moist and full of flavor. The oyster mushroom-charred corn-arugula side was awesome and the balsamic gravy was a very nice addition to the chicken. For dessert, we had the Ici ice cream, which of course did not disappoint!
Overall, a lovely experience. There is nothing particularly amazing about the food at Adagia, but it is all very fresh and prepared well. I am very happy I tried it for myself ! -
Review from Adam S.
Oakland, CA
8/12/2007
Sort of surprised by the mixed reviews. Yes, service can be slow. Yes, the main hall can be really loud. But, this is *the* place for faculty lunches these days, and the food is really quite good. I can only speak to the lunches, but I've had nothing but great meals there. This is especially true since, at its lunch price point, it has no peer in the campus area (Downtown on Shattuck would be its closest peer and Adagia outshines it, Gregoire is also a peer, but you can't exactly have a thesis discussion sitting on the street).
The Rosie chicken salad, the fish sandwich, the lamb with polenta- all excellent. And the focus on local and seasonal is second to none for the campus area.
I have to wonder whether some of the negative reviews are Cal undergrads not yet fully acclimated to good Bay Area food.
Update: I had to go for dinner to see whether my POV was spoiled by good lunches. Not at all! Had a great meal here last week for dinner. Love the wine list too. -
Review from Shanna K.
8/7/2006
Really good. But kind of an odd mix of casual and formal.
For example...
The space is lovely, with a pretty garden out front and an open, almost medieval feel inside with it's fireplace, vaulted ceilings and enormous wood tables... but then there was some of the strangest mix of music being played. There would be perfectly nice swing or otherwise mellow music and then all of a sudden some funky song that sounds like it should be in an Austin Powers movie would come on. Aroo?
Another example... The food is really delicious and beautifully presented with the best seasonal ingredients possible but then there are recycled (yes, that's noble but...) paper napkins. Unfortunatly they really detracted from what seems to want to be a fine dining experience. Perhaps they ran out of cloth napkins? I don't know... but it was odd.
Other little hiccups were having to ask for the proper glasses for our rather expensive bottle of Pinot Noir (which they did happily bring) and forgetting a dish we ordered for the table to share... but on the upside, or server stayed REALLY late as we finished up and was very, very pleasant and relaxed.
I do agree with Eve, that the starter portions are HUGE. Be aware, when ordering!
Anyway, I wouldn't hesitate to go back.. I wish that they would expand their wine list a little, it's rather small ... but I do like that they are open late. -
Review from christina a.
Oakland, CA
8/3/2008
I knew that Adagia didn't have the best reviews, but the menu looked incredible online, and their website was so pretty, and advertised that they used sustainable, organic ingredients, so we decided to take the plunge.
It was a bad idea.
We are in our 20s and decided to take some out of town guests here for a "California dinner" -- read: organic and sustainable ingredients. We made our reservations at http://opentable.com (LOVE THEM), but when we showed up at 8 pm, the place was virtually empty...on a Saturday night, across the street from Cal. The other two occupied tables were two couples - one in their 50s, one in their 60s. Ok, we can roll with it.
The ambience is very Ivy League dining hall. The service brinked on being overly attentive, but slow on refills of water and iced tea and such. The creamy zucchini soup was incredible, as was the chocolate bread pudding.
I think some people would really enjoy dining here. Unfortunately, I just don't think that we were the right audience for Adagia. -
Review from Kione E.
6/13/2007
Very Nice.
A friend''s graduation dinner.
The gave us a table outside in the court yard. Even though it was cold and windy, we were comfortable because they had heaters surrounding the table. It was really cool.
I had no idea what red and white wines or champagne was ordered. There was a lot. And we drank and got drunk.
I had a salad. Um....I think it was a Caesar salad.I could be wrong. I was already a bit buzzed. I think I liked it.
I may have had an appetizer. But by that time I was well sauced.
Steak! I had steak for dinner. I remember, because I felt like an maddened animal as I ate it. It was rare and hot and delicious. I vaguely remembering growling as I ate.
Desert was something chocolate. And another thing apple. The server had an extra dish and gave it to me.
She was super cool.
We had a lot of fun.
My friend's dad footed the bill.Listed in: Pigs aside, I love this town.
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Review from Terry T.
6/2/2009
I was supposed to meet my friend N. for an early dinner. It was cold so I went inside; she waited for me outside so she missed a great dinner by not checking inside.
Because I was already there, and had been for 40 mins. and had time to kill, I had dinner by myself.
My waiter, Justin, was very attentive. When I asked if he thought the soup and lamb would be too much to told me he thought it would be and suggested the soup with a salad. I took his advice and was very happy. The onion soup was one of the best I have had recently. I added a dessert and wine.
I had a great dinner in a beautiful room, was not stuffed and I caught up with N at the Berkeley Rep
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Review from Amiee H.
2/10/2010
There is a HUGE disparity between my expectations of this place and the actual dining experience I got. This is what happens when you base your expectations on the price (expensive = good food) and then you get disappointed.
Food:
-Tuna with potato salad: Didn't really hit the spot for me. The portions were small for what you pay for. It was really just a few strips of undercooked tuna and a dime size portion of some thinly sliced potatoes in a light vinaigrette. I was honestly starving when I got there and given those conditions, I always assumed that everything you eat when you are hungry should taste super good right? But how this experience has proved me wrong. Even though I was super hungry, this still didn't taste awesome to me...something's wrong with this picture...
-Ici trio ice cream (oatmeal chocolate chip, chocolate caramel, ginger): honestly, the only thing I liked about Ici's ice cream is the waffle cone. And this Ici ice cream came in a bowl, so this dessert lost some brownie points before I even tried it. However, I've got to say that the oatmeal chocolate chip flavor was pretty good. Sounds funny but tastes like they mashed up an oatmeal chocolate chip cookie into some vanilla ice cream! YUMMY! The chocolate caramel was bland. Just tasted like bland chocolate to me. The ginger was interesting; tasted like they mashed in ginger bread into some ginger ice cream.
-blueberry lime sorbet: pretty good. Not too sweet, not too bland, just right. Really hit the spot.
Ambiance: The place looked like a camping cabin that was at one point converted into a church and now reconverted into a restaurant. It has a very historic feel to it with a pinch of a rustic twist. Very interesting. We got to sit at a table right next to the fire place. That was very classy and homey feeling. I liked it.
Service: Our server was AMAZING. I'm super indecisive and I ask so many questions about each dish. He was super patient and took time out to explain each dish and give recommendations. He was very welcoming and attentive to our needs. Best waiter EVER!
Price: For the price, I would have expected better food. But then again, maybe I just didn't order the right thing. I'm willing to come back and it give it one more try just because my other friends have said good things about this place, but it seems like other yelpers have said some bad things about this place. One thing's for sure, you don't get enough quantity for the price you are paying and I'm not even sure if the quality of the food even makes up for the lack of quantity you are getting. Not a place to come to chow down if you are starving!
Overall: Maybe I would come again if I feel like splurging on a meal and giving this place another shot. MAYBE. -
Review from Christina L.
Los Angeles, CA
5/26/2009
I've been meaning to check out Adagia for a while now so when my friend invited me to her graduation lunch to be held here I was very excited to finally give it a try! However, in a nutshell: Adagia fell short.
The interior is nice, very Hogwarts like with long tables and high wooden ceilings and the server was very attentive - it seemed like he was really proud of the place and happy to have us. When we asked what he recommended on the menu he said "Everything is good!" which is generally a good sign and a good way to start off a meal.
When the food came out thought, each dish just somehow just could not make it past "It's ok" to "It's delicious." I ordered the trout which, itself, was well cooked with deliciously fresh snap peas, but the sauce covering it was much too heavy enabling me to only eat about half the dish before giving up.
A couple people in our party ordered the tuna which, we had been warned, was not going to be cooked all the way, more seared. Sounds about right, well cooked tuna usually ends up dry. This piece, however, was barely cooked and cold and fairly unappetizing to look at. After eating about 1/3 my friend pushed it away sadly.
The only thing that was good was the lamb stew over polenta which I would recommend. It was well seasoned and the lamb well cooked, and I can never say no to polenta. This one managed to meet the expectations I had originally but alas, I was not the one to order it so... yeah...
I feel that with just a little push to improve the menu Adagia has the potential to be great. Until then...3 stars. -
Review from Rick C.
Berkeley, CA
3/15/2009
I just had dinner here with my best friend to catch up with each other. We had always passed by the restaurant and I have always wanted to go inside and check it out given that the exterior is so beautiful. I suggested the place after she couldn't decide on any other place to eat at; it was most definitely great that we got to eat here though!
The decor was of course beautiful. We had dinner at around half past 8 and so it a bit empty. The ambiance was great; we loved the manager with his accent and the waiter was personable, friendly, and honest. It was not too loud or too quiet.
The food was fantastic. I had the steak and she had the lamb; we had no complaints at all. It was a bit pricey, yet I found it to be quite reasonable given that I was paying for a pretty good time. I mean, I get the feeling that most of the time with restaurants like these, I really am paying for the experience more so than the food, which was great by the way: table next to the fireplace, a great meal, friendly and honest waitstaff, and a responsive staff otherwise.
I cannot complain about this restaurant and I would genuinely recommend this restaurant to others, mentioning that 8 and 8:30 seems to be the perfect time to go on a Saturday night for maximum attention and more reasonable ambiance (I get the feeling that it can get awfully loud in there). -
Review from Joon S.
Washington, DC
4/9/2007
I am the worst barista ever.
That's not totally true. I had my good moments, such as when Chef Brian Beach led the crew in making twenty chocolate lava cakes and I had the honor of squirting the "lava" into the cakes.
Probably the best thing about working at a restaurant is getting to know the chefs and servers who make it happen. Seeing Brian work was magic--seeing someone so high on San Pellegrino Aranciatas turn out the most delicious food was an exercise in the complexity of humanity.
That all being said, the food:
(1) Half-Pound Angus Burger: I heard about the deliberations that went into this burger. For instance, could a restaurant geared towards California cuisine pull off a $12.00 hamburger? The answer was yes. Half a pound of rare, bleeding beef, topped off with grilled onions and melted gruyere, heirloom tomatoes and lettuce, on toasted challah bread was exactly what this converted Presbyterian meeting room needed. With a side of frites fried in beef fat and washed down with Sierra Nevada is to know how good it is to be omnivorous.
(2) Braised Lamb Shank: or, more properly, "dinosaur bone." I have never had any kind of meat more flavorful, more juicy, and more rewarding than the lamb shank. It is literally the size of a two-year-old's head, but more tender.
(3) Spanish Eggs: potatoes fried with chorizo, olives, onions, and peppers, garnished liberally with paprika and parsley, then topped off with two fried eggs--the only thing missing in my life when eating these eggs were afternoon siestas.
(4) Tuna Tartare: this stemmed from Brian's idea of "gourmet nachos." Why stop at half-pound Angus burgers when the synergy of college and haute cuisine was so awesome? The "chips" were fried wonton triangles. The tuna tartare was mixed with a light cream sauce, then spooned onto the wonton trianges and garnished with black sesame and chives. Dipping these in the Haas avocado guacamole made me never want to go back to Tostito's canned bean dip--until I realized that they were two sides of the same coin.
One of the best things about eating at Adagia is being able to stop over at Caffe Strada and top off the meal with the perfect Americano, shot of espresso, or strada bianca mocha. College and Bancroft--one of the great intersections of food and coffee. -
Review from alex d.
Emeryville, CA
9/24/2008
This place is mediocre at best.
Decor is straight out of an tired ivy league dining club... but with bad food and a room full of stuffy academics out for a lunch meeting. Salads are soggy. Portions are decent, but lacking in flavor. Honestly, there is nothing really memorable about the food here.
Why are sit-down Berkeley restaurants near campus just so awful? -
Review from Burcin T.
2/7/2007
A beautiful brunch experience in a great dining hall !!! I got the farmers omlette and absolutely satisfied with it, love the bread, lettuce that comes with it. It didn't take my boyfriend a second to set his mind on a burger when he saw one being carried to somebody else! It was very delicious. Their mimosas do not bite at all and very refreshing. And the coffee, just perfect...People complaining about the slow service: This food just can't be prepared in 10 minutes! It is really high quality. They could improve on their mixed berry jam, this one was way too sweet and a larger amount would be more appropriate for the amount of bread that is served with it.
I am definitely interested in trying it for a dinner too.
********Edition, April14 2008*********
Good food but really if you wait FOREVER (Now, I am also complaining). I asked one of our servers today if the kitchen was backed up, he said no...Well, then why this wait? Do you have a slow cook? Or do the waiters work slowly?I don't understand why it is SO SLOW...I know that it can not be prepared in 10 minutes as I mentioned earlier, but it shouldn't take half an hour just to get even a dessert... -
Review from Nene R.
Berkeley, CA
12/16/2009
More like a 2.5 to 3 star place. I have unresolved feelings about Adagia...some food is fairly good but overpriced, some bad and overpriced. Portion sizes are inconsistent-8 mini raviolis for $11 and really nicely done fish with leeks and potatoes for $14-- go figure. Crab cakes were just so-so but $12 for 4 small ones was really off (does not include a small salad--if it had I might not be so upset--come on, a small salad makes it more of a lunch special right?). Service is a bit slow and often off kilter.
The decor is nonexistent, basically a large, paneled room that ECHOES VERY LOUDLY.
Have tried it more then once, will go back if I have a gift certificate (now that I know what to order....). Won't be back to spend my own hard earned money though. -
Review from Mary F.
Berkeley, CA
4/18/2007
As an undergrad, you've passed this building countless times while scurrying your robot self to and fro.... the upscale establishment becomes kind of foreboding after a while. We all know it's a restaurant but students almost never go there....
One day I ventured into the no man's land that is Adagia. I had lunch with one of the VC's and family. And to my surprise, there wasn't a dungeon master waiting at the helm, making sure we were the elites of academia to enter... it was just a restaurant, a very architecturally aesthetic restaurant. High vaulted ceilings, huge windows and a fireplace and a kind of cool lodge-feel. Kind of somewhere you'd imagine Beowulf to gather for supper.
I had a Mediterranean salad even though I typically distrust salads (but I was with the VC and didn't want to look like a fat ass. And it was really really good. I think the best one I've had in awhile. Everything else ordered was also on par.
Just be warned, if you do have dinner here, it will cost you and you will run into your pretentious Lit professor dining with the Dean of such and such. -
Review from esther o.
Arlington, VA
9/12/2006
Eating here made me feel like I was in a Harry Potter movie.
As for the food, the pork chop I had was great, but the dessert was surprisingly subpar--it tasted like the components had all come out of a can. I expect this in DC, but not in the sustainable produce capital of planet earth. -
Review from Nick H.
San Francisco, CA
5/12/2007
I took my girlfriend here for Valentines day 2007 and we thoroughly enjoyed our meal/experience. There was, of course, a multi-course prix fixe menu, so we didn't have a typical experience.
Most of the courses were quite delicious - I'm talking very fine food prepared by a chef with true skill. Just a few of the items could have been done a bit better, but we were certainly impressed with the food.
The service was good and everyone there was kind even though they obviously would want to be with dates of their own on such an evening!
The only thing preventing a 5-star rating is that the mixture of all the food was somewhat unsettling on our stomachs afterward. I think the utterly rich and delicious assortment of like 15 different things all mixed together in the various courses ended up hurting our stomachs a bit. Overeating was definitely part of the problem, but at the same time, you expect a masterful chef to be aware of the way everything will mix together.
I'll have to go back sometime for a more casual meal and see how they do at that.Listed in: Special Berkeley Places
-
Review from Brian D.
Oakland, CA
10/31/2006
I have mixed feelings about Adagia. The food is fairly good, if overpriced. However the portion sizes are a tad unpredictable- a pork tenderloin was twice the size of an anchovy sandwich that was the same price. Service is a bit slow.
The decor is nonexistent, and since the dining area used to be a church or a frat house or a hunting lodge or WHATEVER it was, it is large, panelled in wood, and VERY LOUD, filled with echoes. There are no wall hangings, pictures, nothing. Our party of six was seated on benches around a long table (as in a cafeteria, for example), and we if we shouted across the table we could barely be heard. The place feels less like the "nice place to take your parents," and rather more like the "sandwich-serving cafe which got cranked full of growth hormones and overtook a monastery."
Also, this is a pet peeve of mine, but San Pellegrino is not Italian for "sparkling water"; if it says San Pellegrino on the menu and I order a San Pellegrino, I don't think it's unreasonable for me to expect delivery of an actual bottle of San Pellegrino instead of a bottle of some random sparkling water, even if it also happens to have some Italian written on it. Call me crazy, I dunno. -
Review from Jessica T.
Berkeley, CA
12/11/2010
The building itself is what gives this place charm, it's got a fireplace and a small bar. From the outside it looks snooty, but inside it's quite warm and friendly.
The prices are reasonable.
It's a good place for a business meal if you want to impress, but still keep it relatively casual or to treat yourself, take a break from the Asian ghetto.
Come with a reservation. -
Review from Joshua M.
San Francisco, CA
1/2/2010
Don't waste your time, and don't make a reservation on Open Table because they'll list you as a no-show.
It was my birthday, so we decided to try something new. I don't have access to Yelp from work anymore thanks to an over-zealous corporate firewall, so all I had at my disposal was Open Table. It looked alright and they were offering a bonus for the time I was looking to eat, so we decided to try it.
We walked into a space that looked like the dinning hall at my college residence hall and found there were only two other tables seated (that was a bad sign). The person who seated us walked away, and didn't come back for 15 minutes to see if we had any questions on the menu (we are two of six people in the restaurant)... we put in our order of three courses and a bottle of wine. Tolerated a meal that we could have easily prepared ourselves at home and very painfully slow service and were glad to be done and leave.
Then Open Table sends me an e-mail asking me why we didn't show up for our reservation. I sent them back a response saying, hey, call the restaurant... we checked in with the hostess/waitress, and were one of only three tables seated. We spent 150 bucks for two for dinner, they should remember us.... no, they want me to send a copy of the receipt which I had no reason to keep.
Too little in this world to waste on dinning at a place like this.
