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Amanda's - CLOSED
Categories: Restaurants American (New) Restaurants Burgers Restaurants Fast Food American (New), Burgers, Fast Food [Edit]
2122 Shattuck AveBerkeley, CA 94709
Neighborhood: Downtown Berkeley
(510) 548-2122
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Price Range:
-
$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Lunch
- Alcohol:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
324 reviews for Amanda's
Review Highlights
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"The sweet potato fries are awesome as well." In 147 reviews -
"The raspberry soda are made fresh and was delicious." In 30 reviews -
"the ginger ale really hit the spot." In 36 reviews
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- A Yelpy Insight: Vegetarians go nuts for this spot. See more places they like.
324 reviews in English
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Review from T W.
Berkeley, CA
4/9/2011
Can't believe this place closed- why? rents? stupid berkeley city policies? It's not like there's no retail space available there. Jeez.
Great burgers, great buns, sweet potato fries, cool sodas. -
Review from Jason T.
Berkeley, CA
9/9/2011
I'm actually pretty bummed that Amanda's on Shattuck closed! It was a really tasty place to eat at.
I've only come here twice two years ago before it closed down a few months ago. I remembering ordering the raspberry-pomegranate soda, sweet potato fries, and just a regular beef burger. I know that a lot of my friends say that the size of the portions is not worth the money, but I think it's pretty good. Yes, it's small portions, but I don't like eating burgers that are so big that they leave you feeling like you don't need to eat for the rest of the month!
I really didn't have sweet potato fries before coming to Cal, so it was definitely great that I ordered my first batch here at Amanda's! I really enjoy their sweet potato fries, so I'm pretty bummed that I can only think about them as opposed to actually eat them now.
The decor is really clean/neat and very "green." A very quaint and cozy restaurant.
It's okay Amanda's....you'll forever have a little special place in my heart as the first place that served me delicious sweet potato fries. :) -
Review from M.C. H.
Berkeley, CA
12/31/2010
At Amanda's, "healthy" apparently means "enforced restraint" -- they'll make sure you're not gorging yourself by keeping portions ridiculously small. My burger on a wheat bun was tiny, my sweet potato fries were eminently noshable but only about the size of a kid's portion from any drive-thru fast food joint, and the entire cookie could be consumed in a single chomp.
Only the freshly made soda was a respectable size.
Overall, I was not wowed by the taste of anything I ordered. And while the burger DID taste like it was made from quality ingredients (though the meat was a bit salty), the item that was most noticeable to my palate was the lettuce. Yeah, regular, plain ol' iceberg lettuce. Really not the key thing I'm looking for when I'm deciding on a place to dine out.
The almonds are nice. But I need more than yummy nuts to compel me to return. -
Review from Carissa M.
Tulare, CA
12/20/2010
The sweet potato fries get cold really fast so can't savor them. The veggie burgers are tasty but nothing I haven't had before. The upside of this place is the cheap and healthy eats. I think they're doing the best they can so I give them three thumbs up for taking a risk.
p.s. they also your regular beefy burgers too so vegetarians can actually eat in harmony with their herbivore friends. -
Review from Eric B.
10/11/2010
Gayle and I met in Downtown Berkeley yesterday prior to enjoying the intense performance of Compulsion at Berkeley Rep. She was a little hungry and Amanda's was right at the place that I first saw her after she came off BART. So why not?
She very much enjoyed her picnic fresh Napa Salad, while I nibbled on some very tasty sweet potato fries. The made-to-order sodas (lemon-lime for me and cola for her) were also very good. Seating was comfortable, the woody decor was pretty, and the prices were reasonable. We both agreed that this was a better version of healthy than Smart Alec's on Telegraph and that the green emphasis was a nice extra touch. -
Review from Vera W.
2/6/2011
What I had there:
Raspberry Lite Soda
Baked Sweet Potato Fries
Veggieburger
Their freshly-made soda is extremely fresh and tastes great. Sweet potato fries aren't that great, and the veggie patty is kind of mushy. Portions are all small.
Only reason I went there was because my friends and I needed a TV to watch the final match of FIFA 2010... and to look at those Spanish soccer player hotties ;) -
Review from MIke S.
Los Angeles, CA
12/28/2010
On principle, I like this place for it's green and healthy philosophy. My taste buds like this place because the cheeseburgers are tasty, the unique flavor of the homemade colas are refreshing, the sweet potato fries are guilt free sweetness and the cookies are a nice treat. When I'm in a meatless mood, I occasionally partake in the veggie chilli.
The portions are smaller than most burger joints (and that's sort of Amanda's point - to make healthy sized portions) so don't think you're going to get In-n-out double double or Big Mac sized burgers.
If you have a big group, the big bench is a plus. -
Review from Bonnie L.
Palmdale, CA
10/15/2010
Awww, wook at the cuuute, itty bitty wittle burger!!!!!
-.-
Ok, the burger's cute and all, and it tastes all right, but dang it. I feel kind of ripped off. Mini food for mega prices. Rather than Amanda's Healthy Food, Amanda's Portion-Controlled Food seems more fitting. Anyway, interior is cute. Ginger ale is so fresh it hurts (I guess that's a good thing). Sweet potato fries are just as good/bad as anywhere else (I don't really care for them, even though they seem to be the new "it" food these days).
Food tastes all right, but there's really no point in eating out if you leave hungry and unsatisfied and end up eating somewhere else to finish the meal. Let me put it this way: If you told me you'd treat me out to lunch and took me here, I'd think you were a really mean person. -
Review from Amy L.
11/19/2010
I guess this is a great place to go if you are craving a burger but feel too guilty to eat an actual real burger. But despite all the 'organic' ingredients, its still a burger and the price you pay is not really worth it.
The burger is the size of half a burger and the fries are kind of dry and not properly salted. I end up drenching my fries in ketchup to give it some taste (which defeats the whole healthy aspect...whoops). The sweet potato fries are ALWAYS dry and hard, do not order!
The only perks to Amanda is the drinks. You can order a lime soda, pretty much an italian soda. They also have cider soda, which is seasonal (soooo delicious!). But, ask for little ice, because they WILL fill the whole cup with ice.
Order: Cheeseburger combo, lime-soda, regular friees and expect to pay 8 dollars for it. -
Review from Melody L.
Irvine, CA
2/2/2011
What! Closed already??
I came here over the summer (during the World Cup) and I thought it was a nice cozy place. I got a salad of some sort, and it tasted pretty healthy and good to me. Main con was that they do communal seating - there's a couple really big tables, and you are kind of forced to sit and eat next to people you don't know when it's crowded. -
Review from Ava S.
Berkeley, CA
1/5/2011
It's a small little place. The atmosphere is interesting... There's this HUGE table in the center with lots of chairs around it. I don't really understand why it's there. The walls are brightly colored (reds, yellows, etc.). Onward to the food:
The burgers are TINY, smaller than my palm! -___-
The fries, both regular and sweet potato, were not that great either.
The sodas were absolutely atrocious! Something was definitely missing. My friend ordered the lemon lime, but it just tasted like carbonated water with some unsweetened syrup. I got the ginger ale. GAG. It was literally club soda mixed with some ginger flavoring. It was so strong, I couldn't drink it. If that's what ginger ale is supposed to taste like, then the stuff they sell in the stores have deceived me all these years.
Overall: I'm not surprised they closed. -
Review from Ricca V.
Mountain View, CA
7/25/2010
Don't come here hungry!!
My initial thought when I walked in was that it looked more like a smoothie place rather than a hamburger joint. I should have figured the burgers would be small just based on the size of the cookies they were selling. $0.75 for a cookie the size of a quarter!!! Heck no.
I don't recommend trying the sweet potato fries, unless you actually like sweet potato fries. Even then I would ask for a sample. I'm not gonna lie, the food was very fresh and light, but the portion size and the prices were a rip off. If your health conscious definitely a spot to checkout, but if your looking for big juicy burger go somewhere else. -
Review from Helen T.
Manhattan, NY
Updated - 1/20/2011
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
my lonely lunch spot disappeared :(Listed in: Restaurant Fallbacks!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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9/1/2010
You know, I just can't hate Amanda's. Amanda's gives me company on those days when none of my… Read more »
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Review from Elaine L.
Berkeley, CA
12/15/2010
SMH.
The burgers are the size of my palm. They tasted average. Not bad but not noticeably really good. The sweet potato fries were too dry and plain for my taste. The french fries tasted better after I added their seasoning which had like salt, pepper and garlic powder. Their sodas are NOT good. I dont suggest the ginger or the lemon lime because the flavor was really strong to the point where it was difficult to drink.
The combo cheeseburger with seasoned fries and drink ended up being $8.23 SMH. -
Review from Rayfil W.
San Francisco, CA
9/3/2008 ROTD 12/17/2008
8:55pm Wednesday
Dear Culinary King,
Fast food without the guilt. Can this truly ever exist?
Just an hour ago, I finally got to try Amanda's, located on the leafy streets of Berkeley. Before setting one foot into the door, bright lights radiate a sense of discovery. Perhaps Amanda's attempt to destroy the term "good tasting fast food" as an oxymoron was parallel to debunking that Pamela Anderson never had breast implants.
Just a few days after attending Slow Food Nation, I continued my short pilgrimage through healthy wonderland.
I am trying hard, despite the introduction of the new mini meal at Micky D's.
Walking alone toward the center stage, I found the menu refreshing.
As a food consultant, I praise the likes of In -N - Out for creating simple menu's.
*hint: small menus help consumers make quick choices, and this means more customers per hour.
The hamburger is all about composition. Sweet notes from the sauce, crunch from thinly sliced onions, and a slightly toasted bun rounded out the burger.
Part time actors included baked potato fries and baked sweet potato fries.
A must order is the freshly made ginger ale (made without high corn syrup), with strong hints of ginger refreshed my thirst.
Aside from eating at Little China Kitchen, I found very little meals that made me feel like, free from the greasy feeling.
For those who enjoy the garden, the citrus chicken salad was both charmingly presented and simply had fresh ingredient.
Amanda is making a bold statement, that healthy fast food can be
SEXY
AFFORDABLE
DELICIOUS
All with some added value.
Elongated tables allow customers dine with others.
Organic ketchup pair with the potato fries.
The food made my visit across the bay worthwhile.
Personal note: As a student at Berkeley years ago, this would have been a great place to take "cheap" dates. Studying Environmental Economics and Policy, I had a mound of "tree hugger" eye candy.
Only if I could warp back to my college days just like Super Mario. -
Review from Ligaya T.
San Francisco, CA
Updated - 2/19/2009
I much appreciate when proprietors of establishments reach out, acknowledging our concerns and communicating improvements, starting that crucial dialogue between consumers and business because as we know, that's what Yelp's all about, right?!
Like Quyen, I also received an email from the owner, Amanda (surprise!), informing me that the patties were piping hot, cheese melteth over and that while the uniforms might not be super interesting, it is a restaurant and not a fashion house. Touché!
Upon my next visit I attacked a veggie burger with gusto and it did indeed hit the spot.Listed in: Shattuck Joints, Cheap Eats in Boston & San…, Burger Breakdown
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/26/2008
Free range, organic, compostable. All words that make the hippie in me yip for joy.
Immaculate, sharp… Read more »
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Review from Ed U.
8/21/2008 5 photos
Is the road to hell paved with good intentions...or is it that the road of good intentions is paved in hell? Hmmm, to-mato, to-moto. You certainly can't fault Amanda's for its good intentions where all their "dairy, beef, chicken, and ham-is 100% natural, hormone- and antibiotic-free". There's no transfats or cornsyrup, and every menu item is less than five hundred calories. I say that deserves a standing ovation. But wait...do you hear just one hand clapping?
That may be because the taste is on the meh side, at least with Amanda's Original Burger. While it looks like it could have come from In-n-Out with its tight paper wrapping, the taste of the meat was unsurprisingly on the bland side. What helped offset that were the fresh tomato slice, lettuce, pickle chips, onions and whatever the hell Amanda's Sauce is. The fries were also a bit tasteless. I went for the baked sweet potato fries, which sounded promising but failed to deliver. They reminded me how much better the same concept on fries is executed at Ike's Place in the city.
Oh, and they make their own soft drinks. Oh dear, you mean I can't have a Diet Coke? Well, I did try their "Freshly Made" Ginger Ale for $1.75, and it was puckery sweet. However, the service is friendly enough if a bit scripted. The decor is certainly sunny enough, and the community table seems to encourage dining with strangers. Bonding is so important in this cold world, isn't it?...but don't touch my tasteless fries, bud, or I'll be salting your finger.
FOOD - 3 stars...healthy and bland, so what's new?
AMBIANCE - 4 stars...certainly sunny and communal like a big Benetton commercial
SERVICE - 3 stars...friendly but perfunctory
TOTAL - 3 stars...Amanda has a fine idea here...it needs tweakingListed in: In Memoriam...I Need a Kleenex
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Review from Andrea R.
9/27/2010
So I'm in Berkeley for work, working at the ole HQ, and I'm looking to pick up a quick, healthy lunch for the man-friend, who is stuck on a conference call. It's not like it's difficult to find healthy food in the bay area...you can't swing a dead cat without hitting an organic or vegan establishment.
I've eaten at Amanda's before so I know they make a mean burger, and I call over right in the middle of the lunch rush. They answer and our conversation goes like this:
Guy: "Amanda's! How can I help you?"
Me: "Yea, I'm walking that way right now and need man-friendly burger meal to go... I can't remember what's on the menu, but can you just do like...the normal burger, but make it extra delicious...he's not picky."
Guy: "Cheese, onions, ba--"
Me (cutting him off,): "Just make it tasty.
Guy: "See you in a minute."
I picked up the burger and fries moments later and he even threw in a free cookie!
Guy: "Here you are, man-friendly meal."
Me: "I'm going to Yelp your face off!"
I have no idea what was on that burger, but the man-friend approved.
I'd give it five stars, but the sweet potatoes fries are on the seriously greasy side... Meh - they only promised organic, not low-fat, I suppose. -
Review from Rinky N.
East Bay
3/10/2009
I am happy that Amanda's has come to town.
Seems like some Yelpers dissed this place.
This review is based on one visit but I plan on coming back.
I stopped here on my way from BART to the bus in downtown Berkeley.
(late afternoon)
Parking was not an issue since I BARTed in but I nearly got mowed down twice by these effing bicyclists who were speeding across the sidewalks. This is one of my pet peeves about downtown Berkeley. If people want to ride their bikes on the sidewalks (even though there are signs everywhere declaring it illegal-yeah right) they should not race at top speed! Hello I guarantee if anyone on a bike hits me I will get into kickbox mode and beat the crap out of them!
Oh yeah, but getting back to Amanda's. I was happy to walk into a non-wild atmosphere....no teams of screaming kids, teens, or middle aged gals like me.
There is a group/community table that seats 10.
I LOVE LOVE the fact that the chairs and tables are all at normal heights.
I'm a non-bar stool gal (i know, picky picky) but when you are short/stumpy and have difficulty scaling chairs/stools where my feet don't touch the ground-I love places where I "probably" won't fall off the chair or stool....
I had the veggie burger which is a housemade burger made out of grains and nuts. It was on the dry, crunchy side which I love. I am not always found of veggie burgers that are too squishey and gooey (not to be confused with the characters Lenny and Squiggy from Laverne and Shirley)
I also had the regular air fries and a lemon/lime soda. The fries were just right andthe soda was sublime.....lots of flavor and fizz!
When I asked the manager if the veggie burger was vegan (for my hubby) he said the burger, bun and dressing were all vegan.
This place is spotless and so are the bathrooms!
Hallelujah a place with a bathroom (and a clean one at that) in downtown Berkeley (you do need to ask for the key). This is such a rarity that I can count on 2 fingers the places that are not sit down restaurants that have bathrooms!
They have regular burgers and salads too.Listed in: New Places in the East Bay to…
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Review from Wilhelm Y.
San Francisco, CA
1/3/2009 1 photo
I really like the concept of Amanda's in offering menu options that are low in calories, fat and saturated fat. If the goal is to offer patrons a healthy option for burgers and fries then I think it works somewhat, but if you've read Luis C's review or taken a look at the nutritional information offered by the restaurant you'll notice that their burgers are indeed very high on sodium.
What really doesn't work, in my opinion, is the portion size. Of course items will be lower in calories and fat if the portion size is that much smaller. Having eaten here a couple of times now I've noticed patrons tend to over-order by getting two burgers instead of one. The burgers (http://www.yelp.com/bi...) are considerably small. In fact, the burgers are just slightly bigger than your average slider.
Taste has to account for something too, and while I don't doubt that they use quality ingredients the overall taste of Amanda's burgers is very average. Combined with the other ingredients, the tomato slice, the pickle chip, the shredded lettuce and onion (which reminds me way too much of McDonald's) and Amanda's sauce (low calorie thousand island dressing?) the taste of the 3 ounce burger patty really gets lost. In fact, on its own the burger patty is quite beefy and very flavorful but within the entire sandwich the only things I've tasted are vegetables and tart sauce on the organic wheat bun. It's rather messy to eat with too much sauce and shredded lettuce falling everywhere.
The baked fries are nice. In fact, they're quite good and they managed to cook these up crispy on the outside too. I've only tried the regular potato ones. Again, the portion size is quite small. Their freshly made sodas are unique; my cola had the distinct flavor of a root vegetable and even tasted healthy. The raspberry soda is preferred.
I appreciate Amanda's honesty in suggesting that organic ingredients are used "when possible". Offering small tables or a large communal table the entire dining space is very well lit. All of the products used in the serving of your food is environmentally sustainable. The prices appear to be reasonable, but are fairly high when you consider how little food you're actually getting.Listed in: When In Doubt, Order A Burger, Bear Tracks
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Review from Matt G.
1/27/2009
"Oh oh, looks who was back in the East Bay city where he has no such luck finding any good place to eat?"
I'm not knocking on the city of Berkeley because of the lack of good eats. I'm sure there are plenty of good food places in the city where Nobel Prize winners were established. Or I'm just too lazy to do the research.
Amanda's, which is crawling distance away from the Downtown BART Station, serve food made freshest from organic ingredients. Should I dare say the restaurant is one step above the other fast food chains. But will the food's taste be better and healthier? Let's find out.
I ordered the Amanda's Combo. My $6.75 combo has a grilled raised beef patty with lettuce, sliced tomatoes and vegan cheese ($.75 extra) in a grilled wheat bun, and I also got side of Baked Sweet Potato fries for another $.75 extra, and their signatured-made refreshing Diet Cola. The taste was a bit different from any other burger joints, but the size could've been bigger instead of a size of a "Slider" burger. The Sweet Potato fries was a bit too overcooked and too crispy. If you thought those two were bad, the Diet Cola had a unusual taste too. "Blah!"
I've been wanted to come here for some times, but my anticipation of coming here was a somewhat failure. -
Review from Shelly V.
Oakland, CA
10/16/2008 1 photo
Healthy - Green - Speed - Price
Things I liked about Amanda's in that order.
Healthy -- When I walked into Amanda's Restaurant it felt open and warm. The menu was displayed above the register and offered a limited but very mouth watering array of food, especially for a "fast food" restaurant: burgers, chicken sandwich, their own home made veggie burger, add avocados, grilled onions, four varieties of salads, baked fries, baked sweet potato fries, cookies, roasted almonds, and home made sodas. Most menu combo options were under about 700 calories which is great for a burger and fries! How do they do it? Well, the portions are actual portions and not double or triple sizes. The sizes are those which a health specialist would tell you is a serving size, not which McDonald's would tell you is a serving size.
Speed - My order took about 5-10 minutes to complete. While I waited I listened to Pavement from the speaker system and did not mind the wait. (Extra star for Pavement). Also able to look around. I sat at the communal table in the middle. It is made out of wood from an old barge. The boards are almost a foot thick and makes for a great table. I loved it! Around the edges were tables for parties of two. There is also a large garage door to let in lots more light. Lots and lots of light in this place.
I ordered a chicken sandwich, sweet potato fries and the raspberry lite drink. They make the raspberry puree themselves every day and you can taste it. If they bottle this stuff, I'll buy it by the case. It was SOOO good. Also, no weird artificial sweeteners used in this place for diet drinks, stevia and agave nectar used for the Raspberry, GingerAle and Lemon-Lime drinks and splenda used for the diet Cola. Some people don't like the aftertaste but I couldn't tell the difference in the raspberry drink and only a bit in the diet cola. The chicken sandwich was juicy and good. The sweet potato fries were really good -- baked, not fried so really good for you too. The only problem with them, if you let them sit and get cold they are not that good. So eat them while they are hot.
Green - I don't know how a restaurant can be more green than Amanda's Restaurant. Floors and other wood stuff are made from bamboo, the communal table was recycled from an old barge. The bathroom has low-flow toilets and motion sensor lights. They use a green printer for all of their paper products. The best thing, NO trash can. I saw there is one outside but NOT one inside. It's funny to see people goto put their tray away and not figure out what to do with everything. Everything that Amanda's give you, EVERYTHING is bio-degradable. The paper napkins, the burger paper, the straws and the cups are bio-degradable. They have a compost can, not a trash can. I have never seen this anywhere before and I LOVE it. I really do.
Price - It's more pricey than McDonald's, but it is an unfair comparison. I am not sure what you can compare Amanda's to. It's fast food, but it's healthy for you, it's prepared fast by a earth friendly restaurant and it tastes good. Amanda's is in a class by itself. My meal, was around $8-9. I don't think that is much for a healthy, tasty, green meal.
Location - You can fall out of Downtown Berkeley BART and find it. Perfect for me.
Staff - The staff was friendly and courteous. I had lots and lots of questions about the sustainability of the restaurant and the compost and such. They were more than excited to talk about their restaurant and their ideas and what they hope to accomplish. Also, open kitchen shows you have nothing to hide!!
I think Amanda has done a great job getting this restaurant up and running. It is clear she has a vision on how she wants her place to be run. There is one thing I think they need to work on. It would be great if the fries did not get soggy when they cool down. I wanted to take some home to my hubby but they wouldn't travel well. This stops people from wanted to take things to go (the veggie burger went 4 hours in my purse and hubby still loved it!!). I would also like to see a weekly special or rotating items on the menu. I think I may get bored if I went a few times in quick succession. -
Review from Anna G.
San Francisco, CA
11/16/2009
It's always a good time to eat healthy. I love Amanda's for those work days when I did not bring lunch from home but still want something light, healthy and wholesome.
For those I-Want-A-Salad days, the Picnic Salad is perfect: organic greens plus a solid dose of chicken, ham, and provolone cheese, plus tomatoes and artichokes. I get my protein and veggies all in one place, and I'm satiated for the afternoon.
For those I-Want-Something-More-Carb-y days, the burgers/sandwiches and baked fries also come through nicely. The portions are modest yet filling.
The homemade sodas a really nice touch. My raspberry lite soda had actual raspberry seeds in it. Woaaah.Listed in: Berkeley, den of Bears. Or…
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Review from Jessamyn W.
Monterey, CA
12/29/2010
I have been here twice now. The food is good, the prices are good, and the service is fast. This is a great place for a quick bite. Plus this is very eco friendly and healthy. Everything is either compostable or reusable!
With all these goods, the portion sizes are SMALL. Also, my burger kept slipping out of the bun. -
Review from Karen W.
9/22/2008
Service was friendly and all, but somewhere along the way I forgot why I came.
Menu options are limited. I spent $9 on a cheeseburger, regular fries, and 3 cookies. Ick.
Seating is strange...sort of like a college dining common, which doesn't exactly bring back beautiful memories. A guy who was sitting close to me on the huge rectangle table gave me a sketch he drew of the Downtown, which was kinda cool.
Amanda's provides nutritional information for all their food--a nice touch, but I know why the calories are so low...because everything is damn small.
Here's what I got:
-Cheeseburger: $4.50. 350 calories. Dinky dinky dinky. Not very flavorful either--I resorted to trying pickles, something I haven't done in 15 years or so. The bread tastes healthy...and that is not a good thing. It's very chewy, but not very soft. Even the cheese doesn't taste that great--how do they manage that?
The vegetables (a few slices of tomato and iceberg lettuce) are fresh though. Woohoo.
-Regular (versus sweet potato) fries: $1.50. 170 calories. Dinky dinky dinky once again. I'm glad though, because these fries weren't that great. I got sick of them...something that doesn't often happen to me and fries. Smart Alec's does it better and gives you more.
-Cookies: $2.00 for 3, $0.75 for 1. 70 calories each. Warm and delicious. I had two chocolate chip cookies and 1 sugar cookie. Do not be misled--these are not healthy cookies. They are merely dinky like all the rest.
Needless to say, I was not satisfied. I left thinking to myself, "This had better be pretty damn healthy." There's nothing great for me in the cookies, or in the fries, so it's all up to that cheeseburger!! Fiber in the funny-tasting buns, perhaps?
So..epiphany of the day:
If I really want to be healthy, I should go to a Chinese or Japanese place and order steamed/grilled fish and dark leafy greens. It would probably taste better...and if I ate in I wouldn't be using up plastics either! -
Review from Jennifer W.
Berkeley, CA
Updated - 9/3/2009
WARNING: apples fries are not fries!!! They are not the deep fried goody goodness you are expecting. They are simply apple sticks.
ginger ale soda great as ever
The wait: BAD2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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4/24/2009
Exactly $1.92 for a homemade soda... with real lemon in the lemon lime and real raspberry seeds in… Read more »
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Review from kimberly v.
Berkeley, CA
6/2/2009
This gets an extra star for being a great concept, and for its devotion to being as green as possible.
The healthy version of a burger joint, there are good burgers, with fresh lettuce & tomato, like a step up from In & Out, but there are also great house-made veggie burgers, baked "fries", fresh made lemonade and more. The utensils and packaging are all compostable.
It's fast, cheap, and quite in control. Kudos to them for offering the university and high school children a healthier alternative to some of the more corporate, less ecologically responsible, and junkier choices downtown. -
Review from AccioSoyMilk ..
Richland, MS
12/6/2010
It was okay. I've been here a couple of times, but I'm not exactly falling over this place. It's a bright store on a sort of blah street and the employees have always been friendly and polite, which is great.
But the food doesn't really wow me. I had a grilled chicken citrus salad--it was eh. I didn't like the dressing and I distinctly remember feeling REALLY hungry later. I realize it was a salad, but really? It just wasn't too memorable or filling.
Their iced tea was only okay, but they DO have hot tea if you ask. I had hoped to get some steamed soy milk and thought this place might have it. The cashier apologize and explained they had no steamer, but did offer me hot tea, which he said is not on the menu. According to their online site they do list hot tea on the menu, but the flavors are not spelled out. I got Earl Grey and don't remember what the other flavors were, but I think he named off about 5 in total. The tea was pretty good and the employees asked if I wanted some room for milk or honey. I said no, but it was nice that they asked.
Finally, their cookies are okay. The first time I had just one, and it was the last one in the display. It was crunchy and dry, which I dislike. The next time, desperate to use their restroom and needing to be a customer, I purchased three and this time they were MUCH better. Warm and soft, they hit my dessert spot without being too sweet. I think the fact that they were so small helped, because that batch quite a few chips.
So, overall I haven't cared to really come back for a full meal. But I guess for me if I'm just stopping in for some tea or a quick dessert, it's not a bad place to try out. They are open on Sunday evenings, which is a plus for college students coming back on BART.Listed in: BART eateries
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Review from Jeremy G.
9/14/2009 1 photo
Really good fresh and healthy food.
I had the Original Combo, which comes with the original burger, sweet potatoes fries (which are baked, not fried) and a house made soda. It was excellent!. The burger seems small at first but when paired with the sweet potatoes, it's just the right size meal.
I really liked that the sweet potatoes were baked and not fried. It really gave the meal a fresh and clean flavor. -
Review from Tate B.
Oakland, CA
1/29/2009
There's a reason Amanda's fries are dry (read: baked), their burgers small (aka reasonably portioned), and their sodas taste "different" (not full of high fructose corn syrup). And that reason is that Amanda's bills itself as HEALTHY fast food, not as a Burger King with teak tables.
Fast food prices they are not, but I'd come back for the raspberry soda alone, which was so delish I wanted to yell at someone. -
Review from Rosie F.
San Francisco, CA
9/9/2008
Everything in this place is sustainable/organic/whathaveyou. EVERYTHING.
Kudos to them for this alone. I tried out the basic combo w/sweet potato fries. As the picky eater I am, I ordered it no "amanda's sauce". Instead I had it with ketchup...they had Organic Heinz Ketchup. I didn't even know this existed! Next time I buy Ketchup in like 2013, I am totally going with organic.
As we were waiting for our food, one of my design geek coworkers took a photo of the ceiling with his phone. Right after he took it, one of the workers came over & inquired about our interest in the design of the space. After a minute of chatting about the design, we realized it was Amanda, The Amanda. We all thought that was pretty neat-o & it seemed like she really wanted to know what we thought.
When we got our food, at first the group of us noticed how small the portions looked. However, my burger was pretty delicious. Of course, I have had tastier but this is a HEALTHY burger so some exceptions are made. On the "healthy" scale, the burger is pretty damn amazing. As for the sweet potato fries, they were baked so they were not as crispy but the flavor was good. All in all the portions were tiny, beef 'em up Amanda! I also got the Diet Cola which is one of Amanda's homemade sodas. It was overly sweet compared to the diet coke I am used to but I loved that it was made with agave instead of the cancer causing stuff.
After lunch when we got back to work, our owner had bought us Cheeseboard pizza. We ALL devoured a slice. 'Nuff said. -
Review from Rosie C.
Oakland, CA
12/29/2008
Me: Do you know that its illegal to state that your Fries are baked when they are actually fried? You should seriously re-think your signage because you could get in a world of trouble.
Amanda's Manager: But they are baked?
Me: Yeah and I am Santa Claus here to deliver your holiday treats....they are fried buck-O. It is scientifically impossible to get sweet potato fries that crispy by baking them. In fact, I question whether or not these are even made from sweet potato, I suspect that they are actually potato's died orange and fried.
Amanda's Manager: Step back here please. As you can see, we cold blanch them in olive oil and bake them. Do you see the sweet potato's being sliced and baked?
Me: These are not sweet potato's at all! (shoving raw sweet potato fry in mouth) These are...ew raw sweet potato...that's amazing....
Amanda's Manager: So you like them?
Me: Oh I love them, I just thought....(stammering and turning bright red)
Amanda's Manager: Don't feel bad, we get that alot. -
Review from Allison L.
Berkeley, CA
2/11/2009
If I could've kicked the obnoxious mommies and their yelling brats at the communal table, Amanda's would get five stars.
The place is very clean and very bright. I don't have much problem with either, particularly the cleanliness. The employees were friendly and efficient.
I had the original hamburger combo with sweet-potato fries and a lite raspberry soda. Small portions, but you know what? An hour later I'm still not hungry. Weird how that works.
So why only three stars? Fast food still tastes better. Maybe it's not a fair comparison, since Amanda's isn't going to cause you to drop dead on the floor in front of the annoying mommies and screaming babies, but I'll make that comparison nonetheless. -
Review from Michael H.
Hayward, CA
7/28/2009 2 photos
With global warming, obesity, and unsustainable food being some of this generation's greatest challenges, it's logical to start seeing many attempts at solving these problems. Some are merely trying to cash in on the movement while others are really looking to turn a defunct system into a win-win situation. So how does Amanda's stack up?
I visited Amanda's for their first year anniversary. Raffles and free food were to be had. I was surprised to hear pretty good prizes being given away such as day sailing trips and acupuncture. Unfortunately I didn't win anything.
Another thing that surprised me was the interior design and branding. It feels really polished and well done. There are bright green and orange colors amongst metal and wood textures. It somewhat reminds me of contemporary frozen yogurt shops that are popping up in every city. They even have a projector playing a slideshow of why the food is good for you.
The menu is the main item that worries me. Amanda's menu concept is organic, healthy, and tasty. These usually do not rack up. The most notable worry is "healthy". I've often had tasty organic food, but healthy? Shouldn't that be a given? Taste and health typically do not mix well. I'm not saying it can't be done, but it usually isn't (just like Asian fusion). This burger joint also sells salads on the same menu. The cookies are the size of half dollars.
I put Amanda's up to the test and ordered a burger combo that includes soda, hamburger, and a choice of fries. The lady recommended the apple fries for free, so I obliged. But what's apple fries? It came out to $6.04. I guess I didn't get the apple fries for free.
They called out my name and I picked up my order. I brought it back to my table and just stared at it. Hrmph. The portions are small. So small that I immediately pulled out my camera to take a photo. Check out the photos. Mine is the one with the fist right next to the similar-sized hamburger.
The hamburger is luke warm. It didn't even seem like they cooked it. I wasn't able to see them cook it and it felt like it came out of the microwave. My brain told me otherwise because of the grill. The meat is cooked to a brown medium. Oh well, let's give it a shot. It's alright. The ingredients go well together but it doesn't have the same satisfying flair as an In-N-Out double burger. The major complaint would be the portions. Hamburger-vitamins? No thank you. If it were bigger I would be fine.
The apple fries are a joke. If it's not fried then don't call it "fries". It's merely half an apple sliced into fry-like sticks. The apple fries come with a honey yogurt dip that actually tastes very good. The fries are incredibly sloppy to hold. Not at all appetizing. I would have preferred a whole apple to use with the great yogurt.
The raspberry soda is okay. If you're looking for the same sugar kick from any store brand ice tea, lower your expectations. It's decent but I wouldn't order it again. Imagine Crystal Geyser fruit drinks. They also don't strain out the raspberry seeds; hence, a lot of unneeded tiny bites. I would've rather gone with the iced tea.
After my meal I was still very hungry. I was craving some actual potato fries too. I bought a regular order of "fries". It turns out that these are baked. Ahhh man. Change the wording! These aren't fries but more like baked potato wedges in the form of McDonald fries. These fries aren't crisp. It's more like a potato with a crunchy outside that ends with a stale bite. The taste is okay, but there's not salt at all! No salt shakers either.
The eco-friendly intentions don't boil over well either. They give you trays but everything else is wrapping in specially branded paper or biodegradable corn plastics. Why not use washable dishes? I know that they're trying to brand themselves as a healthy burger alternative but if you do so, go all the way. Don't just change aesthetics. It feels like the concept is half-boiled.
I'm also getting tired of places trying to be something that they're not. If you cannot pull off satisfying food, let alone enviro-healthy food, don't try. I'd rather eat something that knew what it was rather than a false imitation. McDonald's knows what it is. Fast unhealthy but tasty food, produced in ungodly ways intended for mass consumption. Amanda's is healthy food imitating unhealthy constructs? Amanda's sells burgers. Is that healthy or environmentally friendly? No. Is it tasty? No. Lose-lose situation.
I looked over at a neighboring couple eating the salads. I expected to see a reversal of wow-factor. But the quality and quantity stayed the same. Small tiny salad trays lay before them. I'd say eliminate the burger and focus on a kickass salad. But at least get the portions and taste right.
Service felt like it was everyone's first day on the job.
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I'm ready for a place like Amanda's to work. Their menu, wording, and food packaging need a major redesign before they start tackling the bigger issues.Listed in: Overrated
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Review from Elon B.
Oakland, CA
This is literally my favorite restaurant! I'm a chiropractor and I work with my fiance, who is as into health and fitness as I am. Since food is literally the stuff our bodies are made of, I think the most important criteria about food is how healthy it is. Of course I want it to taste good, but I'm not willing to eat a yummy meal that is going to take years off my life.
When it comes to eating organic foods, eating organic meats is even more important than organic produce because the toxins accumulate each level up the food chain. If you're eating non-organic meat sometimes, you might as well just buy farming chemicals and pour them into your mouth.
When it comes to how beef is fed, 99% of the beef in this country is fed corn, which is NOT part of a cow's diet. This would be the equivalent of trapping you in a box, and only feeding you Snickers bars. You'd become obese and sick to your stomach. And then the sick bastards who would eat you would become obese and sick to their stomachs.
My point? Amanda's is one of the ONLY restaurants I've ever been to that serve GRASS-FED beef. Sure, their burgers aren't as cheap as McDonald's, but you get what you pay for. If you're eating at McDonald's, you're paying for a heart attack.
To me, Amanda's burgers taste great. I get a little meat, some cheese, some bread, and lots of produce. I like the tomato, lettuce, pickle, onion and sauce, and think that it's very flavorful.
Since sweet potatoes are MUCH lower glycemic index than plain potatoes (meaning that they don't cause your blood sugar levels to spike as high) I have always gotten them instead of the regular fries. They will put on a special seasoning if you ask. It's a mixture of salt, pepper and onion powder, and to me, the baked fries are perfect.
As everyone else has already said, their sodas are shockingly good. I've given up drinking sodas because of the refined sugar, but thanks to Amandas, I can get amazingly fantastic sodas that are sweetened with agave or stevia (natural, plant-derived sweeteners). They have got to be tried to be believed.
Finally, I want to comment on their cookies. People have complained about their size, but complimented their taste. In case you hadn't noticed, most people in America are overweight. We've stopping thinking of cookies as bite sized morsals, and started thinking of them as another serving in our meal. Sure, you can get a cookie bigger than your hand in any gas station, but that's your lunch's equivalent of calories right there. I absolutely LOVE that Amanda's cookies are so small. That way, I can get a chocolate chip cookie, and a vanilla sugar cookie. And even though they are expensive, the price keeps me from eating too many.
Regarding portion size, I have to say that I mainly eat here after working out my gym (24-Hour Fitness around the corner) when my appetite is at it's biggest. A combo meal (burger, fries and soda) always fills me up. If I get a cookie, it's just an extra treat.
To all those people who've said that they need to eat "two meals" at Amanda's to get full, I pity what you're doing to your digestive tracts. You should begin to manage your portion size before that early onset diabetes sets in.
Oh, one more thing: everything in this restaurant is compostable! The food is wrapped in paper and the "plastic" cups the sodas come in are made of corn. I love finishing my meal, and then putting everything on my tray right into the compost bins they provide. There is nothing going to the landfill, so I always leave feeling healthy, and with a clear conscience. -
Review from meg w.
Chicago, IL
3/21/2010
I was craving a burger and fries today. Jack knows I've been trying to eat more healthy these days so suggested we meet up here. I was excited when I saw the beautiful wooden beams, the beautiful wooden picnic table spanning the length of the dining area and surrounded by cheery bright chairs, the cleanliness of the cooking area, and the huge bottle of hot sauce on the counter.
I'm a carnivore, but thought I'd try the vegetable burger, made with mushrooms and walnuts. I like earthy. But I was also a bit, umm, nervous (panic!) that my cravings wouldn't be met, so I ordered a back-up Original Burger. Both are dressed with "Amanda's Sauce, Tomatoes, Lettuce, Pickles, and Onions" and sit between a sliced "Fluffy Organic Whole Wheat Bun." I was tickled with the choice of sweet potato fries and got a side. Jack and the kids each got a cheeseburger, and Jack threw in an order of regular fries.
The walnut & mushroom burger totally lacked in taste, mouthfeel. I'm sad this was my first Veg Burger, as I'm afraid I won't venture this route again. I had two or three bites, set it down and was thankful I threw out the extra $3.75 for my backup beef... Huh? same damn thing. Zero taste. Then I saw Jack grabbing both Reno and Cinzia's left-over 1/2 cheeseburgers and making some kind of bun-burger: Two beef "buns" with a bun "patty" set between - perhaps he was looking for some beef flavor as well.
The sweet potato fries were equally disappointing. Tasteless and soggy. I think I got one hint of sweet potato out of the whole lot. The regular fries were soggy as well. We didn't get the special seasoning offered on either order of fries bc the little ones usually aren't fans, perhaps we should have.
I'll say it. This is not "fast food." We read and discussed the caloric intake, fat count, etc. etc in all of our menu choices (thanks to the book of nutritional information tied to the middle of the picnic table), giggled at the couple who loudly and smugly insisted on "minimal packing please" and then proceeded to grab a wad of napkins the size of Oklahoma on their way out, studied the beautiful wooden table, explained to Reno how knots in trees are formed, comforted Cinzia who wanted to sit by me, but only if Reno wasn't, and shared tales of our respective weekend escapades, then continued to wait for our order. There was one couple ahead of us and one behind, so it wasn't like they were horribly busy.
The acoustics are just bad. You will hear every chair being dragged, every kitchen noise, every baby's cry, amplified to a bothersome level. And I'm partially deaf.
Portions are small, I left hungry after a partial veg burger, a hamburger, sweet potato fries and a partial order of regular fries.
I don't treat myself to hamburgers and fries very often anymore, which makes this experience all the more sad. The second star is for the beautiful wood. -
Review from Kenneth F.
Cambridge, MA
9/7/2008
I really really appreciate the movement behind Amanda's - Feel Good Fresh Food, environmental concerns, healthy community, etc. I give major props here because they have a great vision and definitely follow through. From their 100% compostable packaging to their eco-friendly decor, they have my utmost respect for a great idea/motivation and I strongly suggest people to try the restaurant.
However, for a review on just food only (and only my personal opinion) I have to give them 3 stars (to me the food just didn't hit the 4-mark).
Many people mentioned they left still hungry., and I shared the same feelings. While this thought may be a tribute with what is wrong with our society (Fast Food Nation, etc.) and exactly what they're working against, that doesn't stop the fact I ended up eating a Spam musubi right after my meal at Amanda's (and making me feel like a pig).
While I was unaware of the extra toppings/options to add on (which I would probably try next time) I'm not sure the price justifies the benefit. One recurrent theme with my friends when we entered was "wow this is pretty good pricing." Throwing a 1.25 patty and 1.25 for cheese+onions might be straying out of the "cheap zone" just a tad bit. (now I sound like a cheap pig).
Ignoring the size, the burger tasted good. The sweet potato fries were decent. Nothing really stood out to me (except the soda - which was great!) but I know people will always return here because of the location, healthiness, and idea. It's definitely worth a try (my coworker actually very deeply disagrees with me and wants to eat here everyday of his life) but these are just my own opinions. Anyways, I applaud the effort Amanda. It's hard to stand out in a college city with well established restaurant locations but you're definitely doing a great job so far! -
Review from Jaime Patricio M.
San Francisco, CA
1/15/2009
Amanda is a well thought out concept. Amanda's knows the customer base and has supplied a compiling list of menu items with a touch that resonates with the Berkeley populace. The organic, healthy food options give a marked difference in this crowded category. Even in Berkeley there is still a fast pace; when you need food quickly this is a great alternative to less than healthy choices. Baked fries are truly nice-- they feel nearly guiltless--I loved the baked sweet potato fries and the organic ketchup available. I like there are no national brands for softdrinks--just their own offering. And lastly their burgers are nicely prepared with the usual suspects of ingredient build ups--lettuce, tomato, onion and a special sauce..
The prices were very reasonable and wish there were more Amanda's to go around. In this economic environment and great approach to eating encourages more of this stores to come. -
Review from Martin W.
Oakland, CA
6/7/2009
I want to like this place more, but the portions are just silly small. I ate my cheeseburger and fries before I'd finished the *Saturday* funny pages in the Chronicle, and literally walked out the door and across the street for a a steak sandwich. And I'm not a big guy.
Overall, the food is pretty tasty--it's clear they use good ingredients, and the attention to sustainability and so forth is admirable. But the only condiments they have are ketchup, salt, and pepper. No mustards, no hot sauces. Maybe they keep some behind the counter, but I don't need to be running back and forth just to get some malt vinegar for my fries!
Raise the prices so you can make the portions bigger, and we'll talk. Otherwise this is just an eco-conscious snack shop posing as a burger joint. -
Review from Ashley R.
Berkeley, CA
9/12/2008
I was on a health kick and on my way home from the gym but still really, really hungry. I passed by Amanda's and decided to give it a try.
They have pamphlets with the nutritional information of all their products available which I really appreciated. I like to know what exactly I'm putting in my mouth. They even have a page that features different combos you can make that will keep your meal under 600 calories. Nice!
I ordered a burger, baked fried and a hand made diet cola. My meal was actually way under 600 calories, but still good. The burger is quite low in calories, but you can't tell. The patty was mild, the bun was soft and they have some sauce on it that reminds me of In-N-Out's. I would definitely come here when I'm craving a burger. I hate worrying about eating most restaurant's high-fat, high-calorie burgers.
For bakes fries, they were really good! They also offer baked sweet potato fries. I didn't get them this time, but I tried a sample and they were delicious.
I was kind of bummed out about the soda.I'm obsessed with diet coke, so I was curious to see how these compared. They're "hand made," whatever that means, so I figured they would be extraordinary. My soda just tasted like sub-par diet coke. Maybe the regular flavors are better.
The decor reminded me of Ikea. It's not fancy but its acceptable. The staff was friendly, but kind of slow.
Thee are lots of healthy options here that actually taste good, so I'm excited to have this place in my neighborhood, even if it is a little expensive and funky-looking.Listed in: Why Eating in Berkeley is…
