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Categories: Restaurants, Coffee & Tea [Edit]
Neighborhood: Downtown BerkeleyMon-Thu. 6:00 a.m. - 1:30 a.m.
Fri. 6:00 a.m. - 2:00 a.m.
Sat-Sun. 7:00 a.m. - 2:00 a.m.
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I cannot believe I haven't reviewed Au Coquelet. I like this place. The food can be hit or miss (though I love their French onion soup) and the people working there can be grouchy or brusque.
But people: They now have wifi! Get caffeinated and get online, or something like that.
I've been searching for a good coffee and study spot since I moved to the east bay a year ago. My requirements: solid coffee, decent pastries, wifi, and an atmosphere conducive to work. Cafe Au Coquelet hits two of three. The cafe felt as though it had once been a fancy kaufeehause. People chatted quietly or worked on laptops. Despite all the laptops, there was no wifi and no outlets, and somehow I felt like laptops weren't really welcome. The chatting couples seemed way more appropriate for the space. My espresso was awful. I should have guessed this from the beginning, ordered a coffee, and gone with the whole bad-diner-coffee-teenage-nostalgia thing. The pastries were pretty good and the selection was great.
I didn't have a great experience here, but I think my expectations were ill fit to the place. I'll probably be back with a good friend and a good book for some bad coffee, a yummy pastry, and some heated lit-crit.
Now listen, perhaps it was a misunderstanding when I brought my brother, unable to chew, to Au Coquelet because "they have the world's greatest milkshakes" and found out that no, in fact, they don't serve them. Must've read the wrong yelp review?
But in all seriousness, this place used to be across the street from where I lived. I never went, because who goes somewhere convenient? Now that I live 5 blocks away and am in constant need of internet, I go here all the time (foolishly; minus one star because they don't have internet? this IS a cafe, right?).
This is probably the most spacious cafe in all of berkeley in terms of square footage (and is not obnoxiously divided into two levels). It's a combination cafe (with hit-or-miss pastries: chocolate insanity cake - yes please!, banana bread - dry as an old woman's lips. Oh, and the "fortified" coffee drinks are terrible, don't waste your time) / restaurant (no milkshakes, but pretty solid, if on the pricier side, although the one of the women servers never washes her hair, very noticeably). Yes, that sentence was typed by an english major, and makes me cringe, too.
So listen, if you're looking for somewhere open until 2am, not superskeezy, and pretty average-priced for a cafe, go here. It's nice in the daytime and has a cute location/decoration inside for the claustrophobic. If you're looking for somewhere special, you might want to check around (or read more of my reviews, eh? ;))
So my friend and I stopped into Au Coquelet the other night after spending some time working on a report for her work at a Starbucks (I don't review Starbucks, just in case you were wondering, cookie cutter, seen one, seen them all).
She suggested Au Coquelet as it was close to where we were, and usually has plenty of seating. The overall atmosphere is quite nice, not too boisterous, but definitely not dead. They appear to have just about everything that you could ever possibly want to eat, and I believe the waiter said they are open and serve food until 1:00am, a good thing to know.
I was not really hungry, so, just got a tasty beverage and enjoyed the scene. My friend, who is a vegan, was accommodated quite nicely. There was nothing directly from the menu that she could eat, but the waiter was quite nice and basically asked her what she wanted, and then proceeded to make her just that. An open face sandwich with Tomato, Avocado, and Cucumbers on Wheat Bread, with a vinaigrette dressing on the side. As the sandwiches all come with Chips and Salsa, I was the lucky beneficiary of her no salsa stance. Onions/garlic, etc., a no-no.
Overall, a great time, great folks, the only drawback, the staff, once the order has been dropped off, are absolutely inattentive, and did not come over to see if we needed anything else. I could have used another drink, but, alas, it was not forthcoming, hence, only 3 stars for this one.
But, I will definitely go back whenever I am in the neighborhood, as there were a number of items on their menu that I would like to try sometime.
High end looking brunch place that is sort of a divey diner in a nice space.... menu is decent for brunch, but the food was sort of rote, and uninspired. The coffee wasn't the best either... but the vacant servers were too kind and friendly.... and they were really sorry about the wait or the mistakes. Free mimosa with breakfast = how can I complain?
You could end up here if all the other joints are at full wait, and if you do... frankly I would pass.
Apparently they run off a generator in the back or a wind turbine or something because as many have noted, there are no outlets. I almost unplugged a neon sign once when things got desperate, but thought the scary guy behind the counter (who's always there) would eat my soul.
I'd like to thank Au Coquelet for staying open so late. But I'd also like to ask that they please make some decent (not burnt) coffee and keep it in a thermos or something rather than on a heater. You're a coffee shop. It's gross.
why 3 stars? well the late hours, obvi. But more importantly, the carrot cake. So so so so so yummy. And I hate carrot cake! But this stuff is nuts good. Get some.
My boyfriend and I visit Au Coquelet more often than our own kitchen, and mutually refer to it as simply "the restaurant." From the large amount of regulars we see, we're not the only ones!
The food here is consistently good, with fresh, quality ingredients being used. Prices are very fair. The menu is broad-ranging, and a "specials" menu is updated daily with new selections. Breakfast, steaks, salads, burgers, pizzas and pasta are all on offer. My recommendations:
-Curry Chicken Fettuccine
-Tiger Burger
-Vegetarian Quiche
-Hot Ham & Swiss Sandwich
-French Onion Soup
They also feature an awesome beverage assortment, ranging from coffee, tea and soda to beer, wine, and liqueurs, as well as a dessert menu full of house-made treats.
The restaurant itself has a cozy vibe, and is a fun spot to people-watch while dining. The staff is very warm and attentive, and are flexible if you want substitutions to your order. Parking can be difficult as it's located on a very busy corner, but don't let that deter you. Au Coquelet is a must-visit for well-priced cafe-style dining!
First things that catch my eye at the counter are:
-lots of fruit tarts
-lots of specialty dessert drinks
OK, while the food and decor is nothing special, this cafe remains constantly good for everything a college student needs. There is ample seating room and the noise level is just perfect. It's not dead quiet, but a nice hum of talking between study groups. This is also one of those rare places that is good for all breakfast, brunch, lunch, linnder, dinner, dessert, and late night. I can think of no place closer to campus that would open as late as this cafe does.
chai: bland
hot chocolate: powdery
french roast: strong
my favorite thing about this place: the rooster painting with gold background
While this is a good cafe for some, this is an exceptionally great cafe for me; a Cal alumnus who did most of his school work in the nigh. This is the ONLY cafe that opens past midnight in Berkeley. I find this place a second home at times and even after graduation, I continually revisit it to see its changes. The faces, the pictures on the walls, the menu, and even the waiters have changed through out the years but I still feel welcome and at ease. The coffee is good and the cranberry torte goes good with it.
They've added a full service kitchen with some Mexican side dishes to their menu as well as a full selection of liqueurs. I've seen them sell cigarettes from the front counter as well. It's all pretty weird, sooner or later it will become a saloon of the old west. It still stays open late, and I still feel the urge to stop by whenever I see a parking spot open on University Ave.
If you are going to Berkeley Rep and don't want the hassle of making reservations and spending big bucks this is a great alternative. Food is good and you can linger over a beverage until it is time to go the the theatre
This is one of the restaurants that I have been meaning to get around to Yelping. Au Coquelet is one of my favorite spots for late night dining in the East Bay.
They have a surprisingly large selection of entrees ranging from sandwiches to pastas to salads to omelettes. It's a great spot for a burger if you're so inclined, and they have lots of them. They're open into the night and service is always friendly.
My only complaint about Au Coquelet is that it can sometimes be hard to find an open table--they are often packed, even into the am. Thankfully their dining area is large and the diligent diner may be able to eke one out if they head to the rear area.
I'm not often in the East Bay late at night like I was years ago, but Au Coquelet still reliably offers up yummy meals when I am. These guys rock.
There's the service is kooky, moody, slightly inconsistent, but endearing nonetheless (my favorite waitress is the girl with the dreads who always seems a little stoned--she is a sweetheart); the food is excellent (I'm a big fan of the quiches, and some of their soups, esp. the chicken corn chowder, are SUPER good--don't do the nachos unless you're trying to sate a very specific late night craving, though); and I can always rely on them to be open when I've got a hankering for late night tea.
(Hilariously enough, I just realized this all describes what visiting my mother is like--just replace the stoned waitress with my fourteen year old brother yelling, "DUDE!!!" at the WOW game he's engaged in, and this blurb is multi-applicable.)
Is the atmosphere good for a date? Uh, no. And while Au Coquelet wouldn't be bad for dinner, there are so many better places in downtown to catch that particular meal.
But it IS perfect for studying, late night snackin', lunch, and the cafe has decent coffee, yummy pastries, and a comfy, casual atmosphere.
What can I say? Maybe I just have a soft spot for kooky people and decent eatin'--I can make concessions for Au Coquelet's faults.
Au Coquelet has it's pros and cons.
Pros: Very ice decor, good food, decent coffee, and most importantly, lots of seating and open until quite late. The cafe itself (as in the building, furniture and decor) are really what make this place worth going to.
Cons:
The thing that drives me crazy about this place is their lack of outlets. C'mon people! This cafe is right next to UC Berkeley and they are open until the ams. What do you think people really do in there besides study and write papers? So why are there about ZERO (okay maybe there are one or two somewhere) outlets for us students to plug into when we have a paper due the next day.
Seriously, this was the biggest downer for me when I went to Berkeley and wanted to get some work done here. It often forced me to take my studying (and thus my business) elsewhere.
The other thing is that everything here is way overpriced. Like, by a lot. As in, as a student, I'd sit my poor ass here, sipping the cheapest thing on the menu (often an apple cider) and sigh heavily because that person's sandwich looks soooo good and I am soooo hungry but I must starve because I am a poor student and Au Coquelet doesn't care.
Lastly, I know other people here like their desserts, but I always found them pretty stale and just not very good.
I went to Au Coquelet tonight because of the other Yelp reviews. I'm new to the area and wanted something like a sandwich at a late hour. Au Coquelet looked like the spot. I dug the ambience inside, with the cafe area in front and restaurant in the back, wood everywhere, and nice bright but not harsh lighting.
I just had the Vegi Au Coquelet (french roll sandwich) and a beer. That sandwich is good! Warm, fresh, avocado, and other yummy veggies just right. I was a little bummed about the near-$8 pricetag on it. But if you're accustomed to those kinda prices, it's worth it.
The service was so-so, but prompt enough and they knew when to leave me alone (I was working). The groups of regulars and pairs meeting up to chat gave a good coffeehouse vibe which I appreciated.
All in all, a worthwhile spot if you're in the area, particularly if you need something late night, but I wouldn't make the drive just for this place. And I second other reviewers who lament the severe lack of electrical outlets in a late night cafe!
I came here once before after landing at Oakland airport around 11 o'clock at night. I don't remember if it was great or not since I was so hungry then.
Fast forward to today.
It's hot. It's 93 friggin degrees in my apartment. I kid you not (I wish I was).
So naturally I don't want to move an arm, let alone cook. No baking fish for me tonight. So I'm looking for a nice light meal to eat for dinner. I checked reviews around and landed on this place and thought I'd give it another try.
We walk in, and it takes us a few seconds to realize we should head to the back. So we do. We sat at a table toward the front and waited for the waitress... Afterall, the sign did say grab a menu, take a seat, and a waiter will come. After about 15 minutes no one came.
Then we realize that the waiter service was only for the back part. Ohhhhhh! Okay! So we find ourselves a new seat and wait.... and wait ... and wait.
For another 20 minutes until a waitress comes and takes our order of salmon burger and turkey burger with avocado and fries.
The wait for the food was about another 15 minutes. My burger had no avocado, but as I realized this the cook came running up with a bowl full of it.
Then we eat.
Salmon burger was okay, would probably get again. The turkey burger was a thick flavorful patty and the fries were crunchy (probably would come again).
Then we're done eating, and waiting for the check.
... Waiting.... waiting.... waiting for another 30 minutes.
She comes and gives us the check, and we wait for change.
Yup, you guessed it... waited...... waited.... waited.
The entire dinner took us near 2 hours, and the service was atrocious. If you're coming, I'd suggest sit up front where you wait on yourself.
I had lunch yesterday at Au Coquelet Cafe. It was pretty good, nothing super special. Service was quick and easy and food was tasty.
I had a hot sandwich (ham, roasted peppers, cheese) with a salad and an Anchor Steam. It was a lot of food so I ended up taking half home. My dining companion had breakfast - eggs, ham and potatoes. He said it was perfect, just what he was looking for.
I would return for a quick, cheap bite. I also am interested in going for late night eats :) Probably better than Jack In the Box...
I've got to say that I was really surprised to like the food.
I just thought of it as a cafe.
I almost ordered the juevos rancheros but instead,
I ordered an omelet with 2 kinds of cheese, avo and bacon.
The cool part was that they cooked the bacon in the lining of the omelet so it was like a 'wall of bacon'. It made every bite dense and crunchy. (I rarely eat bacon, but this was one time I was glad I had ordered it.)
They also made a point of accommodating my no-sugar, no-flour request.
Instead of toast they brought me a delicious side dish of sautéed veggies with garlic.
They did the research and found out that their chili has a little wheat in the base, for those of you who need to know.
There food isn't bad!
I was impressed.
The food is delicious but can be very pricey. I live above this cafe, so I've had a lot of stuff here. Their pastries are also good (you have to try the fruit torte) but really expensive as well : (
They now have a starving student special where a sandwich is only $5. It's very much so worth it. Au Coquelet uses the best ingredients, and the food always tastes amazing. My current favorite is the Mexican chicken sandwich and the Mexican burger. Who ever thought that putting salsa and jalapenos on a burger would make it that much more amazing?
Their onion rings are delicious. Their barbecue sauce is EVEN more delicious. Sometimes i think I get the delicious onion rings just to have an excuse to use the bbq sauce. Their mango vinaigrette salad dressing is also amazing. This place is so good!
Everytime I get the daily special (the one with fish) I cry when I taste the dill sauce they use on the fish. It's the most amazing thing in the entire world.
The nachos are also amazing. I love the fact that this place closes so late, so my friends and I always have a place to go for a midnight snack.
This place is decent for studying- good amount of space, open late- but the coffee is terrible. They let it sit out on hot plates for hours and burn it. I'm pretty surprised to see a coffee shop do this, because it's easy to use a thermos instead. Whoever owns this place doesn't drink coffee and doesn't know what they're doing. But, since they're open so late, I come here.
While I immediately started scorning a date for saying this was "the best breakfast place EVER" I'm still giving them four stars. The food isn't terribly delicious but as a study venue, Au Coquelet has a lot going for it.
I was first introduced to this place by my awesome friend Liz C. when I was but a young, innocent freshman at Cal. While I like to think that we corrupted each others' lives, in retrospect taking me here after a night out on the town may have ultimately saved my academic career.
They don't have internet, which for me is a good thing because it keeps me off this damn website. The food is also pretty good as far as Berkeley study-friendly cafes go, they are open late, and the service is really accommodating. The front room gets great light during the day, and the back tiled section has a really comfy bench that I can be found at frequently.
As far as the clientele go, it's sometimes a little hit-or-miss. I find there to be fewer distractions when sitting in the front area but the tables are usually wobbly. In back, it can be a perfect getting in the zone atmosphere or there can be a book club meeting/group study session.
Though not entirely figure friendly, the fries here are really, really good. I don't know what it is, I just love them. My favorite thing to get here is a garden salad with blue cheese dressing and a side of fries. I also really like their huevos rancheros and the eggs blackstone, while not the best breakfast EVER are decent when you don't have to send them back because the potatoes are undercooked or the eggs are overcooked. Pastries on the other hand are always a huge disappointment here. They look amazing, but trust me, every time I give in I'm disappointed.
it's open late, has lots of specialty drinks, has lots of cake/cheesescake/fruity dessert things. great tea selection also. oh, and a restaurant w/ table service that i have yet to try.
ambience is nice. it's a pretty chill 'sit and talk over a cup of tea' place. i'd definitely come back here to try out the different desserts/teas and of course, gossip for hours. =)
i live close to this place and yet i hardly go. why? it feels too big and cold, there's usually some past-their-prime hippie sitting by me and asking me what i'm reading/studying/grading, and the food (in the restaurant areas) is not that delicious. I think i paid like $7 or $9 for a caesar salad here that I could have made at home. Staff is friendly and efficient, and the drinks are decent as is the selection of pastries and desserts. Late late hours are a plus.
Went here because I was in the area and didn't feel like walking further for coffee... basically for convenience. Upon first glance, I thought I was going to be disappointed because the coffee looked like it was in the most disgusting tub everrrrrrr... I got the organic fair trade small cup of coffee (which is actually a bit bigger than most smalls) and it came out of a reused HUGE tub of daisy sour cream (no sour cream in coffee) but the tub just looked gnarstyyyyyy. Anyway, although I somewhat feared contamination by the various many types of bacteria out there such as staph, e.coli, bacillus, clostridium, enterobacter, ETC. I told myself the coffee would be hot and most organisms would *hopefully* die.
Added 2 big spoonfuls of brown sugar and YUUUUUUUUUMMMM..... One of the best cups of coffee I've had in a while... not too bitter, not burnt, flavor just right, good even after it had cooled down a bit.
Will definitely be returning here, maybe to try some of the fruit tart or pecan pie (peeee-can pie....reference to my favorite movie) :D
-1 star for the gnarsty tub.... even if it contained delicious coffee.
Note: probably best to use cash as using card holds up the line like no other..... takes like 1-2 minutes per card customer whereas cash is fast.
I work nearby, and discovered Au Coquelet quite by accident. Honestly? I love it. I go here all the time. The prices are reasonable, the staff is friendly, and the food is insanely good (the hot ham and cheese sandwich, as an example, is completely and unexpectedly delicious). I've only ever eaten in the restaurant (not the cafe part), but everything I've ever ordered has been super tasty.
On an interesting side note: I recently finished a very cool sci-fi book called "The Strange Adventures of Rangergirl," which takes place in Santa Cruz (it's, for lack of a better way to describe it, a completely California-centric novel). In the back, where the author credits various people and places for helping him with the book, he thanks Au Coquelet for being the spot where he edited that particular manuscript. Pretty cool, huh?
Anyway, check it out. It's awesome. (And the book is definitely worth a read.)
Tanked or ravenous, the only two states you'll ever find me at Au something-Frenchish-that-has-too-many-vowels. Any only because they've got late night eats until 1am.
Appreciating the broad windows, sky lights and open tables, I figured it would be the perfect place to hunker down and bang out some writingz. So I peruse the yummy looking dessert station, sights set on the carrot cake and ask the fellow if he could point me in the direction of the nearest outlet. He shakes his head. No power. Strrrrrrrrike one! "Wi-fi?" I inquire. Another shake. Strrrrrrrike two! And awesome employees. Right.
I shrug and proceed to the dining area to scarf down a mediocre salmon burger. Meh is the word. No wonder there are so many empty tables. The juice drips down my forearm and on my way to the restroom I see a lone outlet with the words "NO PUBLIC USE" scrawled on them. Way to create a welcoming, vibrant culture, guys.
I spun on a heel and pranced out.
This is my favourite study spot in the area. True, it is not laptop friendly, but some of us still study with old school pen and paper, plus it doesn't get ridiculously crowded like all the other cafes. It's quiet and also a nice place to hang out and chat (or eavesdrop on the particularly interesting conversations people somehow tend to have here).
The food is pretty decent for a cafe; I also like the fruit torte and white chocolate raspberry cheesecake they have out front. The staff takes a while to warm up to you (although I haven't found service to be slow enough to complain about), but honestly, it's just a cafe. I just need a place to sit and drink my coffee.
I dropped in here in my officeboy finery. Needless to say, I was ignored for a while.
Thankfully I understood this protocol and waited them out to establish myself as a "tolerable yuppie" and was able to have a coffee without a near riot, protest signs, and chanting.
This was fortunate.
Open late, so think of this place for those late night "study sessions" that lead to informal anatomy recitations. Study hard now, students!
Came here for a quick lunch with my husband. There's a cafe and restaurant - we went to the restaurant part. I had a chicken parmigiana sandwich - huge breast of chicken with tons of cheese and fresh tomato sauce - served on ciabatta bread. YUM! Comes with a small salad.
Husband had their chicken salad salad. Yep, yummy chicken salad, on a salad. If not for the celery (which I don't eat) I would totally order this. The chicken salad itself if rich and so good.
Big portions - two people, under $20.
It took me a few tries to find this place on Google Text, because the spelling eludes me ... but it was sure worth the effort!
Totally unpretentious and homey, with exposed brick, great coffee and good Sunday brunch. I had the Mexican Scramble (mmm, spicy and cheesy!) with the flakiest biscuits. The whole thing, including coffee, tax & tip, came to $12.
Highly recommended. The only reason I didn't give it 5* was the perfunctory service (slow-ish and nobody checked up on me).
Oh another thing that is charming or not, depending on your mood. They do not have wi-fi.
I am around Berkeley for lunch most of my work days, and I am on the constant look out for new places. I tried this place out with a couple of my colleagues today, and it's cute - very open atmosphere and they use fresh ingredients. We ordered to-go; I ordered the hot Tuna Sandwhich on Rye - it was pretty good! Try it with Tapatio sauce and you got delicious in 5 seconds lol! I need to find new places with good tuna sandwiches like these. I'd love to come here again for breakfast because they had a long list of breakfast dishes on their menu. Must try it out soon!
The only things I've had from here are the coffee and a cappuccino so I can't say how their food is.... The coffee was very good quality, and a decent size for $2 (about the same size as a Starbucks medium, or whatever they call it.. grande?). The cappuccino was pretty decent too. It was also $2, and for only a single shot, which always bothers me. But I love my cappuccinos extra extra EXTRA dry and a lot of places ignore that request. Here, the entire thing actually WAS foam, which was exactly what I wanted. Kudos to you, Au Coquelet!
It's also open fairly late, so if you need a caffeine boost before attempting to go to a party (which is why I stopped here on a Saturday night..), it's great!
Decent lunch spot, food service is in the hidden back room. Our service was decent, we did spend some time waiting for our check but it was Memorial day and it seemed like most their employees were off work. Avocado sandwich had a good amount of fresh avocado; the veggie quiche was loaded with veggies, it was almost like a veggie pot pie. Really good italian sodas but come on its just syrup and soda water. I am curious about their coffees and desserts.
this place is adorable - looks deceptively small at first, but there is a big restaurant area in the back.
My friend and i stopped in for hot chocolate on a saturday night, then realized there was a wide selection of beautiful desserts! We decided on the strawberry shortcake, which was quite delicious and felt very light going down, despite the size of the slice we got. Fresh strawberries, soft moist cake, and light whip - what more could a girl ask for? Tea was mediocre, but it came from a bag so I didn't expect more. My friend's Wyder's peach cider was good too.
Overall, a nice surprise, and very different from the palo alto-esque setting I've grown accustomed to. The ambience is interesting - from the front, there were a bunch of people studying. In the back, it looks like a restaurant that's confused as to whether it's indoor or outdoor. There are big plants, but a brick wall with hangings on it. Big skylights, but lights coming down from them. I enjoyed it overall, but definitely more of a casual setting.
I had a couple of hours to kill after I dropped Mr. R. off at his workshop on Telegraph Ave.. I drove down University and had breakfast at Au Coquelet.
Sweet memories of late night math tutoring of my niece Heather came flooding back.... we always ended up there for coffee and fruit tarts... or death by chocolate.
This morning, the guy who was always bumming cigarettes from me was missing, as was the pregnant barrista. I ordered a veggie omlette that had cheese, spinach, mushrooms and avocado. It came with toast and cottage fries. The toast and fries were just average, but the omlette was darn good! The medium cappuccino was HUGE and had a decent cap of foam, as well as a full-bodied taste.
All-in-all, it was a darn good breakfast. I am taking half a star, because parking was hard to find. At night, you can park in the tire store parking lot across the street, but Berkeley is an expensive place to park your car, whether it's on the street or in a lot, expect to pay, pay, pay!
I really love this place. It's not that it's the best food I've ever had or anything like that. I just get a warm, fuzzy feeling inside when I go to this place, and that in my opinion deserves 5 stars!
The owner is a sweetheart. The employees are friendly. The food good.
This is my daily coffee stop. It used to be Starbuck's, but for reasons not needing to be mentioned, I decided to stop giving them my money.
I'm always greeted with a smile and a nice conversation. They know my drink- Extra Large Soy Mocha- and start making it for me before I get to the register.
They make all their own pastries every morning, which are delicious!
I am addicted to their Cherry Croissants. Not much to describe except that it's a sweet croissant filled with Cherry goo. (they make 'em filled with Apple and Chocolate too- but those don't compare)
Oh god I would fill my bathtub full of these and roll around in them if I could. But I fear I've let out a big secret here! Sometimes they are out of the Cherry Coissants and I leave with a hanging tear under my eye and a lump in my throat. It ruins my day. I urge them to make more but they refuse. They have offered to put one aside for me if I call it in on my way to work, but I feel kind of lame doing that.
"Hey! it's that white bitch in a blue uniform bugging you to hold that Cherry Croissant for me so no one else can have it...."
Just can't bring myself to do it.
Last week I nearly had a meltdown....
This suit was standing in front of me taking his time perusing the pastries. He coudn't make up his mind. I was getting annoyed and impatient. I had my eye on the last Cherry Croissant, anxiously awaiting his departure so I could swoop in and toss it in the bag. I was considering shoving him out of the way and going for it... and then he did it... he reached out, with white-knuckled tongs and absconded with the last Cherry Croissant. MY Cherry Croissant! I choked back a scream and clenched my fists. The chef locked eyes with me and gave me a sympathetic glance as he knew I had my heart set on that last taste of heaven. I defeatedly settled for the Apple Croissant, which is second best.
If you ever have a chance to try the Cherry Croissant and like it as much as I do, please urge the staff to make more of them in the mornings.
I'll keep my fingers crossed and hope that I didn't just screw myself out of ever enjoying a Cherry Croissant again.
Is this place busy and popular because of its proximity to Berkeley High and UC? 'Cuz, it can't be the food.
The stars are for the hours. Hot food until 1am rocks, because around that time, you don't really care what you're eating...you're just happy to eat something.
But, I was kinda unhappy. I had a burger with avocado. It was edible, but overcooked and the avocado was a little stringy and old. I got the salad to go with the burger, which was just greens and one tomato with a tasteless, creamyness that was supposed to be blue cheese dressing.
At least they serve Izze sodas....I love those.
For the restaurant only:
This is the best place in the area for food after being in an altered state (intoxicated, high, etc.).
Don't come here just for the food (tho I guess the desserts are nice). It's more of a slacker's place. There's slow/non-existent service, even when no one is there. And the food is not cheap.
But let's be honest here people, for those who live around here, it's the BEST/ONLY THING OPEN AT 1 AM
Oh yeah, there is waiter service if you eat at the restaurant but none if you just get coffee at the front of the place. Also, there are two entrances to Au Coquelet, one on Milvia and the main one on University. The Milvia entrance goes right to the restaurant part.
It's nice to see yet another landmark still standing. I first came to this place back in 1990, late in the night, grab a bite for our drunk behinds. And I'll always take a hot mint milk to go so by the time I got home I'm ready to hit the sack.
The other day the stupid BART delay cause me to miss my shuttle up the hill so I walk 2 blocks over here to grab my coffee. The decor haven't change much, the same old big tables, the back room study hall, and of course the coffee.
With a strong cup of cappuccino in hand, hop on the shuttle bus, flash backs of the good old days, a smile on my face. Thanks Au Coquelet for preserving those sweet memories.
The food is not why I come here.
I have been going to Au Coquelet for many years with my best friend to partake in a ritual called CHOCOLATE MOUSSE. Where does it come from? What's in it? Don't ask....as I'm sure the truth would ruin our happy little habit. No matter....we make sure to get an ITALIAN SODA with our choice of a wide selection of syrups(easy on the sweet)...believing that the effervescent nature of the water will scrub our insides clean.....(yes let us believe this).
It's great that it's open late....and my book club can meet there and congregate for a few hours without being chased off or glared at.
It just so happens to be right across the street from another Berkeley indulgence point: The Berkeley Sauna. Run between the two and you can have yourself what is for all intents and purposes a super late night getaway with the girls!
Au Coque's main claims to fame are 1) it's big, 2) it's open late, 3) you can hang out in the front room forever, and 4) if somebody buys something, you can hang out in the back a pretty long time too.
Its main demerits: 1) the sweets in front are low-quality (even when they're not stale), 2) the food in back is just bad (except for a few items that you have to learn by trial-and-error), and 3) there's no wifi.
Saturday Happy Hour + Cal…
Neighborhood: UC Campus Area
Holiday Special- Call to Book
Neighborhood: UC Campus Area
Neighborhood: UC Campus Area
Category: Coffee & Tea
Neighborhood: Downtown Berkeley
Category: Restaurants
Neighborhood: Elmwood
Category: Restaurants
Neighborhood: UC Campus Area
Category: Coffee & Tea
Neighborhood: UC Campus Area
Category: Restaurants
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