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Categories: Bakeries, Sandwiches [Edit]
Neighborhoods: Temescal, North OaklandMon-Thu. 7:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Fri-Sat. 7:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Sun. 7:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
"I'm surprised that Cakes Made by M.E. has only one other review! Well, it's time to expose. Trust me this is one of the best kept secrets…" read more »
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Best fried chicken sandwich ever. So delicious! Don't venture off and be adventurous by ordering the pulled pork sandwich, because you're going to try to steal everyone else's fried chicken. The cole slaw is great and acidic to cut through the grease of the fried chicken. I feel bad for Genova's across the street because I've stopped eating their sandwiches (although good) since Bakesale Betty put themselves on the map a few years back.
I agree the chicken pot pie is good, but I wasn't that impressed.
They're desserts however are amazing. Great cookies and fruit pies. The wait is worth it, I assure you.
Bakesale Betty turns out superior edibles on the cheap. Low-key signage - their name and menu are scrawled on taped up sheets - underscores their modest corner digs and can make them easy to miss. If a lunch line isn't snaking out their door (don't worry, it moves fast), look for their signature ironing boards, set as tables sidewalk-side.
Inside, staff work and prep and bake and cook to bumping music. Chef Sean/Shawn took our order in a crisp, professional manner and we left with our goodies after a tiny wait.
Bakesale Betty's cookies redefine the word "cookie". Their ginger cookies are springy soft; all other cookies taste like disappointment.
Besides baked goods, Bakesale Betty makes delectable sandwiches. I split two, starting with their brisket, a treat thanks to the unexpected layer of potato chips. Next, I savored their famous fried chicken sandwich: tender chicken, crispily fried, coupled with a fantastic coleslaw in a hefty roll. It's famous for a reason.
Did I mention their zesty lemon ices? Tasty brain freeze.
Before leaving, I walked back in to thank Sean/Shawn and the kitchen staff for an outstanding lunch. (I'm sure this happens to them all the time.)
Thanks to Houng for convincing me to go!
With 1500+ Reviews and 4.5 stars- If you can't tell that Bakesale Betty is a hit then you're using Yelp wrong.
I gave in. I made the trip. I had to see what all the fuss was about. You really are coming here for two things, the Fried Chicken Sandwich and the Cookies. BOTH are AWESOME. When I arrived Betty looked over to me and said "Glad you could finally make it! You're the last person in the East Bay to try this place! What took you so long?"
Let me say this again, a little louder. The FRIED CHICKEN SANDWICH and COOKIES are AWESOME. GO GET EM'. TODAY.
I hope this heartfelt, detailed, and sincere review helped you decide if Bakesale Betty is right for you.
Great customer service! Ingenious business plan:) If you are nice to customers then maybe they will come back. If you give away your quality baked goods to first-timers maybe they'll become second timers!
Thank you Bakesale Betty for making me a proud recommender of your product. I appreciate the smiles, service, and pumkin bread! I'll definately be back.
Finally!!
I finally hauled my ass out to Oakland for Bakesale Betty's fried chicken sandwich. Now I can die a happy and accomplished-feeling person.
The highlights of my experience include, but are not limited to, the following:
*Free chocolate chip cookie to help ease the pain of the long line (which moved rather quickly anyhow). And the cookie was delicious. Soft in the center, crispy around the edges, excellent chip to cookie ratio.
*The efficiency of the entire set-up. I'm an efficiency freak...I obsess over it, and Bakesale Betty has been the first place to impress me in quite some time. Orders are taken and shouted back to the kitchen, payment is processed, and food is handed off. All in less than 2 minutes. Remarkable.
*Fun was being had by all...patrons and staff alike. I particularly enjoyed the B.Spears jamz blasting from the kitchen and the girl in the bright blue Betty wig assembling sandwiches.
*Perfectly fried chicken. I didn't love the slaw on the sandwich (too spicy and cilantro-y) but that became immediately irrelevant upon biting into such crispy crunchy chicken.
*The lemon ice is addicting...like lemonade, but somehow different. More tart than sweet with very fine pieces of pulp.
*The general ambiance of persons looking to enjoy some delicious food in the casual ironing board table environment. Despite everyone's hunger, no one was cranky. A good cookie and some chicken will do that to you.
Bakesale Betty was worth the wait, and most definitely worth the trek to the East Bay. I can't wait to return with a bigger appetite to sample more of Betty's famous baked goods!
My brother would go on and on ranting about how crazy scrumptious Betty's fried chicken sandwiches are. I didn't believe it at first. In fact, I assumed it was all just meaningless babble. Seriously, how good could a friggin chicken sandwich be? It's just a hunk of oily meat topped with veggies and smooshed between bread, right? Right??
Forgive me Betty, for I have sinned. I will never ever in my right mind doubt you again.
Fellow patrons beware, the line can be pretty ridiculous. I must say, it does move pretty quickly, so do not be discouraged by the crowd of famished customers all anxious to get their hands on this beastly chicken sandwich.
One bite of this monstrous meal sent me into a state of shocking pleasure. Even being the ultimate veggie-hater of the Bay Area, I managed to finish the spread of jalapeno-vinaigrette-infused-slaw without any remorse. I believe the hefty pieces of fried chicken played a huge part in seducing me to fall head over heels for this sandwich. It's amazing what good food can do for a woman! (Guys, you better write that down.) Don't forget to grab a small cup of Frank's hot sauce to spice up each nibble.
This was quite a messy meal. If it wasn't excessive shreds of cabbage squirming out from underneath the bread, it was the chicken juice squirting out after every bite. Baby bibs and wet wipes are highly recommended. (So THAT'S why they gave us forks!)
No space for seating inside this wonderful establishment, but pull up one of the many stools outside on the sidewalk, unfold one of their rusty ironing boards leaning against the wall, and you've got yourself one heck of a lunch. Don't forget to add on a cup of lemon ice with your sandwich. It doesn't get any more refreshing than that.
Thanks Betty for welcoming our cupcake crawl crew with free pumpkin pie & chocolate chip cookies! And also for allowing me to gorge on what I'd like to consider one of the best meals I've had in the East Bay!
(And just so we're clear, dollar menu McChickens ain't got nothin' on Betty! RIP McChicken.)
There are 3 items that are not in my normal food consumption rotation:
Sandwiches
Slaw of any kind
Fried Chicken
Let me tell you, as most of these reviews already say....
combine those 3 and it makes magic. I was scooping the slaw that fell out of the sandwich with my fingers and jamming it in my mouth. A site the BF has never witnessed before, I think it scared him a bit.
Tip: go during the week around 11:30, there were only 3 people in line. We attempted to go a couple weeks back mid-day Saturday and the line was down the street.
Here in the Bay Area we can all manage to see a little subsection of different cultures around the world. Imagine my surprise when I saw an actual bread line from Russia's not-too-distance past!
I quickly learned that there were few, if any, Russians and they served more than bread. And by that I mean Fried Chicken Sandwiches! The chicken was decent, but it was the fresh bread and interesting cabbage sauce that made it.
Even though the line took a long time, getting the food was almost instant. Now I see why there were like 40 people working there! I will definitely be back, but only when I'm in Oakland during off-peak hours. Might not occur that often.
So... I'm cruising along in the peloton of Yelpers on the East Bay Cupcake Crawl, heading to stop #4 on the list: the ever-venerated Bakesale Betty. I'd been chatting with Scott L. about my recent kidney donation.
"Oh, yeah... easy. I feel great - fantastic, actually... I'm so ready for lunch. This is my first time going to BB and I am hungry. Yep. Plenty of room in my stomach for a Fried Chicken Sandwich..." and then my voice trailed off as we spotted the line that nearly spanned the block on Telegraph.
I had not experienced such an overwhelming sense of panic and dread since I saw the stick with the pink "+" sign that meant I was going to be a single mother. Flashbacks. Hunger pangs. Sugar high. Long-assed line.
I had come prepared for the Crawl equipped with: individually wrapped Purell handi-wipes; SPF 60; a butter knife; (for efficient division of cupcakes) my point & shoot pocket camera; and a thermos full of ice-cold whole milk.
The sun was bright and the skies were clear. To quote the great Ron Burgandy, "Milk... was a bad idea." Caveman was dispatched to the Walgreens across the street for a bottle of water, while I contemplated my strategy.
Not a big pastry person, I'd been very reserved in sampling the goods at the previous stops. It was 1:30pm and I was HUNGRY. "Hey, guys... this can't possibly be the line that a benevolent Yelper who just donated a KIDNEY has to wait in...?" *winningest smile*
I searched for Matt G., hoping he could lay down some orange cones, or string up some "Do Not Cross" yellow tape and escort a certain individual (yours truly) to the front of the line. He was already finishing his food. Just my luck...
We were also informed upon arrival that "the special cupcakes that were supposed to have been made for our UYE had been botched". Ligaya T. and I quickly agreed that "botched" was euphemism for "we totally forgot" or "we can't be bothered; we're already famous for everything else we carry."
The folks at BB seemed to take our arrival in stride, handing out free DVD-sized cookies to further torment our taste buds during the wait. Actually, the operation ran smoothly, with staff popping out occasionally to verify how many of us were going to order THE Fried Chicken Sandwich, which was smart.
I crossed the threshold into hallowed ground just moments before I was ready to shamelessly declare my semi-invalid state (a total lie) and beg/grovel/guilt someone into letting me cut to the front of the line. Caveman wanted a gingersnap cookie; I ordered THE sandwich and a Lemon Ice (they were out) and I got my official slice of Consolation Pumpkin Pie in lieu of a "botched" cupcake.
We found seating - huzzah - and dug in. I was jealous of subsequent patrons who exited bearing the aforementioned lemon ice... but I was grateful to be sitting and masticating in public.
THE sandwich was solidly "tasty"; the slaw was crunchy, acidic and "warm" which came from the jalapenos. Caveman snatched half of my sandwich and began attacking it, declaring the slaw "delicious".
I glared at him, growled that should have ordered one when he had the chance, not deprive me of mine. He grunted and hunched over "his" half. It wasn't an epiphany for me; the food was GOOD; it was TASTY... but it wasn't an epiphany to me in the slightest. I'll eat it again, maybe... but you're not going to find me waiting in THAT line again.
The Cadet received the pumpkin pie. As per his opinion, "It was awesome: creamy, the fall spices hit my palate, but did not overwhelm. The crust was crisp and a perfect counterpoint to the pumpkin filling. The whipped cream is fresh - definitely not out of a can. 5 stars for the pie."
The Cadet could have been Yelping from the cradle... he has eaten where I have, for nearly 14 years. Either that, or the boys have been watching too much Food Network TV.
Kim D. & the Boys - out!
We're regulars here. Bakesale Betty is incredibly generous and always gives us free treats when the line's long and dishes out samples of the new items. My favorites are the slaw and ginger cookies.
When I crave scones, I go to Cheeseboard for the cherry corn scones.
Pining for pies, I rush to Mission Pie for their banana cream dream (though their crust has been hit or miss recently).
So, I tried the fried chicken sandwich. It's really tasty (and if you like things with a kick, you'll like this more than I did), but it is really messy. Ligaya T thought that adding a touch of mayo would hold this sucker together a bit better.
I think the line for the H1N1 shots are shorter, which is a tired refrain from fans of this place. If you are sans friends, just bring a book or crank up the ipod. If you are with friends the time will pass soon enough.
I actually gave away my piece of pie to a homeless guy at the Lake Merritt Bart station, but I do thank Bakesale Betty for the free food. It's just hard to get enthused about pie when my intestines were carrying around 7 cupcakes and a friend chicken sandwich.
While we were eating, we saw this blue wig fly by the crosswalk on a cell phone. Who is Bakesale Betty? Some say she was Turkish.. wait that is Keyser Soze. But like Mr. Soze, we looked again... and like that, poof. she was gone.
Only my 2nd time to Bakesale Betty. Line was very long by the time we got there. Matt G. let me cut in line - thanks Matt!
Everyone in line got a FREE cookie. I got chocolate chip w/ nuts - good: Recommended.
I got an egg salad sandwich $6.50 - Lots of hard boiled eggs, arugula lettuce, pepper, onions on a roll. Very messy to eat.
Yelpers got a slice of pumpkin pie Sat 11/14/09- will eat later.
Hrs:
M-Th 7-5
F-Sat 7-6
Sun 7-3
Friend took me here since we were nearby. She recommended their scone saying they are the best… Read more »
Yay for free samples! I went here for the first time recently and did not know this was one of their famous perks for their customers. The butter pecan cookie I received was good, not great...somewhat dry. The line was intimidating at first because it was 50 people long but the service was amazingly efficient. By specializing in a few food items (their assembly line for the fried chicken sandwich was fun to watch), I ordered and got my food within a minute.
The fried chicken sandwich had two generous pieces of fried chicken breast and a ridiculous helping of lettuce...It was almost like getting an extra salad! The dressing was prevalent but not overwhelming. The only reason why I -1 star was the price...As good as the fried chicken sandwich and lemonade ice was, they were definitely not worth $8.50 and $2.50, respectively. So I guess you can consider the "free samples" included in the overall price of their regular food items. Definitely will go back again though.
absolutely diviiiiiiiiine. i love this place. love!!!!
tried it for the first time last saturday because of reading all the 5 star yelp reviews. we stood in the long line and got free chocolate chip cookies for waiting! the lady said we were getting one because the wait for a fried chicken sandwich would be about 30 minutes. so we said okaaayy and ate our cookies. after waiting in line for like, 15, we were already in front! i love when people over-estimate the wait!
once we got in i saw all kinds of sweet goodies i wanted to try. the guy behind the counter greets us with, "what can i get for you, my love?". how sweet is he!!! we asked about the scones, and instead of just telling us what flavors they were, he gave us each a free one of our choice "for waiting so long". whaaat. we ordered our fried chicken sandwiches, and were given our food within a couple minutes. he also threw in a couple free lemon ices just to be nice. and he kept calling us "my love". hahah. i adore that dude and i don't even know him!!!
the sandwich is really messy to eat. but really good! esp with the little containers of tapatio that they give you. eating on an ironing board proves to be quite the challenge for 4 people... but we did it.
i'm excited to come back. the free stuff and friendly service alone deserve 5 stars! no wonder this place is always busy. they definitely know how to keep the business coming!
My boss and friends were telling me about this place so I drove 25 miles to try their sandwich...and boy was I (and my wife) disappointed. First of all, there's no diversity - we only have to pick from 3 choices of sandwiches. And when we got up to order, the one that I wanted ran out. And once we got to the sandwich, after my first bite, i could NOT feel my tongue. When I looked inside, it was sprinkled with jalepeno peppers! So, after 2 more bites, i gave up because by then, my tongue was burning and the 1 can of diet coke was not enough.
The one thing I liked was the apple pie. It was good. The lite, flaky crust with the nice balance of the apple's sweetness and tartness, make the apply pie stand out.
This place is NOT kid friendly, unless your kids like jalepenos!
Super nice people, I loved that I got a free cookie, but what a disappointment! Everyone and their mother has been talking up this amazing fried chicken sandwich.. and well... it wasn't all that amazing. Before you crazy food snobs start pelting me with your dirty napkins, consider it: shredded greens??? You go anywhere else, and you know you wouldn't put up with that shit. Not that they were bad, I'm pretty low maintenance, it was just that overall, there was no real wow factor to it, and the simplicity did not make up for it either. If I'm in the area, I would consider trying their other sandwich though, unless it's dinner time and Dona Tomas is open...
I'm not an expert on East Bay eateries. Didn't even know there was a Bakesale Betty's. Until that is, I saw a pic my friend took of the famous fried chicken sandwich. Then I knew I had to have it. And today was the day, it would happen.
I had lunch here with a friend of mine and we were planning on sharing the two sandwiches. Me getting the fried chicken sandwich and her getting the brisket sandwich. Only one problem. The brisket sandwich was sold out.........at 11:30AM. WTH??? No matter, the fried chicken sandwich was delicious. The tangy of the vinegar-ed slaw, with the unexpected note of parsley and the mild heat of the sliced jalapenos. I just wished I had bought another one to take home to enjoy later.
I also got the chocolate chip cookie. It was sweet and chocolatey like a cookie should be, but I wish it was of the soft and chewy variety rather than the hard and crumbly. Just my own personal preference. I inhaled my half nonetheless.
I got a piece of my friend's shortbread cookie. It looked like a hard, dense piece of nut-filled concrete. But when you bit into it, it was actually soft and crumbly. That too went down my esophagus in a hurry.
Everyone knows there's a long line out the door which is what I was dreading. But it goes by very quickly. The staff there takes your order, gets your items ready either in a brown paper bag or on a tray, and takes your money and gives you your change all in a timely manner.
My sandwich, choco cookie, and bottled water all cost $9.50 (I'm thinking I got the bottled water on the house).
Brisket sandwich, I'm coming back for you next!
I've heard great things about Bakesale Betty's...including the huge lines out the doors, the free samples, and the delectable fried chicken sandwiches.
The line was almost a block long, and it moved faster than I expected, but apparently I was standing in line for almost 1/2 an hour. to appease any impatient people, a Bakesale Betty employee came out and passed out FREE oatmeal raisin cookies! Excitingness. I shared a fried chicken sandwich with my friend. The chicken was crispy, but not oily. The chicken was moist (and I think it was white meat). The cole slaw was crisp and refreshing - and not too mayonnaisey. I grabbed a hot sauce - but i didn't even think to use it until my last bite, when I saw it un-opened. The sauce sure was hot, but I don't think the sandwich really needs it.
i also got a piece of pumpkin pie, with a giant dollop of whipped cream. sooooo delicious. you can tell it's made with fresh pumpkin, and the crust was nice and thick.
also, i thought it was clever that they use ironing boards as tables, haha. i loved it...i will definitely try to make it back soon!
bsb needs another review like a hole in the head, but i'd like to offer up a rare 3-star review for you chicken sando-crazy fools to feast upon.
this chicken sandwich is the size of a newborn. it's hard to eat, and furthermore, do you *really* need two chicken breasts in one sandwich? apparently so. with that said, it is quite tasty. i feel like it needs mayo, however.
the lemonade is a disappointment, frankly. the frozen concoction tastes like a lemon ice from the theme park cart. nothing special.
perhaps i'm indifferent because i'm a faithful kitchenette patron. kitchenette is able to hit it out of the ballpark with their sandos and drinks, day in and day out, with far more flavor and far less of a line.
I kept hearing about the amazing chicken sandwich from Bakesale Betty but wondered how good can a sandwich be?? So Manton took me here to pick up some goodies for our picnic. The line was very long but moved pretty quickly. Sadly, they were out of ginger cookies and lemonade, both of which I really wanted to try.
Chicken Sandwich: Wasn't great but wasn't bad. The breading had good flavor and a little kick but the chicken it's self was bland and a little dry. I like that they use a cabbage salad(and lots of it!) but that was lacking in flavor as well. The jalapeño didn't even have any heat. Unfortuntatly, KFC's double crunch sandwich is much better.
Strawberry Shortcake: Yummm. One is more than enough for two!
Pecan Shortbread: Pretty good and free! Can't complain about that!
I would come back and try again. Maybe get a salad next time and definitely some cookies!
I have drove by this place too many times and always saw a line out the door during lunch time. So one day I decided to walk in and check it out. I ordered their chicken and something else on the side which was delish. It was cheap and had a big portion.
My bf's sister had a graduation party so he ordered a sheet of the strawberry shortcake which we never tried before. An employee brought it to the car just to make sure it was placed safely so it wouldn't get ruined since we had to drive an hour and a half to the party. Let me tell you, all the guests were loving it. They kept asking, "Where did you guys get the cake from?" It was a big hit and we'll be ordering more cakes and tasting more of their goodies in the future.
Let me preface this by saying I don't even like chicken.
CHICKEN POT PIE! This take and bake masterpiece is not to be missed. I got the big one - it could have easily fed 6 - it was $25 and an hour plus in the oven. FANTASTIC! It's truly incredible, without a doubt - the best ever.
And I don't even like chicken.
OK ... I don't even like fried chicken - and I've had DREAMS about their fried chicken sandwich. My… Read more »
PRICES went UP, folks.
... yet it is SO worth it ...
Did I mention the BEEF BRISKET sammich? It kicks the fried chicken one in the pedoit.
No more strawberry shortcake for the rest o'season, but MAN OH MAN --- there's PUMPKIN BREAD and PUMPKIN PIE!!! Can NOT wait for the STICKY DATE PUDDING to make it's seasonal entrance!!!
O
M
G
Beef Brisket sammich with chips stuffed on its gooey-melt-in-your-mouth goodness.
W
O
W
Read more »
Betty's started offering a sliced beef sandwich which is almost as good at the fried chicken sandwich - if that's possible. I'm not a horseradish fan usually, but the little hint of this in the sandwich is perfect. The nice (surprise) touch is the chips to get that little salty crunch. Mmmm...now I have to choose between fried chicken and beef...usually I end up getting both...
I'm LOVING Betty's pumpkin pie! Not being a real "pie" lover, I do admit that I like pumpkin pie.… Read more »
I got the strawberry shortcake...it wasn't that great at all. It is just an ordinary yellow cake with a lot of sugar and whip cream. It reminds me the supermarket shortcakes. The chicken sandwich is acceptable but not impressive.
1491 reviews. 1492 now that I write mine. I think I should keep it brief.
If I were going to eat a sandwich in bed like George Costanza - make it the fried chicken and give me 2 toffee shortbreads and a strawberry shortcake.
After I go into a food coma with an ear to ear smile, check me every now and then with a mirror under my nose and see if I am still alive.
I f*&^%$# love this place!
Tried this awhile back...
Since I heard and read so many reviews about this place...thought I'd finally give a try...
Fried Chicken Sandwich - Fried Chicken was pretty dry, but it was paired with coleslaw in the sandwich (which is pretty unique)
Oatmeal Cookies - simply D-E-L-I-C-I-O-U-S
Chocolate Chip Cookies - pretty disappointed
Lemon ICE - superrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr rrrrr SOUR and superrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr COLD (unless its a hot day or you're into super sour drinks - it's not for you)
Strawberry Shortcake - mediocre
The iron tables are pretty colorful and unique, but since I came on a cloudy day, we decided to do take out. Lines were long, but moved quickly. I guess cuz we ordered so much food that the cashier ALMOST forgot our Lemon Ice. And then on the way to the car, I dropped one of the Lemon Ices :[ *sad face + tears*.
If I come back, I definitely want to try their $25 chicken pot pie (but seriously...$25 for a pot pie, you gotta be kidding me or the best damn POT PIE ever made!). It's not even baked for you :(!!!
Bakesale Betty, I love you!
I knew I had to come here after hearing about it from a friend AND reading the awesome Yelp reviews. For all the Cal students reading this, it's a simple ride down Telegraph (on the 1), and it stops right across the street-- look for both the Temescal plaza sign (a Walgreens?) and a line out the door. Bakesale Betty does not have any signage, so keeps your eyes peeled! Guess it's suppose to be a secret only locals know about, but now there are no excuses!
Alex T. and I came on Sunday @ 11 and found that the line wasn't too bad. We waited around 20 minutes. As we left later, the line was almost double. So, I guess if you want to avoid long lines, come earlier than later. I had the fried chicken sandwich, apple pie, and cookie.
- Fried chicken: it really is what everyone has described it to be. Pieces of fried chicken on top of an amazing slaw (cabbage, red onion, herbs, jalapeno) in a light vinaigrette. I found myself making sure to finish all of the slaw, because it really is that wonderful. The bread itself is good too, although beware that eating it will be messy!
- Apple pie: equally amazing; especially the crust. Nice sprinkle of sugar with the perfect crunch. The apple was tart and sweet; perfect!
I ended up with a stomachache after scarfing down the entire sandwich but I'm not gonna blame it on Betty because my friend was fine. I really want to come back when the strawberry shortcake is in season, so I shall return soon!
The line moves pretty fast so don't be intimated! I got the lemon ice and the chicken sandwich. Lemon ice was good but a little too sweet. Chicken sandwich was amazing - they're very generous with t.he chicken! It was cooked perfectly. The veggies in the sandwich are super good but a little too much dressing. The bread of the sandwich is great!
Scone was good...Chocolate chip cookie was amazing! I prefer harder/chewier cookies to the soft moist kind. I love that they pass out free ones from time to time. I love the atmosphere around the store where you dine. I love the fact that we eat on ironing boards!! It's just the cutest thing ever (the outside dining area)!!
When you hear the name Bakesale Betty you would probably think of cookies, muffins, cupcakes, etc. However, when you walk in you see a huge line forming for.........chicken sandwiches.
I had the infamous fried chicken sandwich paired with a lemonade slushy. I made the mistake of taking it to-go. Next time I'll try it on their patio ironing board tables.
I'm not here to talk about the chicken sandwiches (although you should know that their egg salad and roast beef sandwiches are also very, very good). I'm here to talk about the chicken pot pie.
Now a lot of people will be deterred from buying the chicken pot pie because its take and bake. This is a mistake. In fact, you should quell your immediate urge to buy a chicken sandwich, buy a pie, go home, and bake it for an impossibly long 1:30 hours while mouth-watering, savory scents waft through the air.
The result? A beautiful golden, flaky crust packed full of perfectly cubed veggies and chunks of juicy, tender chicken. Bad chicken pot pie has that watery filling characteristic, but Betty has the filling down to an art form; its thick and luscious, nothing watery at all, leaving the bottom crust of the pie deliciously doughy but well cooked.
You might also initially scoff at the $25 price point of the pie, but for the average grown man, this could easily make 3-4 meals. Admittedly, its still not cheap, but this is about delectableness that will make you feel like your dreams of having a Southern born and bred grandma come true.
So the next time you stop by Betty's, pause for a second, sit on the part of the brain that's begging for instant gratification, and buy a pie. You'll thank yourself later.
I REALLY want to give Bakesale Betty's a good review. They were so nice and gave me a free strawberry shortcake the last time I was there. And that stuff was damn good. Howeverrr, we went there for the sandwich.. Maybe it was an off day in the kitchen or something because the whole sandwich was dry, very bland and boring.
=[ 3 out of 4 people in our group felt this way. Sorry Betty. I love your baked sweets but am not a fan of the sandwich.
I know, another 5 star review for Bakesale Betty! I've been frequenting this place for a while and seeing that there are more than 1500 reviews, don't think this place needs my review, but I just would like to say that I love buying the chicken sandwich for lunch, and buying a whole Chicken Pot Pie for dinner. Just take it home, bake it, and it's the most wonderful Chicken Pot Pie in the whole wide world!
It's a good fried chicken sandwich. By no means is it the be all and end all of chicken sandwiches, the way some people talk about it. First of all, they use a dry, hard roll. Come on, we're in the Bay area and there are plenty of great bakeries that make fantastic bread: step it up. Secondly, the cole slaw (albeit delicious) could use a bit of mayo (but that's a matter of opinion). Finally, the chicken: it is good, but completely unremarkable. My advice? Go for the egg salad. It's BOMB.
Best Friend rated this place - 5 STARS
BF rated this place - 1 BIG STAR
Unfortunately I have to go with the bf. I had high expectation for this spot. First off, WHERE THE F$# IS THE MENU?! ohh... it's on the wall.... Sorry, I'm too fobby to understand the handwriting. Took me awhile to figure out... sdflkjsdfl shortcake. I supposed that's strawberry shortcake?
We were standing in line like a dumbass without really understand the "menu." Waitress asked what we want, we were like "uhhhh..." (look around), "uhhh.... one fried chicken sandwich and one brisket sandwich.... uhh.. strawberry shortcake?....I think that's what it said on the wall.... uhh.... I guess that's it...." Waitress was nice with a big @ss smile on her face, but she reminded me of the movie, the stafford wives, programmed to politely take your order and rush you the hell out. Efficiency, efficiency.
And uhh.... since we were being rush, we forgot our drink! So we tried to squeeze in the drink with our order, but she had already got the bill for us. Efficiency at its finest. Well, as a result, (not a bad one), we got our drink for free, possibly because she didn't want us to hold the line lol.
Ironing board?! I'm not that big, and the bf is not that fat. It's freaking hard to eat on the ironing board, especially it wasn't that clean... ewww
Now the food. Major disappointment. The bf's shake-n-bake fried chicken is even more flavorful than the fried chicken here. Cole slaw was coarsely chopped and some herbs in it. I dont know... it's refreshing, but I can make that.... I looked at the bf's brisket sammich, it didn't look too appetitzing with the freaking chips falling all over the place.
Shortcake was good, but I think we could've make that ourselves.... Nothing really to it, generous amount of whippppeed cream, generous amount of fresh strawberries, and some cake. pssst.
Sorry. not a fan.
Went to Bake Sale Betty again.
I was fortunate to pre-order two fried chicken sandwiches and a slice of pumpkin pie cake for a pick up at 330pm after work.
Slice of pumpkin pie cake was delicious. It would have been better with the whipped cream they used for the strawberry short cake. Unfortunately, the strawberry short cake is not on the menu since strawberries is not in season. At least we know, strawberry fields are forever!
After all these years of working at Kaiser or unknowingly driving by this place on Telegraph to… Read more »
We thought we'd be able to beat the Friday lunch rush and got here before 11. The line was already out the door and past the rickety ironing board tables. Watching everyone else chowing down made my decision easy - forget the brisket, I was eating chicken for lunch!!
At first I didn't know what to make of the fork. But after my first couple bites I figured it out - I was stuffing my face too fast, and the fork was for finishing off everything else I couldn't fit in my mouth. Sweet jeebus that was an incredible sandwich. I sought out every last bit of crunchy seasoned skin. I loved the peppers lingering with the vinaigrette. Once I found my rhythm I was an unstoppable force. Left hand shake bottle of Frank's, right hand hold sandwich, take giant shameless bite of fried chicken + bread + whatever other goodness I could cram, smile dreamily, swallow, and repeat. Le sigh, cross another off my bucket list.
My only regret is that I didn't get a cookie. Disappointment =(
But now I have an excuse to come back. OM NOM NOM NOM!!!
holy shit dude that fried chicken sandwich is magical
So....in an effort not to be redundant:
The Lemon Ice is SO YUMMY!!! I don't think I have ever had such good lemon ice in my entire life. (I love anything and everything sour/citric-y)
Ms. Betty was so friendly as well. It's very hard to find this type of courtesy and genuineness these days. Extra points for making me feel special! :D
I have finally had a Bakesale Betty Fried Chicken Sandwich
::yelling to the sky::
I can liiiiiiiiiiiiiive!!
*ahem* or continue to. Yes. I felt like a leperous outsider because EVERYONE (their mom's included) has been here, and I hadn't.
I ordered the Fried Chicken sammich, the lemon ice, and the strawberry shortcake. I thought the sandwich was delish - and quite large. I like that they cut it in half ::smile:: Plan was to eat half now, and save the other for later (to soak up the libations I planned to have at Beta Lounge) Not. a good idea. Sandwich should be eaten promptly. NO REHEATING. I will now only go when someone wants to share it with me -
What pushed this review to 1 additional star was that Strawberry Shortcake....YOMMY! You want to take that Dessert to the next level? ...follow along..grasshopper.
1. Take home.
2. Remove cake portion in delicate manner as not to disturb strawberry mountain.
3. Place on saucer.
4. Insert into microwave device for approximately 7-10 seconds (depending on wattage)
5. Remove and return to it's container home (again, without disturbing strawberry/whip cream mountain)
6. Consume. Voraciously.
7. -and most important- DO. NOT. SHARE. I repeat DO NOT!!
Share the sammich. Not the Shortcake. Never the shortcake.
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