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Berkeley Bowl West
Categories: Food Grocery Food Specialty Food Health Markets Grocery, Health Markets
920 Heinz Ave(between 8th St & 9th St)
Berkeley, CA 94710
(510) 898-9555
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 9 am - 8 pm
Sun 10 am - 6 pm
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Garage, Private Lot
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
550 reviews for Berkeley Bowl West
Review Highlights
"Their produce section is phenomenal."
(in 68 reviews)
"It is by far the best grocery store I have ever been to."
(in 18 reviews)
"Underground parking is plentiful, with wide stalls."
(in 26 reviews)
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550 reviews in English
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Review from Tracey A.
San Anselmo, CA
2/8/2012 2 Check-ins Here
Has anyone ever read your mind? It happened in the produce section here, 2 guys stocking up for a healthy Super Bowl party when one announces :"I wish we had this market in San Francisco". Replace "SF" with "Marin" and he'd read my mind. That's the sort of jaw-dropping awe inspired by the huge and immaculate produce department here. I was palming 2 pomegranates, rounded an aisle and discovered more, different pomegranates, at a different price point. Same thing with pineapples and cherry tomatoes: A multitude of choices at varying price points, with signage that specifies their origin. I know I'm not supposed to buy cherry tomatoes or strawberries in winter but for 99 cents (from Mexico), why not?
Then I got to the honey department which I describe that way because it truly felt like one. Not just the honey in the plastic see-through bear plus a jarred brand and some spun honey. No, this was a whole section of honey including the one I came home with: a small, hand labelled jar filled with thick, milky white honey from "Montana Yellow Bee's". This is definitely not stocked at Safeway.
Unloading my bag at home, J could see from my purchases that this was a market that makes product purchase fun: pomegranates, strawberries, cherry tomatoes, Montana yellow bee clover honey, spiced almonds, sesame sweetened pecans, organic fruit scented face soap, salmon candy, prepared Kale Salad, green chili tortillas... a whole bag full of interesting products that inspire me to eat and eat well.
The fact that they had every line open and staffed with both a checker and a bagger, that those lines seemed to have no more than 2 people waiting at any time, and that the employees actually looked happy sealed the deal. This is a destination market, a place you should go out of your way to visit, and then you should return home and lobby for a place like this to come to your community. -
Review from Lana L.
San Francisco, CA
1/24/2012
What a fantastic grocery store! Fellow shoppers may be unusually pretentious at times, but this is a great place to shop! I live in SF and will try to stop by whenever I am in the East bay. You can find produce that you wouldn't come across at most other stores; you can buy a variety of dry foods in bulk at low cost; you can save even more by catching sales.
If you're hoity toity about foods (which, hey, if I had the money I would be too), you'll still find a very satisfying selection of organics and local fare. -
Review from Gigi M.
Castro Valley, CA
1/21/2012
Quality, variety, price. I rarely shop at other stores. I live in Castro Valley, but I still make Berkeley Bowl my main grocer.
The selection of fish and meat is very good. It is priced higher than Safeway or Luckys, but the quality and selection is much better. The staff that works behind the meat/fish counter are terrific.
Yes, the cheese selection is fantastic, there are so many choices and if you want to try some before buying you can do that too. They have a large selection of bulk foods and not just snacks. Tea, Pasta, Nuts, Flour, grains...and more.
Good deli selection, excellent prepared foods for takeout if that's what you'd like.
The underground parking garage is great to use in the bad weather. There is a lot of parking at this store.
I'm a HUGE fan. -
Review from Lauren T.
San Francisco, CA
1/14/2012 1 Check-in Here
The best grocery store I have been to since moving to the bay area.
I really wish they would do a store in the city so i wouldnt have to drive so far. It would make me extremely happy :) -
Review from Shirleyanne Z.
San Francisco, CA
1/7/2012
The merchandise is fresh to death and they carry an insane selection of fruits and veggies. They even carry Filipino mangoes when in season (Manila Mangoes....I know they're grown in Mexico but I don't really give a crap where they grew it as long as I get that type of mango.) Just walking around the store makes me feel like I'm absorbing organic healthiness via osmosis. I love perusing through the fruit and veggie section because it is so nicely organized and I love looking at all the colors of the fresh fruit and veggies.
They also carry ready to eat meals and those were pretty decent as well. They have a cafeteria across the main building. My friend bought a pizza there before and took it to our work and I must say that was really delicious. The parking is never a problem and the underground garage is dope.
The cheese section is insane. Cheese Fanatic approved! I feel like a kid in a candy store whenever I visit their cheese section. I also like the fact that they have free samples available for your grazing pleasure. It could get kinda dangerous for cheese junkies like me and I have bought a ton of cheese based on my happiness with the samples. Definitely check out the section if you visit BB.
BB also stocks me with my stash of Black Garlic. I don't even know what I'm going to do if they stop carrying it. Trust me, black garlic is so tasty on toasted sourdough bread. It's sweet and less pungent than fresh garlic. It looks ugly and rotten but dayyyymmmmmnnn I get tongue-gasms eating sourdough bread slathered with black garlic and butter. But I digress....so let's get back to BB!
Why the minus star? The fresh pasta they carry is ok. Sometimes I get a batch that's not too tasty, but I don't think it's Berkeley Bowl's fault. But still... I don't like the hit or miss quality of their fresh pasta selection. They're pretty much like Whole Paycheck (Whole Foods): they drain your wallet pretty quick if you're not paying attention. Trader Joe's is cheaper and offer about the same quality produce but less options.
Bottom line: BB is a great grocery store that gives you awesome options and carries items that is pretty inconvenient to find elsewhere. -
Review from Kevin C.
Oakland, CA
2/7/2012
Ya just can't beat the fruits and vegetables. Best that exists. They also have everything else to boot.
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Review from Nick B.
San Francisco, CA
1/17/2012
Cheese section is fantastic! HUGE variety of cheese with no comparison to regular safeway... yuck!
Customer service is also great, they have a big variety of high quality seafood and amazing produce and organic vegetables!!!
This is like a Safeway but way more organized, much more in stock, better quality and variety, and WAY BETTER SERVICE! -
Review from Kathleen A.
San Francisco, CA
1/29/2012
Ridiculously amazing produce section and fantastic meat department. The house made items are great quality.
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Review from John Z.
12/11/2011
With the encroachment of winter and its colder temps, I'm a firm believer in the power of hot food to balance one's chi. For me, that means less salad, and more cooked veggies. Fortunately I've never met a Brussels sprout I didn't like. But, with Whole Foods just a 5-minute walk from my home, why has Berkeley Bowl West wooed my business for produce and higher-end granola-yuppie wants?
First off, the produce selection, which speaks for itself -- fresher and far more varied. I like as well that the organic produce is separated from the rest of the green herd. The cheeses are sublime -- today I found the Point Reyes Toma variety featured in Osteria Stellina's phenomenal grilled cheese sandwiches. And for those with 'special-food' needs, BBW is a godsend -- a wide variety of gluten-free, ethnic and other niche specialties. If I'm trying a new recipe which calls for items "only available at specialty stores," odds are I'll find it here.
Two things that once vexed me but I've learned to deal with or work around:
-- Parking, which admittedly is better than the other BB. Weekends later afternoon, and weekdays mid-morning seem less manic.
-- The wait at the meat counter. If the store's anywhere near crowded, and you will be getting meat, grab a ticket first and start in on the rest of your grocery shopping (just don't tarry *too* long lest you lose your spot).
Prices generally better than Whole Foods as well. -
Review from Diana V.
12/13/2011 3 photos
When I discovered the wonder that is Berkeley Bowl on Shattuck, I was awe struck.
Then they said they would create a Berkeley Bowl WEST near Ashby!
Hallelujah!
I sometimes spend a free afternoon here in the cafe, after my acupuncture sessions (http://www.yelp.com/bi...), noshing on the amazing sandwiches they prepare in the deli and savoring a cup of Peets coffee. They make a mean pastrami sandwich : )
Wandering through the aisles, I appreciate that the organic section is separated at this location, with designated twisty ties, and their prepared foods are fresh and delicious enough to bring home for dinner that evening.
Hooray for below ground parking, as well as a parking lot and street parking! No more jostling for spaces, like at the Old Berkeley Bowl. -
Review from Nereida B.
Oakland, CA
12/8/2011 1 Check-in Here
BBW has almost everything you need for your kitchen needs. I really enjoy seeing the organic, local produce section separate from the conventional produce. The division of the produce makes it easier for me to quickly shop for what I need.
There is sufficient parking in both their underground garage and parking lot. The best time to shop at the Bowl is weekday mornings. Overall, a great place to shop for organic, seasonal produce at very reasonable prices. -
Review from John H.
Oakland, CA
1/23/2012
Berkeley Bowl has an incredible selection and quality of produce with better prices than any of its competitors. They also have a fish and meat counter that is impeccably fresh with many choices of wild fish and seafood as well as organic and grass-fed beef. The service at the fish and meat counter has always been efficient. I also love their bulk section where on most items you save money over buying prepackaged goods. It is one of the great things about living in the East Bay. There is nothing comparable in San Francisco. Even the Ferry Building is unimpressive by comparison.
On occasion I have gotten some bad produce and the 30-day return policy makes it hard to return anything, but the money I save on most of my purchases makes up for it. Their wine and cheese prices are not competitive so I buy those elsewhere, but where else can you buy fresh turmeric and over a dozen varieties of wild mushrooms?
The negatives:
Not overly friendly customer service counter.
Baggers who put potatoes on top of lettuce. (Watch them closely.)
Often so overcrowded that you cannot move in the aisles.
Customers who will shove their carts into your shins because... well... it's Berkeley.
Chaotic parking lot with narrow spaces that make it hard to get out of your car.
They don't take returns from their other store. (In 26 years shopping here, I have only tried to return an item on 3 occasions and there was always a reason why they would not take it back.)
In spite of these negatives, I still return after 26 years because there is no store I like better in SF or the East Bay.
(Should I regret posting this review because it will make the place even more crowded?) -
Review from Casey S.
I love Berkeley Bowl! I grew up in Alaska where produce is picked before it is ripe and sprayed with chemicals so it will ripen during the trip up north. The resulting product is shitty produce that is either rock hard or bruised and inedible. Oh, and did I mention the astronomical prices?
So when I walk into a grocery store like Berkeley Bowl, with its vast array of produce and large offerings of natural and organic products I feel like a kid in a candy shop, only this stuff is good for me!
Berkeley Bowl has almost all the same products as Whole Foods at a significantly lower price. I also really like their desserts and sushi rolls. Yum! -
Review from Alicia C.
Berkeley, CA
Updated - 12/13/2011
After living in Berkeley for a decent amount of time, I have to admit that Berkeley Bowl West is a pretty great place to get groceries.
I say this because a) the nearest Ranch 99 is hella far away and has poor quality fresh food, b) the Safeways in Berkeley are laughably small, poorly stocked, and overpriced, and c) where else can I find such a wide variety of produce, responsibly-sourced meats and dairy, cheese, and specialty food items? That's right, no where.
I concede, Berkeley Bowl West is pretty awesome. You'll find me here on the weekends, with the rest of the yupsters.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/9/2010
I come here to observe the yupsters in their natural habitat.
Lots of variety and okay prices for a… Read more »
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Review from Nique F.
11/2/2011 6 Check-ins Here
There is such an abundance of health-obsessed, upper-middle class locavores in Berkeley that they need not one but TWO Berkeley Bowls to appease the masses. And I'm fine with that. But for the record, this location is way better than the one on Shattuck...better parking, slightly less-obnoxious store layout, and a cleaner, more spacious feel.
The produce is dreamy, the cheese section is daunting, and the soup/ salad/ sushi offerings are vast and cheaper than Whole Foods (did you know a cup of soup is $6 at WF these days?!? Only $4 at BB).
There's really nothing you can't find here, if you're willing to search for a while. You wouldn't believe how hard it is to find polenta, and how much harder it is to find a Berkeley Bowl staff member to guide you in the right direction. After a few laps around the store, I finally stumbled upon the bulk section...yet another glorious trap.
But why oh WHY the abrasive warehouse lighting? It really doesn't do justice to the colorful spread of dragonfruit and lychee and mangosteen. Fluorescent lighting kills the liberated shopper's spirit...yet, we still come with wallets eager to be emptied in the name of virtuous indulgence.Listed in: East Bay Errands, Salad Bar Hop!
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Review from Ann L.
Updated - 11/20/2011
Went to BBW to buy some veggies for the week.
Org red chard $1.89
org. swiss chard $1.89
Org mini red beet $1.59
org. rainbow chard $1.89
bargain produce green bell peppers - 99c
Org. potatoes 5lb $2.89
Org. Arkansas Black apple $1.69/lb got 4 for $2.54
NY Macoun Apples $1.39/lb 2 for $1.24
Brought my own bag get .05c credit.
My total $14.87 charged it.2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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11/26/2009
2nd time to Berkeley Bowl West. I didn't have much time here to shop.
Thing I got:
Bag of Fuji apples… Read more »
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Review from Lo B.
Oakland, CA
2/1/2012
This might be the best grocery store ever. I love exploring the aisles of colourful produce. I am always able to sample new things that I have never tried before, as they have rotating sales each week. I am also very happy with the selection of organic options, their self branded selections, wide supply of supplements and health products, and farm fresh "humane" dairy for much less than the competition.
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Review from Alissa A.
11/3/2011 1 Check-in Here
Mostly good, a little bad, definitely not ugly.
The Berkeley Bowl A-game:
+Doesn't break the bank or thin your wallet
+Produce is silly cheap, even organic
+Floral/plant section always looks great
+Seafood counter, FTW
+Bulk galore, with efficient weighing/check out process
+Adjacent cafe (if the prepared foods weren't enough: sandwiches, sushi, pastries, coffee bar)
+Asian and ethnic sections much larger than most stores
+Easy on-off the highway
+Clean
Not so hot:
-Did you ever see them handle the produce? Bummer. As I watched the stock guys literally chuck the fruit into the shelves/piles. Hello bruised piece of fruit.
-Crazy yuppie moms in SUVs and Prius's nearly plowing you down like cattle in the parking lot or coming out of the garage
Overall, worth going out of your way to shop hereListed in: Cook it yourself
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Review from Lempi M.
11/17/2011 2 Check-ins Here
If you want to put it in your stomach and it can't be found at Berkeley Bowl--don't bother. If they don't sell it, it must be crap. They have EVERYTHING.
The new location is good news for the fine residents of Berkeley who were unwilling to risk the war zone-like original Berkeley Bowl where flustered Prius owning members of the Berkeley natural fibre mafia duked it out with each other over parking slots.
For all the goodness you might expect to pay an arm and a leg, but BBW is actually cheap. Not that you can't break the bank buying funny food, but if you stick to the stadard fare, it's cheaper than Lucky's.
BBW has great bike parking up front and a nice lot below. At the register, you can buy tickets to donate bread and milk to families in need. It's nice to be able to help other people out without having to go out of your way much to do so. -
Review from T L.
San Francisco, CA
1/8/2012
The fruits and vegetable selection at this place is amazing! The meat and seafood section is always fresh because of the high turnover. They have everything from A to Z with a nice selection of organic products. Its like Whole Foods but without the mark up. They also have a cafe where you can hot food. Plenty of parking and friendly staff. The only bad part of shopping here would be the weekend crowd. It gets packed SILLY!
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Review from David W.
Berkeley, CA
1/12/2012
Berkeley Bowl West is a fantastic grocery store - you will be able to find anything you need there. One thing I'd say though is that your fellow shoppers often behave as if they are the only one there. A typical experience - you go down an aisle and find a cart parked directly in the middle, blocking your way - not on the side, but always directly in the middle. Also, if you do park on the side of the aisle, I guarantee someone else will come along and park there cart right next to you (rather than a few feet further down which allow others to be able to roll through).
The staff are always nice and helpful!
I recommend shopping here, but only during hours when it is not so busy. -
Review from Amy R.
San Francisco, CA
9/26/2011
This is not, as you may suspect, a review of a bowling alley. After making a promise to a friend that I would make ham for her birthday, I discovered that many grocery stores in the Bay Area consider hams to be a seasonal vegetable only to be sold in cans during the off season.
I have never had canned ham. Nor do I wish to.
So...after taking myself on a self guided Bay Area Safeway crawl (...and no, it wasn't just Safeway) it occurred to me that the ever awesome Berkeley Bowl has more flavors of meat than there are flavors of Jelly Belly.
I nervously called them and pushed a button to be transferred to the meat department.
Amy: Do you have ham? I mean, ham like as in "a ham."
Meat Lady: Ham?
Amy: Y'know like a ham that you would buy for the holidays that would be smoked but not glazed and have, like a bone in it?
Meat Lady: *incredulous pause* Yes, we have hams.
I think she had no idea that anyone would expect them not to have hams...because normal effing stores have hams! I don't know why I didn't think of Berkeley Bowl sooner.
Anywho, I'm kind of sad that my not crowded new location of Berkeley Bowl seems to have become very crowded and well known since I moved to SF...but I'm also happy because the better they do the higher their chances of opening another location in the city (Hint! Hint!).
The prices are great for organic produce. Even though I LOL'd at the wax paper sandwich bags, I was pleased to see that they had the oven bags I needed. In fact, they had everything I needed which is often not the case with organic hippie grocery stores.
Aside from the meat counter, the produce section is unreal. If they don't have it, it doesn't exist. They have a pre-made food counter similar to Whole Foods but unlike Whole Foods the food is damned delicious and a bit cheaper. They even sell my favorite hippie cabbage products (kimchi and sauerkraut) that I used to get at my Berkeley farmers market (Cultured Organic is the brand).
I think they should change their name to "The Glory of California" because walking around the store reminds me how lucky I am to live in a place where I can get so much variety. Seriously, if you can deal with the Sunday afternoon Costco shopping crowd experience, you will leave here happy.
The best part? When some lady catches you singing the song you just made up about ham while you're walking through the parking lot, she'll probably just smile at you for this is the way of the hippie. -
Review from Lyd D.
El Cerrito, CA
10/12/2011
I love the wide variety of produce at Berkeley Bowl. It's a candy-store of produce. I'm trying to remember how many varieties of plums or plouts, melons we get to choose from during the summer months, and mandarin oranges during the cooler months, sweet potatoes in the fall... you get the picture. The selection is huge. I already go to 2 different farmer's markets weekly, but I always make sure I go to Berkeley Bowl West too. Sometimes the produce manager will indicate that something is "very good tasting" or "very good eating," and I always try them and have yet to be disappointed by their recommendation.
I don't know how anyone could dislike Berkeley Bowl West. I loved the original Berkeley Bowl on Shattuck, and I love the newer and expanded one too, but Berkeley Bowl West has parking! Plenty of parking! It still gets crowded but you will find a spot somewhere convenient, unlike the one on Shattuck where it can be notoriously difficult to find a parking spot. Who wants to push a full shopping cart 4-5 blocks to get to your car? (And then to push the empty cart all the way back to the store?)
We are so spoiled in this area: we have Monterey Market and 2 Berkeley Bowl markets. Now, seriously, do people need to read Yelp reviews before deciding to go to Berkeley Bowl? -
Review from Rachel W.
Oakland, CA
11/1/2011
I'm not sure why I've never written a review on the one place that I shop every week. I've been going to the Berkeley Bowls since college (and let's just say that's a long time!)
I love the produce section of the West store. So organized and well priced. Most of it is locally produced which is awesome. The meat department is full of helpful butchers who will not only show you the best piece of meat, chicken, fish, bison, etc...but tell you how to cook it!
Great for a non-domestic like me.
This place has a homegrown feel which I love and great prices! You will be able to find everything you need here. Buy local, buy organic.
Power to all locavores! -
Review from Deepa P.
Emeryville, CA
11/21/2011
I love shopping at Berkeley Bowl! The selection of produce is probably the best in the bay, even better than Monterey market. Literally, every vegetable and fruit known to man kind. They also have a great selection of cheeses and deli items as well as a great cafe.
My only problem is, and the reason i didn't give 5 stars, is that there prices for everything other than produce are very expensive. So we really only buy produce here and then go to Trader Joe's for all the other goods. -
Review from Tatianna P.
Truckee, CA
10/14/2011
I have a hard time imagining that anyone could dislike Berkeley Bowl West. I'm a fan of both Berkeley Bowl locations, but West is even better than the other place. Sure, you have your occasional outlandishly priced product (I remember seeing some magical apparently unicorn-rendered organic almond butter for 20 something bucks, once), but they are generally easy to avoid, because there are so many options.
The produce section is the best part of this store, though, hands down. So many varieties of food to choose from, and so much to explore. Want to try a dragon fruit, just for the heck of it, for example? You can find them here. When I want good arugula, guavas, tamarindo or yucca, I know I can rely on BBW. I also come here to find delicious cheeses, tofu from hodo soy beanery, and awesome bulk goods. The pre-prepared food in their deli-like section is pretty good, too. When I feel lazy and want someone to make a gigantic burrito for me, but don't feel like eating out, or need to get off my bum and grab some groceries anyway, this is a nice option.
I have to say, the parking situation is pretty fantastic here, considering how impacted parking can be for Berkeley businesses. Multiple lots to choose from, and if you live in the right places, you can always take the Emery-Go-Round and skip driving completely. The only con is that solicitors hang outside pretty often (yes, I love our oceans/forests/feel sorry for illiterate children/recognize the need to address X,Y, or Z injustice, but sometimes I just want to get my groceries...not to devalue how hard it is to solicit donations)
Final note: my boyfriend is addicted to the pizza bagels sold here. Pizza bagel lovers take note. -
Review from James M.
Emeryville, CA
12/30/2011
If not for the great produce section, I would probably give this store 1 star.
Why you ask? Because every time I try to buy deli meats, I have to wait a ridiculous amount of time. Just this morning, I stood next to a woman for almost 10 minutes, while 9 (counted - 9) people are standing behind the counter doing god-knows-what. And then when I ask if anybody is helping customers, I receive a smarmy reply: "You need to take a number and someone will help you." But I already had taken a number, as did the woman standing next to me. Then finally someone comes over and starts counting from 82 (there is nobody there until number 89 - because all the people before 89 had already left). And no, five minutes might not a long period of time - IF THERE IS A LENGTHY QUEUE OF PEOPLE, but there were 2 PEOPLE waiting, not a line of 10. And regardless of the line, 10 minutes is too long. I ended up asking again if someone is helping the customers, and I received the same response. So I put my number in the trash, and walked away.
So 1 person helps customers, while 8 employees stand behind the counter cutting things? Isn't the customer most important? Especially at a grocery store? If the employees aren't capable of thinking for themselves and they cannot assist a customer who is obviously waiting for service, then the managers need to train the employees.
So what's the deal here? Same thing with buying sliced cheese, half the time there is nobody standing there to assist customers.
I'm going to stop going here altogether if the Berkeley Bowl management doesn't do anything to fix this problem, because I do not want to have to go to multiple grocery stores to complete my shopping. -
Review from Nick L.
San Francisco, CA
10/31/2011
Wow! There's no other way to describe this place. The produce section is outrageous!
I have never seen so many different types of fruits and veggies it's mind boggling.
If you need it or can even imagine it then it's probably there! -
Review from Karen Z.
9/4/2011
AVOID!!!! Obviously the store was laid out by a madman, and then idiotically overstocked by his sadistic sidekick. Two carts could not pass in many sections because of the way-too-copious fruit displays. And tables of tomatoes are augmented by crates that take up valuable and much needed space for movement. It was AWFUL.
Claustrophobics and those prone to panic attacks would have to be institutionalized after this nightmare. Aisles are much much too skinny for this volume.
By the way, what kind of crazies go BACK to this place??? I'm honestly disturbed that someone would willingly go back. That's insane!!!!!!
Profoundly terribly organized. For example, cream cheese is nearly at the opposite end of the store from yogurt. The two (yes two!) produce areas are not arranged in the same way, at all. Whole celery and cut celery are not remotely near one another.
Hand-written (!!) price signs by the produce are not clear. For example, which green grape is the lower-priced "Thompson" grape? The packaging does not reveal this mystery. I could live with the hippy-dippy handwritten wackiness if the sign did the friggin' job. Sigh. Oh, Berkley.
Then, because Berkeley Bowl West had clearly conspired to make this nightmare as excruciating as possible, this happened: the checker did not want to lean over the twenty inches to reach my purchases. Seriously. She asked me to push things closer to her. Yes, i know how ridiculous that sounds. While juggling my keys, purse, open wallet, I push my groceries forward and my avocado goes rolling off the table. It was closing time and there were lots of people in line behind me. Not practical to go get another. So I have a badly bruised avocado because of that lazy bitch. And when I said something, she said "oh, you think it's bruised now?" Ya THINK?? it just dropped thirty inches to the floor and rolled eight feet. The LEAST she could have done was comp me the avocado. And if she's not powered to do so, shame on management.
I did not know that grocery shopping could be so awful. In fact, I'm thinking that was the worst shopping experience I'm ever had, period.
To repeat, AVOID AVOID AVOID! -
Review from Nick M.
Oakland, CA
8/30/2011
I came for the produce.
I stayed for the anthropology.
I like to take my black friends here because, to be brief, it gives the lie basically to every racist stereotype that exists about people of color on the books.
I have seen white people swing a sharp right with their shopping carts and knock over small children and, after looking around in a half-assed attempt to make sure no one saw, continue along their path without so much as a flinch. Kid's sitting on the floor weeping, yo? What's happening here?!?
I have witnessed white women fighting savagely over the last package of La Tortilla Factory Green Chile tortillas.
I have happened upon the scene of pasty-faced motherfuckers swinging elbows on each other while going down the aisle for no good reason at all.
This is the place where one views pétit bourgeois thuggery at its most uninhibited.
I have been to the promised land. And it is...glorious. Thank you, BBW. Also I can't front on the price for the bulk cumin. -
Review from Amanda G.
San Ramon, CA
12/27/2011
I love this grocery store. The cafe has the great food and really quick service. The customer service is wonderful and everyone is always willing to help you.
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Review from Salonje R.
Walnut Creek, CA
Updated - 9/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
Really love this place! Used to come here during lunch when I worked for UC Berkeley and I love it! Did a great job with design/architecture. Workers may need a little help with improving the awareness of their surroundings BUT loving what they sell! So glad Mamma Chia is here as well. So in love with them!
Also, they give homeless free organic groceries! I just love them!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/28/2010
I went into the Berkeley Bowl West Cafe and I ordered a Grilled Cheese Sandwich and grabbed a Wakame… Read more »
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Review from Zoey R.
Livermore, CA
12/2/2011
I really do love this place. However, they charge us for organic even though everything we buy is not organic. So they try to get away with over charging us every single time we go there. It has happened for years. So really pay attention to fruits and veggies they ring up.
They have a wonderful assortment of fruits, veggies, nuts, olives. If you are a cook you will be heaven. -
Review from Tony W.
Minneapolis, MN
9/15/2011
Four and a half stars? No way. Independent grocery stores are great, but Berkeley Bowl doesn't measure up to the hippie awesomeness that is a food co-op. First, they're only open until 8PM, which means it's crowded after work hours which is a bad start.
Nobody in the deli knows about their ingredients, and nothing is labeled as vegetarian, vegan, etc. I asked if a pasta dish was vegan, and the answer was "yes, except we use oyster sauce in everything in the deli." Umm, that makes nothing even vegetarian. I'll give Berkeley Bowl points for having bakery items labeled as vegan, and assuming they don't use oyster sauce in making scones, that was at least awesome.
I didn't think I'd have to check expiration dates while shopping, but apparently I can't trust Berkeley Bowl to do that for me. I came home with two expired items -- one by two weeks, another by a month.
And don't get me started about the store's layout. Juice, guacamole, and milk are on the other side of the store from most of the refrigerated items. Lots of stuff just doesn't make sense.
I'd rather shop at Berkeley Bowl than Trader Joe's, but Whole Foods is a better shopping experience when you consider the awful mess that is Berkeley Bowl's bulk/fruit/veggie section. Which sucks to say, because I love supporting independent grocers. In all reality, the Bay Area is seriously missing some co-op action. -
Review from Bronwen H.
Berkeley, CA
9/7/2011
I pity you if you dare shop here on a sunday. Its crowded with people who stand around and stare at things not knowing where the hec to go. But go on a nice Wednesday morning and alls fine and dandy.
I am a big foodie and as such I appreciate the variety and quality Berkeley Bowl provides. Makes me think of Whole foods but less pricey and a lot less yuppie. They have a great meat/seafood selection and lots of yummy cheeses. Plus prices aren't bad, cheaper than Andronico's or whole foods but definitely same quality.
This is my choice when is comes to food shopping, I just try to go mid week in the early morning when it won't be crowded.
You have been forewarned of the crowds that can drive some to insanity, this is a great grocery store, just know when to go and you will have an awesome-tastic experience. :D -
Review from Gabriel D.
San Francisco, CA
9/14/2011
Once you've been to Berkeley Bowl West, no other grocery store can ever measure up. Whole Foods? Nowhere near the selection, and double the price. Mollie Stone's? Even less selection, even higher prices. Fresh and Easy? So pedestrian. Safeway? Are you kidding?
Personal favorites: fruit and fish...But there are many other wonderful items. -
Review from Kristina P.
Daly City, CA
I was on yelp searching for a place where I could go grocery shopping near my bf's job. I came across Berkeley bowl west.
omg! I love this place! I've never seen a grocery store carry so many interesting items all in one place!
I've been shopping here for almost two...three weeks now? I love going through the bulk area, I put together my own trail mix with the honey roasted peanuts, flame raisins, &peanut butter chips& guittard chocolate chips. cheaper than what I would spend on regular trail mix!
they also sell exotic fruits like hornmelon, dragonfruit, & so on. there are a lot of registers, Naomi, one of the cashiers is hella fast! I always like going in her line because I know I'll be out in a flash.
I'll be shopping here more often!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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9/1/2011
i looked at the reviews on yelp and was curious myself to look and see what is so interesting about… Read more »
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Review from Phan H.
Berkeley, CA
12/11/2011
I didn't realize that there was a organic supermarket behind where I lived. The place is basically a cheaper version of whole foods, but has a larger selection of fresh produce. They sell mostly groceries, but you'll be able to get mostly everything you will need to make a meal.
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Review from spencer w.
San Jose, CA
12/1/2011 1 Check-in Here
This market is insane if you're a cook. You can find produce here that you won't find anywhere else in the bay area. Their selection of wild mushrooms is always plentiful. Also their selection of craft beer is pretty amazing. The only aspect of the market that i wasn't impressed with the meat department, as most of the meat didn't look to fresh. The prices for the meats and seafood weren't great either. Definately check this market out if you're in the area, you're sure to find something new and exotic.
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Review from madass d.
Oakland, CA
10/12/2011 1 Check-in Here
One piece of advice - GO HERE.
Even if it's just to browse, you gotta see this place. The produce department is amazing, so much that it's split into two sections, organic and not organic. I realized the difference by the color of the plastic bags. It goes beyond belief to how much 'groceries' can be put into one store. Some items are priced competitively, so shop smart.
The selection is enormous if you're after apples or alcohol.
Although it's far from the house, It's my new favorite market.
Give it a look, even once. You will be amazed.
