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Brennan's Restaurant
Category: Restaurants American (Traditional) American (Traditional) [Edit]
700 University Ave(between 3rd St & 4th St)
Berkeley, CA 94710
(510) 841-0960
- Hours:
Mon-Wed, Sun 11 am - 9:30 pm
Thu-Sat 11 am - 10:30 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Validated, Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
146 reviews for Brennan's Restaurant
Review Highlights
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"Their Irish coffee was always a treat." In 16 reviews -
"hot open face roast beef sandwich rules." In 7 reviews -
"...seeing for a year when she suddenly wants mashed potatoes." In 32 reviews
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146 reviews in English
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Review from Mike F.
12/31/2011
One of my favorite places in the area to grab a turkey sandwich.
I try and stop by here to grab some lunch when I'm visiting, as I don't live around here anymore.
It really is a hidden gem by the train tracks. Their bread is always fresh, and the food is great. They hand carve the turkey as you order it, and know just the right amount of condiments to put on it.
There's a bar inside, but I've never grabbed a drink. They also have darts and Xbox Kinect that according to the sign is available to play every night. -
Review from daniela s.
Berkeley, CA
3/31/2012
The turkey was inedible for everyone at my
table; it was dry and rubbery. I hate wasting
food, so I took it home to put into soup. I was charged for
a turkey sandwich even though all I got was a few
slices of meat. The Mac and cheese was gluey and tasted like margarine. The green salad was
drowned in dressing. The beer was $5.
The second star is for the staff, who were friendly.
Now, I know why people put up such a fuss when this place was declared a historical site by the city of Berkeley. It's stuck in the 50's in all the wrong ways. I won't be back. -
Review from SR W.
El Cerrito, CA
Was and is still the best place to run into old friends in Berkeley, but the siblings that have take the reins, are not in tune with upgrading the history and trying to get new customers or keeping the regulars. The food is not top quality of fresh. For local events they do not try to make efforts to promote sales or events, like the old days.
Clean and great sports viewing!
Mr. CListed in: Local bars and Taverns
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/2/2012
The best local place to meet freinds, from the old day and the past 100 years of Berkeley. But the… Read more »
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Review from Jessica R.
Oakland, CA
12/30/2011
Best sports bar in the area. Most space I've seen for a fans to sit and have a pint at the bar, or sit down and watch the game.
That being said, it's not a place to intimately be with someone.
Cafeteria style seating with a la cart food too. More than likely I will be watching the Superbowl here because of the huge tvs and nice space to move around and fully physically embrace football games.
Yeah, I'm that type of girl. -
Review from Rebekah T.
San Francisco, CA
We all know where to get the Irish Coffee in San Francisco, but if you are craving it across the Bay, you need Brennan's. I absolutely love a little Irish bar, but the restaurant kills it too. My kinda spot.
It's the type of place to stop in for a hearty meal, a strong cocktail or beer, watch a game or hang out with friends. I've been here for the Corned Beef and Cabbage and Green Beer on St. Patty's day. Worth every little bite and FUN!
These types of places remind me of my grandpa. He used to bring me to the no-nonsense hofbrau style blue plate specials. I think I will always have a fondness for carved meat meat plates with mashed potatoes, gravy and maybe a three bean salad, or a screaming open faced sandwich. These are the meals that stick to your ribs!
My new favorite East Bay tour guide extraordinaire and HH King took me here for a couple Irish Coffees and we split a slice of pie. He went and ordered and came back with a Key Lime Pie. (Probably my least favorite out of the PIE family) I gave it a bite and it was delicious. I guess I really need to venture out of my little picky pie phase.
This place is quite awesome and will always be on my food lovers rotation. Which means I'll be back, Baby! -
Review from Bryan D.
Alamo, CA
3/23/2012
This place is awesome. If your grandma made awesome thanksgiving dinner every single night (and served beer) they would be Brennans restaurant.
I suggest the stuffing instead of the mashed potatos. I also suggest the pastrami instead of anything. But really, its all good. Also, they have multiple beers on tap, which is another plus. -
Review from Lola R.
Point Reyes Station, CA
8/19/2011
MEEEEEAAAAAT! MEAT MEAT MEAT MEAT MEAT MEAT MEAT. DId I mention the meat? OK, why five stars....the food (meat) really isn't five star good. But if you look at the whole (meat) picture, you kinda (meat) get it.
MEAT MEAT MEAT MEAT!
So here's why I love Brennan's so much. We generally go there on a Sunday after getting our arses kicked by the 30 knot winds on the SF Bay after a long day of sailing. We have a 68 foot sailboat and she's a bit of a handful. Meat is just what a gal needs after getting knocked about in "the slot" of the SF Bay.
The corned beef plate is awesome. Cabbage, CB and mash with gravy. YUM! Guaranteed to raise your blood pressure by at least 30 points systolic and increased your risk of heart disease by 21%. They don't often have lamb but when they do, GET IT.
The milk is always ICE COLD which goes really well with their OTT Chocolate Cake.
The train runs right behind the resto. This both good and bad. Good: we put coins on the track and collect them after. Bad: sometimes they (the trains blow the whistle and it's really startling. I don't look forward to the day they startle some old fart who aspirates their corned beef and I have to run over and Heimlich it out of them.
The BEST thing ever is that they sell the Turkey carcasses for next to nothing and you can take them home and make enough soup to feed an army.
Did I mention the meat??? -
Review from Carlos C.
Richmond, CA
4/15/2012
I like it but they ran out of bread bowls it was what I came for. I like where it is located right next to the ocean.
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Review from Denise A.
8/11/2011
This place might earn 3 stars from me if for no other reason than location!
It's open when not much else is nearby, so it was convenient, especially since a friend had to catch amtrak. Also the service/staff is really friendly/nice. However, the food itself was nothing special. The mac and cheese and mashed potatoes were pretty bland/lacking in flavor. The sandwiches were not bad leaning towards bland. The turkey was dry (I should have asked him to dip the bread). The stuffing was tasty though. In my opinion, the best of all the sides. I didn't find this place particularly cheap or a good deal, mostly because the food was so unimpressive. There's a nice view out the window of the tracks so you can see trains coming/leaving. Given the circumstances, it was a good decision at the time but I wouldn't return here if I had other options/time wasn't an issue. -
Review from Pacita D.
Alameda, CA
8/13/2011
Went there with a group of friends who are big fans of the place. I was glad to see that they have quite a selection --- but I was warned not to order the fish and chips (not their specialty). But isn't fish and chips a typical fare in an English pub?
Got a taste of the beef brisket but opted for the corned beef and cabbage. Good, but not something I would crave or yearn to go back for. Had corn on the cob that was overboiled and practically had no flavor left.
Did I make a mistake by getting the bread pudding? The taste was good, but the texture and ingredients....nah.
And if you're a wine drinker, this is NOT the place for you, Their only choices of house red are merlot and cabernet sauvignon, served in an Irish coffee glass.
Ordered a shrimp salad to go --- the shrimp were teeny tiny, probably even smaller than "popcorn" shrimp. This size should be used for garnish, not as a main course selection. A small scoop of the shrimp over a lot of greens, a dash of carrots and some olives....THAT was their salad. I'll make sure I don't order it next time. Oh, wait. There WON'T be a next time.
Guess the attraction of this place is that it's comfort food in big servings -- it's perfect for college students and sports fans. -
Review from Leslie A.
Vacaville, CA
1/14/2012
I was first introduced to Brennan's from my boyfriend's step-father. He's been going here since he was in grad school. I was glad to experience it because I enjoy eating at Brennan's. It's one of the only places where I can get a REAL turkey dinner. A good size portion for a reasonable price. Food is always moist and flavorful. You never leave hungry. The restaurant is clean and the staff is friendly. I am always willing to come back.
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Review from Amy B.
Saint Louis, MO
9/30/2011
Stopped into Brennan's after seeing the sign from the highway. We were on our way to the airport and were just needing a quick lunch. Brennan's worked well.
I was surprised by the cafeteria style when we walked in. Not really the cutest place. It's in the neighborhood of Berkley which could be considered sketchy.
The food is all supposed to be homemade which originally got me excited, but it tasted pretty generic to me. We all got sandwiches and green salads. They were good, but nothing spectacular. I also got a side of mashed potatoes. They tasted instant so I kind of doubt the homemade factor there too.
My lunch was around $10 which I found to be great considering what we got. As I said, it worked well for a quick lunch. -
Review from Lisa K.
Berkeley, CA
1/5/2012
Yes, it's a bit pricey for hof brau style food. Harry's in Hayward is much better but we go here a lot for the $2.50 pints of PBR and turkey leg ala carte ($4.95) which are the best deals here.
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Review from Tracy A.
Oakland, CA
12/19/2011 1 Check-in Here
I happened upon this place for a less than ideal occasion, to honor a friend's untimely passing. This was one of his favorite drinking spots. I can see why. The food is nothing to write home about, think cafeteria style, but they had plenty of good beers on tap and a roomy bar that has space for all.
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Review from Richard F.
San Leandro, CA
12/7/2011
Highly recommended if you like cold food and like to share with ants. Manager couldn't be bothered. AVOID!!!
Comment from Margaret W. of Brennan's Restaurant 12/23/2011
While you and your wife were the only customers who… More » -
Review from Savier M.
4/8/2011
I had a HUMONGOUS Turkey leg, kale, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and a roll.
YES YES: Huge serving for what you are paying, lots of space, a full bar, double paned windows of steel (you cannot hear the trains passing by even if you wanted to).
KINDA BAD (But expected): The food was bland. If you are from the south or have a family that cooks like it, this places food will seem like a very basic rendition of a family dinner. Rosemary, sage, salt, and pepper got shafted at this place. I refuse to believe that the stuffing is cornbread stuffing. It had a "Boston Market" type taste to it. Eww.
Neutral: Irish Coffee was good. The whiskey was spot on but I needed a stronger, slightly thicker cream and a seriously bold blend of coffee.
I'd say this place is good if you need a cheap meal and live in the area. -
Review from Kurt H.
Houston, TX
12/26/2011
We just spent $100 for food at this horrible place and they would not let the children in our company eat with us. The food is overpriced and not very good. The staff was rude. Don't come here!!!
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Review from Bonnie H.
Berkeley, CA
2/20/2011
My favorite place to eat after a long day of swimming or a long day in general. I get the turkey leg platter every single time. It can't be beat: tender dark meat that falls off the bone, moist stuffing, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, and a roll. I get double veggies instead of mashed potatoes and they're always down to accommodate; their veggies are just too good, especially when they have roasted carrots.
Come here if you're hungry, want to watch a game, or just socialize with some good oldtimers. I promise you can't go wrong. -
Review from Terry T.
3/27/2011
I had been thinking of a hot roast beef sandwich for weeks when a groupon ticket became available.
I ordered the hot roast beef sandwich with lots of gravy. We hit the cafeteria line at the right time because, unlike the comfort food of my youth, the beef was really rare--it was perfect.
S was a little harder to please. He wanted the crispy end of any piece of meat and they would not cut it for him. He finally had beef and he was able to talk the people out of a piece of crispy turkey to put on top of his plate. I must say they were more patient with him than I would have been.
I read the reviews and several mentioned it was filled with old people, S said the same thing. I pointed out that we might be old people, he said we weren't. S said it was not healthy to eat all this meat and gravy very often. Then I reminded him that he mentioned that there were a lot of old a people eating the food and my guess is that this type of food just might somehow be helping them.
The service was good, prices resonable, and the portions were generous. I liked sitting by the window and really hoped an Amtrak train would have rumbled by. They must be doing something right they have been in business for a very long time.
I'm not sure why S and I have never stopped at this restaurant before. I am quite certain we will back for another dose of comfort food. -
Review from Paul B.
Oakland, CA
12/22/2011
Skimpy and very over priced ... I gave it a few chances and even talked to management.. They have a regular bar crowd that keeps it belly up and could care less about the food being served ..I will never return to eat or drink here. SAFEWAY had better sandwiches for half the money.
Comment from Margaret W. of Brennan's Restaurant 12/23/2011
You are right. Safeway does have lower prices. Safeway is a… More » -
Review from Brandi G.
Alameda, CA
12/13/2010 4 Check-ins Here
I waddle up to the counter with a starry look in my eyes and an ounce of drool dripping from my chin. As I giggle sheepishly, I am dumbfounded by all the glorious choices. Baked ham, roast beef, corned beef, barbecue beef brisket, pastrami, a side of beans, shrimp salad, mashed potatoes, or how about sauerkraut, cranberry sauce or stuffing? The list goes on for eternity. Brennan's has all of a sudden turned this chick into Baby Huey in the flesh.
It almost feels as if someone plopped me down in front of 101 drop-dead gorgeous men, and then informs me I have exactly ten seconds to figure out which one I want to....uh....share this wonderful meal with.
After choosing the open-faced turkey sandwich with a shrimp salad, I find a cozy spot at one of the open tables. The sandwich was as delectable as thanksgiving leftovers and the sourdough bread was soft and fresh.
Besides the traditional tables and bar stools, they also have the fun communal tables. I love restaurants with communal tables, especially when you have a hard time narrowing 101 picks to 1. -
Review from Lorissa W.
Hercules, CA
4/29/2011
This place is really pretty inside (relaxing dark green walls with dark red wood panels), clean, and new looking. Lots of large televisions tuned to sports and Food TV. There was no one else in the food line at 3:15PM.
We had the shrimp salad, roast beef hot plate, half turkey salad and Mrs. Brennan's custard.
Shrimp salad-- lots of little shrimp, fresh greens, and two olives. For about six dollars, it's a pretty good deal. It's a medium size salad so it goes well with a sandwich or half a sandwich. It was tasty.
Half turkey sandwich-- very generous amount of freshly sliced white turkey meat (enough meat for a full sandwich was stuffed into half a sandwich) but the meat was so dry that I had a hard time swallowing my food. Luckily, a small cup of cranberry sauce came with my sandwich which did help moisten my dry turkey. Rye bread was super fresh and tasty. Overall, this sandwich was not desirable.
Hot roast beef plate-- Lots of roast beef but the meat was tough too. Very good tasting gravy and mashed potatoes that stayed warm the entire time. Three small slices of roasted squash. A nice dinner roll came with it. Not bad but the meat was a little tough.
Mrs. Brennan's custard-- there was only two left at 3:15PM. Not too sweet, nice texture, and a medium size bowl at $2.50 was a steal. Highly recommended.
All of this was about 24 dollars. I will come back but will try different dishes. The custard/shrimp salad was the best. FYI-- I did see many older people but that just made us younger people feel sexier! ; ) -
Review from Shannon G.
Walnut Creek, CA
Updated - 6/23/2011
In the new location, Brennan's still gets 5 stars from me.
They continue to serve the same items at the same quality, but the new spot has a more modern feel, albeit a little noisy.
I'll continue to frequent Brennan's as long as they're in business because I know I can get my favorite comfort foods, in gigantic portions for the same reasonable price I've been paying for years.
Oh, and in case I didn't mention it before, try the brown gravy. It's delicious.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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9/26/2008
Love, love, love this place. I have been frequenting Brennan's as long as I can remember with my… Read more »
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Review from Ava M.
Richmond, CA
Updated - 3/5/2012
Still the best turkey sandwich around!
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Review from Thary D.
Oakland, CA
6/19/2011
I really like this place! It reminds me of my college dining hall experience but better. Perhaps it's the cafeteria trays, long tables, and multiple TVs.
I came here to watch a baseball game on a Saturday afternoon. Not a lot of people, just a few families and some old dudes who looked like they were regulars. Apparently there's some kind of parking lot validation somewhere. We didn't check since we just parked a couple of blocks away on a residential street.
I ordered the roast beef half sandwich, which was pretty rare. The woman behind the counter did warn me about it, though. I don't mind rare, just difficult to bite into when it's in a sandwich. For a side, I had the mac & cheese, which was pretty bad. But they did give me plenty of it! Hah. A friend ordered one of the open-face sandwiches. He liked it, but it looked too crazy for me. Ok, so the food we got wasn't spectacular. But there are other options, and I'd love to try them some time and just go there to hang out. I liked the feel of this place and the people there. And free refills on coffee! -
Review from Felicia C.
Berkeley, CA
4/20/2011 1 Check-in Here
This is a good place to go when you're short on cash, too lazy to cook, and are craving some comfort food. I ordered the turkey leg platter, which came with a humongous leg, mashed potatoes, stuffing, steamed vegetables, sourdough dinner roll, and lots of gravy. My husband ordered a roast beef sandwich.
The portions are huge! The food was decent - nothing was unappetizing, but nothing was super stellar either. In any case, the food is good, considering the price you pay (dishes averaged between $5-10).
Brennan's is cafeteria-style, with many tvs with different sports on them. Also has a bar and pool table. It seems like the usual people who frequent this joint are the older folk who work in the industrial part of Berkeley. -
Review from Sam A.
Alamo, CA
3/30/2011
I love brennans - I get the same thing every time, open face turkey sando - delish
They have good TVs and a good bar too - great spot! -
Review from Mimi P.
Riverside, CA
11/27/2011
Boyfriend took me here when I was visiting home and I instantly loved its discrete and quiet location. The feel of the restaurant is very homey and the food is very home-style cooking. Their baked mac & cheese was different from what I'm normally used to but it was very good. Overall, if you're a "home cooked American meal" lover, I would definitely recommend this place :)
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Review from Jonathan S.
Emeryville, CA
Updated - 10/18/2011
I love Sundays in the Fall, especially when the Raiders and 49ers play at different times. Brennan's has the NFL Ticket so I can slide in, get my awesome sandwich and cold beer and bask in the glow of big HDTV's for hours. They have plenty of space for my fantasy league pals to drop in and I never run out of good food to eat or cold beer. And I don't have to clean up. I love the simplicity of NFL Sundays at Brennan's.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/11/2010
OK - you want to talk about a place that speaks to my holiday shopping hunger? I'm working my way… Read more »
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Review from Robyn M.
El Cerrito, CA
10/14/2011 3 Check-ins Here
Great corned beef sandwiches and great stuffing with gravy. I love this place, and it has been around forever!
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Review from David N.
Updated - 8/16/2010 12 Check-ins Here
Moving Day. It's 2PM and we are done with the heavy lifting and our gear is in the new Casa. It's time for some for good snacks!
I leave where to eat at up to my son, Jonny. He got a pretty sophisticated palate Living on 4th Street, his choices are: Bette's (good, but over rated), Cafe Rouge (killer Steak-Frites), Spenger's (Oysters and/or whole Lobster), Tacubaya (anything on the menus is mucho gusto), O Chame (we're Nipponese and it's our least fav), and oh yeah, Brennan's.
Brennan's is his wish. Stepping into one of the last true Hofbraus, we gather up ourselves a cafeteria tray, utensils, and napkins and gaze into the vast menu of beef, pork, turkey, pie, and Jello!
Jonny was going to have the Turkey Dinner with a Neck-Bone, but he decided on a Turkey Leg. The massive drumstick looked like a caricature out of the Flintstone's. It was just under a foot long and must have weighed at least 3 lbs! With it came the tri-colored veggie tales of peas, carrots & corn, mashed potatoes, and gravy all over. I opted for a hot Roast Beef Sandwich (end cut) on Wonder Bread, Mash Potatoes, and again, gravy all over. Two plastic tumblers of pop to wash down our dinner and we were ready to get down and grease! Watching the Giant's beat the Padre's one of the five plasma TV's was a real bonus!
It's good thing we are living about a block from Brennans's, because food coma set in with us immediately.
The bad thing is that we are living about a block from Brennan's, because it is too easy to become addicted to the Hofbräuhaus.Listed in: She's like a song played again…, UC Berkeley Campus Eats
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/13/2010
So after going to Grocery Outlet, I strolled over the Brennan's to get my parking validated. I had… Read more »
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Review from Molly W.
7/13/2010
Motivated by my friend's recent move to the hugely advertised 4th & U apartment megaplex, we deemed Brennan's a good place to stumble to and watch the world cup games. They had a number of big screen TVs and a good crowd to root the teams on. This last game they had a cover at the door, which basically was a $5 coupon that you could use on food/drinks. So really, as long as you were buying a beer anyways, it was not a cover.
When not covering major sports events, Brennan's is a cafeteria-style Hofbrau with sandwiches and other euro delectables.
I really enjoy Brennan's and I hope that they can make it now that this apartment complex is blocking their view of the street. The owner seemed concerned and it would be a shame to lose this great place. -
Review from Jason M.
8/1/2011 1 Check-in Here
I went to Brennan's with a big group and it was solid indeed. The drinks were amazing, the salads and appetizers were as well. I recommend any salad. The main course was hearty and delicious. I don't venture out to Berkeley that often, but I definitely will revisit to try out more courses!
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Review from Jay H.
12/10/2008 1 Check-in Here
I prefer my Irish bars to be dark, worn and grumpy.
The new Brennan's is bright, pristine and pretty chipper. The aromas from the kitchen were enticing and made me want to eat again even though I'd eaten already. Also...strong Irish Coffees. Coffee AND booze = Heaven!
I was told that hot firemen hang out here...I didn't see any so maybe it was a lie. I'll come back again though just in case they do. You never know...I may have a fire I want put out. -
Review from Dan B.
Berkeley, CA
12/14/2008
To start out with, Brennan's has 5-star Irish coffees. That's why I've gone back time after time for the past 30-some years. The old building had some history and rundown character to it, but the new place is quite nice. Being right at trackside for passing trains -- I love it. And the cafeteria-style food line -- fine if you like old-style hofbrau-type food.
But the bartenders in the place have always been hit or miss. Maybe that's true everywhere. But tonight was a low-point in my long Brennan's patronage, and this one-star review is my valentine to the taciturn, rude barman on duty.
First, we showed up about 10:30 for an Irish coffee. We ordered two, and they're five and a quarter each now. So $10,50. I gave the bartender $11. I wouldn't mistake the 50 cents in change for a tip. But following the usual custom -- I didn't say "keep the change" or anything -- the guy didn't bring back the change. That's probably the first time I've ever had that happen, and I was a little non-plussed. There weren't enough other folks or other orders that the guy forgot. And I can't believe his math was that bad -- someone would have corrected him by now. The fifty cents he kept was not enough to ask him for, but his keeping it was enough to rankle me.
If he had brought back the change, I would have thanked him, then I would have left a tip along with it; there's some grace in an exchange like that: service requested, rendered, paid for, and appreciated. However, there was no grace in that exchange.
We left the bar and sat at a table to watch some sports highlights. Closing time is allegedly midnight -- shockingly early for a real city bar or in the context of the Brennans of yore, but that place and time have long since passed. Sometime before 12, without announcing last call or anything else, the bartender walked over to our table with a remote control and turned off the TV. Never said a word to us. Again, not a big deal in and of itself. But hey, how much effort or social skill does it take to acknowledge a couple of your customers?
As we left, I heard him tell another patron that we works Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday evenings. Those are three nights I'll avoid the place from now on. -
Review from Andrew C.
Brennan's is a hof-brau style restaurant like Tommy's Joynt in SF where you wait in line and have your meats carved when you order and then you go grab a seat with your tray of food.
Pastrami & corned beef are the two priciest (and best, imo) options here, though they also have brisket, ham, turkey, roast chicken and roast beef which you can get on plates, regular sandwiches, and hot open faced sandwiches. They also have cheese or tuna sandwiches for the non-meat eaters you come here with.
The hot open faced pastrami sandwich ($11.25) comes on 2 slices of your choice of bread with a scoop of mashed potatoes and smothered with gravy. http://www.yelp.com/bi...
My picture doesn't do justice to the pastrami that was on the plate. A mound of pastrami in 1/4" thick slices from a slab warming in it's own juices. It was tender and flavorful. A edge bite with some of the rub provides a nice flavor burst in your mouth.
Good satisfying food.Listed in: Reubens! (and other hot…
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Review from Zeke S.
Santa Clara, CA
5/19/2007
Brennan's holds a special place in my heart because its where my pappy tought me to not mix my alcohol.
"You get an irish coffee OR a bloody mary in the morning, not one of each"
Which was a hard decision for a young man because they serve up a legendary irish coffee and a damn fine bloody mary. Never had a fru fru mixed drink there, but the classic coctails are in full effect.
The only reason I don't give them 5 stars is I know its not for everyone, that being said, it is for me. It's an old style workers eatery and bar. The kind of place the blue collar Berkelians would hit after work 50 years ago. Thankfully Brennan's has survived even though there are less blue collar Berkelians (more no collar Berkelians than blue collar.) The food is old style like the drinks. Generally I am not a fan of medium well and salty, but its done as good as it can be and it fits the place. The portions are good. The jello wiggles. The prime rib stews through the day.
In terms of the ambiance, I am gonna 100 percent disagree with the people that rate that low. The place has more ambiance then some place built 2 years ago which forces some faux spanish design with plastic repros of gaudi blobs and mo0d lighting. The ambiance here is real, and somehting you can't get without time. It might not be the style everyone wants, but it drips from the walls and seeps up from the floor.Listed in: My Favorite Reviews
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Review from James T.
Gilbert, AZ
10/20/2010
This joint is poppin! Especially if there is a big sports game going on. Like tonight....Game 4 of the NLCS, Giants just went up 5-4 in the 6th and the restaurant patrons go crazy!!!!
Oh yeah, the food is bomb. Gynormous portions. Meaty and potatoey....a real man's dinner! ROAR!
Brisket is soft and savory, Turkey leg is huge, the cranberry sauce sets it off, Chili was all meat with a hint of beans, corn bread to die for. Sweet butter....I could just inhale that by itself!
Good beer selections too.
Lots of old people kick it here....its cute lol -
Review from Vanessa F.
Covina, CA
1/24/2009 1 Check-in Here
Was craving a sandwich for a light lunch and decided to try this place out. I've been meaning to since I moved here a year and a half ago. I was really excited the first time I saw there a sign: "No way! They have Brennan's in Berkeley too?!"
You see, Brennan's in L.A. is a bar with turtle racing. My heart sank a little when I was informed that it was a food place, BUT they do have a bar. It's an odd place to get a drink, but you can nonetheless.
Went in worried about how loud the passing trains would be since the tracks are right outside the windows, but I didn't have any problem with the trains passing by.
I had the oven roasted turkey breast sandwich on wheat, and a slice of apple pie.
The sandwich was delicious with slightly warm turkey meat, lettuce, and fresh tomato. The apple pie was slightly warm as well, and I was pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed it (apple pie isn't my favorite).
I can't say how their other food is, as I didn't try it. The meatballs looked good, as did other meat I saw out. The macaroni and cheese looked a bit weird... kinda burnt, which is why I opted for apple pie instead of the mac and cheese I intended on getting.
They also had chocolate cake and cheesecake which looked pretty good.
The cafeteria style was a bit surprising, but I'm not complaining. We had a hard time finding a seat in the near empty place mainly because there were a lot of dirty dishes still on the tables, but as we were leaving a lady was going around picking them up.
The restrooms were nice, clean, and big so that's also a plus. -
Review from Danny E.
7/13/2010
A frequent watering hole for a few fellow Berkeley grad and I, this place has had a lasting imprint on our hearts and waistline.
This is a Hof Brau style restaurant, with pastrami, corn beef, roast beef, brisket, chicken, turkey, and ham. It's probably not the best, but it's good and the portions are hearty. I also can never turn down mac and cheese. Vegetarians probably wouldn't like the selection much.
They have a full bar here for those Irish Coffee lovers out there.
They have a decent number flat screens and is a nice to place to grab a few drinks and catch a game.
Everything will come out to $15 a person and you can go shopping right after with the grocery store next door.
