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Café Leila
Categories: Food Coffee & Tea Restaurants American (New) Coffee & Tea, American (New) [Edit]
1724 San Pablo Ave(between Francisco St & Delaware St)
Berkeley, CA 94702
(510) 525-7544
- Hours:
Mon-Tue, Sun 7 am - 6 pm
Wed-Thu 7 am - 8 pm
Fri-Sat 7 am - 10 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Lunch, Breakfast
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
200 reviews for Café Leila
Review Highlights
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"Oh, and did I mention an outdoor patio/garden." In 19 reviews -
"I had myself a basil ginger lemonade." In 4 reviews -
"The lamb burger and the African burger looked damn..." In 10 reviews
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200 reviews in English
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Review from Sonya Z.
2/12/2012
+beautiful outdoor seating area
+pretty much always get your order right no matter how many things you change
+freshest salad leaves
+incredibly friendly workers
+food is all around excellent, healthy, organic, etc. etc.
-slightly pricey, but it's worth it. i think our total would normally be around 30-35 after tip for two decent-sized lush light fluffy omelettes, replacing potatoes with side salad plus extra side salads, and two double americanos -
Review from Bobby N.
5/2/2012 3 Check-ins Here
At first I was amazed of the garden but revisiting multiple times, it's hard to get much studying done here. The cafe area gives an unwelcoming and cold vibe. The windows are conveniently placed so that every bit of sunshine blares in your face, while any sound echos so you notice any sudden movements. On top of that, you have the workers who push metal carts with just one beaten up wheel. Just enough so that it sounds like a stampede or a multiple vehicle accident.
As for the food, it wasn't all that memorable. Yes I've tried the double friend french fries and they aren't bad. I won't bag on them but the rest of the food is painfully mediocre considering the price. Overall, I've definitely experienced better. -
Review from Terry T.
4/22/2012
The ambiance created by exposed brick walls and the large window looking out on the patio is great. The only drawback, it was very cold sitting next to the window on a rainy Saturday night.
P and I both had the Leila burger. I ordered mine rare and that is exactly how it was cooked. It was served on Acme bread with sundried tomatoes. I like juicy hamburgers and this one was too dry for my taste. On the other hand I enjoyed the salad and the fries that that were served with the burger.
A big plus, they don't serve wine, however, you can bring your own and there is no corkage fee. The live music added to the experience and I will come again. -
Review from J K.
Oakland, CA
4/14/2012
"we can't have students hanging out all day."
No wifi on weekends, apparently.
As my boyfriend and I were packing to leave upon learning this, so was another group of would-be customers over the lack of wifi. I guess they really like their customers. -
Review from Tammy H.
Los Angeles, CA
5/15/2012
They have outdoor seating in a really beautiful garden-like setting. Everyone that works here is friendly and helpful. Their menu is just delightful. I ordered a Strawberry Haven smoothie while waiting. It was yummy- the kind of stuff I could also make at home, but I appreciate them using real fruit, (strawberries & bananas) unlike other places. Looking around I saw that most people were feasting on their salads and I ordered chorizo... not bad, perfectly spicy- and the potatoes that came on the side, were DELICIOUS. My friend ordered me a hisbiscus lemonade, and it tasted & looked like fruit punch (so gosh darn sweet). It was a good brunch. There's a nice vibe going on here. :)
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Review from laura g.
El Cerrito, CA
5/7/2012
I really love this place. It's unfortunate to see so many negative reviews, however, I have noticed many are from people identifying themselves as students. I don't blame them for not wanting people spreading out with study groups and not ordering much to eat or drink. Plenty of places in downtown Berkeley for this. I appreciate them wanting to keep the ambience away from people with their faces in their laptops. I'm here all the time for coffee and came one night for belly dancing performance. The food my friend ordered was quickly made and more than she could eat herself. The owners are so nice and friendly. I haven't spent any time in he back on weekends due to where I live but I hope to get there soon with my dog.They've welcomed me back for this!
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Review from Dean S.
Berkeley, CA
4/21/2012
I'm glad they support local musicians, that is the best thing about this place. But after eating here tonight for the first time (due to the performers) I came to yelp and I'm not surprised at the negative things I've read about the disdain they have for their customers.
Food - I had a salad, whatever. Hard to screw up salad. Place veggies in bowl, put on some dressing, give to customer. Not rocket science. This one had barbequed chicken which included some gristle I had to remove from my mouth and some mysterious hard thing in the lettuce. Benefit of the doubt, maybe it was an onion peel or something. They get a pass on the salad even though it was $12. However:
No free refills on iced tea? Can you POSSIBLY be serious? Who ever heard of no free refills for tea? News flash: that glass of iced tea you charge $2.75 for costs you maybe three cents TOPS. Your profit margin on that is greater than booze! But I could have shrugged this off too were it not for the way I was treated: when I simply just asked the QUESTION ("Are there free iced tea refills?") - not even REQUESTING one, mind you, just asking a simple, polite question, here is that the guy (owner?) told me: "NICE TRY."
E X C U S E M E?!? Do you really wish to go bankrupt by pissing off your customers? What exactly am I "trying" to do? Cheat you out of three cents worth of tea? Get a simple courtesy that EVERY OTHER RESTAURANT IN THE UNIVERSE gives? Accuse you of being the stingy, insulting, cheap son of a bitch that you are? Maybe the last one is correct.
I live in the neighborhood and have walked or driven by this cafe many times. I will continue to do so after tonight. Good bye. -
Review from Betty S.
Berkeley, CA
5/15/2012
Loved coming here; mostly for the garden seating, food has never been great, good, but not great. decided to come here on mother's day; garden area had a lot of people, so we sat out front since the child was asleep in the bike trailer (i think the tables are more there for show, since most people would choose garden seating over sitting on san pablo ave) . Partner went in to order right before a slew of people showed up. 25 min later child wakes up, we decide to move back to the garden (safer for child). At this time i was seeing others who ordered after us getting their food. If not for the great conversation with my partner i would have been annoyed at this time. 15 min later the owner was delivering food - to others - and i asked him the status of our order; he asks 'what did you order?, let me go check'. another 5 min goes by and no one has given us an update so i went to the counter where the owner is counting money and i ask for an update and he says the order was dropped/lost, they're making it now...when asked why he didn't let me know, he told me he just found out (not likely) - anyway that was it from him, no apology, compensation, nothing, RUDE and UNFRIENDLY....when asked if that's how he handles customer service gets annoyed and says ' what do you want?, dessert, coffee, what? anything...' at this point i'm losing my appetite so nothing sounds appealing, especially when i need to suggest it....yeah, i should have grabbed one of their $5 smoothies (not worth $5), but i was too shocked at his attitude....
we did get our food, homefries cold, omelet ok, sandwich good...wouldn't be going back for a long while... -
Review from Lindsay W.
Oakland, CA
3/26/2012
This would have been a 5 star review, but it is not. Let me explain why.
A friend and I were inside the cafe working quietly when a small child started crying. He didn't stop and after 15 minutes of crying tantrum, my friend went to ask the owner if he could get them to at least take the kid outside instead of just ignoring him and bothering the other 25+ people having pleasant conversations. The owner said there was nothing he could do, that he had talked to the people before, and they refused to do anything about the kid screaming (who at that point was now screaming so loudly that everyone in the shop was silent watching him). He said he was afraid they would leave bad reviews on Yelp.
Hm, guess what. The crying drove at least us away (we were planning on staying for lunch), because the last thing I want to do is patronize a place that is more concerned about one woman with a screaming child than 25 people who have to put up with it.
The sad thing is, with all the awesomeness this place has (great tea, coffee, and food, great patio which allows dogs, lots of seating, free wireless, not close to Berkeley's campus so fewer undergrads), almost every time I have been, there are children, mildly or completely unsupervised, screaming, running around, bothering the life out of my dog (it's amazing she hasn't bitten some of them), or pitching tantrums so deafening that I've had to leave before I would have otherwise. It's sad that I can't go and enjoy a nice place like Cafe Leila because there are parents out there that let their kids run amok and don't give a crap about other people and that the owner does not institute some basic rules of consideration and decency that all clients (children, parents, singles, and dogs included) must follow.
The owner really needs to get his priorities straight when it concerns disruptive clients and children, because the place is turning more into a daycare than a coffe shop. It may make one person with an incredibly annoying child mad, but you've made the experience immensely better for the other clients in your shop who are looking for a nice place to chat, catch up with a friend, or work quietly. If parents knew that they would be asked to leave if their children upset the rest of the people there, perhaps they would be a little more pro-active about instilling some manners in their kids. -
Review from Emily M.
Oakland, CA
1/29/2012
The ambiance is beautiful, there is so much space and light in this place and it is nicely set up. I wish I could give it more stars, but I was looking around San Pablo Ave for a cafe to get homework done and a sandwich for lunch. I read the low reviews on this place, which I of course ignored and now regret that I had.
I got a chicken club sandwich, it came in a decent amount of time, but once I took a bite into it I realized it hadn't been cooked. Literally, the chicken was raw - and I have a very accepting palate, and love to try new foods....But this was blatantly raw chicken. When I inquired about wifi the man who seemed to be the manager said they don't do wifi on the weekends (even though the place was practically empty, and I can now see why) but that he might be able to "turn it on in 30 minutes if you stick around" After biting into my sandwich I didn't stick around, I didn't even ask for a refund. I took my coffee and warned the guy coming in the door not to get the chicken...haha, he must have been confused.
Anyway, I don't really give out one-star reviews, but if you're a food service establishment and you don't cook your meat, you deserve it.
The coffee was good, but its good thing they don't roast their own coffee beans, or else we'd have some pretty crunchy coffee to go along with the chewy raw chicken sandwiches ;) -
Review from Maryam d.
Berkeley, CA
1/10/2012
3 stars for ambience....2.5 for food and service. It was exceedingly mediocre. I live very close to this spot and decided to grab a bite yesterday. I had the grilled eggplant sandwich and a wet cap. When
ordering my coffee, they did ask me what i meant by wet cap. I explained what I wanted and
was told told oh so a latte bascially. mmmm---
The sandwich itself was ok, nice ingredients but lacked flava. I would have added more balsalmic and roasted peppers. The crowd seemd like a mix of neighborhood dwellers looking for a place to park and read and the north berkeley cultural elite boujie squad.
They do have a lovely garden, and i may come back to give dinner a shot. Would be nice
if they could get some bellydancers and shisha going back there! -
Review from E R.
Berkeley, CA
4/10/2012
I have eaten there a lot of times because I am with a group that used to regularly meet there. The food is average. Sometimes the pancakes have bits of non-breakfasty food in them. I did order chicken sandwiches once. They came back and told me they were out of chicken, I got a refund, they then said they had it, I repaid, and the chicken was undercooked. Most of the time, the food's OK. (Yes, I have eaten there that often.) The breakfast special (Alex) is a very good value. The girls at the cash register and the waitress are pleasant enough and got to know me and my friends.
Why two stars? The owner. I won't give details because the others in the group I used to meet regularly with probably would not want their laundry aired. Suffice to say, he got more and more unpleasant with us, particularly one member of my group. Someone confronted him on his behavior and he said, "You can always eat somewhere else!" So, we do. I still miss the sweetie pie cashiers and waitresses, but their boss ... I don't miss him at all. -
Review from Sarah Z.
Berkeley, CA
1/1/2012
Jeez. When I read some of the reviews of this place, I feel that i am living in another dimension.
I have been going to Leila's once or twice weekly for a few years now, and i have not once had bad service, and not once has my order taken more than 15 minutes (usually it is less than 10). To the contrary, I have always been greeted with kindess and attention by staff and owners alike. The food is EXCELLENT, FRESH, and ORGANIC. The outdoor seating is LOVELY. All considered, my favorite lunch/brunch spot in Berkeley. Maybe some of the more negative reviews were from earlier years when things were getting worked out?
Ok, it pains me that they serve those packaged jellies in plastic containers. But does this ruin my day? No, this does not ruin my day. It is good spiritual training. :] -
Review from Roxy S.
Albany, CA
3/14/2012
I used to love to dine at Cafe Leila, especially in that they allowed me to have my small Dachshund with me in the outdoor patio, but...this past Sunday my husband and I ate there for lunch and I left there feeling completely grossed out and annoyed. We ate on the inside at a table next to the windows where the abundance of daylight let us view how filthy the restaurant is on the inside, and I don't mean the filth from the dirty dishes from the un-bused tables, but the filth from the establishment never being cleaned properly.
The 'help' is TOTALLY lame and lazy. Like one other reviewer noted, they act like they are totally stoned on marijuana.
The food...I've eaten better at In-N-Out burger!
No, I won't be coming back for a while. -
Review from Lolly G.
San Francisco, CA
11/1/2011
I've been here several times. We have always liked the food, though there has been the rare rude or aloof staff. No biggie, I am here to eat, not get the warm fuzzies
What happened on my last visit was so laughable and insane, I had to post it.
I went with my mother who is here from out of town This being her last day, I thought it would be nice to eat out in Cafe Leila's garden.
I ordered the Mediterranean salad, it was fresh but was missing the Mediterranean aspect to a good degree, I was hunting for tomatoes, olives, etc. I was disappointed but it wasn't that big of a deal.
I knew I was going to be hungry after basically eating a lot of lettuce and went up to the counter to buy some hummus for the pita bread. While I was there I got a piece of cake to split between us two.
After finishing up I had a bite of the cake and knew I had to take it back. It tasted like it was left out on a counter uncovered for 3 days, it was actually hard on all sides.
It has been YEARS since I have returned a food item because I felt it was unacceptable.
Do you know what the guy behind the counter said as he was boxing the new piece of cake? Guess! Just guess.
"Next time, try not to touch the cake before returning it".
I kid you not. I was completely awestruck, I had to ask him "What did you say?"
*repeat*
"How exactly am I supposed to know something is sub par without tasting it?"
(Oh it gets better.)
"You could poke it with your fork first to make sure it's ok."
"I'm really not in the habit of poking my food before eating it." "You're being kind of rude".
I don't even remember if I got an apology, there was something muttered..I just couldn't believe the whole scenario.
Cake is handed to me with icing coming out in a big chunk through the container. Hand it back. Icing removed, I leave.
So...if you order something at Cafe Leila's, do NOT TASTE or TOUCH IT before returning it. This way, they can sell it to someone else.
Cafe Leila, I hope you enjoy the recession while you're pissing off your regulars. -
Review from Andrew H.
Berkeley, CA
5/1/2012
This is a FWIW review. I've only ever had take-out from here for OT meals at my job, so I've never dined in. And all I've ever had from here is the California Wrap because it was so delicious that I never wanted to risk ordering anything else. So this review is basically for that wrap. I've had it several times over several months and the quality is consistent.
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Review from Dawn S.
Albany, CA
3/17/2012
I am surprised by the negative reviews of Cafe Leila. I have never had a negative experience here. I've been coming to study, eat, and drink tea for quite awhile. I find the staff to be friendly and helpful. One of the kitchen guys always smiles and says "hello" when he sees me. I have loves just about everything I've ordered..except the croissants-a little tasteless. I have studied there for up to 2 hours on one pot of tea, and nobody has ever asked me to leave. (I usually order at least one drink per hour). I have seen a number of Mommy groups and their babies, and they always seem to be welcomed.
I do hope that they start having more consistent wifi, though. Please? -
Review from heather w.
Berkeley, CA
Updated - 9/17/2011
I have given Leila enough chances, hoping that it would improve. Last visit, with V., my neighbor brought up the overall poor quality of food, meager portions, and how we really like the space and it's so nice to walk there... but why do we keep coming back?
One thing that really bugs me is NO REFILLS on iced tea. Seriously WTF? No other privately owned restaurant in town is that stingy. Then there are the home fries; these are supposed to be cooked, browned and served in some quantity. What I keep getting (three times now) are flaccid, greasy, half-raw things that haven't seen a hot flattop since they came off the Cisco truck.
On two occasions, I've tried to order felafel based upon some reviews I've read. On both occasions, they didn't have any, so I can't vouch one way or the other. I've ordered a couple sandwiches, and found them to be lackluster at best, but definitely no more than that.
Then, when it became so clear that we really shouldn't come back was that, in the middle of eating our breakfast, we both started talking about how much we LOVE Sunnyside Cafe, and continued to wax poetic about the Alameda Scramble, the wonderful pancakes, the bacon .... so, when you realize you're eating at one restaurant while talking about how great the food is someplace else, and you've just also discussing how much you don't like Leila's food and meager home-fries, and how those home-fries are inedible, and... well, you get where I'm going with this.
No more Cafe Leila for me. I'll drive elsewhere, where I know the food is cooked properly and served in more generous portions.
The two stars are for the lovely space, the convenience and the fact that my poached eggs were cooked perfectly on several occasions (even though nothing else was).1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/1/2008
I really love the space; nice art, a cool patio area and usually relatively quiet. I've been twice… Read more »
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Review from A M.
San Jose, CA
4/10/2012
Arrogant owner with an attitude. The lady at the register was nice and warm, and as I ordered coffee and was about to pay the owner said from the side "What she's trying to tell you is that you have to spend $5 then the system will generate password for wifi". No - the lady wasn't trying to tell me that. No issues spending $5, would have spent more than that. Will not go again.
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Review from Jade R.
Berkeley, CA
11/29/2011
--Intro: Food 5/5
Cafe Leila is a lovely place to visit. Their lunch sandwiches like the grilled chicken pesto is one to die for. It's really a generous hot slab of steamy chicken, blanketed on top and below by coats of fresh basil pesto, nested with lettuce and tomato on an acme roll bread.
They have nice hot drinks like chai, tea, coffee, and HEAVENLY little pastries like Alfajores (these are cookie sandwiches with a caramel-y, milky spread inside called "Dulce De Leche"). They are dusted with confectioner's fine powdered sugar, and are SOO good. Perfect with a glass of (soy)Milk or Coffee.
--Ambiance: 5/5
Inside, it's very cool, plush velvet seats immediately to the right, (nice for tired booties?) these seats are accompanied by tiny tables good for studying or maybe a nice lunch date.
Walking further in, there is a larger area housed by bricks, one wall covered with a drape or a rug. Sunlight splashes in from the outside through many windows, casting copious light. Tall plants are found in the corner, and with the sunlight, it feels natural and almost tropical next to the large lion face metal ornament.
Finally if you sit outside, you'll enjoy the sunset as it sets down right in front of you. It feels super rural, like a retreat, almost, sitting next to the waterfall and "kong" as I will refer to it. it's peaceful and lovely on warmer days.
--Service: 2/5
They bring your food out to you which is always nice. Neither have I had outstanding good or bad experiences. Sometimes though the waitresses that serve your food leave after serving it and if you need anything else it's hard to get their attention. Reading other posts here it seems they need to work on their service.
---Conclusion:
with a diverse menu and lovely ambiance, it's a slam dunk, Cafe Leila is great. -
Review from Piper m.
Berkeley, CA
2/8/2012
Avoid this place and take your hard earned money elsewhere! This place completely discriminates against families. They asked a friend to leave when her baby began fussing a short time. This person is polite, respectful, and very likely would have removed her baby until she calmed on her own. Unfortunately the management here beat her to it and asked her to leave.. This is a CAFE, not fine dining, a library or a museaum! Having been in service I can imagine so many other appropriate ways of accomodating both the mother and other annoyed patrons without asking someone to leave, as if her baby were a dog and not a little human being. I will definitely not come here for mediocre food and discriminatory service, thank you.
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Review from PacoNdreA H.
Oakland, CA
3/10/2012
First the atmosphere and folks working here were really awesome!
Everyone genuinely seems happy to see your face and they like to joke a round and such. The owner is scuttling about making sure everyone is happy and served.
Despite they forgot the toppings for the Oatmeal - it was really damn good for Oatmeal. Great coffee! Delicious potatoes! Bagel with Lox delish! Everything just right - no joke!
The quality of the food, the people who work there and the super cleanliness of this place makes the slight wait for food totally worth it.
I see the one-star reviews from the mom who was asked to leave and that really really bugs me and I'm sorry that she had this experience there - such a let down!
Hugsband and I are out the door now to pay them another visit today - i really really want to like them but i'm going to be weary about giving my dollars to a local biz that treats the community that supports them poorly.
Moving forward cautiously... -
Review from Ty T.
10/12/2011
I don't come here quite as frequently as I used to since I moved out of my former Berkeley apartment. But this place is really a lost gem, amongst the gritty streets of San Pablo.
The patio out back is a great place to spread out and get some work done.
Regardless of the absence of wi-fi; sometimes I like to imagine that I am basking in the midst of a Middle-Eastern oasis.
Particularly because my favorite thing to order off the menu would be the scrumptious felafel, with a soy latte.
Super delicious, and comfortably lax atmosphere.
I don't know why people are being so harsh in their reviews.Listed in: Places That Make Me WHET, Shamefully Neglected
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Review from Kate M.
Point Richmond, CA
10/19/2011
My lovely cousin Cynthia suggested this spot for our lunch today and, as usual, the woman has great taste!
The front room has a very French-cafe look and had appropriate music to match that. A gorgeous pastry display tried to tempt us with red velvet cake and some kind of nut bar madness.
We enjoyed a sunny table in the outdoor patio in the back, which is quite spacious and relaxed. Our Roobios mint iced tea was delicious, service was prompt and our food fresh and tasty. My "Mediterranean salad" had a dressing that must have included some hummus - so tasty - and the Lavosh bread seemed homemade.
People-watching was also very good! I will definitely be back.
The server confirmed that dogs are allowed to join their humans on the outdoor patio. Awesome! -
Review from Erin G.
Berkeley, CA
10/18/2011
What I ate: Currant scone, peach smoothie
Visit date: October 16, 2011
First time? Yes, I'm intrigued.
I was suppose to meet some friends for a birthday brunch was I was a wee bit late so instead of ordering something from the kitchen so everyone could watch me eat (last), I grabbed something from the baked goods case and a fresh smoothie. The scone was delicious! Next time though, I'd ask for it to be warmed up. The peach smoothie -- YUM! Just like homemade. It was fresh, cold and not too sweet. It's definitely a contender for the best smoothie I've had outside of my home. I'm only giving Leila 3 stars because I haven't gotten to the meat of their menu yet. Next time!!
Lesson of the day:
Raisins are to grapes as currants are to currants. -
Review from Nolasusan N.
Berkeley, CA
2/20/2012
bottom line: don't go eat here!!!
ordered salmon sandwich - came raw (i mean sushi raw) - sent it back. employees were like stoners. cost of sandwich = $16.00;
friend ordered burger = super small and just ok.
if you want water, you have to ask for a glass - no ice - you gotta ask for ice then go serve yourself water.
first we got coffee while we waited - they give you the coffee, don't tell you where the cream, sugar is located, so you go to your table expecting that these things will be brought to you. wrong. tables don't even have salt & pepper. you have to get everyting yourself, including fork, knife, ketchup, mustard.
you get the picture. way high prices - and no service whatsoever.
not my idea of an enjoyable meal when you have to get up for every fucking thing - they could at least give you a tray to carry all the shit you need to carry to the table instead of making 10 trips to get the forks, knives, & condiments.
for $35.00 meal, i at least expect "some" service.
will never go back, especially since i have food poisoning from the salmon which was still bad even after they "cooked" it.
did i mention not to come here? don't.
nolasusan -
Review from Mark M.
Berkeley, CA
6/30/2011
Visited today, on the recommendation of a friend, so was looking forward to a delightful experience and was sorely disappointed. The problem began when I tried to order and the man at the cash register was too busy talking with someone else to notice that he was also taking my order. I said something to him and he joked with me about it. I asked for my coffee a certain way and when I returned to the counter to get my order corrected, I was called an a$$hole by the man at the cash register because I said the customer service sucked. The food was excellent, but the service will prevent me from ever returning.
Too bad, environment and food has great potential! -
Review from Cash F.
Oakland, CA
1/27/2012
Today i was looking for a cafe along San Pablo with a place to sit in the back. This cafe has really great food and parking. It was really good to have a nice meal and have a chance to relax and read. The staff is nice and the place was busy yet quiet so it was perfect for sitting back and enjoying my book. Thanks for the space!
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Review from Vinyl D.
Oakland, CA
5/27/2011
I would never go back to this place.
I used to love this little place especially the back patio. If you want to enjoy a beautiful patio and little fountain with bad customer experience, this is the perfect place for you.
They got my order wrong, and then a server blamed on me. I talked to the manager. No luck with him, too. Both the server and manager had an attitude and both people were confident that I ordered oatmeal. No, I didn't.
I overheard the conversation from other party sat next to us and their order was messed up, too.
Too bad.
If they change their ownership, I would go back there again.
Oh, BTW, I didn't get the feeling that this place is kids/baby friendly. -
Review from Marck N.
6/26/2011
Cafe Leila is a place that if a friend who didn't tell me to go there, I'd wouldn't. I went here for lunch for a co-worker outing. Being on a vegetable detox, I was limited to what I could eat. Good to see on the menu a grilled shrimp salad. With the dressing on the side, was still able to keep to the vegetable detox. The shrimp was seasoned with a chipotle seasoning, so it did have flavor. My dish though did look unappetizing compared to the other dishes ordered. The lamb burger and the African burger looked damn delicious. I will be coming back to try both, darn the vegetable detox.
Only minus of this place is that the service was a little slow and confused. Several of our party's dishes got mixed up, arrived at a latter time from the party, or did not arrive and the server had to be reminded. Not really a bad thing, since we did have 10 people. But being a small place, I can see how confusion may happen during the peak lunch period. -
Review from Sarah J.
4/13/2011
I came here because my friend was performing with other wonderful musicians and I would only return to support her again. My entree + drink cost me $20 and I waited for half an hour with no food before checking on the status of my order. Turns out they lost my ticket so it was never sent to the kitchen... if it were a busy night I would understand but the place was only half full. I got my lasagna a few minutes later and it was a fucking mess. Lukewarm on the edges and cold in the middle. I have never been so disappointed with a dining experience in Berkeley. Since I was there to support my friend, I decided not to make a big deal about it but I left the place hungry and annoyed that I just wasted twenty bucks.
It looked like the falafel wrap was the best seller of the night so maybe I should have gone with that. I tried some of my friend's french fries and they were meh. More soggy than crispy. I did enjoy their lavender lemonade but it wasn't anything spectacular.
Minus the fantastic live music, there's nothing special about this place. -
Review from Inga B.
San Francisco, CA
7/26/2011
5 stars for the perfectly cooked omelet (filled with spinach, mushroom, cheese - The Leila omelet).
Was here for Sunday brunch, the weather was sunny and warm -prefect for enjoying the large outdoor patio in the back (bonus that I was able to lock my bike back there as well).
You order up front, line does move a little slow (to be expected). I was with a friend who had eaten here many times. She described it as a delicious place for brunch if you aren't crunched for time. I agree.
I will definitely come back. -
Review from Ryan C.
Berkeley, CA
7/11/2011
Do not go here if you want to work on your laptop or charge any sort of electronic device, there are about 3 outlets in the entire place and 2 of them are already taken by the store!
The internet is also really bad, they should get a new router. -
Review from Tim W.
Concord, CA
8/12/2011 3 Check-ins Here
Full disclosure - I'm a gigging musician who plays here frequently. But I wanted to provide my 0.02 as a customer as well.
I always eat here before or after I play, and first of all the espresso here is very good. As noted in another review I'm a bit of a coffee geek (roast my own beans at home) - I've found most (but not every) times the espresso has depth, a vibe not unlike most Latin American varietals and a clean finish. Admittedly there have been a few pulls that have been a little lifeless and pedestrian, but those are not frequent.
My go-to entree item is typically the fish tacos. They are hearty, the fish is cooked just right (I don't like over-cooked fish in a taco), the salsa is agreeable without being overly wet or too demanding, portion size is good and price is economical. Salmon pasta and burgers are also well-sized, tasty and filling.
Lots of deserts and tidbit choices - I rarely partake of those so can't comment intelligently. They also have some interesting lemonade and tea choices (basil or lavender lemonade anyone?), which I've sampled from time to time and enjoyed.
The place also sports a very large outdoor patio with a ton of very quiet tables. Can't speak to the quality of the wifi (never used it) but whenever I've been there, lots of patrons are glued to their laptop screens and quietly working away.
Overall a nice vibe - and live music on Friday nights. -
Review from Mayka M.
Berkeley, CA
7/20/2011
This is a great spot for working remotely, despite what others might say.
Love the patio option.
Love the free parking. (Though I walk.)
Love the basil and lavender lemonades.
Love the smoked salmon on an asiago bagel.
I understand people's frustrations with limited power supply and sub-par Wi-Fi, but Leila doesn't bill itself as an Internet cafe. You don't walk into a sushi bar asking for okonomiyaki, do you?
If you need a couple of hours of a break from your home office, Cafe Leila can provide that. -
Review from Bryan M.
Berkeley, CA
10/31/2011
Eff this. 5 dollar minimum to use the internet? Maybe you should of told me that before I bought the coffee? "This is how we stay in business" he says. Really? That's why there is nobody in here. Throw in a rigorous examination of my 5 dollar bill to make sure that it's real and I pretty much will never go here again. The other times I've been the food is mediocre at best. I will not be going back. I will not be shook down Leila.
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Review from Julie R.
San Francisco, CA
1/6/2012
Mmmm, Rosebud Lemonade & Sweet Matcha Latte! Fountain, patio, what's not to like?
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Review from Fresh E.
North Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
1/28/2011
Goodbye!! Unfortunately the very friendly and pleasant cashier is gone. It wasn't just being ignored almost every week for 6 months when I'd come for breakfast or lunch by the owners. Just before a meeting, the last time I was here, one of the owners inched the cashier aside and told me there were no tables. As always I met my client in pressed shirt and sometimes jacket, so clearly I was not a threat. I'd been coming here for 6 months. I asked if I could see if the person I was meeting was there the owner doubtingly said yes.When I went into the restaurant there were 4 free tables, without reserved signs on them and bunch of free tables outside.
Of course I had to stay because the person I was meeting was inside waiting. Instead of ordering lunch I ordered a cup of tea.
I'm attractive, friendly and liked by most people, I'm not sure what their issue was and I'm glad I don't need to go back! -
Review from Emmeline S.
Berkeley, CA
Updated - 1/9/2011
Cafe Leila now has a socially-unaware Asian barista who constantly garbles pidgin Spanish (Donde esta? Por favor! on endless repeat) in an attempt to socialize with the Mexican line cooks in the kitchen. It's hard to take (esp. without cringing) when you're trying to read a book and have your coffee.
It's also a bit ridiculous to order a house coffee and be told that the coffee machine "died on us this morning, and would you like a $3 iced coffee instead?" What, no backup percolators in a cafe?
Real unfortunate...1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/10/2010
I'm not sure why Cafe Leila invites so much bitching- I thought it was a lovely place to spend the… Read more »
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Review from Gabriel A.
San Francisco, CA
4/23/2011
Pros:
Outdoor Garden seating with a bubbling fountain in a pond; Delicious Blueberry Rooibos Tea; Blueberry/Lemon Scone; Easy parking; Free Jazz Concert night every Friday and Saturday.
Cons:
No Wifi; Watched the dishwasher drag a bag of potatoes over the ground outside instead of carrying it - potatoes at the bottom were in contact with gunk and crud that had been previously dripped from the dirty kitchen floor mats that the dishwasher had just carried out of the kitchen.
