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FIVE
Categories: Restaurants American (New) Nightlife Bars American (New), Bars [Edit]
2086 Allston WayInside Hotel Shattuck
(between Harold Way & Shattuck Ave)
Berkeley, CA 94704
Neighborhood: Downtown Berkeley
(510) 225-6055
- Hours:
Mon-Tue 6:30 am - 9 pm
Wed-Fri 6:30 am - 10 pm
Sat 7 am - 10 pm
Sun 7 am - 9 pm
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Garage, Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Thu, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- Yes
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Ambience:
- Classy
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
382 reviews for FIVE
Review Highlights
"The orzo "mac and cheese" is a must try too."
(in 81 reviews)
"Butterscotch Pudding- Super sweet, but creamy and good."
(in 35 reviews)
"Short rib pot roast - can you say melt in your mouth."
(in 14 reviews)
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382 reviews in English
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Review from Patrick K.
Berkeley, CA
1/28/2012
I have been meaning to come here for a while and finally my gf and I spontaneously made a reservation on a Friday night. We started off with cocktails: Peartini for her and an old fashioned for me. Both were strong and good. For a starter, we ordered the orzo mac 'n cheese, which was delicious. I had the steak and she had the pappardelle. The steak was absolutely top notch, and came with potato pave that was really good. The pappardelle was quite rich, but also very good. The interior of the restaurant is an expertly executed balance of modern and traditional motifs.
It appears as though they have been paying attention to their reviews online because several of the low points seem to have been blunted. The service was good -- our waiter Alfonso was a character and did a good job of keeping tabs on us and steering us in the right direction for our food and drink choices. The drinks are pricey (as at any $$$ restaurant) but I didn't feel cheated and I have paid more for the same thing elsewhere. The food came out quickly. We really have nothing to complain about. -
Review from Emily V.
1/21/2012
I really expected more from FIVE. The pictures make the space look absolutely stunning and to be fair, the bar is. But the rest of the space... the room is very large and as a result, the combination of bright lights and white and black made the room feel a bit too clinical, everyone agreed that it almost felt a bit like a cafeteria. It would be fantastic if there were a few plush booths around the edges of the room, with better lighting. It is a great space but just needs something more to it.
This would also hopefully class up the clientele, many of whom were in hoodies, baseball hats and sneakers on a Saturday night.
The shape of the bar, while likely great when it's busy, resulted in me being widely ignored by the bar staff simply as a result of being located on the wrong side of the bar. Because it was a pretty slow night, they were hanging out and having a chat, and the shape of the bar meant that I had to actually walk to the other side of the bar from where I was sitting to get anyone's attention.
That being said, the bartenders were very nice and did make some tasty cocktails.
What I was most impressed with was the bar menu. Absolutely brilliant value. I ordered pork sliders and got two or three little pork sandwiches, with a pile of onion strings and a little pot of pickles. It was the perfect amount of food, everything was incredibly tasty, and it was only $5! You can't beat that.
One additional note - I contacted FIVE about hosting my wedding reception, I received one email asking me a few questions (so they clearly received my query) and then never heard back again. I was very interested in receiving a quote, and was incredibly unimpressed that they couldn't be bothered to respond to me. -
Review from Janie A.
Redwood City, CA
1/20/2012
Not that this places needs another review...there are more than 300, so mine won't make much difference, but I had to say something about this place. I don't know Berkeley at all; I just found this restaurant by doing a web search. It looked good online so I made a reservation. I knew it wouldn't be cheap but we were just planning to get a cocktail and have a light dinner, so I figured it wouldn't set me back too much.
When I ordered my cocktail, and it cost over $10 and consisted of probably 1/2 a shot of bourbon and a few shakes of bitters, I knew things were off to a bad start. C'mon, I'm paying $10 for a cocktail...throw me a bone here.
We sat down and were served by a nice guy who gave us the run down of specials. I ordered the only salad on the menu because it was late and I wasn't super hungry. It was a baby greens salad with blue cheese and candied pecans with champagne vinegrette. My friend ordered one of the other appetizers, I think oysters, or something like that. When my salad came, I think there were about 5 leaves of lettuce and 5 cubes of blue cheese and 4 candied pecans. This salad cost, also, $10.
There was nothing "wrong" with the taste of the salad or dressing or anything I consumed, but I think I was aghast at the "amount" of food for the price. I wasn't expecting an all-you-can-eat buffet, but $10 for a salad I could probably fit into my pocket, just seems like too much money.
I won't be going back. -
Review from Hungry And Brok E.
Alameda, CA
2/4/2012
Love the burger here in the bar area....cooked perfectly and the pimento cheese makes it decadent. For those on a diet, order the burger anyway.. You wont regret it...just eat half and eat the other half the next day. You've gotta indulge yourself every once in a while. My friend ordered the short rib barbacoa and she loved it as well, but keep in mind this is only an appetizer. Haven't tried the restaurant menu, but given how good everything else is, I imagine it should be pretty good.
The decor ire minds me of a bygone era and the atmosphere is good, however I wish more people knew about the place, because it is a little quiet midweek. Seems something is missing...perhaps background music or something. I am sure once people discover this place they will keep coming back. I've told multiple people about this restaurant and they all want to go back to try some of the other menu items. -
Review from Melanie C.
San Francisco, CA
1/16/2012
Despite it being in a somewhat odd non-cozy hotel lobby space and the staff at first looking dazed and confused, once we sat down, we had perfect service and a pretty good meal with interesting combinations and flavors.
I think the feng shui needs help though. The path to go to the host stand actually leads you towards the bathroom (they should put the host stand near the front not back!). And, the bar area is sooo open. Maybe some hanging lights or something to enclose the space more. That is, unless they like the wide open hotel lobby vibe.... -
Review from Pauline L.
Berkeley, CA
Went in at 2pm for their Happy Hour menu. Me and my friend both ordered the $6 chicken & waffles.
Service: waiter was constantly wandering in his corner, cleaning cups, and disappearing. Had to get up to order and ask for some water.. Took some time for the food to come out. Slow slow slow service at the start of happy hour.
Food: my friend said he was surprised about the size of the "bar bite" chicken & waffles. Said it was bigger than expected, since this is a Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant. The dish is 1/4 a whole Belgian waffle, with a fried chicken piece (about size of a small chicken thigh), smothered in maple (pure or not?) syrup. Served in a little square black skillet (SEE PIC). Was pretty tasty. Being my first time having this food trend of chicken & waffles, I found I enjoyed eating the chicken by itself and saving the syrup soaked waffle to the end. Savory, then sweet. Tasty, but I don't think that satisfying or remarkable.
Decor: It's Hotel Shattuck, It's FIVE. It has REALLY nice interior decoration. 'Nuff said. Door man? Why thank you. Triangle-folded toilet paper? How nice.
Nice place, ok happy hour service, decent pretty food. -
Review from Tiffany J.
Sunnyvale, CA
1/20/2012 Seated via OpenTable
My boyfriend and I came here for his birthday, and the food was great! The hotel is beautiful too and has an interesting and cute inside with white and black setting.
We ordered this duck flatbread to start, and it was quite delicious. I had a ravioli, which was delicious, and my boyfriend had a steak which I regretted not ordering. It was very well done, prepared very well in a wine sauce. Dessert was very delicious as well. The service was a little slow even though the servers were great, and the portions were a little small. Other than that, everything was pretty good. Great setting and good food. -
Review from Lindsay R.
Fremont, CA
1/18/2012
I was excited about going here with my friends because of all the rave reviews I saw. Don't quite understand the hype in general.
Yes, the decor is beautiful and it's a nice change compared to all the other places to eat in Berkeley. Yes, the orzo mac and cheese IS awesome (I'll give them that). But the downside was, it was $5 (I got the happy hour bar bites version) and I was done with it in 5 bites. A dollar a bite does not sit well with me. Also, while my drink was fine - I ordered a sazerac - most of my table complained about theirs. The basil gimlet barely had any basil flavor, the sparkling lime was a bit spicy (?!) and the amaretto sour was just a little "off", and she knew how it was supposed to taste from ordering it at other places.
Overall I'll give them three stars for the concept of the orzo mac and cheese, and my sazerac was great, but considering the price for such a small plate and the complaints of my friends, it won't be getting a better review from me. -
Review from maureen m.
San Francisco, CA
12/24/2011
An excellent choice for brunch with friends, FiVE gets just what it truly deserves. Five gleaming stars.
The restaurant is bright and tasteful, with a black on white color scheme. My never-to-be-missed bloody mary was so tasty it turned into two. The server was spot on, and we waited for nothing. All around the table were dishes that warranted theft by spoon, if not already offered. My glamorous entree was upstaged by my second entree, which was mac 'n cheese done with orzo. Mimosas were flying around the table, and enhanced the enjoyment of opening out Secret Santa gifts- some of which were highly amusing.
Not to be missed, I must mention the rest rooms which were a complete relief upon entering for your voiding pleasure. Did someone say, "You'd better go now....I am not stopping that car"!? Well, I hit them twice, being the avid hand washer that I am.
It always makes me laugh, and know I somehow fell in with the wrong crowd when the dessert menu is offered and no one takes advantage. "Oh, I am so full...I just couldn't" is nothing more than uppity bullshit. This crew lunged upon the dessert menu like a feral cat with a large can of "Chicken of the Sea" in front of him. Yessir- my kind of girls! And the winnah was......the butterscotch pudding. How do I know this? Perhaps because no words were uttered upon tasting, only vaguely sexual, endorphin banging sounds as each shared a spoonful.
The East Bay is all of 10 minutes from my home, yet I continually avoid going there secondary to some vague delusion that "it's too far." Well, it certainly was worth the drive to FIVE, I'll tell you. This place is the bomb diggety (to quote one Yelper I am fond of), and I will be back so I can show it off to some other friends very soon. -
Review from Anne M.
1/4/2012
In dressed-down Berkeley, places like FIVE are few and far between. I'm a sucker for upscale-modern so I was pretty much sold on the atmosphere alone. Invited by a friend who I'm pretty sure was more interested in the cute bell boy then the drinks, I was pleasantly surprised by her pick (oh and ladies, did I mention I'm told there is a cute bellboy?). I love the modern look of FIVE-- something about the black and white wallpaper and cool reddish pink chandeliers did it for me. The dining room is huge and is a beautiful space. The place, at least for me however, has more of a girls night vibe than a date night feeling going on.
We were there the night before a major holiday so Berkeley was pretty quiet. There was even someone typing away on their laptop at the other end from where we were sitting--not something I'd expect to see at 8 pm on a normal night. The bartender, despite a dead bar, was not that friendly. She kind of causally made some comments in reply to our questions but clearly wasn't interested in engaging my friend and I.
My pisco included a sprig of fresh rosemary which was a nice touch but was a wee bit weak and tad bit too sour. My friend commented her drink was a little too sweet for her tastes. While we contemplated staying for a second, it just wasn't that kinda night.
I'd like to return sometime for happy hour because it seems there are some deals and I loved, loved the decor. A great place to catch up with a girlfriend or if you need something a bit more upscale than the Bear's Lair. -
Review from pamela t.
Oakland, CA
1/30/2012
OH MY !!!!!!!!!!!!
My co-worker has been raving about this place for quite some time. So I finally decided to to go. And OH MY GOSH!!!!!!!!!!!!! That burger is to die for. I've never had a buger so tender and juicy and with so much taste. The service was great, the decor was suprisingly nice.... I would highly recommend this place!!!!!!!!!!!! -
Review from Nique F.
12/11/2011 1 Check-in Here
I gotta say, after cocktailing at Five a few times now, I'm consistently surprised by how haphazard the bar service manages to be. Yes, the atmosphere is lush and glamorous. And yes, the cocktails are quite delicious (though, nothing to make mixology history), but it seems that once the bar gathers a decent crowd, service just goes down the tubes.
On a most recent outing, I was appalled to see my friends' cocktails poured to half-full and served as if nothing was the matter. When you're paying $10 for dainty little glass, you better fill that sucker up!
They do have a decent happy hour, which makes the lax service a bit more forgivable, and some of the food items are admittedly quite divine (orzo mac n' cheese!) . Since Five is one of the very few "upscale" drinkeries in Berkeley - aside from Revival, an absolute gem - it's an obvious choice for pre-gaming before a show at any of the nearby theatres. So, I'll surely be back...fingers crossed for snappy service and filled-to-the-brim cocktails next time.Listed in: Date Night, Late Night Grubbin', Cocktailin' - Berkeley
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Review from C M.
Pleasant Hill, CA
12/21/2011 8 photos
Service 2 stars, entrees 4 stars, desserts 2 stars, interior 5 stars.
Biggest disappointment was the service. We had a large party, but I don't think that should mean that starters come AFTER the entrees. When the desserts came we asked for plates because we were sharing among a lot of people. The plates never showed up, got tired of watching the ice cream melt.
Entrees were actually really good, I particularly loved my roasted butternut squash sandwich. See pics. They use local, fresh ingredients. Others liked the salmon salad, the duck, and the risotto.
For dessert we shared chocolate torte, mango sorbet and butterscotch pudding. None were very good, average.
Best part was the decor. Gorgeous moldings, marble bar, beautiful chandelier, big mirrors. See pics.
Very good location on Allston, garage right across the street, but we had no problem finding a 2 hour meter 2 blocks West on Allston. -
Review from Eric G.
Berkeley, CA
12/12/2011
The chair was very comfortable.
Oh, you wanted more detail?
How about this-- the service sucked, they forgot our reservation for NINE people and we all had to stand around in between the bar. Food came out after a long, long wait. They have Fish n Chips with hot fried fish and cold damp fries and no malt vinegar. One of our guests didn't get her food. She waited a lonngg time. And we waited a lonnnnnng time for coffee, and a lonnnnnng time for the check, and a lonnnnnnng time for the credit card slip. See a pattern here?
All this waiting and slowness for a lunch crowd of 6 tables.
ho-hum food and sad overall.
But comfy chair! -
Review from Jennifer d.
Fremont, CA
12/9/2011
I recently had a lunch meeting and was lucky enough to be taken here. I had what was the best sandwich I've ever had -- butternut squash, carmelized figs, arugula and feta on a panini. It was served with light, crisp malanga coco chips. (I thought they were rutabaga at first, but an episode of Chopped soon set me straight.) My lunching companion had a grilled cheese sandwich with thick slices of bread and lots of cheese that looked so appetizing that I almost thought I should have gotten it instead -- that is until I tasted my sandwich!
I love the atmosphere inside. It is so bright and open, and the decor reminds me of the turn of the twentieth century.
The service was attentive and gracious and the prices are not bad for such good food. -
Review from Sarah A.
Martinez, CA
12/4/2011 3 photos
We had a bridesmaid brunch here and the place was really cute and pretty. I came here thinking that the food would be amazing, but I would say that the restaurant looks better then it tastes.
I'm not sure if it was the fact that we had 11 girls, but my sister and I ordered the eggs Benedict and it was okay. I ordered the smoked salmon and she had the ham. The hollandaise sauce was dry and the poached eggs were overcooked. I really enjoyed the orzo mac and cheese.
I gave FIVE restaurant 2 stars for the cute decor, bottomless mimosa's, and orzo mac and cheese. -
Review from Monica S.
12/11/2011
I've come here a couple times for happy hour. I wouldn't say FIVE is particularly special, but it is solidly okay and comes with many logistical conveniences.
The decor is sleek and modern, although almost in a characterless "furniture store" way. It's not particularly cozy, but it is clean, there is a lot of space, and there is wifi (for a price).
The drinks are not particularly cheap. A glass of wine hovers around $10-12 (although there is one $5 house wine), and mixed drinks clock in at $9. Most of what I have had here is decent but not memorable. I do like that there are several options for "drink flights," a variety pack of three wines, beers, or even hard liquors, for the indecisive among us. Around happy hour, the service is friendly but slow.
The bar nibbles are relatively more affordable. A generous basket of freshly cut fries and house made ketchup runs only $5. Like others have mentioned, the food here looks a bit more impressive than it tastes (I was into the idea of house made ketchup but the experience itself was lackluster).
All in all, there's nothing to rave about FIVE, but it is wonderfully close to BART, and there's always space for a group. If your expectations aren't too high (and your budget not too constrained), FIVE offers a comfortable and convenient experience. -
Review from Anna T.
12/11/2011
I had higher expectations for Five, but the food was decently priced and everything was pretty yummy except for their Five burger. The biggest standout for me was the fried chicken with waffle. It's a bite size and just a perfect little sampling of food. It came out on this cute little iron skillet too. Props for plating!
My friends' drinks did not taste good at all. The bartender needs to learn how to balance tastes with alcohol. Everything tasted and smelled like rubbing alcohol, which also makes me question what quality of liquor they are using in their mixed drinks. hMmmm....
The decor is really nice and I think it feels pretty fancy. I would definitely visit again and try some of their non-happy hour items. -
Review from Phuong V.
Alameda, CA
12/15/2011 Seated via OpenTable
I love the atmosphere and the interior design but can I say way to over-priced??
For something that is right across from a college campus, it is definitely out of my price range. The only time you old find me sipping on dining here is probably during happy hour.
First time I came here was a celebratory dinner for my friend's 21st birthday. We all ordered short rib pot roast, because the other dishes didn't sound too appetizing. The portions are perfect, not too little and not too much that reminds you of thanksgiving. It was a meat was a little on a bland side for me. But the star of show is definitely the Mac and Cheese!! It is definitely a creative and modern twist the ole classic mac and cheese. It is made with orzo pasta, so you can definitely taste more of the perfect blend of cheese. It topped off with a sweet tomato paste that perfectly made it heaven. On the menu it is considered a side dish, but i usually go to the FIVE happy hour and get the individual size with a taste cocktail. :)
If you plan on coming here, I advise go during happy hour. Very cute venue and professional. It has a very cl -
Review from Devon J.
Berkeley, CA
12/11/2011
This place is very nicely decorated, especially during the holiday season, which is when i went for my birthday.
They have their own drink concoctions too, which are pretty good! My friend got the russian...mule? It's one of their original drinks that's a mojito plus something else, I don't quite remember! But i'd recommend that to anyone who does not want drink anything too hard, (my roommate ordered me a four horsemen and that itself packs a little punch). It's quite refreshing and enjoyable with an interesting presentation of mass mint leaves floating in a russian standard vodka tin cup!
Anyway, we got seated at our table, and our waiter was pretty good. She understood that we were college students and right off the bat told us we could only split the bill by up to 4 credit cards haha! That saved some trouble at the very end :P She was also very tolerant of our other college habits, i.e. getting a ton of refills on our bread baskets.
Onto the food, me and my friends decided to split the mac n cheese that many other people have raved about, and yes, it is good, probably the best mac n cheese i've ever had (many tiers above my usual kraft mac n cheese :P) its topped of with bread crumbs and a tomatoey marinara sauce, yum.
I had the monkfish wrapped in prosciutto with yukon gold potatoes and uni butter, it was probably one of the best cooked fish i've ever had. The fish was not too dry and flaky, as well as not undercooked as well, it was at a perfect tenderness and consistency, i didnt even know fish could be cooked like this!
I did not get to try my other friends dishes (the meal was expensive enough and they were paying for my dinner, i should at least let them eat their entire meal, especially when they didn't take any of mine!) But my friends who ordered the pork gave a thumbs down for it. A few said it was a little too dry, while my friends approved of the flat iron steak and chicken.
We also got the butterscotch pudding and chocolate cake thing (for lack of a better name), the chocolate cake thing was small and dense, but packed with chocolatey goodness at a cool temperature. The butterscotch pudding was a thumbs up too, not your ordinary snack pack pudding, pretty light pudding that's not too sweet and overbearing, but has a nice butterscotch flavor that you just want to keep eating :)
Overall, I enjoyed my meal here, the place has a nice "ambiance and decor" as a couple of my friends like to describe it. I brought a lot of friends from all very separate circles, but all managed to have a good time conversating and such! Shout out to my friends who are reading this right now and shared this wonderful night with me! -
Review from Miyako L.
Lafayette, CA
11/7/2011 3 Check-ins Here
What a way to spoil the FIVE human senses!! Wait the FIVE senses are eating, drinking, sight, smell and... drinking... right? :P
FIVE stars for our all time favorite FIVE!! Whether it's for brunch, lunch, dinner or drinks, you just cannot go wrong here. Speaking of drinks, did you know they do bottomless mimosas here in the am?! Too bad I was brunching with my (ultra conservative, psychologist) mom, or they would have lost money on me last Saturday morning!! Shoooooooot. Haha.
The atmosphere at FIVE is awesome. Perfect for a bright brunch, swanky dinner, or grabbing cocktails at the bar. Handcrafted cocktails might I add. Super delicious. We love coming here to eat, then milling around within a FIVE block radius afterward. You can walk to gelato, a movie, bart, or to get FIVE more drinks at a bar. Parking across the street in the garage is only FIVE dollars all day on the weekend. Definitely one of our top FIVE bay area restaurants!!! -
Review from Chris A.
After 4 years of schooling at Berkeley, not once did I ever step into the Hotel Shattuck, yet alone know of its existence. Not until 4 years later did I have the opportunity to have dinner here with some friends and friends of friends. We came for a late 8 pm dinner for a party of 8. Someone had made reservations, although it didn't seem necessary as the dining area of the restaurant wasn't that busy. There's a very modern and classy feel to the decor with a running color scheme of patterned black and white. The interior was aesthetically pleasing which offsets what's outside on the streets of downtown Berkeley.
We had a choice between a Prix Fixe menu and the regular menu. I went for the monkfish wrapped in prosciutto off of the regular menu. The monkfish was served over spanish pardina lentils, trumpet royale, roasted cippolinis, yukon golds, and uni butter. The presentation and plating was very appealing, it was just the portion size that was a little disappointing. Considering the price, I would've expected a little more than 4 pieces of fish for a dinner entree. Rather than serve a whole piece of fish it was sliced into 4 pieces with the prosciutto already wrapped around each piece. The fish was moist, but not too flaky or firm. The prosciutto was also prepared nicely without being too crunchy or overpowering in savoriness. The lentils and yukon golds provided a contrast in texture and shape to the fish pieces that made the dish a bit more interesting. Overall, the flavors came together nicely.
Service was also pretty good as we didn't have to ask for our water cups to be refilled and our waiter was attentive to our needs and orders. We weren't rushed either and were able to take our leisure time just chatting at our long table. The bathrooms were also very clean and showed continuity with the theme and decor of the restaurant. -
Review from M G.
Berkeley, CA
1/10/2012
A nice option downtown when you're looking something a bit more upscale than a taco or a slice of pizza. Excellent menu and drinks. Friendly service.
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Review from Louisa L.
Fremont, CA
11/9/2011 1 Check-in Here
FIVE was a total disappointment.
i guess my expectation was a bit high because it was listed as the Michelin bid gourmand restaurant; however, food is really mediocre.
we had crab fritter as appetizer - you would expect the outside crust to be crispy, but it were soggy and soft. corn chowder was pretty good except it required a lot of chewing. i had lamb as main - the lamb is pretty dry and the sides were a bit too sour for me. my friends got fish and beef.....i guess theirs were better than mine~
if i were to pay over $40 for a dinner, i don't think i will ever go back to FIVE with such food quality..... -
Review from Eric F.
11/2/2011 1 Check-in Here
Nice decor and conveniently located right by the Downtown Berkeley BART station. Can't say much for my actual lunch though. My mom ordered the Five Burger and it was very much average - greasy, lacking in flavor and overpriced. In fact, the most noticeable thing was the ketchup and mayo and I imagine both were the cheap variety b/c they seriously reminded me of burgers at McDonald's... I had the Orzo "Mac & Cheese" and it was unmemorable. Again, on the bland side and overly runny too. Our server wasn't very approachable and honestly, a bit awkward.
On the bright side, the coffee was very good haha... -
Review from Lia P.
We (my bosses/co-workers) only go to Five for fancy luncheons to celebrate birthdays, promotions or congratulatory events.
Five is in the heart of Downtown Berkeley. It is practically nestled in between the towers and the front scape gives a feel like you're on the Knob Hill in San Francisco. From what I have been told they have revamped the Shattuck Hotel ( never saw it before the remodel) and for that I am so grateful because Downtown Berkeley needed some revamping.
The decor is majestic, upscale and chic. Your eyes can't help by wandering as you try to get a feel for the classy ambiance, chandeliers and high ceilings. You soon forget that you are in Berkeley. And hope that this lunch will last forever.
The food is splendid. The bar is hip and they offer the best local vineyard offerings. The wait staff is attentive yet arrogant but in a good way. Who would not want to work there? Not to mention their uniform attire is quite unique; one color for hostess, another for the bartender and one for the server.
Lunch Menu Personal Favorites: Tomato Soup with Grilled White Cheddar and Goat Cheese Sandwich which melts in your mouth and is presented very elegantly. The Mac & Cheese is memorable and you can not say no to one more bite.
This modern American bistro has all the right ingredients in its sophisticated lavish atmosphere. Too bad Birthdays only come once a year.Listed in: Good for Groups, Fancy Lunch
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Review from Katerina U.
Berkeley, CA
11/20/2011
TERRIBLE SERVICE!!!! I don't understand how an "upscale" restaurant like this can get by with such shitty service. I've been here twice:
The first time for my friend's birthday. I came a bit late after work after everyone had ordered. Totally understandable that the waiter didn't see me and bring me a menu, but I had to find him and ask twice. And when it still didn't come, I asked a busboy. And then ten minutes later I had to hunt down the waiter to get my order taken. And then again to get water. For 18% gratuity, I shouldn't have to hunt down a server.
The food was mediocre for the price. It was good, but not $40-good.
Went back tonight for drinks. Walked in and the three hosts at the stand just stared at us. Well okay, maybe we seat ourselves. We sit near the bar. The waitstaff make eye contact but don't come or take our order. We find a menu at the next table, decided what we wanted, and waited for the waiter to come by. Nope, never did. They just huddled around near the kitchen. At least pretend to be busy. Is there no manager..? We walked out and left, it was that bad.
DON'T COME HERE. There are plenty of nicer, better restaurants in the area. I admit the decor is nice, but it doesn't make up for truly terrible service. -
Review from Garett N.
Berkeley, CA
12/24/2011
Came here for happy hour drinks. Decent deals. Will likely come back.
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Review from Patrick S.
Oakland, CA
10/24/2011 Seated via OpenTable
Dined once for dinner. Only saw one man in flip flops (at the bar) and not a single pair of Birks on either. So it seemed like a serious food place.
The space was purdy, but not as comfortable as I'd have liked.
Food was well executed and of the slightly decadent new American variety. Tuna app was better than most, really liked the heat brought on by some fresh chili.
Much love to the bartender, primarily for the excellent basil gimlet(s).
However, the Moscow Mule reminded me of a novelty drink you might expect at a theme park. Served in a large awkward copper mug with a tremendous amount of ice, it was an odd misstep. I would return if in the area, no doubt. -
Review from Laurel S.
Richmond, CA
10/12/2011
I came here last night for drinks and dinner with a girlfriend. I must say I looked up FIVE on their website the day before to see what was on the menu. The website was helpful, and I got directions to the restaurant.
Upon arriving, the staff were lighting tealight candles and lining the foyer steps with them. The lights were few and far between, but candles were lit, giving the place a warm, inviting air. I saw down and ordered the Golden Bear which looked like a margarita, but tasted similar to a maitai. We were greeted by polite servers who informed us that the power was out so the menu we could choose from was limited. No problem. We ordered the fries with the ginger ketchup (couldn't taste the ginger too much), a salad, and ham sandwich with homemade potato chips. All we good, especially the fries.
The atmosphere and decor of the restaurant was very clean and streamline, but not pretentious and too trendy. The service was very friendly (thanks Will!) and I would love to come back when the power is on so I can take advantage of all that FIVE has to offer.
The only thing I didn't understand was there were about 3 servers helping us, so we didn't know who we were tipping. Small problem and not a big deal since they were all great. -
Review from Julia K.
9/30/2011
***Happy Hour Review***
Stopped by on a Wednesday evening for the happy hour to catch up with one of my undergrad roommates. She goes to Berkeley and recommended we try FIVE because they're known for their amazing happy hour and food quality.
We ordered:
* red flight (3 red wine tastings: a pinot noir, syrah, and a cabernet) - $10
* beer flight - for $5 you get nice helpings of 3 of their beers on tap.
* Pulled Pork Sliders - $6
* Orzo Mac&Cheese w/ Tomato Jam - $5
* FIVE Burger - $13
* Chicken & Waffle - $5
For the two of us, this was PLENTY of food. We enjoyed our beers and wines for the entirety of the night while we ate our plethora of food. Bartenders were very attentive and the overall ambience of the place was pretty nice. Would come back again for HH. -
Review from Brownie S.
San Ramon, CA
11/6/2011 1 photo
5 stars for FIVE. I loved my orzo macaroni and cheese! It came in a little skillet and had a crunchy topping with mushrooms and tomato jam.
Even though orzo is a tiny pasta, it really held up. The orzo-to-cheese ratio was perfect.
The restaurant was a little loud, but not too crazy. The tables were spaced out nicely and the restaurant was both elegant and casual. -
Review from rosquete b.
Belmont, CA
Inside Hotel Shattuck
Fabulous art deco lobby setting
One block from the BART Station
Happy Hour at the bar and lounge area
House wines are $5; wine flights are $10
Beers are discounted also
Several items on the bar menu are $5 and $6
Orzo mac & cheese was okay, not great
Pork sliders are fantastic
Generous portion of popcorn shrimp, that are good, but a little greasy ($12)
Service is uneven among the personnel, but Matt is very courteous -
Review from Edward W.
Fremont, CA
10/30/2011 Seated via OpenTable 1 Check-in Here
The food at FIVE are definitely high quality and tasty, but it also makes your wallet a whole lot lighter.
The mac & cheese is one of the best I've ever had. It has this layer of baked crust at the top and beneath that layer is some creamy, flavorful mac & cheese.
The grilled flat iron steak has mashed potatoes, green beans, and some really amazing sauce. The steak is tender, juicy, and goes great with the rest of the dish. A really well thought out dish.
TL;DR; Mac & cheese is the best I've ever had. Steak is relatively good, but almost too pricy. -
Review from Tim W.
Berkeley, CA
Made a reservation here for 4 on my gf's birthday. The restaurant wasn't busy at all on a Sunday night, maybe 3 to 4 other tables.
We started out the dinner with the grilled flatbread with the duck sausage. The bread itself was exceptionally soft with a nice char and the flavor of the toppings were excellent as well, although I wasn't a big fan of the arugula. It didn't blend well for me with the rest of the dish.
Next up was the prosciutto salad with goat cheese, pear and a nice strong and pungent aged balsamic. The whole dish had such pronounced flavors that worked well together, but I would have enjoyed more pear on the salad and less prosciutto. The humboldt fog goat cheese is the real star of the dish and is served as a whole wedge next to the salad. I would highly recommend buying this cheese at your local cheese monger if they have it.
For the main entree I ordered the pork tenderloin, while my friends ordered the steak, monkfish and the stuffed squash. We all tried bits and piece of eachother's dishes. Sadly, the pork wasn't the best part of my dish, as it was slightly overcooked. But combined with the crispy chard, the beans and the oil/sauce it tasted excellent. My gf's steak was slightly undercooked, leaning more towards the rare rather than the medium rare that it was ordered as, but I really enjoyed the red onion marmalade on top. My favorite was the monkfish, which was cooked perfectly.
To finish off the meal, they comped us a rice pudding dessert, and we also ordered the Jonathan apple crisp. Both desserts were very enjoyable and not overly sweet.
All in all, the flavors of the dishes really shine through, but the portions are on the smaller side, leaving me still hungry and wanting more! -
Review from Laura B.
St. Helena, CA
9/28/2011
Busy Busy Busy Spot. Would have been nice to have been given a fork to eat my appetizer. So I guess I can say it was finger licking good. Tasty.
Carved our way to the bar to get our own drinks. Place is hopping - so be able and willing to fend for yourself! -
Review from Stephanie K.
Bay Area
11/1/2011
This restaurant received great reviews, but we were very disappointed. The food was mediocre, and under-cooked (had to send mine back). The ambiance was horrible... there was no one in the restaurant, and then they started to clear all tables and were slamming things in the kitchen to prepare for closing even though there were people still dining. It wasn't worth the high prices, and we won't be returning.
The only reason it gets a "2" is the absolutely beautiful decor. You'd never expect this kind of old architecture in downtown Berkeley. -
Review from Michael M.
San Jose, CA
8/23/2011 1 Check-in Here
We came here before the Adele concert at the Greek Theater. The décor of the place made me feel like I stepped into time when things seemed cooler. It's almost like guys should be wearing fedoras wile smoking a cigar and ladies should have on long sundresses and floppy hats. The dining room is placed behind the bar in the lobby of Hotel Shattuck. It's worth a note to use the lobby entrance as the side was blocked by a rope when I was there. A few of the stand outs were the orzo "mac & cheese" and Hawaiian Butterfish. If you get a chance order a Moscow Mule from the bar. It's made with vodka, ginger beer, lime, mint and served in a copper cup. It was a very refreshing to start the meal with. Oh and just so you know the Butterscotch Pudding was worth the drive to Berkeley by itself.
The service was friendly but there was an item missing from our order and some confusion on the compensation on the check but all it all it was handled and we left feeling satisfied. Being I don't get to Berkeley all that much I would check a few other places out before I returned. -
Review from Ishita S.
Berkeley, CA
12/26/2011 Seated via OpenTable
I liked this place till I went down for the Christmas brunch. First, they forget to mention on the website menu that its a buffet, we reach there and find that out. Second, the buffet food turns out to be horrible, my friend actually felt sick later. To top it off, they add a 20% gratuity (which, again, they forgot to mention anywhere)to a table of 2 on an already overpriced BUFFET.
I was very disappointed, I have been to Five many times but after this experience I will not be going back. -
Review from Rose J.
San Rafael, CA
10/12/2011
On a very busy Sunday night, we had reservations for three. The table next to us had about twenty people; business dinner. Even with all of this, our server was pleasant and accommodating.
What an amazing surprise in the middle of downtown Berkeley! The history of this hotel/restaurant is interesting; over 100 years old. Some of the aspects of that era is present, but then everything else is modern and perfectly appointed to meld together with the past. Very pleasant.
You can sit at the bar, with an array of drinks on their bar menu, or near by small tables with a friend and just enjoy a special drink with"bar bite" dishes, or enjoy sitting in the restaurant as we did.
We immediately got delicious bread with butter and water. We decided to share the grilled flat bread that had duck sausage, shallots, garlic, and arugula; very good. I went for the pre fixe menu and started with the young salad that had greens, candied pecans, and Point Reyes blue cheese....delicious. Next was the butter fish with golden tomatoes, and watercress slaw, very good. My son had the cornish hen and enjoyed it. Hubby had the grilled flat steak and thought it was excellent. My meal came with a triple chocolate layer cake that was very good, but very rich.
We thought that the whole experience was great and we will be back!
Try it!
