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Category: Turkish
Neighborhoods: UC Campus Area, Telegraph AveMon-Fri. 7:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Sat-Sun. 8:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
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Had a breakfast burrito and it was very bland -- it had eggs, cheese, potatoes, salsa, and beans. I would definitely not get another one again unless I'm low on cash and very hungry.
The breakfast burrito is the most sacred food in existence.
If you want a good one, go to Cafe Mattina.
So today was my first time at Julie's. I was given the invite from some new friends attending the Zaytuna Institute. So the first thing.. is that Julies is super easy to get to and the parking is located below street level with stairs directly up into the place. We all arrived and it seemed like the entire East Bay Ummah attending UC were all there.. everyone from the masjid showed up to chow down after Jummah salat.
We were worried about getting a table but Alhumduilliah it was easy at people kind of came and went in waves while we were ordering. Ordering didn't take long.. just yell out your order over the super busy counter and your pretty much done. A nice thing is each dish seems to have a photo over the order counter... so even if you can't say Shawarma.. you can fall back on I want a number 22.
They have a wide selection of bottled drinks - apple juice, vitawater, water etc and soda as well as a soda fountain.
The wait to pay was a bit much.. like 10 minutes in line.. made it feel like a high school cafeteria- however it allowed for more socialization with all of the many other muslims that happened to bombard Julie's. They take cash and debit.. so plastic only folks don't feel left out.
I ordered the beef shawarma.. I made sure they went light on the sauce because.. I wasn't sure if I was a mayo based sauce or not and I happen to loathe mayo. It was a great choice by the way.. I could taste my grilled beef and all of the other flavors blend together in a wonderful taste overload in my mouth.
I would high recommend Julies.. bring everyone even the kids.. since its low key, good prices and excellent food. I can not wait to try the Hummus and Falafel next time.
I really wanted to like this place. I love the concept of healthy food, but as the other reviewers have noticed-it's SO not the case with them anymore.
The Bad:
The staff there always looks mildly confused and unprepared when I walk in. Like they don't know how to handle customers. It's hardly ever busy so you'd think they'd be more on the ball. Coffee there is way too expensive for what you get. I also spent a while this morning looking for the right-sized lid. Finally, I said-I don't think you have lids for this size. He had to pull some from the back. YOU SHOULD BE READY for that kinda stuff.
I also got a moldy muffin from there once. You should ALSO check your food.
The Good:
The low-fat muffins.
In Summary:
Nobody comes there anymore! If all you have to do is sit around, the LEAST you could do is make sure lids are stocked first thing in the morning (I was there at 10) and your food isn't moldy.
I dig the staff that worked here. Cecilia and Marie, two of the cooks, recognized me after not visiting for a couple of weeks. They get orders correctly despite all the insinuating requests.
Unfortunately, the title doesn't match up with its goal of healthy food very well. There are certainly healthy items, but there's also a ton of stuff you'd find at fast 'ethnic' joints.
+ Spacious, lots of tables for groups and studying
+ Food is decent, comes out quick
+ Besides the owner, the rest of the staff is awesome
- Only two outlets, kills laptop users!
- Their wi-fi waves in and out, fix that shizz!
Final Call:
Friendly staff for the most part. The food is aiiiite. For the study space and the quick food, I'll be back when I'm on the Southside of campus.
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Munchies:
1. Veggie sandwich with hummus
- Tell 'em to mix up the hummus well, I got a few nasty chunks one time
2. Veggie minestrone soup
+ Veggies retain some of their firmness and flavor, good mix
3. Pad Thai, Veggie
+ They don't overdo on the peanuts, lemon's a good touch
Can I give it a zero?! New owners, bad (expensive) food. I was so sorry that the old Julie's menu did not transfer over unmolested....only the two short order cooks remain and they are as sweet as ever. Other staff? Not friendly and clueless--bad combo!
Higher prices for bad food...not a good combo. The meats are tough (and hard to find in the dish). Veggies not fresh and healthy--not at all.
Julie's was my stand-by, go-to lunch spot but I won't be going back,
Had the lamb & beef shawarma a few days ago, which was not bad. The meat was a little chewy, but it was filling, which is all that really matters during finals week.
Outlets:
I love looking for outlets at study spots. There are many outlets here and even on the ceiling, I kid you not. I saw some guy plug his laptop cord to one on the ceiling towards the side corner.
Chairs:
There is always a large stack of plastic chairs.
Live Music:
Office hours with instrumental Hey Jude in the background.
Yes, I'm picking out some good things & not just picking on the brownies. Shoutout to Brian if he's reading this.
$2.50 minimum for card
$2.00 thai iced tea
$1.50 2.5" x 2.5" brownie square
$0.65 1" x 1" baklava…
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I guess the free wifi counts for something, and the sandwich wasn't terrible, but everything else was. The coffee, the cookie . . . I could have gone to Subway and had everything but the coffee for less. I was on campus today for a company event and managed to duck away quickly for a sandwich. I should have just tried the taco stand . . . or falafel in a pita, or anything but Julie's . . . the bathroom is a little scary too, but at least there's a ladder in case you need to escape. No telling where it leads, but from the smell in there I almost wanted to . . .
I've NEVER been impressed with any of the food close to campus. I guess you shouldn't expect a lot - students are often self-centered, cocky, oblivious to those around them, etc . . . and the restaurants probably can't find it in themselves to bring decent fare to these kids. I don't blame 'em. . .
Moral of the story? Pack your lunch, or better yet, search for "Indian" and get as far away from campus in Berkeley as you can. You'll be pleasantly surprised, I've yet to find bad Indian in Berkeley.
One star for location, and one extra star for fast service.
I've only had the breakfast burrito, which was OK at best, but I'd never get it again. Everything in it was bland, minus the salsa. The black beans were also super watery--uggh.
I'd recommend the breakfast burritos at that little taco shack in bear's lair. The best I've had in berkeley by far.
drop in here for a large joe(1.75) with cream, i could tell it wasn't anything special. ok for the price. they also sell sandwiches, pastries, stir fries, wraps, and some thai food at 3 separate food stations.
friendly service.
in and out to avoid the meter maid.
Do not eat anything but the veggie sandwich on honey wheat - because everythign else it is just not good. But the divine "salad between bread" of cheese, alfalfa sprouts lettuce, cheese, tomatoes, pickles (extra please) and onions is a pleasant lil'lunch; and there is always an open table.
Good Stir fry dishes cooked up by friendly ladies who have to put up with campus folks who have their heads in the clouds or up their rears...
Food is quickly made, flavorful, and hot! I am a regular.
nice try Julie! hahahahahaha
I've only ever had the thai dishes here, but they've always been firmly A-OK. There tend to be lots of flies in the open seating area, which is kind of gross.
This changed hands and is now Turkish. New owners have reportedly added Turkish items such as cacik, eggplant salad, piyaz, lentil soup, kebabs, Iskender kebap, and borek. Now open 7am to 10pm weekdays, weekend to be determined.
Every time I see this place I am reminded of Voltaire's witticism concerning the Holy Roman Empire: "Neither holy... nor Roman... nor an empire." In this case, of course, it may well be that the owner is actually named Julie. But I really, really doubt it.
I ordered "Eggs and Sausage" here for breakfast once. When I received it, and for the agonizing twenty or so minutes that followed, the sausage was in point of fact nothing but a cut-up hot dog. Yes, the purported sausage was a Hot Dog. Not one of those Whole Foods hot dogs, not even a Hebrew National; it was the same unappetizing thing they give you at the horse tracks on dollar day. It was quite clear that on this day I'd put my money on the wrong breakfast place.
I actually like this place, I definitely don't think it warrants the slew of 1 stars that the rest of the reviewers have been handing out. That being said, I do agree that there are a lot better alternatives around campus for pretty much everything: Breakfast- Cafe Durant; Burgers (chicken included)- Smart Alec's for healthy or I.B Hoagies for greasy death; Thai Basil or Thai House for Thai...and so on.
I come here to get one of two things: The Mee Gorang and the Breakfast Burrito.
The Burrito is standard and good on the go. Beats anything one can get at the Golden Bear Cafe. Eww
The Mee Gorang (A stir fry noodle dish) isn't fancy at all, and indeed, Thai Basil is way better for Thai food, but I just have an affinity for the way they do it here. It's so simple and definitely healthier than the greasy alternatives around the corner. Anyways, I get mine spicy with shrimp and I douse it with the juice from lemons (I ask for extra). This, alone, makes me like Julie's but their other stuff isn't as bad as people make them out to be.
At first, I steered clear of this place. Any place with the name "healthy" in its title just screams grass smoothies and power bar sandwiches, especially in a place like Berkeley. But it just so happened that I ventured in one day on a lunch-break (only because I discovered mold on a sandwich I brought from home). I was impressed. It wasn't the vegan/vegetarian place I imagined. They have hamburgers and Asian stir fry cuisines! I suppose in keeping true to their name, they also have a large salad and soup bar, but being the unhealthy eater that I am, I didn't ordered any. What I did have was their basil chicken and it was delicious...much better than any Panda Express meals I've had. Oh and the service was fast too.
Apparently their breakfast menu is good to, seeing that my co-worker goes there for breakfast every single morning.
Good white mochas, pretty good sandwiches, decent cost.
They'd suit me better, though, if they'd take ATM. But that's too much to ask at Berkeley.
The one time I paid a visit to Julie's (see Will R's review below), it was only out of dire need for brunch at 3 in the afternoon. We tried Anne's and Cafe Durant, and somehow, both were closed. It was tragic. Will and I walked in to place our order, and I swear, the women working there looked positively shocked that people were actually ordering food from them.
As Will mentions, he got the eggs and "sausage" which turned out to be eggs and a chopped up hot dog. I ordered an omelet that consisted simply of eggs and cheese. One would think that this would be nearly impossible to fuck up. But they managed, somehow.
I was just mystified by the whole experience. I dunno, maybe brunch is just not their specialty, but good god, just CALL it "eggs and hot dog" if that's what it is!
I kind of hate this place. Nevertheless, I eat here occasionally, solely because of its convenient location and frequent lack of a line. Afterwards, I always think: why did I do that?
Julie's is one of the many food establishments in Berkeley selling you on the idea of a healthier alternative. Ladies and gentlemen: there are many equally healthy, if not healthier, options nearby that cost less, will provide enough calories to get you through the afternoon, AND actually taste good.
Julie's sandwiches are made on a homemade wheat bread that convinces you of its healthiness because it taste like air-infused cardboard. Julie's veggie sandwich includes one slice of cheese and nothing else of any substance. Want to add another thin slice, or maybe some avocado? $1 for each, making your sandwich cost more than the gigantic sandwich/salad combinations available only blocks away at Intermezzo, Cafe Milano, or Sufficient Grounds (and two of those establishments also make their own wheat bread!).
Other items on the menu that have not impressed me: fat free muffins (really, really bad), veggie omelet (bland), side salad (you'd think this would be a key item on a "healthy" cafe's menu)
Passable items: veggie chili (though the rice filler is a little disappointing), low fat chocolate chip cookie (okay, but the quality recently went down and the price went up), breakfast burrito (average).
Can recommend: Banana Bread.
The staff is always friendly but their coy smiles make me think that they are secretly laughing at me for choosing to blow my lunch money at Julie's. Basically, there isn't much reason to go here when you consider the other nearby healthy, cheaper, tastier alternatives.
I don't get all the hype. For breakfast, I went there with a group of friends thinking that it would be superb. The selection was limited. None of us (4 people) were that thrilled with our choices (bagel with egg and tomato and cheese ($3), breakfast burrito, sandwich combination of some sort). Would not go there again...could get much better at McDonald's.
1.5 years later, I tried the Pad Thai ($6). I'll give them this--it was the healthiest tasting Pad Thai I've ever had. Not at all greasy, but semi-bland. It was, however, loaded with chicken! And carrots and sprouts...in a light peanut sauce. Perhaps I made a mistake of ordering it non-spicy.
Baked Goods at Julie's:
-Healthy muffins (blueberry, bran, cranberry): Definitely healthy-tasting, and I don't mean it in a good way. The consistency could be described as the opposite of "melt-in-the-mouth."
-Brownies: Okay
-Banana bread: Yummy
-Chocolate chip cookies: Great for low-fat cookies. Chewy to the max.
They also need a bigger assortment of baked goods.
I really wish I could give a half star. Or even a quarter of one. It was that bad. Hands down, the WORST muffin I have EVER had in my ENTIRE LIFE. I hate capitalizing things, because it's as if I'm a twelve-year-old on AIm lol-ing, but I really don't know how to communicate my loud disgust. I was so, SO sorry that I chose to grab breakfast from this place. I soldiered through a few bites but had to throw the rest away- and I never throw away food. It was that bad.
The place was severely understaffed. We had to wait forever just to pay! And the food was average at best.
On the plus side, you get a large quantity of the food, which can be a good and bad thing.
i doesnt look so healthy when you walk in. in fact, there are a good amount of gnats on the fruit salad on display. but i still chose to eat here. the hummus sandwich was pretty good and the wheat bread was freshly baked. for about 6 bucks, it comes with lettuce, cheese, tomatoes, pickles and onions (but you dont want onions).
bonus: the thai manager will tell you its never too late for love.
update: it hurt my tummy :(
I honestly like Julie's and a few of their more veteran workers. They are Halal for those of you who are Muslim. If your going to eat at Julie's, make sure it's the breakfast burrito with their beef sausage and ask for it inside the burrito, not on the side. It's not exactly healthy, but its worth it.
I have class in the Anthropology labs right across the street so I thought I'd check this out for lunch. Ordered the hummus sandwich based on the reviews here.
The pluses and minuses of the experience:
+ alfalfa sprouts, something i havent found elsewhere on a hummus sandwich yet
+price of the sandwich, around $5 for an enormous sandwich that could easily be split with someone
-bread options - only whole wheat and sourdough. I like my hummus sandwich bread to be kind of pillowy and substantial, and the slices of wheat didn't really hold up
-too many ingredients - mayo, mustard, pickles, cheese, on top of the hummus, plus tons of veggies which makes the sammy like 2 inches thick. It's just a personal thing, but I like my hummus sandwiches to be kept kind of simple. The mustard is why I wasn't such a fan of Intermezzo's version - I think it overpowers.
-expensive (bottled, at least) drinks. BRING YOUR OWN. However, I do think water is free here, I just didn't see it till after I got my drink.
-messy eating. i probably used 10 napkins.
-wierd cashier who asked me whether i had just made the $20 bill i handed him to pay for my food? huh??
So, overall, huge and pretty tasty, but too complicated for me. I much prefer Sufficient Ground's version, with yummy foccaccia and tons of hummus, veggies, and not much else, plus side greens. Smart Alec's version is also amazing as well.
I love the location and the little courtyard you can sit and eat. Just wish the food tasted better and the flatware didn't feel so sticky/oily/dirty.
I started coming here with my lunch buddy when our favorite sandwich place a little further down on Bancroft closed about a year ago. We came in looking for a sandwich, but soon enough found the very tasty, made-while-you-wait stirfries. That is what we keep coming back for. I'm worried what it's doing to my health, though. Don't let the name of this place deceive you: the portions are unhealthily large!
Free wifi, and cheap good eats, but only if you order the right things. You have to go for the hummus sandwich with turkey and cheese, or the double cheeseburger ( low on flavor, but super low on cost). This place has a really campus convenient location, and pretty good juices too. I'd say this one is the "best place to yelp from" in berkeley
The food isn't more healthy than nearby alternatives. Sometimes this place is good, sometimes bad, but usually mediocre. Last time I went there, the bread was stale, inedibly stale.
I am not a fan of their desserts; my friends tell me it's an acquired taste and I apparently have not even come close. However, when it comes to hot food, I have very few complaints.
I've tried all of their plates and I like all of them, save for a couple. I think their plates mixed taste better as opposed to keeping them separated from the rice.
I also like their burritos; they're well-stuffed and definitely worth the price.
I'm very appreciative of the nice man who goes out of his way to bus your plates and trays for you. I'm always embarrassed when he does it but it's definitely one of the perks of the restaurant.
I like the live music they have playing in the eating area; it enhances the experience.
I like how they don't have a minimum charge for credit cards.
While studying at Berkeley during the summer a few years ago, I use to enjoy getting the chicken and broccoli dish and sitting outside to study. The sandwiches are also good and the staff is friendly. On the weekend, I would also go to Julie's in the morning for breakfast. I remember one time getting a nonfat muffin and juice for a nice, older homeless guy that use to always sit by the trash can on the corner of Telegraph and wish a good morning. He seemed less that impressed that the muffin was nonfat but I'm sure he enjoyed it.
Julie's is a great place to get a cheap, quick bite for breakfast on the way to class or a sandwich at lunch. I also enjoy their stir-fry. I'm not sure its much healthier than anywhere else, but I'll be back sometime when I'm visiting Berkeley.
To be honest, I'm judging this place based on only two visits, both of which were not that satisfying. Yes, they call themselves healthy, but their stir frys and large breakfast items really are not that good for you. And if you're looking for salads, Smart Alec's and Intermezzo do a much better job. Sure, portions are large for the money and the food is made fresh after you order it, but the quality is a bit lacking. The wait during the lunch hour is long as well. Two stars for good seating and cheapness, in every sense of the word.
i think ive grown to like this place. although not necessarily because of the food.
generally just a nice, chill place to get a breakfast special. the sunny side up eggs are very runny, with the whites hardly cooked. but i dont know, i put up with that stuff. food is a little inconsistent in quality. somedays my potatoes are really oily, and other days, they're just kind of oily.
got their pad thai, i dont think ive ever had such blannnnnnd pad thai in my life! its a real disappointment. otherwise portions are big and you can get it with shrimp if youd like, and thats nice. regardless, i take a star down because how bad the stir fry is.
the sitting area is wonderful though. the entire sky is above you... a great opportunity to turn this place into a very nice date restaurant... just some candles and tidying up.. and this place would be fantastic.
people that work here are nice.
"Their juice restores my faith in humanity."
the food may be healthy, but it tastes like cardboard....ugh!
i heard good things about this place. granted, all i ate was a hamburger. but i could have made a better one.
Neighborhood: UC Campus Area
Category: Burgers
Neighborhood: North Oakland
Category: Halal
Neighborhood: UC Campus Area
Category: American (Traditional)
Neighborhood: UC Campus Area
Category: Middle Eastern
Neighborhood: UC Campus Area
Category: Vegetarian
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