Rob M.'s Profile

Dining out in California is often an unremittingly casual experience.  You can see waiters in tuxxes and patrons in flip-flops and 20-year old, torn Billabong T-Shirts.  Being a native here I tend towards casual dress but when I walk into Downtown, I want to wear a suit.  And it's not an intimidation thing, they don't make me feel bad for showing up in jeans but it's like dressing up for that special date even when the venue isn't that dressy, for some people or places you just want to look your best.  Downtown is a beautiful restaurant with an awesome bar and menu.  They have a great selection of whiskeys and vodkas and a great wine list.  Later in the evenings they often have live music playing in the background.  Prices are not cheap but I haven't felt gouged here with the exception of being charged $4.50 for bar nuts.  But the drinks and entree prices are all reasonably standard for the type of place you're at.  This is a great place to go after you've seen a show at the Berkeley Rep or if you're just looking for a nice place in downtown Berkeley.

Ahhhh the BBC, not bad pub gurb and decent beers.  Feels a bit forced though, a little too self concious.  I've found other pubs that are simply there and cozy and comfortable and so far I've never really unwound here.  More like a theme restaurant/bar as opposed to an actual place that you'd just hang in, which is what a pub is supposed to be right?