Vegan
American
International
Organic
Juice bar
Beer/Wine
Take-out
Breakfast
Berkeley vegan restaurant serving contemporary vegetarian cuisine for breakfast, lunch, and dinner everyday. Wide range of offerings from fresh squeeze juices and pancakes to sandwiches, salads, main entrees, and cocktails. Casual, modern decor. There are 2 more locations in San Francisco city. CONFIRMED CLOSED, AUG 2016.
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2451 Shattuck Ave (at Haste), Berkeley, California, USA, 94704
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Last update on 18 Aug 2016 by Guest
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Added by JohnnySensible on 01 Aug 2007
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49 Reviews
First Review by brianedwardgreen
elizan
Points +21
Never again - Edit
A few things on the menu are fantastic, a lot more are dreadful- stay away from anything that is supposed to be Italian! The philly cheesesteak sandwich is good, and the Irish Coffee is to die for. The breakfast potatoes manage to be both dry and greasy. They recently changed the menu, taking away options and making things more expensive, and, I've been told, the formerly delicious southwest scramble is now awful.
Read moreThe service is almost always terrible, too- I used to take a bottle of water in my purse because it was impossible to get refills. I went early last Sunday, there were only two other tables with people. We were seated and given water (!!!) promptly, but then waited fifteen minutes without being approached by a server. There were two servers working in addition to the busboy who seated us, and we saw them standing around, cleaning other tables, chatting, and staring out the window. After fifteen minutes we got up and left.
Pros: a few delicious options
Cons: terrible service, bland food
Guest
Jeanveganrunner
Points +48
Good food but bad service - Edit
The food here was good. I had a tofu scramble that was really good. The service was bad. The server seemed very annoyed by us ordering and for asking for refils on our drinks. She was not polite at all. I would for sure go back again but will not expect good service.
Read morePros: Good brunch food
Cons: bad service
Guest
rana
Points +33
Vegan dream - Edit
Coming from a small metro area with few totally vegan restaurants, Herbivore was an absolute dream. Here we found a varied, casual menu with surprisingly affordable prices and incredible shakes! Their late breakfast menu was greatly appreciated during our visit to Berkeley. Their scrambled tofu was the closest to scrambled eggs I have ever had and our numerous meals here were very memorable for us. I want an Herbivore in St. Petersburg, FL!
Read morePros: Affordable, Delicious, Pleasant staff/atmosphere
Cons: Not in my area :(
Guest
M.T.
Points +37
beyond comfort food - Edit
Herbivore is one of my favorite vegan restaurants in Berkeley. They have a large menu with a little bit of everything. One of the problems I have with this is making up my mind what to order! Their portions are large, the food is incredibly fresh and the price is right. They even make delicious cocktails with fresh juices.
Read morePros: tasty, large portions, affordable
Cons: too many choices
Guest
pepperka
Points +111
Meh - Edit
When I first moved here, I was in love with Herbivore. Maybe it was because I'd never seen such a wide variety of vegan dishes on one menu? Unfortunately that seems to mean they do a lot of things, but all of it sub-par instead of focusing on one style and getting it right. And the service... oh man. It's gone steeply downhill in the last year. For example, in one recent dinner we had a server who seemed annoyed at us for ordering items that were out of stock (not that she told us ahead of time they were out of things), got an order wrong and huffed her way back to get a correct dish, and straight up forgot another order. Look, I've been a server, and the job isn't all sunshine and rainbows, but seriously now.
Read moreOn the plus side, they have okay cocktails that are decently priced during happy hour... not that the servers tell you when it's happy hour, but whatever. It'[censored] or miss with the amount of alcohol they use so keep that in mind. Another plus is the coconut noodle soup. It's not any kind of traditional for any culture, but it's tasty. Be warned they have been very skimpy on the veggies as of late. The side salads are always delicious, and the chocolate cake is pretty yummy. I do love they open early and close fairly late, but for late food I'd suggest a certain veg diner just a few blocks away... the service there is "out of this world!"
If you do go to Herbivore, definitely skip the "seasoned potatoes." They are a gross interpretation of a non-fried french fry, and from the texture "oven baked" must mean microwave. Ew.
Sorry Herbivore, I've given you so many chances because I really wanted to like you...
Pros: open early, closes late, drinks
Cons: overpriced, bad service
Guest
crewumiami
Points +78
Lots of choices - Edit
I was in town visiting and I wasn't sure if I should check it out because some of the reviews were not so great, but I have realized that you cant always go by what people say. First of all, there menu was impressive. I don't recall seeing so many different options available. The food was awesome and so were the dessert. I had the carrot cake and it was so moist and so good. They have vegan cocktails to drink, but perhaps next time in town, I will have one!! For sure a must go to place if visiting!
Read morePros: excellent food, good value, great portions
Guest
vegan_geek
Points +80
Great food. Good vibe. - Edit
Herbivore is one of my long time favorites. For the first 25 times I went there I only ate the seitan shawarma because it was so good. Then they stared making a "chicken shawarma". I finally branched out and tried other items such as the grilled tempeh sandwitch, "beef" cheese steak and fried rice. Everything is good. Don't go home without trying the carrot cake. I do not like carrot cake but theirs is fantastic.
Read morePros: Food, Atmosphere
Cons: parking
Guest
MizzB
Points +3855
Vegan Powerhouse - Edit
Varied menu, excellent food, beautiful presentation, friendly and knowledgeable staff. Ate there last week. Had the falafel wrap with potatoes and egglant - good value, very filling. Convenient location, yet can get busy during peak times, with parking being a challenge during those times as well, so go off peak if possible.
Read morePros: excellent food, all vegan, beautiful presentation
Guest
VeganVixen
Points +33
Good Experiences - Edit
Most of what I have eaten here was delicious. My favs are the BLT, the shawarma wrap and the "chicken" ceaser salad. Oh they also make a good milkshake in my opinion. We once ordered the gnocci at the SF location and that was the only thing I've ever had that was not so delicious. They have a great selection of vegan breakfast items such as waffles and pancakes which are hard to find anywhere else. I feel lucky to have this restaurant so nearby. :-)
Read moreGuest
fivesstarr
Points +137
Great pancakes - Edit
I've had a few meals at Herbivore. My favorite was the pancake breakfast. The donuts and milkshakes are also fantastic. The food is a little salty, but it's still great! One of my favorites with my mom!
Read moreService is good too.
Pros: Good service, Great pancakes, Great desserts.
Guest
·X·
Points +23799
Big difference between locations - Edit
If you likepoor service and like to eat your meal with no water/drinks, this is the place for you. I was very disappointed in this location, especially since I had an amazing meal with good service at a different location. It just wasn't good from the beginning and maybe the fact that the restaurant only had one other table should have been a sign (while others were busy). I tried asking the waitress a few questions about the food and she just wasn't interested in answering them (and she didn't), so I just ordered the pesto tofu scramble. The scramble was bland and so were the potatoes that went with it, definitely not worth it. Now my meal wasn't a fluke because the same thing happened with my friend's meal. The waitress never really came back to our table and never bothered filling our glasses with water - now I understand if the restaurant was busy but she seriously only had one other table. I finally got up and asked for some water and when she brought some over she wasn't friendly. The food is definitely not worth poor treatment, I'm giving this place 3 cows for the food, but 0 for the service.
Read moreGuest
Tigra220
Points +10713
Extremely Disappointing :( - Edit
I obviously just ordered the wrong thing. The Kung Pao "chicken" was just awful. Neither spicy nor Kung-Pao-ish. A much better vegan Kung-Pao can be found in the frozen section at my local WholeFoods stores for 1/2 the cost. I split the chili bowl w/my sister & it also was bland & just tasteless. smh The cornbread was good though, as was the milkshake. And I agree 100% with the reviewers here & on HappyCow about the attitudes of some of the waiters/waitresses. I was very close to going off on ours. I think I'll just try the one in San Francisco next time. This one was just way too disappointing.
Read morePros: nice location & setup
Cons: Bland food, Rude & unpleasant waitress
Guest
vegman444
Points +70
The Thrill is Gone - Edit
Herbivore in San Francisco used to be one of my favorite spots, so when they opened one up in Berkeley I was thrilled. But now after eating there and trying just about everything on the menu, I must say that it's just not cutting it. In fact, the last 2 times I ate there I got a sour tummy a few hours later. I hate to pick on a vegan eatery (or what I assume is a vegan eatery), but their standards have really fallen. The food just doesn't taste great anymore. It's runny, mushy, boring, wilted, and uninspired. This place needs a new manager or cook to take a look at what's going on here--the vegan community is VERY small and we talk.
Read morePros: Hard shell tacos!, Servers are nice
Cons: Most food tastes old and mushy, Can be cold and drafty, Gotten sick from food twice now
Guest
Mimi710
Points +651
Mmm - Edit
I just moved to Berkeley recently and since then I have been to the Herbivore in Berkeley twice and the one in the city once. Prior to that I had eaten at the location in the city 3 or 4 times while here on vacation. I always liked eating at Herbivore but found the food to often be mediocre. The last few trips have proved me wrong. My tastebuds have been amazed. I love eating at Herbivore. I highly recommend the portabella mushroom and sundried tomato sandwhich... mmm. The thai/curry dishes are all really good too. And if you are looking for a boozy night with friends their mixed drinks are good and then even have frambois on the menu as a beer offering. I don't recommend the ollallieberry pie but all of the other deserts I have had have been good. The Berkeley location seems to have more seating and is more spacious. Definetly check out Herbivore whether you are in the East Bay or in the City.
Read morePros: yummy, lots of items to chose from, ambiance
Cons: can be a bit expensive
Guest
KATHLEEN W.
Points +92
Great place! - Edit
I went to two of their locations while on vacation in California. Their food is awesome!
Read morePros: Great food!
Guest
gardener62
Points +68
AWESOME! - Edit
This is a GREAT resturant! Very upbeat, friendly staff and fabulous food and a great price! You can't beat it for fast service and wonderful menu choices!
Read morePros: excellent food, healthy cuisine, good value
Guest
Benfell
Points +115
Late hours! - Edit
I was moving late on a Friday night from the South Bay to the North Bay. Herbivore in Berkeley was on the way and it was open late.
Read moreThe penne with lemon-herb cream sauce really hit the spot. The carrot cake was good. The service was good, despite the fact the waitress was trying to finish her own dinner.
Having worked in a restaurant myself, I know what it is like to interrupt one's own dinner to serve customers. When you're hungry and your dinner is getting cold, this gets really old.
The place has what appeared (from a distance) to be a full bar. Having also worked as a taxi driver, I've had more than my fill of drunks so this would ordinarily be a drawback, but this crowd seemed quite civil, possibly because by bar standards, this place closes early.
All in all, this is definitely a place I'd go again.
Pros: late hours, good location, good food
Guest
Yeliz
Points +46
THE vegan place to go in Berkeley - Edit
This is one of the most versatile vegan restaurants that knows how to prepare tasty meals. Along with Cafe Gratitude in Berkeley, M Cafe de Chaya in LA and Angelika Kitchen in New York, this is one of the few restaurants that I can and do bring my friends regardless of what their dietary choices are. Because tasty food is tasty food, and Herbivore is a good place for that. I regret having judged this place from the outer appearance and not trying it sooner. I ended up going there many times in my short stay in Berkeley, and have brought friends at many occasions. From personal experience, I know that it's a good place to go for a nice dinner with your significant other, a good place for an intimate chat with a friend over dinner or lunch, a good place for a small group, a good place for a big group lunch (15 or so would be max) and an excellent place for a satisfying breakfast. Service has been pretty decent. Do I have favorites? Oh, yes! You don't know what you're missing until you try the Southern Style Tofu Scramble for breakfast. Lentil burger is amazing! It's much more amazing than the description, and the portion is huge! I am drooling... The falafel wrap is great for lunch, as are the burritos. I haven't tried many of their soy meats because I don't favor processed foods, so no opinions there. And I was not very pleased with their noodle dishes,they tasted bland to me, but I am not a fan of Asian food so I am probably not the best person to judge. Oh and one thing that they should definitely improve is the vegan sour cream. Yes, it is processed food, but it can be tasty. Watered down Tofutti cream cheese, or something that tastes and feels like it just doesn't do the trick.
Read moreDesserts are tricky. I have had very good ones, such as the blueberry pie and ice creams, and bland ones, such as the chocolate cupcake. Their smoothies and juices are great!
Overall, this place rocks! I only wish that they keep their windows and doors more open so the place feels airy all the time.
Pros: tasty food, large menu, good for any occasion
Cons: sometimes stuffy
Guest
vduplessis
Points +72
thank goodness they are in the East Bay! - Edit
I watched that "Coming Soon" sign like a hawk for YEARS! (may have only been month, but it felt like years...)
Read moreWe used to schlep into the city to go to Herbivore, but we had a kid... and, well, you know the rest of the story.
AMAZING shwarma, chicken fried rice, polenta, everything curry. love to go late for desserts & cocktails.
got lasagna once & it was lukewarm, potato soy pie was salty. have to admit my kid was not impressed with their mac & cheese or tacos-- they need a kids menu for all us groovy parents that bring lacto-ovo kids.
Pros: amazing food, great cocktails, decor
Cons: slow service
Guest
P.NutButter
Points +44
HUGE MENU - Edit
Biggest vegan menu I have come across in a while with a wide variety of cuisine. I ordered the wasabi soba noodles cold, however i found it a bit lacking in flavor. my partner ordered the grilled portabello mushroom over creamy polenta. He has never liked "fake" cheese (he is NOT vegan or vegetarian), and didn't enjoy the polenta for it lacked in richness and butteriness. He thought everything else tasted good. I, on the other hand thought it tasted quite good, and better than my meal! His mother ordered the Lentil loaf which she enjoyed, especially the sauteed greens. For dessert- carrot cake. EVERYONE LOVED IT.
Read moreThe atmosphere is very open, and semi-modern. We went in the winter and for some reason they left the back door open...very chilly.
The only major con- parking.
Pros: good price, huge menu
Cons: cold, parking
Guest
Tatiana
Points +169
Extensive Vegan Selection - Edit
Picked out Herbivore from the list of veg places in Berkeley to visit for dinner tonight. After fighting the downtown Berkeley traffic on a Friday night, we finally found a parking spot, and right across the street, lucky! The place was pretty busy but we were able to get a table for two right away. We ordered the spring rolls for an appetizer, which were not bad. We each ordered a cocktail, and both were delicious. They have quite an extensive selection of alcoholic beverages, including a lot of mixed type drinks. I'd recommend trying one of these interesting combos, with organic alcohols, agave nectar, etc. After looking over our menus forever, I finally decided on a barbecue sandwich and chose the potatoes as a side (as recommended by our server). It also came with a small green salad. The portions were very comparable to other similar non-veg type restaurants and prices were reasonable. We also got dessert, he got the German chocolate cake with ice cream and I got a lemon poppy seed donut. Both desserts were very good and I'd recommend either. I had plenty of leftovers to take home for lunch tomorrow. If you get a sandwich, get the potatoes, they are like garlicy french fries and are awesome. Prices are reasonable and restaurant was well lit and clean. I'd definitely go again.
Read morePros: large portions, huge selection, all vegan
Cons: bad parking
Guest
brianedwardgreen
Points +40
My Berkeley Favorite! - Edit
I have been fortunate to dine at vegan and vegetarian restaurants up and down the California coast, and in my opinion the Herbivore sets a high standard for the rest to achieve. The restaurant itself is bright, immaculate, modern, and comfortable. The wait staff is very helpful and friendly. The menu has a wide variety of dishes and includes breakfast, lunch, and dinner (so many of the vegetarian restaurants I know are not open for breakfast). The food is incredible. The portions and prices are comparable to a non-vegetarian restaurant, which makes them less expensive than many other vegetarian and vegan restaurants. I have to confess that as good as the rest of their food is, my favorite is their desserts--I would recommend coming here for dessert even if you don't have time for a meal.
Read morePros: Vegan!, Delicious!, Reasonably Priced!
Cons: Not in Southern California (darn)!
Guest
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