César

My most favorite place for Tapas plus they make the best old fashion on the planet. Lola one of the servers is simply amazing and so friendly. I highly recommend you check this place out, and do yourself a favor and order the old fashion.

Delicious food, very kind people who run the restaurant.
Popular so crowded.
Very kind to my parents and to me and my husband.
Warm and full of heart.

I went to this place for a date night with my husband and I love it! Their food is delicious and it has a great environment. It is a great place!

The ambiance is nice. They start you of with a tiny complimentary dish of mixed olives.
Red wine blend I had was terrible (maybe it used to be good but had just been open for a couple days already?) so had the cab franc instead which was incredible.
Little charcuterie plate with marinated cheeses was actually very good.
Cod croquettes you can’t go wrong with, be careful though the delicious gooey inside is like molten lava so be patient or take tiny bites ha.
The little stuffed squid were my favorite, the flavors were all good and the squid tender. It just really wanted acid, the lemon it came with was not enough as the sauce was oil/​fat based
The braised black pig shoulder was what ruined the night, i would have liked to taste the actual meat more but it was impossible, the sauce had been slightly burnt and well over reduced and of course too salty. The mashed potatoes it came with amazingly tasted like boxed mashed potatoes, texture though was obviously not the same.
This place also does that thing where 3 different people come by in 3 minutes to ask if you’re ready to order your next dish n you’re not so then everyone disappears for the next 30 minutes lol
Conclusion, nice evening but would never go back. I’m sure everyone’s used to tapas being a little pricey even though they’re all very small dishes, but for the prices they want to charge– everything should have been flawless, n it wasn’t.

The fries with aioli, lamb chops, shrimp, and olives were amazing. It was the perfect amount of food for dinner for 2.

Came here on a Friday night with a group of 5 total around 8pm and we were seated within 5 minutes – it was just our luck that a larger party had left!
I heard from word that this place was alright, so I didn’t have super high expectations regardless the countless times I’ve walked by wanting to try this place.
What we got:
1) sangria: it’s interesting… not the typical red-​wine sangria but I actually really liked it and so did everyone else who got it
2) brussel sprouts: meh. I’ve had better but it was nice to have some greens. They were cooked nicely/weren’t over or undercooked… but I felt like they were a bit bland
3) pork spare ribs: surprisingly pretty tasty! The meat fell off the bone pretty easily. I’d order this if others wanted to try it
4) calamari: wasn’t actually calamari but marinated/​sauteed squid (I didn’t mind at all) – I’d probably order this again!
5) bocadillo: unfortunately I only remember that it had lamb in it… :(and that it was good: D
6) fried potatos with aioli: OH MY GOD. Get this. I’m craving just to go back to get JUST this and a sangria – I would be completely satisfied. These fried potatoes are pretty much like fries, sliced very very thin so they’re…fry chips? I think that’s the best explanation. They were addicting with or without the aioli and I found myself reaching towards the basket to eat some more every other bite.
7) paella: hmm this paella was good… different from what I’ve had at other places but it was satisfying. Rice wasn’t soft, seafood/​chicken wasn’t overcooked or dried out.
Overall, Cesar really surprised me. I’m a huge tapas fan and now that I’ve tried Cesar I’d definitely come back! Only thing that gets me is that this place can be a bit pricey, and the service wasn’t stellar (we rarely saw our waiter except when we ordered and before getting our dinner bill). Give this place a try… even if you’re just there to taste their fried potatoes: P

Amazing. One of the best meals I’ve had in a long, long time. The range of food was excellent, with distinct flavors abounding. A tad in the pricy side, but well worth it if you want quality. We had a feast. I’d come back in a heartbeat.

For me this is the bar by which all tapas bars in America are measured. I have been to many in Barcelona and other places in Europe. The spirit of César is on par as is the food and cocktails.
Few to none in this country can compare.

I came here once when I was a student eons ago, so it was nice to revisit recently. I got a few tapas to share between 2 of us, and each plate tasted good. The 2 most memorable dishes for me were the oysters and calamari. The oysters were fried and tasted fresh on the inside and crunchy on the outside. The grilled calamari had a good texture, not overcooked, and it was seasoned well.
We couldn’t decide on dessert and so ordered 3, which was a bit much. We tried the bread pudding, the chocolate crème and the flan. My favorite was the flan and my friend was the chocolate crème, both of which were rich in texture and flavor.

Good food but the dinner entrée felt like an appetizer for one. Gf who weighs under 100lbs was still hungry after their steak so… Yeah. Too expensive for even the expectations that it’d be a little high, not satisfied with that or how freaking loud it was inside. No thanks

This used to be my favorite place… and it still is for cocktails!
The food has HUGE variance. Some nights it’s amazing… super high rating. The next day it can be kind of off. I think they must have two different cooks (or even 3). The pot de chocolate is ALWAYS good.
Two thirds of the time you will eat magical tasty food – cool interesting salads, montadito sandwiches of magic, fish with green salsa, brussel sprouts, interesting soups, lambs on a skewer… the menu changes. One third of the time, you will eat icky flavorless imitations of the above.
I really like this place – ambience, cocktails, and good cook. But seriously, we started going to eat one test item, and if it was the bad chef, we’d eat that appetizer with a fantastic cocktail and then go eat dinner somewhere else on the block.

I was so excited for tapas and this place was so underwhelming. Very tiny plates, more for like one and half people to share. We ordered almost everything and had a very expensive but unsatisfying meal. The service was so slow, a cocktail and olives to start took a very long time. The food was delicious but we all wanted to go out and eat more after spending over 350 dollars on dinner. Delicious food, below average service, slow, and tiny portions for the price. Would go back if I had an unlimited budget but sadly I do not!

Excellent! Our favorite restaurant in N Berkeley. Musts are the Brussel sprouts and filet mignon. Also, any of the bruschetta/​sandwich dishes are excellent. If it is a warm night, they open up the whole front of the restaurant and you can sit on the porch along the sidewalk.

What a disappointment!
I’d eaten here back when it first opened and they still cared enough to serve quality dishes. Cesar’s has sadly now become a parody of itself. The bellota jamon was served with no respect for the tradition and presentation — ice cold, sliced too thick, strewn helter-​skelter, and, in all honesty, I suspect it was not even a true iberico bellota since it was lacking in the deep rich red color and protein-​rich flavor that it should have. For $ 21 we received 5 meager slices of mostly cold fat scattered on an ugly, cheap, off-​white, cafeteria-​style plate. The potatas bravos were a disappointment as well, basically thickly cut home wedge fries slathered in a non-​Spanish homemade ketchup with a drizzle of faux aioli atop. And the garbanzo beans with chorizo were a mess of mushy oversalted chick peas, sprinkled way too generously with smoked Spanish de la vera paprika and miserly mixed with the tiniest bits of hard-​to-​find chorizo. We filled up on bread and olives and a meager serving of cheese, cancelled the rest of our order, paid a fortune for nothing, and left.

This place has tasty food but the prices are TOO HIGH.
They don’t even bring bread unless you ask for it
The menu is almost entirely in Spanish, if it you don’t know the language you have a lot of questions
We (3 people) ordered a chicken tapas plate, along and 3 other dishes for lunch. Only one alcoholic beverage was ordered. My piece of chicken was 75% Bone, when I showed the waitress this, she did not offer to replace it, but asked if we wanted to place an additional order.
The total bill before was $ 82.13 for 3 people at lunch, not including the tip. After checking the menu on Unilocal,it is apparent that their current menu is much more limited and far more expensive.

The food here is on point and the alcohol is excellent. I highly recommend the patatas bravas and the pollo costa brava with a Spanish red wine like the torre de oña. Then, the coffee flan with the semi-​sweet east India sherry. That was basically my meal tonight and it was all high quality. This place is yuppie heaven. Great service, great food, great drink! Very happy!

This place is great, as long as you know what you’re walking into. It’s tapas, so small plates people. Every time I go I order at LEAST 2 plates per person. Drinks are great too. Not too many authentic Spanish restaurants out here, so this is definitely a great place to have in the rotation. The filet w mashed potatoes is incredible.

Once upon a time, this was my favorite restaurant. Alas, times have changed.
My first time at Cesar was disappointing. I had just returned from Spain, and was craving more tapas. I know Cesar is not like a tapas bar in Spain, where you are presented a tasty assortment of treats and can buy as few or as many as you want. But still, I wanted my fix. It was … ok, but not great for a solo diner on a budget.
I went back a few years later and was delighted. Yes, this was not like a tapas bar in Spain, but it’s a beautiful space, and the food was wonderful. It became my special occasion restaurant, or my, oh-it’s-late-and-everything-else-is-closed splurge. I actually considered it my favorite restaurant in the Bay Area for a while.
Unfortunately, I feel like the quality has gone downhill over the years — smaller portion sizes, and the food overall hasn’t been worth the prices they’re charging. But because I love Spanish food, I gave it several more chances. The last time I went, I had awful service. I was solo again, and treating myself a bit to a bocadillo (the tuna, egg, and arugula one has been consistently good), a dessert, and a glass of wine. For some reason, I was not served the complimentary olives (which are delicious), that I had had at every other meal at Cesar. So I asked for the olives, and was ignored — the olives never materialized. I was sitting at the bar, so I’m not sure what the deal was. Was this because I was a solo female diner not spending a lot of money? I don’t know. I probably should have bugged the server again, but I really wanted the olives at the beginning of my meal, not the end. All I know is that I haven’t rushed back there.

After having a mostly disappointing time at Guerrilla Café down the street we wandered into this place (right beside Chez Panisse) — hands down professional resto — GREAT staff — best pisco sours — tasty food. The best!

Cool casual dining place. Good quality stuff. Seating is too close and can be distracting if u r sitting next to any loud obnoxious couple (s). Pork is always special here. Paella is all hype with the 30 mins prep time — prawns and chicken were way overcooked — definitely avoidable. Stick to regular small plates. There was some pork special on red wine reduction sauze, it was amazing, as good as any prime steak.
Read lot of complains about service, but we found it just right. Not too overbearing, just enough for a casual dining place

Great service. Great tapas. On a random Wednesday on a gorg day in Berkeley, it was such a great anomaly to stubble into this place to break bread with my UCB niece! What a treat!

Ever wondered how swine would taste if it led a more pampered life than you? Come here to find out!
The jamón ibérico comes from free range pigs raised on acorns. I’m not usually a fan of pork, but we ordered it based on our server’s recommendation and HOLY MOTHER, this ain’t your mama’s pork chop. (Sorry, mom.) Seriously, it didn’t taste like any pork I’d ever eaten and if you told me they sprinkled it with crack, I’d believe you because once you’ve had it, you just want more.
When I lived in the GG, I strolled over to Cesar roughly once a week and never tired of their tapas. The olives are unreal (in the best way possible) and the assorted montaditos never disappointed. I occasionally asked the bartender to select a new cocktail for me to try… sometimes they verged more on the side of ‘interesting’ than ‘tasty’, but they were always good. The Einstök Icelandic toasted porter always hit the spot on crispy nights too.
The servers, bartenders, and bussers were always friendly and knowledgeable and on the occasion that I was seated at the community table, I enjoyed chatting with other patrons. And overtly staring at their food.

The food is exquisite! I agree the food is a bit pricey ($ 8-​$ 10 for tapas | $ 17+ for entrées) but everything we had was so good that I’d definitely return.
For me, the ambience is what did me in. Everyone is so friendly and the look of the place is super cool. You feel like you’re in a wooden bar in Spain. This also seemed like the local date spot. I’m from LA so everyone stood out to me as looking like from Berkeley or a student at Cal.
I would recommend getting the tapas and sharing with the table. We got the stuffed peppers, their watermelon salad, and lamb chops. The tapas aren’t that small in portion and they filled our group (3 people). We got dessert elsewhere though!
Definitely coming back!

Very good place to have a Spanish taste. We had the filet with mashed potatoes which was excellent.

Overpriced. I had to send back the shrimp, as it smelled of iodine (not fresh). The braised pork shoulder was good, but nothing special. Not recommended.

⁵⁄₅ star for dude with tattoos and beard. Wasn’t even our server but was much more attentive. I notice the comment trends about the attitudes and the prissy host and wait staff. The trend is women who are writing this and I happen to agree. These women (both) were abrupt rude and arrogant. Dude your not working at a 5 star restaurant so calm down! Even if you were that one star attitude smells like stank. Also they only treat women like that. Notice the comment trends? Prettiest people do the ugliest stuff.
The 16.00 tip was for the gentlemen who was super kind to us. Hopefully the miserables don’t get a penny of it.
Food was ³⁄₅ everything contained a lot of salt and I have a migraine from the intake. The water was filled only once for us and the sangria two rounds each didn’t give me any type of buzz. The lady said we would only need one since they were super strong.
I was always taught under promise and over deliver. They did neither. Food was mediocre smaller than normal small plates. Over prices for 4 sangrias 50.00
Those attitudes need to be dropped quick. I’m only goin back if I happen to walk by and see new staff. Thanks!

Last night we met Sherri and Ron here for dinner. It’s been at least 15 years since I was here. My late friend Sheryl and I met here for dinner before hearing a favorite author speak at Black Oak Books. I have no idea why it took so long for me to return and no memory of what we ate. Alan and I found a parking place right in front, despite the presence of the North Berkeley Farmers’ Market in the next block. I had forgotten the lovely curved tiled wall at the entry. It makes an equally graceful accent from the interior. We were greeted and seated at a table for four while we waited for Sherri and Ron to arrive. There are a series of two-​tops lining the south wall and a large communal table, along w/​assorted tables for 4 and more. The bar was crowded and lively and the noise level was high, although not at all unpleasantly so. A small dish of mixed olives arrived, along w/​another dish for the pits. Soon Sherri and Ron arrived and we perused the menus.
We decided to start w/​three small plates to share, one of lightly dressed mixed beets and arugula, another of sliced mushrooms and a third of Brussels sprouts. Sherri ordered a glass of bubbles in a flute, Ron ordered a glass of red wine, Alan ordered a dark Icelandlic beer and I ordered the first cocktail on the menu, the César (something) Sour. Mine was delicious, nicely balanced and not too sweet, and everyone else was pleased w/​theirs. Sherri and I finished off the olives, as the guys don’t eat them. The small plates arrived and they were each flavorful. They came w/​sliced baguette, perfect for sopping up the garlicky oil remaining on the plates. After we finished the tapas, we ordered our mains. Alan and Sherri both ordered the halibut, Sherri’s w/​the sauce, Alan’s w/​o. Ron ordered the calamari stuffed w/​breadcrumbs and choriso and I ordered the paella, which took 25 minutes. The others’ dishes arrived before mine. I took bites of Alan’s and Sherri’s halibuts and they were both delicious. Ron’s calamari looked good. Alan saw some of the fried potatoes walk by to another table and was smitten, so he ordered some too. My paella arrived full of plumb clams, shrimp and pieces of chicken w/​a large dollop of aioli. The rice itself was very salty, enough that I took only a couple of bites, picking out the seafood and chicken. The potatoes were delivered and they were amazing, thin and crispy and so, so good. They were also topped by a dollop of that lovely aioli. When the server came to clear our plates she asked if I wanted to take the rest of the paella home. I declined, saying it had been too salty for me. She asked if I wanted to order anything else and I replied that I had eaten plenty and was full. Before dinner Alan and I had discussed getting a dessert of cheese and poached pears, but were too full for that. I went off to the restroom (there are two, one wheelchair accessible, the other not) and when I returned to the table the bill had been presented, w/​my paella removed. That was unexpected and excellent service recovery. I don’t know whether it’s always that salty, but Peg S. commented in her 2010 review that it can be hit or miss and that hers was salty, which I hadn’t remembered until just now when I reread it. Nonetheless, we will be back, just probably not for paella.

I’ve been going back and forth about reviewing Cesar for a long time. It’s one of my staples. The neighborhood wouldn’t be the same without it. So of course, I get that pang of worry that I’ll attract the masses and ruin the intimacy if I write a positive review. (What am I saying? As if my humble review could get that kind of draw.)
It’s a tapas place, so you have to know what you’re getting into financially if you’re starving. I went to a restaurant in SF last weekend that listed mostly «tapas» on the menu, but then the plates came out and the proportions were HUGE. This is not that place. The plates are more like what you’d expect at a tapas place in NYC. They’re all tasty. And as someone with Celiac disease, I really appreciate that they take care to check the menu items with the kitchen if I’m trying something new.
The bartenders are friendly and knowledgeable. And, they remember you. That’s something I noticed after moving here from NYC — it takes a long time to become a regular somewhere around here. This place isn’t really an exception, but it feels good to have eventually established a relationship. We go to Jupiter almost as often, for example, and have retained our anonymity there for better or worse. And there’s no pressure to relinquish your table at Cesar, plus you rarely have to wait long to sit — although waiting during busy times is a little awkward due to crowdedness. It can feel like your butt is always hovering near somebody’s face.
The drinks at Cesar are really the best. Great wine selection that gets refreshed from time to time. Better than any other cocktail place in Berkeley I’ve been to with the possible exception of East Bay Spice — and Comal. (But drinks are the only thing good about Comal as far as I’m concerned.)
Anyway, as an introvert, I like this place because you can feel like part of the community of great people who work there but also hide away in your private conversation. It’s really just the perfect place. No complaints.

A total Berkeley classic. Has such a great feel. I’ve been missing Barlata, so this will for sure have to be in the new rotation. Great Spanish tapas.
Coming here and sitting at the bar around 1:00 pm on a Saturday afternoon is so relaxing. A glass of wine, people watching, beautiful copper bar with nice bartenders, delicious olives, and an impressive liquor selection.
I love the front windows that can open fully on a warm day, opening to the busyness of Shattuck, creating an open air environment. This location is hands down way better than the Piedmont location, which I deplore.

Yasss! Now that my favorite paella spot has closed, this is my go to when I get the urge. Bonus points for carrying Stoli Elit. Love the charcuterie plate with chorizo. I die. Pork riblets! Salt cod and potatoes. yum yum.
I also think the wine lovers will be happy here too.

For the price I really expected some great food, but of the four dishes we ordered only one blew me away — Fried Potatoes With Herbs & Sea Salt.
Atmosphere was great, and I liked the patio/​outdoor seating. Service was better than average.

Delicious tapas! Took my fiancée and met up with a dear friend of mine who recommended the place.
We got a mushroom dish, a few of the salmon/​bread plates and a charcuterie dish.
I enjoyed all of it. The olives were great, the olive oil they use was great, the meats were really excellent too.
If I had to nitpick, I’d have to say that I do not like the presentation of their menu. It seriously reads like someone had a stroke while writing it. They also aren’t the cheapest, but that’s hard to complain about considering the high quality of the food.
I’d be inclined to go back!

Great place to do tapas, taste abroad, sip on fino sherry. For a meal, expect to do 2 – 3 plates per person in order to get full, so money wise, about $ 30 per person without drinks. Not cheap but for what we got, I felt it was worth it.
Iberico Ham $ 22 for *maybe* 4 ounces of paper thin slices. Pricey but where else are you going to get this delicacy around here? In my opinion, you have to be somewhat of a ham connoisseur to appreciate this. You had to have tried real prosciutto vs. domestic, westphalian and serrano, to get a grasp on what this ham is all about. OR you can just Wikipedia it. Otherwise it will seem like a poor value to you. You also have not to be squeamish about eating fat. My first time having this and I am now an advocate. Me wants more. So good with fino. Skip the manzanilla sherry, go fino for sure.
Escarole Salad $ 10ish Nice salad with olives, homemade croutons and piquillo peppers. Very Mediterranean flavors but the infused garlic in the oil is a bit much.
Roasted Eggplant $ 10ish is nice with grilled scallions and potatoes. Romesco sauce was decent but the eggplant was just a bit too mushy.
Chorizo stuffed Calamari $ 13ish Very nice calamari grilled on the plancha, in a very nice citrus/​oil. The sausage stuffing was real mushy but did add the sausage flavor. Just not sure if it was at all necessary.
You will have to ask for extra bread to sop up a lot of the sauces. Service was more efficient than it was friendly, but I’ll take that most days.
Solid mid-​priced option in the gourmet ghetto. Love that they are open somewhat late too!

This is our new favorite restaurant.
Cesar serves small plates in the «tapas» style. The service is great and they have a great selection of wines…
While we’ve only been there twice now, every single dish we’ve ordered was excellent… I mean «wiping a piece of bread across your plate to clean it» good.
From the filet mignon, to small slices of bread covered in homemade aioli and boquerones to a salad of little gems lettuce… we couldn’t get enough.
We wrapped up the meal with a desert of goat cheese covered in honey over poached apples… Absolutely the perfect way to wrap up the perfect meal.
We’ll be coming back again soon.

Cesar has been an Eastbay Spanish Tapas institution for 16 years. I still remember back in my culinary school days, stopping in for a bite of Spain here and an expensive cocktail. The food was extraordinary and unique then, not much has changed since here at Cesar. What has changed are the international tastes of the bay area (thanks in part to Cesar and similar restos) and especially here in the «gourmet ghetto» where taste is king … which is what brings me to my longwinded point. when you set a high bar… well… you know what I mean.
The bartender makes a top notch cocktail. but his personality was just as cold as the glasses they came in. I could not get one happy word out of him. and when dropping $ 180 on tapas and cocktails. a little pleasantry should be involved. si or no? maybe I am spoiled. Yes. Definitely, but would it kill you to crack a smile or a joke or even a little snarky back and forth? that’s always fun. I sometimes forget where I am. this ain’t your local bar/​therapy session stop. My small advice, bring some fun friends in here to liven it up.
Aside from all that, we had a great time. complimentary olives were served upon sitting and the cocktails! Yes, the cocktails were very tasty indeed… The first, a Cesar sour. was like sipping on a fresh, cold grapefruit. it went down fast. the second was a Cesar Martini. muy muy delicioso… then back to the grapefruit. mmm…
In between glasses we ordered the Spanish Charcuterie plate, a tireless classic and well done here with sliced cold Spanish meats, olives and cheeses… stuffed squid, delectably filled with I am assuming the cod and bread stuffing… oh so good. The filet with mash, I did not taste but looked divine, the clam and white bean stew dish, which was sadly lacking in flavors and slightly cold. and the finale was a Mel I Mato. which hearkened back to the days I used to frequent here, and just as I remembered, the balance of flavors were perfected. The soft fromage blanc drizzled with sweet honey and decorated with toasted almonds. it was perfection.

Qué gran comida sirven.
Deliciosa.
De entrada, te reciben con unas aceitunas que ellos mismos preparan y que son de época –y ¡cortesía de la casa! Esto me lleva a pensar en la comida, o tragos, que otros sitios nos regalan, para complacernos como clientes, y entonces empiezo a deprimirme… porque fuera de chips y salsa y muy esporádicos postres, ¿qué más hemos recibido recientemente? Muy poco.
Luego el plato de quesos –uno de cabra, otro de vaca, otro de…- riquísimos también.
Y luego, según recuerdo, pedimos unos montaditos.
Buen servicio. Excelente lugar. Y, sí, algo carito.
Pero al estar sentado allí –contemplando, además, el interensantísimo espectáculo de quienes usan el camellón de Shattuck como prado para merendar– me condolía de aquellos que alaban las tapas del Esperpento.

echt super Cocktails! Essen waren wir leider dort nicht.