Chez Panisse

Wish I could give this place a 4– or 5-​star rating, but I can’t. Overall it was a lovely meal. I went with friends who are vegetarian, and made that known when making the reservation. I called the day before the meal to confirm they still had 2 of us down for vegetarian meals and they were on top of it and ready to accommodate. I really appreciated that. We arrived a little early for our reservations and only had to wait a short while before being seated. Everyone we encountered gave us good service, no complaints there. The food was as fresh as can be and simply prepared to let the stellar ingredients shine. I don’t think I’ve ever eaten a beet so sweet and fresh in my life. However, nothing made my eyes roll back or even came close to qualifying as one of the best things I’ve ever eaten. What it is is a celebration of fine ingredients, without over complicating things. My complaints would be that the size of the portions (and relative to the price) and lengthy wait between courses allows you to fully digest everything and still leave hungry. How’s that for $ 125 per person? 4 courses took over 2 hours and when the bill arrived, I looked at our dining companions and asked, «Who wants to go somewhere for a second dessert?» Before I even said the «t» in «dessert» everyone chimed in with a resounding «YES!» I guess I wasn’t the only one still hungry and wanting more. I’ve had more satisfying meals for less money, but this place was worth the experience of going to once. I’m glad I tried it out.

Hard to believe that a prix fixe was $ 6.50 in the early 70’s, and one could just call the place a few minutes before arrival and ask Ms. Waters what was cooking that day.
That being said, things just do not seem as they were, but, then again, nothing does.
Still one of the best of the genre, but not as «Wow»… and a whole caboodle of bucks for what most would feel are small portions. (But, no one does vegetables as well as here, creative and wonderful.)
However, if you have never been here, it would behoove you to come as soon as possible. The wait staff are the best, and the experience is one-​of-​a-​kind.

Overall experience with the restaurant was great. Five stars for being able to get the reservation for a holiday weekend night prior. Wine pairing is a must. My favorite is the sauternes.

There’s no doubt that Chez Panisse is an icon in the food world. And there’s no question that if you’re a food lover, you’ve heard of it. In capping off my birthday week with dinner here, I was ready to cross this off my list and experience the magic that is Alice Waters’ genius. In making reservations for their downstairs restaurant (upstairs is their café and has a separate but similar menu), it did require a little bit of planning ahead since the popular dinner time slots seemed to fill up fast.
In peeping the pre-​fix menu we were going to be experiencing (they showcase their menu for the whole week starting at the beginning of the week), I couldn’t be more excited to get a sampling of what’s currently in season. For our dinner, here’s what we had:
Pan-​fried soft-​shell crab with Scarlet Frills mustard greens and fennel salad
and brown butter vinaigrette
Fava bean soup with spinach pudding-​soufflé and crispy leeks
Sonoma County duck breast au poivre with Lucero Farms squash gratin,
roasted cèpes, and watercress
Warm buckwheat crêpe with kirsch ice cream and cherries
Of the four items we had, I definitely was surprised that I enjoyed the fava bean soup the most with the crispy leeks. The soup was very fresh tasting and since the beans were pureed, it made for a great palate cleanser as well! I also loved the squash gratin and the roasted cépes mushrooms on the entreé. The buckewheat crêpe was equally fabulous and the cherries that came with it were just sweet enough to where you were reminded that you were eating a dessert. All in all, I was surprised that my favorite part of all the dishes I had that night were mostly the vegetables. Service wise, it’s exactly what you would expect — just enough side conversation and discussion to keep it comfortable and nothing you didn’t want. The bread and butter was delicious, as was the apertíf that was served before everything started.
While I truly enjoyed dinner here, I also felt that for $ 100 per person, this was certainly a little bit higher than what I think is warranted. Yes it’s iconic and certainly a place that deserves a lot of fanfare, but with so many other restaurants in the area these days that offer similar rustic cooking and presentation, it’s a place that I may come back to in the future for another special purpose. To say that I’ll be back here ASAP is not entirely accurate, but I would definitely come back during another season like fall or winter to get my fill on seasonal produce then.

Finally had the chance to go to Chez Panisse (a few times) late last year. The food is every bit as good as you might expect from a farm-​to-​table experience. If you start with the right ingredients (and don’t go out of your way to screw things up), you always end up with a fine product.
It’s a bit pricey for what it is… perhaps a bit more hyped than it should be. I wouldn’t hesitate to take out of town guests here, as it is a quintessential Bay Area experience.

Our reservation was for the upstairs café, but upon our arrival were discreetly offered the restaurant as they had just had a cancellation. Although the price differential was decidedly stiff (and that is an understatement), how many times do you have an opportunity to experience the downstairs Chez Panisse prix fixe experience? I wasn’t able to get a reservation secured after months trying.
The experience? Wonderful. A spring menu, to be sure, and the wine selections for each course were a revelation unto themselves. Service was exemplary, in equal measures gracious, professional, friendly, informative and unobtrusive. Simply perfect.
We ended up to be one of the last diners in the restaurant that evening, and had an exquisite date night. The total for the evening? A tad under (gulp!) $ 500. For two guests.
As such, not an experience that will be dulled by over frequent familiarity. But a wonderful experience. To quote Ferris Bueller, «It is so choice. if you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up.»

My Birthday. SF Foodie, brought a Kosta Browne 2007 Keefer Ranch.
Dining Impression: COMPLETELY EXCEEDED EXPECTATIONS!!! One of our all time most delightful, sensorily satisfying evenings out. Grateful for the high standards maintained in the warm environment of the downstairs dining room. Happy!

My daughter graduated from UC Berkeley this week, and she asked us for a very special graduation present: dinner at Chez Panisse. So, exactly one month ago I got on the phone as soon as they opened and made a reservation for 4 last night — my wife and me, and my daughter and a friend. At the last minute — a few hours before our reservation time — we decided to invite one more of my daughter’s friends to join us. I called the restaurant in a mild panic, and the host graciously accommodated our request — despite the fact that the restaurant was fully booked.
We arrived about 15 minutes early, and went upstairs to the bar area where we found a table and got things started with a bottle of excellent French champagne. Soon, our table was ready downstairs and we were taken on a truly remarkable culinary journey by Chez Panisse and its excellent chefs and servers. We started with a refreshing, house-​made apéritif which was quite good. Our opening dish was a fresh shaved porcini salad with Parmesan and Belgian endive, after which we moved to a wonderful halibut cooked in a fig leaf accompanied by cucumbers and fried capers, then on to a fabulous Sonoma duck breast and leg — cooked perfectly — with pickled cherries and parsnip purée. Our meal ended with a very satisfying almond cake with fresh strawberries and lemon verbena ice cream. We went with wine parings throughout and the choices were spot on.
Overall, this was one of the very best dining experiences any of us had ever had. The food was perfection, the waitstaff were warm, friendly, and knowledgable, our host gracious, and the restaurant itself was very comfortable. We were never rushed in any way — in fact, we were encouraged to savor our experience, which we did.
A ¹⁰⁄₁₀ experience. Perfect in every way.

order
–
oysters
beef
pave
manna cotta
clams (really good)
I so want to go back. The service was exceptional. The price was reasonable. If it weren’t so far, i’d go tonight. Although finding parking, seating, may be an issue. Nevertheless, this is a pretty romantic spot. I forgot the history as to why we ended up here but, i’m guessing some famous chef. I really want to go back, if only my wallet can afford the hole it creates.

Dinner for 2, 6:45p reservations for Saturday night. This is our 4^th time here for dinner, up on the café.
Service: 5/​5, always perfect!
Food: ⁵⁄₅ — hand-​cut linguine with peas, shrimp and clams. Always amazing flavors, herbs always fresh. Clams cooked perfectly, shrimp was sweet. Hubs had pork shoulder with rice, garbanzo beans and greens. The pork shoulder was the bed I had, soft, moist, excellent flavor.
Environment: ⁵⁄₅ as it was casual dress and we got sat in the far room, and had a nice view out the front of the restaurant.
Repeat visit?: definitely! Always happy to go here for a special meal!

The vibe during dinner is a really chill, get-​together type of vibe on the second floor. At the very least, you will be spending $ 150 pp.
I’ve only been here once on a Monday night. The menu is quite interesting and is known to change every day … I didn’t see much that I would like in the main entrée section for that day so I ordered a clam stew, which was really good considering I’m not a big clam person. You can definitely taste the freshness and quality in all of the dishes from appetizer to dessert. The dessert was my favorite part.
Service was excellent. Very attentive and made sure we had everything we needed.
I will be going back for sure!

Oh, the struggle! I have long heard of Chez Panisse and have put it on my Must Try list.
We made a lunch reservation for the café. They were really great about seating us early, accommodating a friend who was over an hour late, and checking in on us throughout the meal.
The menu started off as promising: a decent selection, local ingredients, and inventive dishes. Alas! On taste, it was so hit and miss. My blood orange salad, while very flavorful, stomped out the beets and baby greens. My pasta did not taste of saffron at all. My friend – the egregiously late one – ordered the bay shrimp. It came out so quickly, we were pleasantly surprised. Apparently though the shrimp were overcooked. Dad really liked his corned beef sandwich and soup though.
Do not get me wrong: this place was relaxing to have a meal. Yes, they aim to be inventive and to please. But at almost $ 50/​head after tax and tip and the gastronomy scene upped so much in the Bay:
1. Was it worth the price? Not really.
2. Was the food remarkable? Not consistently.
3. Would I visit again? Probably no need to revisit in the next 3 – 5 years.
It hurts to write this review… 2 stars because «Meh. I’ve experienced better.»

Went to café side, Great food, great company. The best thing is the waiter. He explained every dish in details, really help understand what it is. The food is just 沒話說! Every dish is so good, even my AMERICAN friend can enjoy the turnip on the plate. Every dish is unique in its own way. Good food. Pricy too. Next time have to try the restaurant side for the 10 course meal.

I’ve been dining here for two decades. I simply love this restaurant. This is more than a meal, its a culinary experience that is meant to be taken in slowly. The restaurant is small, cozy and elegant. The food is authentic, ingredients fresh and service is outstanding. Its my guilty pleasure. Add this to your bucket list.

I’ve been wanting to come here for years, but unfortunately never planned ahead for it, so during a recent visit to Berkeley, I called and asked what our chances were if we walked in on a Saturday night. They advised us to come in early (dinner starts at 5pm!), so our party of 3 went in to wait at 4:35pm. We were so glad we came as early as we did as they were able to accommodate us!
I loved that the gentleman who seated us called us friends «right this way friends!» and eating here made me feel like I was at an old friend’s place dining, versus at one of the best restaurants in the country!
We started with fresh bread, with a bowl of olives and a bowl of anchovies to start. My two friends chose the soup as an appetizer while I went with the pizzetta. My pizzetta was bigger than expected — i was expecting something the size of a side plate, but the pizzetta was the size of a large dinner plate! Every bite was perfection — the crust blistered and with the right chewiness, with bits of garlic at every bite. My friends soup was delicious, and it had homemade pasta with an excellent toothy-​ness that we loved.
For entrée I had their sheep’s ricotta ravioli which was DELICIOUS and thankfully not too heavy as I was already getting pretty full from the yummy bread and pizzetta, and my friend had their fall-​off-​the-​bone short ribs. Service was super attentive and friendly — the food was so good, the people were so nice — I’ve eaten at some fantastic restaurants but I would choose Chez Panisse over Eleven Madison or Per Se any day!
We ended our fantastic meal with dessert — I had the coffee custard which was great, and my friend had a apple and pear tart that ROCKED OUR WORLD. I wanted to hug our server as we left, and I probably would have if she didn’t have dishes in her hands to deliver! Amazing experience, I cannot wait to go back!

I doubt I can add anything that hasn’t already been said 20+ times. Dinner in the restaurant is fantastic. They will accommodate for vegetarians if you let them know ahead of time. From the moment you walk in the experience is wonderful. The service, food, wine, décor, simply lovely. My favorite was the pureed celery root and my date’s favorite was the pork loin. Dessert was italian fruit soup which I never would order as it doesn’t appeal to me but this was so delicious, I didn’t miss having a baked dessert. Highly recommend getting the wine paring. Enjoy!

The space is charming, the service was attentive. The kitchen is open, calm and an amazing display of true culinary skills.
I had:
— Shaved winter vegetables with crème fraîche, ginger, and chervil: I love anything with ginger. My one challenge was that the slices were so thin (woe is me) that it was a bit difficult to get onto my fork.
— Rigatoni with wild mushroom ragù alla chiantigiana and Parmesan. Incredibly fresh pasta, perfectly seasoned mushrooms. I cleaned my plate.
— Caramel cream puffs with blood oranges and pistachio. These disappeared by the time I looked down. The cream puffs were perfect nuggets that oozed caramel cream when cut. They served 3, I could have eaten 12.
The only reason I give it a 4 (and not a 5) is because it was all great and well executed, but it wasn’t incredibly inventive. It didn’t shock and awe my tastebuds the way that I would expect for a restaurant with this hype.

STARTING OUT THE NEW YEAR WITH A BANG. Well sorta. We dined back on Dec. 27^th 2015, but I finally have time spread the word!
Now if you know anything about American cuisine, you’ve heard of Alice Waters. This legendary lady is at the top of her game when it comes to all things food. Just google her and you’ll see what I mean.
Anyways, having heard that she runs the legendary Chez Panisse, I’ve been dying to try this place out. I’ve dined in the café upstairs several years ago and it was a pretty bomb experience. Named after Ms. Waters’ favorite character in the trilogy of Marcel Pagnol films, Chez Panisse is famed for being ahead of the game when it comes to New American food.
PLEASE NOTE: Ridiculously hard to get a reservation. If you get one, praise the food gods. Menu changes EVERY day so you’ll never having the same thing twice in the restaurant. Everything is omakase aka chef’s choice, so you’re going to have to deal. They do have substitutions for allergies and what not.
Our menu for the 27^th went like this:
Halibut Tartar & Sea Scallop Ceviche: Arguably the best of the night. The scallop ceviche was so, so divine. The marash peppers were peeeeerrrrfet with the fennel salad beside the ceviche.
Tagliatelle with wild mushrooms: Probably the most basic of the bunch. While the pasta was perfectly chewy, I thought the flavor and overall presentation was somewhat underwhelming.
Pork Loin with Squash: The butternut squash purée was the surprising winner of this entrée. Perfect airy texture and just the right amount of sweetness. While the entrée itself was quite good, the pork loin was a little too dry for my liking, which in combination drives the star rating to a four.
Red Wine Pear Crostata: PERFECTION. This is accompanied by the most amazing anise flavored ice cream which is absolutely sublime. I was worried the ice cream was going to taste too much like licorice, but it was simply perfect. The pear pastry was super yummy! Perfect blend of tart, sweet, and flaky.
Overall, delightful. Chez Panisse is obviously a special place for a special date (not to mention the price tag; it was around 155 per person) so plan, plan, plan ahead!

We were clearly excited to eat here, as the picture taking did not start when the first course was brought out, but instead when we walked up, outside. Definitely need a reservation to eat in the restaurant (though there seemed to be a few tables open in the café upstairs). I suggest calling about a month in advance.
Highlights: Bay and sea scallops, and duck with parsnip purée and beef leaf fritters. Each piece of food on the plate, alone, was good. But eat the duck, parsnip, and leaf fritter together in one bite, and suddenly there is a harp playing somewhere, and you’re sitting on a cloud, floating amongst the other giggling fairies and foodies. Best scallops I’ve had so far. And the bouillabaisse, I’m almost embarrassed to admit I took a piece of bread so I could enjoy every last bit of it.
Prefix menu for $ 125 per person, but tax (duh) and tip are also factored in so comes to about $ 160. To date– the most I’ve ever spent on one meal for myself, but like I love to say, you can always make more money. And you definitely cannot always eat more bay scallops so I feel that all $$$ I spend on food is worth it.
This is one of those restaurants you come when you’re looking for an experience. Good food, good company. It all comes together for a lovely event.

It’s been over 20 years since I have eaten at Chez Panisse. So many restaurants have owners and chefs who trained here. The interior was redone after the fire, but the standards have not changed
Top quality ingredients make each dish really flavorful without heavy sauced. Food and service remain excellent.
I especially appreciate the ability to have the set menu with my allergies. I just told our server my allergies (which are numerous) and they substituted with different but still tasty dishes.
I can’t recall all of the dishes (it was a week ago) but the menu changes nightly based on available local ingredients.
It’s also wonderful that they are not pretentious, although definitely the most highly regarded restaurant in the area.

Alice Waters is the honey badger of farm-​to-​fork.
It was newsworthy when they lost their star. Then even moreso when it became obvious that Alice didn’t care, as her food philosophy didn’t really align with the Michelin Guide’s.
So are you Team Alice or Team Michelin?
I certainly encourage you to dine there and find out.
I’m not going to describe the food, as it changes so often there’d be no point. I’d be describing stuff they’re likely never going to make again.
I humbly offer the following advice if you do not have food allergies: do not check the website for the menu. Let Farm-​to-​fork Badger surprise you. You won’t be disappointed,

Was craving a nice meal, so I walked in at noon on Tuesday, table for 2, was seated right away – no reservations.
Had the poached eggs with wild mushrooms and crispy polenta and chicories. Not a huge portion size but the dish was so rich and delicious, it was just right. I felt so balanced after this meal. Eggs were poached perfectly, the yolk tasted delicious with crunchiness of the polenta, and chewiness of the mushrooms.
On top of this, they have HIGH quality selection of tea. I ordered iced gunpowder green tea and I think it was the BEST i had my entire life.
I love that this restaurant changes menu daily. I want to come back to try all the other favorites. I’ll just have to work on getting richer because this place is expen$ive. #goals
The staff is all very courteous and friendly.

I’ve been wanting to try this place ever since I first heard of it my freshman year at UC Berkeley, and I finally had a chance to have a weekend dinner in the downstairs restaurant! The restaurant is small and cozy, and the seasonal décor was a great touch! The service is exceptional, and because they have a fixed menu, the food came out fast and we never had to wait long in between courses.
However, at $ 125 for a 4-​course meal, the price is definitely steep. Furthermore, the fact that you’re restricted to a fixed menu that you most likely won’t know in advance (since you likely have to make reservations up to a month in advance) means you can’t be too picky about the dishes you’re served. For example, I loved my 1^st course (a scallop and prawn salad) but the 2^nd course (parsnip soup) and main (beef tenderloin) were underwhelming. After a pretty heavy soup, the addition of a beef course with heavy sauces was a little much. (I wasn’t a fan of the bone marrow sauce the beef was topped with) But dessert was a hazelnut ice cream and a chocolate cake, and the ice cream was delicious!
Overall, this was a great experience and I loved dining here for the history. I would definitely recommend a first time visit to the restaurant — I’m just not sure it has enough value for a 2^nd or 3^rd… I’ll probably stick to the café in the future!

I’ve eaten here many times over the years and have had several of the best meals of my life here as well (for example, see the previous version of this review describing a duck with sauce Béarnaise that I still remember fondly).
Unfortunately, the last three or four times I’ve eaten here, I’ve noted a dropoff in quality. A recent meal, for example, had duck that was overcooked — served medium (pink) instead of medium rare — and a chocolate soufflé that was not as delicate as it had been in the past. I’ve also had some bland salmon as well as a particularly disappointing dessert: an ice cream bombe that was bland and uninteresting, not as good as ice cream a good ice cream parlor. Once the pasta was served nearly room temperature, as if it had been sitting out for a few minutes (the pasta itself was still excellent, but I’d never noticed a service miscue like that before).
Of course, the best dishes are still better than anywhere else: some terrific beef dishes and extraordinary vegetables, and even the worst dishes (except for that ice cream bombe) are still better than just about any other restaurant around. Even if the duck was not as good as earlier meals at Chez Panisse, that duck dish was still better actually than the duck in any other restaurant I’ve had. And every meal has had at least one great course. But the food has not been towering over the competition as it used to do.
Service and ambience are, as ever, top-​notch.

11.23.15
I had a lovely birthday dinner dining at Chez Panisse for the first time. It was definitely a bucket list item checked off from the college days.
Monday nights at the restaurants are a three course prix fixe menu at $ 75/​person. We had sea scallop salad with beets, castelfranco chicory, and sorrel, grilled BN Ranch sirloin steak with sauce verte, caramelized shallots, spinach and fried potatoes, and red wine-​poached pear galette with crème fraîche (which was the highlight of the evening), complete with wine pairing at $ 40/​person.
It’s odd to feel nostalgic at a place I’ve never been to. Wonderful experience, and I’ll definitely be framing my signed menu!
Total damage for two: $ 290ish

Came here with Boyfriend for our 2 year anniversary dinner. The interior has a very cozy and comforting feel, like eating a gourmet meal in a cottage tucked away somewhere cold.
The dinner was beautiful: the decorations were lovely, the food was delicious and the waiters were very friendly and attentive. It was a great evening. Heres the but.
BUT I wasn’t blown away. I hear in every food magazine and from everyone that dines there that Chez Panisse will provide the most unbelievable dining experience, putting it on this unreachable pedestal. Not to be that person (but I am), but I didn’t feel like it was. Yes, the food was very good and the wine as well, but I’ve had better elsewhere. It just seemed like my expectations exceeded reality. The salad was bursting with flavor, but the lingcod were a tad rough and my lamb was slightly overcooked. The dessert ice cream was nice, nothing too special, but they did put a small «Happy Anniversary» Banner around the plate. The wine was good, except half of them were Sauvignon Blanc. Everything tasted pretty great, but if I’m paying $ 100 per pre fixe + additional wine pairing, this meal has gotta knock my socks off.
I am so far from a food connoisseur, but I’ve dined at a one Michelin star restaurant once before and Chez Panisse doesn’t exactly compare. This meal happened a couple weeks ago, and I can’t really remember the dishes. This other restaurant, however, I dined at 1 year ago and I can remember so many more moments where I completely stunned with their culinary genius.
I was disappointed, but I think it was only because of the rather large hype. If I had average expectations, I feel like I would have enjoyed this meal more.
Ambiance: ⁵⁄₅
Food: 3.5÷5
Service: ⁵⁄₅
Overall Experience: 3.5−4÷5

So just to be upfront… yes this place is a bit expensive. If you can get past the roadblock of paying over 100 dollars per person for your meal plus wine tasting then you will LOVE this place! Service is my usual first observation, and it was spot on. Waiters here are very attentive without being overbearing, and pay attention (as well describe every dish with gusto).
But the food is why we are here no? Great, great meal with flawless execution. Tomato gazpacho was light, flavorful and tasted like eating a fresh tomato. Spot prawns were tender, succulent, and delicious. The duck was probably the best duck dish I’d ever had, but I will admit I wish it was rendered just a slight bit more. Dessert was chocolate-​y goodness, and not to be forgotten.
Overall, it’s a great experience and a reminder that you don’t need to drive all the way to Napa to experience great food, sometimes it’s just right in your backyard.

So, this restaurant is an edible and personal experience. We decided to go here in a «date» it was everything I wanted to be. Greets wine selection varied prices and selections. Even the affordable house Zin was great. The semi-​boneless Wolfe Ranch quail roasted in the (traditional) wood oven with polenta, white beans, (yum) summer greens, confit, and sage was amazing. We also ordered the white halibut which was also to die for. The salads were fresh and yummy and the beets were delightful. And we ordered the pave chocolate desert which was great, airy and filled with flavor. And a natural vanilla bean ice cream which was the perfect accent.

I feel like I’m committing wrong by giving Chez Panisse 3 stars.
The tables were a little too close for comfort, but I love the dimly lit, intimate atmosphere. We had fabulous service. Overall, I really enjoyed dining here.
The reason why my rating is only 3 stars was because I came for amazing food, and it fell short of my expectations. I came specifically for a culinary experience, and I didn’t get it. Don’t get me wrong – the food was good. The flavors were nice and everything was cooked well. However, I was far from impressed. Considering I’d only heard raving reviews, it was really disappointing to taste the food and only think that it was good.
Adding in that reservations need to be made so far in advance, and that the price point is certainly higher than what I’d normally pay for food, I just can’t justify a great review.

Chez Panisse is a gem in terms of atmosphere and food. I can echo all the good reviews of the impeccable service and presentation.
Smarty sourced and perfectly portioned, Chez Panisse sported nothing but pure grandeur on a fine Thursday evening.

Dined here last month and it happened to land on our 100^th date. Yes I count dates… long distance is tough! This was an ideal venue, as Alice Waters’ reputation has placed this restaurant our on food bucket list for quite a while.
SERVICE:
We had reservations for the downstairs dining room but still waited 15 minutes for our table. Not bad, but not the best start. Once seated, it took an additional 20 minutes for the bread to arrive. Okay, this is when I started getting my grumpy pants on. The service throughout was pleasant enough but felt uncoordinated and unpolished for a place of this caliber.
FOOD:
The amuse was liver pâté. Not a fan of pâté in general, so can’t comment on how this was. Also got a complimentary rosé based drink. Not bad.
Vegetable salad with golden beets, treviso, and black truffle — sloppy plating, lacked flavor, and could barely taste the truffle.
Sole two ways with leeks and coriander beurre blanc — not trying to be dramatic but this may be the most unappealing plating I have seen in fine dining. Check out the pic. And the dish itself was very mediocre. Left me wanting some simple fish and chips because that would be much more satisfying.
Quail with chanterelles and green garlic sauce, herb and potato gnocchi — Wow! This dish just redeemed the meal. Quail was tender, juicy, seasoned well. The waiter mentioned that they got in a particularly good stock that day. Gnocchi was wonderful, pillowy heaven.
Bittersweet chocolate and hazelnut sherbet vacherin — This once struggling meal ended with a strong finish. Loved the contrast between the rich chocolate ice cream and the light sorbet. Yum.
Overall the experience left me disappointed, but the couple of great dishes bumped up my rating to 3 stars. Chez Panisse will always be legendary, but it feels like its been riding on reputation for far too long, rather than focusing on sustained high standards.

This review is for the downstairs restaurant. Actual rating 3.5.
I first heard about Chez Panisse during a class I took as an undergraduate back in Davis. This class was significant because it established my identity as a foodie. As the subject of the class was on the slow food movement this restaurant led to the creation of my restaurant bucket list. Fast forward 10 years later; my friend and I find ourselves with dinner reservations on a Friday during their black truffle week.
CONCEPT: Alice Waters’ magnum opus. She instituted a culinary philosophy that is now the standard ethos of many a Bay Area restaurant: a constantly-​changing menu that reflects the seasonality of the ingredients and using organic and/​or local ingredients whenever possible (to the point where the source is highlighted in the dish description). She also has implemented a network of suppliers that regularly provide ingredients to the restaurant.
VENUE: Street parking with most nearby options 2 hours with meters. If your reservation is late enough the meters or time limit doesn’t matter.
The first floor is the more formal dining area. Two seatings are available and are reservation only. Reservations can be made by phone or through OpenTable a month in advance. The restaurant only serves one set menu per day and each day’s menu is different. In addition, dinner service gets more elaborate (and pricier!) towards the end of the week.
Restaurant space is quite small. Ambiance seems to be more casual, which is also reflected on customer attire. The distinguishing feature is the open kitchen, which takes up almost the amount of space as the dining area.
SERVICE: Like a lot of fine dining establishments the staff are very observant when dishes need cleaning and wines need pouring, but for the most part they try to be the least invasive as possible.
Menu 1÷23÷2015 ($ 100)/Wine Pairing ($ 40)
9% Tax and 17% Service Charge = ~$ 175/​person.
— Aperitivo tasted like sparkling muscato.
Amuse consisted of pork terrine mixed with bits of black truffle on top of a cracker with radish shavings. Meat provided enough salt to balance out the sweet drink.
— Fennel fritters with green garlic, black truffle, and sheep’s-milk ricotta
Pairing: Sylvaner Scribe ‘Ode to Emil No. IV’
The fritters tasted *very* similar to tempura that I had in JAPAN — quite light and the fennel is still intact. Ricotta melts in your mouth and even with a good amount of black truffle shavings much of the flavor is derived from the cheese. A good black truffle dish only has the necessary amount of truffle flavor needed to enhance the main ingredient.
White wine pairing was a dry Riesling that serve as a palate cleanser in between bites of cheese and fritter.
— Gold and green hand-​torn pasta with Gulf shrimp, Meyer lemon, and sage
Pairing: Domaine Laurent Tribut, Chablis Blanc
Egg noodles were cooked al-​dente and soaked up the creamy sauce. Red pepper flakes added some spice. Gulf shrimp was cooked perfectly.
The white wine served was more full-​bodied than previous white but was still comparatively light and also served as a palate cleanser.
— Grilled Wolfe Ranch quail with spiced butternut squash gratin, kaleidoscope greens, and almond salsa
Pairing: Montevertine Pian del Ciampolo 2012
This dish was considered a disappointment and the main reason why our dining experience was less than perfect. The quail meat was so dry that not even the seasoning and accompanying sides can save the meat. The lentils underneath the quail had the texture of undercooked rice. The kaleidoscope greens tasted like a mix between swiss chard and brussels sprouts and the butternut squash gratin tasted like sweet mashed potatoes. The greens and squash were one of the better interpretations but tasted better individually rather than combine them with overcooked quail and undercooked lentils.
Sangiovese wine was light and peppery.
— Chocolate, espresso, and stracciatella ice cream bomba
Pairing: Slightglass Coffee ($ 6/​pot, serves 2)
Stracciatella is Italian chocolate chip ice cream. All three ice cream flavors blended well. The orange glaze and zest adds tartness, the crème fraîche is a superior alternative to whipped cream and the sugar breadstick and hazelnuts create a crunchy topping.
Coffee was good quality that I was able to drink a portion of it black. Tasted similar to Blue Bottle.
Even with a slightly disappointing experience I would still recommend this to people as a foodie destination restaurant. With the exception of the quail all dishes were executed perfectly. $ 170 among four courses and wine pairings was a great value and is one of the more affordable fine dining options of the Bay Area. I hope to return during a more typical dinner time so it would be less likely that meat would be overcooked.

Une des adresses les plus mythiques de la Bay Area ! Une véritable institution fondée dans les années 70 par la papesse de la nouvelle cuisine américaine, Alice Waters, sur quelques principes simples: simplicité, fraîcheur et origine locale des ingrédients. C’est devenu aujourd’hui un credo banal, mais il y a 40 ans aux US ça n’allait pas de soi.
De l’extérieur, le resto le plus célèbre de Berkeley né paie pas de mine: vous pourrez facilement le louper, car sa façade sombre est en retrait de la rue, bien masquée par une clôture de bois et l’escalier qui permet d’y accéder. Il y a deux niveaux et deux offres distinctes: le 1ier étage est le restaurant classique qui né fait que dîner, tandis que le 2^nd étage est présenté comme un «café», en fait un second resto à la cuisine plus simple et plus abordable, qui fonctionne midi et soir.
C’est le premier que j’ai testé: sa particularité est qu’il n’y a pas de carte, chaque soir propose un menu unique à prix fixe (allant de 65 à 100 $ suivant le jour de la semaine), le même pour tout le monde, la seule latitude de choix étant de prendre du fromage ou non (en plus bien sûr du choix des boissons).
Fidèle à la philosophie de la maison, ce que vous trouvez dans vos assiettes né recherché pas l’excentricité, mais l’exécution est parfaite: une salade d’asperges croquantes à souhait, un rôti de porc moelleux, et suivant le principe du meilleur pour la fin, la part de tarte aux pommes avec sa glacé vanille était remarquable.
Si on ajoute à ça un service agréable sans être obséquieux (le maître d’hôtel français vous fera volontiers la causette dans sa langue maternelle dès qu’il aura repéré le compatriote) et un décor chaleureux (récemment remis à neuf car le resto a subi un incendie l’année dernière), on a la garantie de passer un très bon moment. Bien sûr au final, et suivant vos choix de boissons, l’addition sera salée, mais on paie aussi la marque, le prestige du lieu, et dans le registre des meilleures adresses de la région, c’est sans doute une des plus raisonnables.
PS: n’oubliez évidemment pas de réserver, en général vous aurez une table à 2 – 3 semaines de distance, mais un coup de bol quasi du jour au lendemain, consécutif à une annulation, est toujours possible, je peux en témoigner.

Way back in 2008. Only best memories.