Durant Square – Asian Ghetto

This place is nice to go to if you don’t know what you want to eat yet, but know you want to eat in an exciting atmosphere. However, most of the restaurants here only provide mediocre food, and many places only take cash. It can also get a little rowdy at night, especially on weekends, but this place is definitely a fun area to be in for the college life.

Oh Durant Square. How many times I have gone to this place for late night eats and boba runs. So many times. I’ve seen many restaurants come and go, but there’s still the staples like Gypsy’s, Thai Basil, Mandarin Garden, Steve’s BBQ, Kingpin Donuts, and Sweetheart Café. There’s pretty much all kinds of food types there from Italian to Japanese to Mediterranean. There’s seats inside the food establishment as well as in the center of the square so you can always get a group together, each get their type of food, and meet in the center. I wish I had an Asian ghetto nearby… oh wait I do. Still great memories here and great place to get good food at great prices.

*Cue 80’s music* Asian dreams are made of this…
If you are with a large group of indecisive but extremely picky people (read: Asian parents in tow), this is a very good place to take them.
Plus, this place satisfies the ADHD must-​eat-​all-​the-​foods tendencies in me.

Asian ghetto is awesome. Can’t give it a bad review if its name already claims to be ghetto. This place brings me back to undergraduate days (though I went to UCD). I loved hanging out here thought ½ the restaurants here aren’t that great. I thought the space was awesome for meeting up with friends because everyone had options within a couple steps of each other. It’s a step up from a food court! There are tables in the center that are mostly sticky & gross but they work! You can place your food on it & you don’t have to worry about it rolling off (both because it’s level & because it’s sticky enough).

Too bad a place like this doesn’t exist in the burbs! Why do students get all the love?
This is exactly the sort of eating place we would frequent… frequently. Mostly Asian, super cheap, order at the counter. Perfect for our family. We get to enjoy the ethnic food we love at a great price.
The only issue is limited seating in these tiny shops, but there’s enough outside and you can always get things to go.

Plenty of variety for that night that someone in your group wants pasta and someone else wants thai, but yet another wants sushi.
I generally do more take out but great selection.

As a person who came here a lot less than a decade ago, I must say that this place is worse than ever before.
Meanwhile, the quality across the board has declined. More MSG, less meat, smaller servings than before.

Asian ghetto? In the late 1990s this place was called «crack court.» I suspect it earned this name because it is where you could get 99 cent rice with teriyaki after you were cracked out. The phrase «cracked out» in the late 1990s didn’t necessarily mean you smoked crack, although I suppose it could mean that too, if you were a crackhead, of which there were plenty to be found, at crack court.

What it lacks in quality it makes up for in variety. A popular choice for eating as well as simply meeting up due to its unmistakable features. I would consider it an unofficial Berkeley landmark.
An added bonus that a handful of stores are open fairly late to cater to those with late-​night drunchies

Odd place .
Was walking along the food courts and noticed a street person lying in one of the corners, I come back abut a ½ hour later and there’s the coroner hauling him away.
Used to be a Muslim seafood place in the corner where the manager would chase off the bums that used to kiss the sidewalk in front of the place.
Only in Berkeley.

All of the eateries in the Asian Ghetto offer huge portions of food at a very low cost to the consumer. All dishes are made from the lowest quality ingredients, with levels of MSG so high, that you will need a pitcher of water at your side just to get through the meal. I have always left this place disappointed, it’s worth spending the extra $ 3 to patronize Happy Valley Chinese, Racha Thai or Phở K&K down the street. If you’re on a budget, and need an emergency Pad See Ew to get you through the day, It’s possible to score at least one or two acceptable dishes at the Thai Basil, and Gypsy Trattoria on the corner makes a pretty mean calzone.

Fuck this place. All my friends who go to Cal always suggest we eat here for some reason — it’s not THAT cheap and definitely not good. To be fair I have only tried a handful of places (not including the coveted Gypsy’s) but when you are in the city of innovative, amazing food, why subject yourself to the Asian Ghetto… there’s so much more out there!!!

There is Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese, Korean (although I have never seen a korean worker/​owner inside the restaurant), Mexican, Italian, and a pastry place. Some places take credit while others do not. If you come here, you will eventually find something to eat. I have frequented this place often in my 4 years at Cal.

Asian Ghetto is an appropriate name. They have just the right fares for starving college students, although judging by the kinds of stores that are populating Southside, and the size of the kids I see around campus, students aren’t really starving anymore.
You probably won’t get hepatitis from eating here.

I’m pretty sure I spent almost the entirety of my 4 years at Cal eating from here. And why not? For under $ 10, you almost ALWAYS got enough food that could last you at least 2 meals (3, if you stinted and didn’t eat a lot).
Thai Basil, Gypsy’s and Vietnam Village were my mainstays. I loved their portions and their pricing was always worth it. I mean, honestly, their food isn’t really QUALITY necessarily, but when you’re a poor college kid, it’s more about the sheer quantity than quality anyway.
Is it edible? Will it be filling? Is it cheap? Can I make AT LEAST 2 meals out of it? THAT’S THE COLLEGE KID WAY.

Durant food court is a definite 3 star in anyone’s book.
The place looks run down, is nowhere near fancy and some may argue it is indeed «ghetto».
BUT! it is home to some very yummy asian food. They have a variety of stores that sell anywhere from korean food, thai, vietnamese, milk tea, and even Italian food. Heck, they even have a donut shop.
This place is usually pretty busy late night and lunch time. Most stores don’t close til midnight so scores of hungry college patrons come here at night. Come here and socialize with people!
The food here is pretty good, my favorites are Thai Basil and that Korean restaurant next door. The quicklys here also is good to cure your milk tea cravings.
Asian Ghetto is certainly Ghetto, but then again, the food oh so makes up for it.

this «asian ghetto» is a plethora of different cuisines:
— thai,
–korean,
— vietnamese,
-(korean) ramen,
— sushi
–donuts,
— italian.
–hong kong chinese,
-«mandarin» chinese,
— boba drinks/​taiwanese snacks
–gyros
…-
pricing is relatively cheap, most places open late, food quality definitely not gourmet.
definitely fulfulling. however, you get what u pay for.
pigeons and panhandlers like this place.
tried many with low expectations and they were often met, seldom exceeded.

This food court is nothing special. There is variety, but the quality of each place is almost like a college dining hall, so I can understand why there are so many positive reviews of Cal kids who don’t know any better. I had the most mediocre gyro of my life here, and I’ve been to some podunk Greek restaurants in my days.
The prices aren’t dirt cheap or anything, just OK. The outside eating area is a nice addition, but many of the seating options are awkwardly laid out for big groups.
There are plenty of better options in the area.

I remember when this was simply Durant Square. There used to be an ice cream place mon pere would take us to; ice cream was made on the premises daily. Fresh, rich and creamy. There were a variety of eateries that were located here to choose from of various international cuisines.
So this is the famous Asian Ghetto I have been hearing about. Cor, Durant Square has really changed. Wish I had checked Unilocal before coming here; I was not too thrilled of my choice of Sushi House.
I got here before the expected lunch crowd. There was only one other customer eating their lunch. And much to my surprise, only one person who was manning the place. After placing my order, I looked around at the menu and various postings. There was a help wanted sign for both part-​time and full-​time kitchen help. Oh dear. Certainly explained why a couple of tables needed to be wiped of a few sticky spots and the earlier guest had to bus his own dishes.
I ordered my litmus test of tonkatsu and tamago. It was all right, nothing really fancy and gourmet. I was not too pleased to see sauce on the tonkatsu. The sauce was all right; wondered if it was A-​1 or some other Worchester-​type of sauce.
(I was not too pleased about the fifty cent surcharge on credit and debit card usage. I will be contacting my bank about that surcharge for clarification about that,)
As for the service, considering it was only one person running the place, he was civil. he was not very welcoming; hope there will be additional assistance in his future. Not sure if I will give Sushi House a second chance though.
Moving on, so this is where the famous Gypsy’s Trattoria is located, based at Durant Square. And Thai Basil is here too. Ah, so this is the lair of Bear Ramen. Interesting.
I went in to check out Thai Basil. The woman who was operating the till gave me surly look. Guess she thought I was cutting in line. Told her that I was just looking around, that is all. Note-​to-​self: Watch out for that dour, surly dame should I decide to do business in this place.
As for Gypsy’s, I do not know. It sure was busy and the place was full of students studying and working amongst themselves and on their notebook computers. If I am fortunate enough, I hope to go there when it is not too crowded and perhaps, maybe not too noisy; sure was quite too loud for my tastes. I like to eat quietly; it is a form of meditation for me.
Oh yes, many of the reviewers were right about the atmosphere and environment in and around Durant Square; no need for me to add any additional notes.
Fresh Review #15 of 100 Unilocal!for 2013.

I think to be politically correct, some people have been trying to call the Asian ghetto «Durant food court» or DFC. But it will always be the Asian ghetto.
You have great options for food in here, but some better than others. Great place to take your out-​of-​town friends for a quick and satisfying meal.
Protip: Leave your leftovers on top of the garbage cans so they homeless people don’t have to dig through the trash to get them.

Pretty much the «chinatown» of berkeley. Here you can find all sort of asian food. From korean to vietnamese to Ethiopian! what else can u ask for?
A lot considered it dirty, but I consider it cute & convenient. I can walk way with a delicious plate of combo Pad Thai with shrimp, tofu AND chicken, pretty decent kbqq ribs and my ultimate bubble milk tea from quickly (or sweetheart)… and ALL in the same location. WHEEE!