Paisan

Really great and chill place to get some good food and drinks. Salads are nice and fresh and light and the pizza is crispy and cheesy and delicious. I got the Margherita with Prosciutto and it was great. I also got an Italian Stallion cocktail which was pretty tasty. Servers are all really nice and friendly and the maitre’d was very helpful as well friendly and nice.
Bonus, dogs are very much welcome here.

Stopped here for a late afternoon lunch on our way to Napa and everything was perfect. Cute, casual environment. Sunny, bright enclosed patio. We split a Caesar salad, which was delicious — loved the large homemade croutons. And we finished with a margarita/​prosciutto pizza, which I had been craving. Highly recommend it for a tasty, casual Italian meal.

I have eaten at most of the restaurants in Berkeley at one time or another and this place has the best roasted chicken I have ever had. The pizzas are unique and light and I can always order a side of Kale salad to make myself feel good, also tasty. I highly recommend this place with its warm, bohemian atmosphere and delicious foods! It makes me appreciate living here as opposed to anywhere further east!

Nice atmosphere, attentive service, good drinks, and delicious food. What else do you need? I especially like the fried olives as an appetizer and the mushroom pizza as the main course. The salads and vegetable sides are always fresh and creative. When they have it, the chiffon cake for dessert is awesome — although for some reason, they keep taking it off the menu =(

Went to Paisan today for 2^nd time. Probably not going back.
5 stars for aesthetic setting.
1 Star for outside patio where kids run around. (occured on prior visit.)
3 Stars for wine list.
4 Stars for beer on tap.
5 stars for delicious SOUNDING menu.
2 Stars for food. Aspargus pizza had zero flavor. Not sure how they managed that. The Bolognese portion size was appetizer size. Suggest they serve some bread with it to mop up sauce which was tasty.
1 Star for sad lackluster wait staff.
5 Star for friendly hostess.

Sausage perfectly cooked. Polenta perfectly cooked. Arugula perfectly fresh and crisp. Poached eggs, perfectly cooked.
Great ambiance.
Hidden gem in W. Berkeley.
Now my go-​to for brunch.
Farm Fresh to You Farm seems to be one of their vendors (noticed the van out in the back.

Really enjoyed the facility, and the back area is so nicely lighted while still being indoors.
The food was very good, we all got pizzas, so what is there not to like?

Food was not out of the ordinary which is not why the rating.
The one star is for Katie. Spoke to 2 person upon our arrival who tried to get us seated while a busy hour. She came in and tried to turn us down. Despite seats available. One of her coworker took our side without us having to say anything, she tried to hold her ground, but he still got us seated… First yellow card.
My girlfriend is lactose intolerant. She ordered bolognese asked if there was cheese and was told there was none. Waiter came later to check, she specified that she was lactose intolerant. Katie came with out food… The bolognese with cheese over it, we told her that we had made it clear her words «is it to much of an allergy to scrap it off?»… Red card.
Despite being the service industry, we did not leave off feeling like we got served appropriately. Moreso, rather confronted several times by lazy and combative individuals.

I went here for a late lunch with my coworkers as an end of the year, Christmas get together. We arrived around 2:30pm so parking wasn’t an issue and it was relatively empty. I didn’t really eat because I had dinner plans soon, but the overall service was great. My coworkers enjoyed their meal so there were no complaints that I was aware of.

great food, great space. There are few places in the East Bay that rival Paisan for ease and comfort. There is nothing revolutionary here except for a beautiful yet casual space where you can get good food at a reasonable price. I don’t want to call it «kid friendly» for fear it would be associated with the likes of Chuck E Cheese, but at the same time, my well behaved child loves to come here for the excellent pizzas and pastas and the ample outdoor space where she can play and explore while adults enjoy a meal.
FABULOUS happy hour. I only wish they offered more happy hour snack fare– like PLEASE??? A cheese plate? Fries? Anything? The olives are good but can only be tolerated for so long… Still, I love you, Paisan.

A very solid Italian joint in West Berkeley serving up tasty weekend brunch inclusive of frittatas, pizzas, small plates and the like.
My brother and I split a derricious brussel sprouts salad doused in creamy cider-​sage vinaigrette as well a humongous piece of burrata & prosciutto bruschetta — never seen such a huge single piece though it was a welcome change of pace. The nicely toasted bread cut so easily and the sweetness imparted by the balsamic-​fig rounded out the cloudy cheese and delicately savory meat very well. We finished with what turned out to be a damn fine roasted mushroom pizza. The crusted was charred lightly and ever so thin, in fact the toppings were so generously spread out that it was barely enough to hold them all up. Loved the layering of the greens with the caramelized onions and cheese while the mushrooms just rocked in their bold, earthy flavors.
On the downside, the meatballs were quite a letdown as the tomato sauce was reminiscent of the canned variety while the accompanying polenta came bathed in a pool of grease. Likewise, our server wasn’t approachable at all and literally just dropped off our dishes without so much as a quick check-​in let alone water refills.
Even so, the majority of our dishes were exceptionally well-​done and worth coming back for. Plus, the restaurant is huge and includes an expansive covered outdoor patio that’d be perfect for large parties.

Really good family friendly pet friendly HH friendly new spot here. Shuttuck has shitty bars ripped off places but this place food are pretty healthy and cocktail w HH is awesome. Not many neighbor don’t know this place highly recommend check out here few drink and munch after move to next door that’s I usually do! Enjoy bartenders makes good drink. Price, taste, HH all for 5 star here !

Our experience was mostly great, but slightly annoying– thus 4 stars instead of 5.
We rolled in on a Friday night and felt lucky to be seated right away. The host was warm and welcoming. She asked if we preferred the heated «outdoor» patio or inside. We opted for outdoor seating.
The fact that our server didn’t come right away didn’t bother me because I prefer to have a chance to look at the drink menu (but in retrospect, this was a little foreshadowing). My Moscow Mule was good and my husband’s whisky sour looked and tasted good.
We ordered the stuffed olives, garden leaf lettuces and burrata plate as appetizers. All were very tasty. A small pile of prosciutto from burrata plate was leftover to take home.
I ordered the risotto without the pancetta and was not disappointed. I didn’t feel like it was lacking any flavor or richness. Citrusy, creamy, nutty with bits of kale. My husband ordered pasta of the day, which he said was really tasty. Kids ordered fettuccini with butter and Parmesan and margarita pizza. The fettuccini was rather bland but the pasta tasted fresh and it was exactly what my daughter wanted. The pizza had the kind of crust I like in a thin pizza– kind of doughy and firm, without overwhelming. The flavors were nice.
Now for the needs improvement section: after our server (who was perfectly pleasant) took our order, she never came back. Even once– until it was time to ask if we were done (which was evident by the napkins on the table, leaning back and looking around for someone to bring the bill). No one asked if our food was ok or if we needed anything. I had to walk around to find a pitcher of water to refill glasses at our table. It wasn’t busy at all. We were just clearly not her priority. I saw her talking with other wait staff and doing other tasks. I usually tip 20%, and if only mediocre, sometimes 15, but tonight it dipped below — hopefully she’ll get the message because I hate to do that.
If the food and atmosphere were only ok, I wouldn’t be back, but since all else was great, I’ll give it another try and hope for better service.

This is one of my favorite East Bay restaurants. They have great pizzas, pasta dishes, appetizers and drinks. The service is usually on point as well. Just don’t come in between lunch and dinner. The menu is limited and the service (and food) is not very consistent.

Pluses for big open space. Tables not crammed together. Quiet relaxed atmosphere on a rainy Monday at lunchtime. The Caesar was great. Big mound of fresh lettuce pieces in a tasty dressing with nice rustic croutons.
I got the mushroom pizza too with bits of red onion and kale. Very good flavor but poor coverage of ingredients over the crust surface. Will post a photo.
Negatives include the aforementioned bald spots on the pizza and too relaxed service. I waited a good five minutes to be greeted and seated. Then at least ten minutes before someone took my order.
Worth going back for that Caesar though.

That back patio though!
Ambiance points here and lots of them. The front is pretty unassuming until you reach the back. It’s huge, beautifully lit, and makes for a perfect spot for large and small groups alike.
Unfortunately, the pizza failed to meet the epicness of such a wonderful outdoor space. Comments like, «Just okay» and «a little better than Dominos,» come to mind. Dessert wasn’t terrible, but wasn’t anything impressive. Salad was fresh. However, their fried olive and anchovie balls were great as bar snacking food.
Great vibes. So-​so food. But as a happy hour spot with coworkers, it’s perfect.

I came here for lunch with my coworkers and bosses. My former manager seems to know all the best places to eat in the Albany-​Berkeley-​Emeryville area! He chose Paisan for sort of a year-​end Thank You lunch since members of our groups are switching job roles. It turned out to be a great choice since Paisan means fellow countrymen or friend (Spanish/​Italian). We certainly are and the restaurant made us feel at home with great service!
The theme is Italian comfort food, and the restaurant looks a bit like a sports bar in the front. In the back, plenty of sturdy wooden tables with a brick and wood décor. They had a tree growing in the back and built the dining area around it!
I ordered the roast chicken sandwich which came with a basic green salad. Sandwich was really good! Soft bread, and juicy chicken with a nice pesto sauce. Good ratio of bread to meat too. For dessert, three of us ordered the knife and fork ice cream sandwich with butterscotch dip! Very decadent, thick, and good! Its firm (because ice cream is dense in a good way and not frozen solid) so you need a metal spoon and gentle force to eat it.
Parking is limited and the best bet seems to be in the residential area.

Yummy! We came here for brunch on Sunday! Everything we had was really good! We had the meatball sandwich, both frittas, the egg bacon polenta platter and one of the breakfast pizzas. Potatos on pizzas… omg yes please! The polenta was really good, it had a little hint of honey in them.
The service was great! They have a patio in the back, so you can enjoy the nice weather.

My work coordinated a bridal shower party here for myself and some fellow colleagues that are getting married here soon, and so far, I am really impressed with this place.
First off, I absolutely LOVE the ambiance, especially the outdoor area where our event was held — very open and rustic feeling, with a beautiful out lay; including high open ceilings allowing the natural light to penetrate through.
The specially catered menu consisted of: Burrata, Prosciutto and Almonds with Fig balsamic jam. Dry curred olives, pickled onion, arugula & baguette. An array of some of their pizzas: Margharita Pizza consisting of– tomato sauce, mozzerella and basil. A potato & Apple Wood Smoked Bacon Pizza consisting of — garlic onion and fontina. And the Molto Aglissimo pizza consising of: garlic, parmesan, onion and fontina. This included a selection of iced teas and juices, as well as a selection of local beers.
The Burrata was fantastic! Great consistency, along with a nice delicate flavor. The only pizza I tried was the Molto Aglissmo, and although the aroma of garlic was a little overwhelming, the overall flavor was superb! All the pizzas are true to the Italian thin crust, allowing you to fully experience the actual flavor. very good. The selection of beers were also a great companion.
Service was also extremely warm, friendly and attentive.
Thank you Paisan, for providing such a memorable little event! Looking forward to visiting for a regular sit down meal :)

From the rustic Mediterranean environment alone, I would love to give Paisan four stars. Unfortunately, this strength is undercut by the food.
Most of my encounters are at lunchtime, where Paisan serves up an array of different sandwiches, pizzas, and pastas. Of course you can’t call yourself Italian without antipasti — so that’s a given. I’ve tried the Burrata Bruschetta, pizzas, and Chicken Sandwiches and would call them all average. The Fall Risotto I had during my dinner visit had the potential to be spectacular (I’m a huge lover of risotto), but the consistency was too oily and liquid for my taste. I’m not a fan of average food with above average prices, so this is not on my regular list.
Paisan however does have a cute covered patio area and inviting bar that you should check out if you’re in the area — it’s great for business meetings, or if you and your crew want an extra boost from the 3−9pm Happy Hour on Mondays.