Ramona’s Café

Haven’t had Ramona’s in the past or tried their Asian style cuisine, but I ordered a panini the other day for lunch and enjoyed it. The place is quite small, so it’s hard to find a vacant table and the lines are quite busy (depending on the time). I ordered a panini with ham, bacon, lettuce, pepper jack and tomato. You first fill out your order on a small paper form and hand it to the person making the sandwich. You keep the ticket stub with your number and wait for your order to be ready. Later, pay at the counter with either meal points or cash. Simple and convenient.

The food is generally decent, but I have had countless experiences where the cashier has a witchy attitude.

If you live in Unit 1 and want to buy a coffee using meal points on your way to an 8am lecture in LeConte, then Ramona’s is the place to go.

Do NOT get any of the Asian inspired foods here. I tried the rice bowl and the dumplings because I have low standards and like Panda Express, but they’re both really gross. The rice is the consistency of the rice you get in elementary school, and the chicken is like the Trader Joes Territyaki Chicken, but one that’s been left out for an hour or so. Go head over to GBC and get chicken strips instead.
+1 for the super convenient location for a grab and go shop though!

Los bocadillos y las galletas están bien, pero la variedad y precios dejan mucho que desear, y a las horas punta hay colas interminables.
El local, además, es lúgubre, sombrío, triste, y huele a fritanga. Por suerte, la terraza del CED es bastante apañá.

I always get coffee at Ramona before my class. The dark roast coffee is what i love haha. But the line is super long if you go at the «wrong time» like at noon or x o’clock. It is always better to go at x:15 or x:45, just my personal experience. I used to order their chicken rice bowl a lot! Great place to get food with meal point :)

One of my go-​to dining spots on the UC Berkeley campus, not because of good food, but moreso for the available seating.
Food: They have a variety of refrigerated items (yogurt, drinks, parfaits, pretzels&hummus, milk, etc.) as well as to-​go dry snacks (nuts, granola bars, fruits, candy mixes). They have a Peet’s Coffee station.
The main «attraction» is the bagel bar (breakfast before 10:30) or their sandwich/​panini station (after 10:30am). It’s a self-​serve station, so go up to the counter, pick up the little notepad and circle everything you want. Then, you peel off the page, rip off the bottom portion with your customer number on it, and give the rest of the paper to the service ladies/​men.
It can be somewhat slow on busy days. But generally, the service is pretty quick. They also sell Chinese takeout boxes (potstickers, rice bowls).
Seating: I like that they have an ample amount of seating, and several seats with available outlets to charge your laptop/​phones.
It gets crowded on rainy days!
Overall, a decent place to spend mealpoints.

Service: The workers are generally friendly, but I like to go here before 11 or after 2 when there is no one around, so maybe at prime time they are less nice.
Food: Good for lunch. I always get a Panini on Ciabatta, with Grilled Chicken, Lettuce, Tomato, Mayo, Olives, and Jalapenos! The Jalapenos are the best part! The Rice bowls are okay. I tried to be healthy once and got the brown rice, but I couldn’t stomach it… Their dim sum is pretty legit but the menu changes often so don’t plan on getting your favorite Siu Mai everyday. Wide selection of drinks, from juices to teas to muscle milk and Gatorade, at a premium price.
Atmosphere: I always see a lot of people sitting in there studying, but its really dark, so these people must have night vision. Lots of two seaters. Just grab and go.

You never expect quality food with dorm food ever. Ramona’s is no exception. So many times have I heard «the paninis are soooo good.» Having heard this so many times, I knew I just had to try the panini and see what it’s all about. There are so many places on campus for sandwiches, from the fancy stuff at FIFO to the pre-​packaged but still decent options at GBC. However, Ramona’s takes the cake for having the WORST sandwiches on campus.
Why is that? Ultimately, I may once again be ordering the wrong things, since I really like my sandwiches simple: lettuce, meat, cheese, and call it a day. What I expect is a nice hot sandwich, but what I get is some sorta cold sorta warm monstrosity of a thing. I have tried multiple times to find a decent combination, but I’ve never had a positive experience with their paninis.
Granted, Ramona’s has its merits. It’s the closest place by Haas that accepts meal points, so if I need a quick drink or a snack, it’s a great place to stop by. Plus, though many may disagree, but the dim sum isn’t half bad. It’s simple, nothing special, but it gets the job. What Ramona’s wins in is being one of those few options that offers a small, filling option that doesn’t feel totally greasy.
So what’s the point I’m trying to get at here? The paninis are a let down with all of the raving I’ve been hearing, and that has led to a pretty negative experience. However, paninis aside, Ramona’s is a convenient location.
TIP: Get the dim sum!

What can I say about Ramona’s? It’s on campus and suuuper convenient to grab a snack or a filling lunch. Without a meal plan through UC Berkeley, however, it is quite expensive. Naked juice drinks and others tend to be at least $ 4 and can be up to $ 7 each! (Tip: Buy your Naked juice at Safeway and bring it to school for pete’s sake. Save yourself $ 2 right there!)
When I find myself at Ramona’s, it’s because I am short on time and need something to eat that is filling and extremely fast. I liken Ramona’s to a healthier McDonalds on campus. That being said, the few times I have gone here, I have ordered the teriyaki chicken bowl. This bowl comes with your choice of brown or white rice, scrappy chicken pieces, and steamed (likely pre-​frozen) veggies. Why do I do this? Because it’s the most economical choice for lunch at Ramona’s. At $ 6.50, you can’t get anything else that is more filling or reasonably acceptable in taste. Ramona’s also has dim sum and made-​to-​order paninis, but these are more expensive for the portion size.
Ramona’s is nice because it is close, but honestly, if you are going to eat out for lunch on campus, try Haas Business School’s Fifo Café or Boalt Law School’s Zeb Café. These both serve much better food for about the same price.

I’ll make this concise and to the point:
Paninis — average but pricey
Bagels — yes!
Teriyaki rice bowl dishes — no. never. no.
Dim sum — what? no.
What should you get from here then (aside from bagels)?
They have fridges stocked with popular drinks and they have yogurt and even fresh fruit! But I usually go here for my blue books and for individually packaged cookies. Unless you’re an architecture major and stuck in Wurster I think there are better places to spend your meal points.

What can I say about this place? After working for three years upstairs in studio, this place was my lifeline when I was too tired or lazy to go anywhere else for food and coffee.
This place is great for breakfast or just a quick coffee run in the morning. It’s located right on College and Bancroft, one of the campus’s main entrances. Their coffee isn’t the best, and they often run out of the French Roast about 30 minutes after opening, but it’s cheap! That and they’ll let you refill your own mug for cheap.
The other thing to get for breakfast is their breakfast bagels. Sweet or savoury, it really fills you up if you need to go somewhere fast.
In the afternoon, the bagel bar turns into a panini station. The selection is great (so many topping options!) and they don’t skimp on ingredients. I have often bought one in the afternoon and finished the rest for dinner. I’ve never had a bad panini from here, but the wait can be a little long during peak hours. My advice? Fill out the order form, finish some work in studio, and by the time you’re done, your sandwich will be done.
Unfortunately, I have also had their chicken and vegetable rice bowls. Honestly, there are worse things (see below). Because the chicken or vegetables were cooked in the morning and have been sitting, keeping warm for the whole day, the stuff gets overcooked. Then, they will add (with your blessing, of course) over-​saturated sauces that just overpower everything else. At least their rice (white or brown) is bearable when it isn’t too soggy. There have been times that I’ve really liked the rice bowls (namely when I hadn’t eaten for two days) but otherwise its a hit or miss depending on when you get it.
The worse thing here? Their macaroni and cheese. It’s more like a scalding cheese soup with soggy macaroni. I ordered one once and just threw the rest away. It was disgusting. I have seen plenty of other people do the same. I do not know why they keep making these, but I suppose they turn enough profit from naïve fools to keep it on the menu.
As for some of my favourites, they would have to be a pork/​vegetable siu mai, shrimp har gow, and dumplings. Mind you, this is not some fancy dim sum establishment, so do not come back and complain to me, but they do fill you up. I will usually order about 8, and that will keep be full until the next meal. The skin can be kind of tough if it’s the end of the batch, but the turnover rate is pretty good during the afternoon, so you have better chances of getting fresh dim sum. The filling is definitely not traditional, but it’s flavourful and tastes pretty good with their watered-​down soy sauce.
Their other god-​sends would be their pre-​made, refrigerated sandwiches (there’s too many to name) and their spam musubi. They’re pretty good for something pre-​made and refrigerated, and they’re so easy to just grab and go to your class. My only advice would be to pair it up with something else or to grab double-​servings, because they’re not that filling.
As for the price? I would have to say Ramona’s is pretty overpriced if you put quality on the scale as well. What can you expect? This place accepts meal points and is a part of the university. It was cheap for me when I was on a meal plan, but it is a bit painful when I have to pay with cash. My only advice? Come to this place when I absolutely need to, but life is too short to munch on overprice, university food.
Some other advice:
Ramona’s doesn’t serve leftovers from the day before, so if you happen to waltz in right before they close (varies), the workers may offer you free food so they don’t have to throw it all away. Get to know the people that work there! Knowing Cantonese is a definite plus.
Some people complain about the bad service here, but you have to understand they’re just doing their jobs. If they don’t allow you to something, it’s because they aren’t allowed to. I have had wonderful conversations with all the people that work here, and they’re always kind. Get to know the people that serve you!
During the school year, Ramona’s closes early pretty early compared to other dining places on campus, but they have been known to open later if enough students ask for it. They know we (namely architecture students) stay up late during finals and will open an extra hour or two to let us get our final coffees. It’s very kind of them, and you don’t see another dining establishment on campus care so much for the students.
Finally, Ramona’s is not the best place for studying. It’s a bit loud because of the kitchen, and there are no places to plug in your laptop. However, if you just step outside into the lobby, there are plenty of outlets, and it’s quieter too! I’m not so sure why they do this, maybe to help with the crowding during rainy days or during lunch time. It’s annoying, but I can live with it.
Not the best place in the world, but call me sentimental. I love Ramona’s!

I often use this place to buy a cup of coffee in the morning, because they sell cheap coffee and the place is on my way to my office on campus.
People working there are generally nice, but there is one fat woman who is extremely mean to me.
— She never tells me the price. When I ask her the price, she speaks in a very vague and small voice.
— She sometimes skips me and start working for the other person in another line first even though I come to the line before the other person.
— She does not receive change even if I try to use change for adjustment.
Such an unpleasant thing doesn’t happen in any other café on campus. As far as I remember, I did not do anything wrong to her. I guess she just hates me.
So basically my nice feeling in the morning gets hurt for a few minutes just for her… I just wanted them to fix this problem, so I complain here.

If you love dark roast coffee like me, then you will LOVE their «bear brew.» Strong, extra bold deliciousness! I think it’s pretty comparable to Starbucks. Not that Starbucks has the greatest coffee, but you get the idea. Oh, and the hazelnut roast ain’t bad either. Only $ 1.25 for a small!
Way back when I was a freshman, loaded with meal points, I used to get their chicken rice bowls at least once a week. And yes, they let you get both sauces if you so desire. And an extra scoop if you want. There’s nothing worse than naked white rice at the bottom of your bowl. Over the years the rice bowls have decreased in size (and increased in price) and the chicken looks a little whimpier, but it’s a decent amount of food that’ll fill you up right.
Pretty solid café. It’s like the GBC of the East.

Likes: Freshly pressed hot paninis are just so good and satisfying
Dislikes: Waiting during rush hour

Great place to spend your meal points.
The paninis are excellent. I don’t know if they still have those teriyaki boxes, but those were large and satisfying.

Ugh. This morning, I was juggling my huge umbrella, purse, and hot oatmeal and a banana at the register. I told the cashier that I was also getting a coffee so she could charge me for it.
But she curtly told me to go get the coffee and then come back to pay, despite me clearly struggling with all the junk I was holding. Uh, I’m paying up front for something I may or may not get and you’re telling me that I need to go back and add to my already bothersome load?
Rude and illogical. Too things I hate.

MAGIC PANINI GRIL!!!
Seriously, I love getting morning bagels on my way to class. Depending on if I’m at Haas or Wheeler, I’ll get my bagels from either Ramona’s or GBC. The panini grill does a much better job of toasting/​crisping the bagel/​bread and everything tastes so FLUFFY. (It’s so fluffy I’m gonna die!!!)
Seriously love this place. Plus it’s meal points, which we don’t treat as real money anyway –_​_​_​–

The manager here is a stingy, incompetent, FAT bitch! She yelled at me once for trying to take two chopsticks, as if I was stealing from her own children’s mouths!!! I’m pretty sure it was her idea to move all the condiments and utensils behind the ricebowl/​sandwich counter. Honestly, how much could a fork made of corn, the cheapest substance in America, possibly cost!!!
This place always has a massive line for bowls or sandwiches, so it’s impossible to flag someone down just to give you a stupid spoon if you bought a to-​go item. Considering the price of everything and the sub-​mediocre quality of the food, this is absolutely ridiculous.
Even if you’re paying in points, a meal plan is a huge rip off, residential or non-​residential. So seriously Cal Dining, you can at least stop acting like students are criminals — YOU are the criminals for forcing students into scam meal plans!

One of UCB’s many on campus restaurants where you can spend your mealpoints. Everything here is overpriced and unless you have points, I wouldn’t recommend coming here.
The dimsum here is not good at all, so though it might be tempting, I would highly recommend not getting it.
The lines are always out the door cause freshman need to eat and mealpoints they need to spend. The cashiers are usually cranky, but in the rare case that the place is empty, they’re not too bad.
Go somewhere else unless you have mealpoints.

The food here is good and it is the only place on this corner of campus. It just gets really expensive though if you buy both a food item and a drink. I guess this place seemed a lot better back in the day when I had a meal plan.