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Freehouse
Categories: Nightlife Bars Pubs Restaurants Canadian (Traditional) Pubs, Canadian (Traditional) [Edit]
2700 Bancroft Way(at College Ave)
Berkeley, CA 94704
Neighbourhood: UC Campus Area
(510) 647-2300
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 11:30 am - 12 am
Sat 5 pm - 12 am
- Delivery:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Music:
- Background
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Thu, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- No
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
22 reviews for Freehouse
22 reviews in English
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Review from Amy H.
TIP: As the weather warms up, enjoy the sunny, beautiful patio! It's clean and open until 11pm (with heat lamps, too).
Technically, that's tip number four. Since the last time I've been here, a couple things have changed.
The patio is awesome. There are still a few benches that can't be used yet, but it's really nice out there. The circular tables can be pulled apart and lengthened to accommodate larger parties.
The service is still not as good as I think it can be. I understand that I was with a large group of rowdy students celebrating the end of a project, but considering the fact that they're located across the street from campus, wouldn't they kind of welcome these large groups? Instead, we get a waitress who doesn't seem like she really wants to serve us, forgets two drink orders, and tells me she doesn't think I ordered what I ordered... oh well. It all ended up okay though--no big issues.
And stick to the beer (and admire their ever-expanding whiskey collection!). I got a nice glass of the Denogginizer from Drake's Brewing Co. in San Leandro. It's just one of the many IPAs they have on tap for $5. We ordered some fries, but it's really not worth the money.Listed in: Beer O'Clock
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/19/2012
TIP #1: Call ahead to reserve a spot because seating is very limited, especially if your party is… Read more »
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Review from Sara H.
San Francisco, CA
5/21/2012
I went here with coworkers. The food was okay. The atmosphere was fun. The beer selection was fine. I wouldn't have had any complaints...
But then they undercharged me on the bill. About $75 instead of $175, so pretty significant. After they ran my credit card, I looked at the amount for tipping purposes. Although I was in a hurry to leave, I did the honest thing and told them about the undercharge. They then made me wait for about 20 minutes while fixing the problem (which involved a swap with another's table's charge). They re-ran my card for the $175, apologized, and assured me that the $75 would be immediately refunded. Inconvenient, yes, but altogether not a big deal.
So...that was about three months ago...and they still haven't refunded the $75. I found this so annoying that I even wrote an email to the manager. No response....
Apparently, that's the price they charge for honesty these days. Do the right thing, and in reward you can wait 20 extra minutes, pay a $75 fee, and then waste your time writing emails and yelp rants...argh.
On that basis alone, I cannot recommend this restaurant to anyone. -
Review from Dennis D.
Vallejo, CA
5/16/2012
I went to Free House prior to a concert at Zellerbach Hall....I will NEVER go back and it is not the food as i never had a chance to try the food.
It is not clear you have to wait to be seated or seat yourself - turns out you grab a menu and seat yourself - this was not the problem. The problem was that after we sat down we were ignored - no sliverware no greeting no water - NO SERVICE AT ALL - this was after sitting at the table fro 15 minutes - we just left - DO NOT GO HERE AT ALL! -
Review from Chen C.
Berkeley, CA
5/25/2012
Great location, good selection of beers and decent prices. This fills a much-needed gap among campus bars, and has a beautiful upscale interior. However, it suffers from growing pains and schizophrenia. As a bar it's reasonable, and the dining experience outdoors is respectable. The interior is too crowded and too noisy to serve as a restaurant. Furthermore, after 4 visits I can safely say the service is consistently atrocious. Sarcastic and disdainful staff, extremely slow, many confused orders, constantly out of stock. Management needs to make things more efficient and systematic to improve the customer experience.
Overall Freehouse is a brilliant idea with poor execution, but I hope it improves. -
Review from John E.
San Francisco, CA
4/25/2012
Steak frites was awesome, and so was the black bean cakes. Plus all the those beers on tap, decorated by a beautiful bouquet of the finest top shelf liquors on the back drop.
Truly a hidden gem in all of Berkeley -
Review from Darwin P.
Oakland, CA
4/24/2012
Five stars for location
Five stars for gorgeous interiors
Five stars for beer prices
Five stars for peaceful atmosphere
Four stars for beer selection
Two stars for food prices
One star for food quality
I mean, really, if this place didn't serve food, I would seriously consider giving it five stars (alas, in part because all the other bars on the Southside suck so much). Short of giving up on food entirely, this place should either replace its chef, or revise its offerings entirely to simple inexpensive things. The fries are already quite good: the rest of the menu, however, appears completely out of reach of the kitchen staff. -
Review from Christine B.
Berkeley, CA
3/22/2012
Everything is just very normal. I had the grass fed burger and it was fine but nothing stellar. The chicken salad was pretty good. The salmon pot pie tasted like chowder. Mac & Cheese is bland - don't recommend it.
Our server was excellent although it took us a while to get seated. No one was there to seat us so we just sat at a table and I picked up a few menus for the table.
I would definitely come back seeing as how its literally steps away from the law school but I don't think the food is anything to rave about. Prices are pretty decent. Everything is around $10-$12 -
Review from Lisa K.
Berkeley, CA
4/1/2012
I'm glad that this place is no longer Adagia, but I feel like it could have been better. The salmon sandwich was just okay -- you know like food that you eat because you bought it but don't particularly enjoy.
I like the atmosphere though, although it was super crowded on a Friday evening. The outside patio will be nice for summer days. -
Review from Sophia L.
3/15/2012
Ugh....this place is so bad! Will expand on this later. Do not go here though until they improve their food..
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Edit: Ordered the
1. Mac n' Cheese: it was whatever - nothing particularly special and felt really heavy in my stomach.
2. Pork Chops: probably the only thing that was tasty on the menu! The meat is juicy and...that's all I really have to say about it.
3. Skirt Steak: SOOOO BAD. I asked for a rare/medium rare steak knowing that restaurants always cook it a little longer than you ask for, BUT THIS FOOL GIVES ME A WELL-DONE STEAK THAT IS BASICALLY BURNT. (Because they cook all their meat on a grill) Ugh, it was gross. I totally would've complained and let them know how bad it was if my super nice friend didn't want to cause any drama.
Never coming here againnnnn shiet. The person below me who rated this place a 5 has either never tasted real food or is affiliated with the owner looool blech. -
Review from Emily L.
Berkeley, CA
3/11/2012 2 Check-ins Here
This place is very cozy. This place has always been packed the two I have been here (probably more for the drinks than the food). Seating always seems to be limited. For me, the food was mediocre. I had the salmon sandwich and my friend had the steak sandwich, which at $12 was a little pricey for sandwiches that was mostly bread and sauce.
This place is only open for dinner and from Monday to Saturday only. -
Review from Janelle L.
San Francisco, CA
2/12/2012
It's been awhile since I've Yelped and Free House was just the place to inspire me to start reviewing again. I never thought I'd have the opportunity to have the best pork chop ever until Chef Kevin emailed me to let me know his menu is up and running at Free House. I usually like to stick to my area of the Bay, but it's definitely worth a trip out to Berkeley to visit Free House. Ambience is great, Beer selection looks on point (couldn't try out any beers due to being preggers). But the FOOD, my oh my, that's where it's at. Started off with the pretzel, mac & cheese, and black bean cakes. All worth trying. Then it was on to the Pork Chop....let's just say it was heaven! The hubby had the cassoulet, he loved it as well. Our friend had the skirt steak and cleaned the plate off. Ended with dessert, strawberry shortcake and bread pudding. They definitely don't skimp on the portions.
I will definitely be back! A special thank you to Chef Kevin for his hospitality! -
Review from Cesie A.
2/6/2012 2 Check-ins Here
This place has a great feel to it. It is definitely more upscale than all the bars in Berkeley yet still feels very cozy. I absolutely love the outside patio portion of it and really can't wait to eat out there during the day (but I went Saturday and it didn't open till 5).
They have an insane selection of whiskey which isn't my drink of choice but I had some and it was reasonably priced ($6 for about 2.5 shots). The bar tenders and waiters are super friendly. Seeing that whiskey isn't my thing, the bartender was super helpful in helping me choose one.
Now about the food- so good. We ordered the fries which came in a bucket and had chipotle ketchup, garlic aioli, and curry aioli as dipping sauces. Loved the first two, curry just isn't my thing either. This was about $6
Also tried the mussels which were delicious. The broth they come in was so good. The server brought us extra bread to dip it in. It also came with a side of fries too which was great for the leftover sauces. This appetizer was $12 which was well worth it since it came with about 20 mussels.
I definitely see this becoming somewhere I will go whenever I want to get away from the younger crowds in Berkeley (not that I myself am older). But it's nice to pretend every now and then. I can picture it now-- me sipping on some whiskey next to the fire place, eating my mussels. Can't wait.Listed in: Bars and Pizza
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Review from DJ G.
Berkeley, CA
1/30/2012 11 Check-ins Here
I had an opportunity to see the bar, have some drinks, and try a lot of the food, and this place is going to revolutionize going out in Berkeley.
It has an awesome main room that might get a little crowded when full, but there's also a fireplace with some couches and lounging area for relaxing.
The food was very good. I recommend getting several appetizers to share at a table (pretzel with dipping sauces, mac n cheese add some bacon, and cucumber salad were all fantastic), and then skipping right to a dessert of the peanut butter cookie, if you aren't hungry enough for a full meal. The appetizer fries are very well seasoned.
There is also a nice courtyard which is protected so it wasn't too windy. Space heaters make it quite nice even when it is a little cold.
It has very good music for people of a certain age group (mid 20's to mid 30's), good lighting, and an overall very pleasant atmosphere. It isn't so loud that you can't have a conversation but also not too quiet. -
Review from Jennifer W.
Berkeley, CA
This is your place if you're looking for a business casual meeting place. The crowd seems to be of students from the law school and business school across the street. It's incredibly convienent if you want a watering hole near your work/school. What's also so grand about it is the woodsy interior, high ceilings, large tables. Although it's great for after work/school functions, it's also great for the mid-day read and write. There are great beers on tap, all of which are $5 per pint. Not all beers are created equal, so it's a great deal for ones like gift of the magi or the le merle saison. There's a full bar too and glasses of wine for $5. The fries are popular and it comes with three sauces. There's a ketchup, garlic aioli, and a curry aioli. That curry aioli is amazing. The food is not as well priced, but still reasonable. The pot pie looks especially small without a side of any sort.
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Review from M. W.
Oakland, CA
2/14/2012
Wow.
It is still a hotel lobby but a hell of a lot more comfortable and a major upgrade from what is was before. Dark wood, Fireplace, Couches, Really nice pool table and a lot of beer. Food looked and smelled excellent but i didn't order food so i can't really speak to it.
They have an impressive tap list and a full bar as well. They had both beers one would expect as well as exciting things like Firestone Walker Velvet Merlin and Le Merle Saison and Lost Abbey Deliverance. Friendly staff as well.
If i'm in Berkeley i will definitely visit again.Listed in: Beer Snobbery
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Review from maria B.
Oakland, CA
2/27/2012
Just what Berkeley doesn't need. Another student hangout with no reservations. Seems to me the owners should have concentrated on the food rather than "re tooling".
No longer an option before any of the Cal Performances events, I won't go here, so can't comment on the food. -
Review from Jennifer S.
Oakland, CA
2/19/2012
This is a very welcome addition to campus. Awesome space with good food and drinks - not much more you could want from a neighborhood hang out. Although its pretty freezing these days, I imagine that the outdoor area will be pretty sweet during the summer.
I highly recommend the turkey burger, and the beet salad was also pretty good. Food ranges from about $8-15 and is pretty standard Berkeley bar food (meaning way better than typical bar food - local ingredients, high quality, yada yada).Listed in: My Neighborhood
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Review from Nathan M.
Berkeley, CA
4/15/2012
Good lamb burger, great pot pie, and good selection of high quality beers. Accommodations inside are extremely loud, but the courtyard is a civilized alternative. The con is the price, not terribly reasonable.
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Review from John L.
Berkeley, CA
5/11/2012
Great salads, ambience, and staff! I come here 3-5 times a week and I love the place. Some entrees are better than others. I would recommend the pretzel, ANY of their salads, black bean cakes, vegan chili, turkey burger, and their fries... oh they are so tempting. It may take awhile to get seated when it starts getting crowded but there are so many other times in the day when it is not too crowded and the service is super quick!
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Review from Jeremy G.
3/17/2012 2 Check-ins Here
I am ever so conflicted about Freehouse. The exterior is this gorgeous house on the edge of campus with a huge patio replete with wooden tables. Yea, there is wood everywhere and it is oh so warm and sexy. The bar is prominent in the dining room and big enough to accomodate sitting and standing patrons. The actual dining room is a mess. There are too many tables. Someone wasn't counting right or wanted to squeeze a few more seats in at the expense of the comfort of the guests. It just feels crowded and that's not an adjective I want around my person when I am eating. But then there is the value! Pints are five bucks and all the sandwiches range in price from 9 to 12 bucks. The best part of this the size of the sammies and the fact that they come with a heaping pile of fresh cut fries and pickled veggies. Ok, the picked veggies are this unthought out addition to the plate. Broccoli, peppers, and something else? I am not sure what the point was. I dig the idea of some veggies on the plate, but pickled? Maybe carrots would have been good? The fries were beyond excellent. The burger I got was a bit of a mess though. Like the patty kept trying to make a getaway, which is illogical given it's size. There was just a problem with the layout, maybe.
So what's the final result? I liked Freehouse, but I didn't like Freehouse. I will chalk it up to growing pains. -
Review from Adam F.
Berkeley, CA
2/10/2012
Now that Raleigh's burned down this is going to be my new spot. They have a great beer selection. I haven't tried their food yet but their overall customer service and vibe was great.
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Review from Johnny R.
Berkeley, CA
2/12/2012 2 Check-ins Here
Free House has a lot of potential as long as they get their taps and cocktails together. If they find their true direction, they could contribute a very unique and exciting venue to the Berkeley area. We'll see! Hopefully it won't turn into only a frat hang out or another Kip's.
