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Pasta Bene
Category: Restaurants Italian Italian
2565 Telegraph Ave(between Blake St & Parker St)
Berkeley, CA 94704
Neighbourhood: UC Campus Area
(510) 845-2363
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 11 am - 10 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
225 reviews for Pasta Bene
Review Highlights
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"Their Gnocchi Sausage is soo good." In 12 reviews -
"Carciofi e Pollo - fresh vegetables and tasty sauce." In 9 reviews -
"...specials, which puts them above gypsy's and milanese in my..." In 44 reviews
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225 reviews in English
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Review from Erin N.
San Francisco, CA
3/8/2012
Mmmm really good pasta considering the price. The atmosphere is great for a casual dinner date if you're scraping for cash, want to impress and don't want to make a dent in your wallet by going to a pasta restaurant on College Ave. I really recommend this place if you're looking for a change from Gypsy's too.
If you're looking to cater, look no further because this restaurant has modern classy feel to your catering needs. Me and a fellow club member looked at this place as a catering option for one of our semi-formal club dinners. You'll be speaking directly to the manager on this matter and her service is above and beyond. She asked us to have a seat to discuss the options and offered us water. Even though we were still considering her restaurant to cater for us, she still sat down to help us get an accurate pricing and recommendations if we did get them to service us. Hands down an amazing woman. She gave us a discount. It was a moderate price we were looking for but I have to say it was well worth it. They even let us borrow their burners, catering utensils etc and we returned it of course.
Our club members couldn't help but comment on the amazing pasta. -
Review from Jack C.
5/23/2012 1 Check-in Here
The classy and refined version of Gypsy's http://www.yelp.com/bi.... Italian food, it can be expensive right? Italian restaurants, overly romantic right? Well Pasta Bene solves those problems completely. You can get close to equal quality and taste of a fine italian restaurant for a fraction of the price.
I like this place tremendously. Love the idea behind it. Classic pasta dishes made freshly with excellent flavor for a more than affordable price.
I'll definitely be coming back to try other dishes as I heard the Gnocchi sausage was really good but last time I came I ordered the Chicken Marsala. It was exactly what I expected and satisfied my pasta craving thoroughly. The chicken was cooked well and perfectly bathed in the mushroom-marsala wine sauce.
My friends ordered the tiramisu to share and it was a nice finish to the meal.
The ambiance and aesthetic are quite simple. The process to get your food is the same also. Just simply stare at the giant menu hanging on the wall above the register and order. The food is brought out to you in a timely manner. Simplicity at it's finest. -
Review from Chiara A.
5/17/2012 3 Check-ins Here
Yay! I am a fan of Pasta Bene!
The Mother was meeting one of her friends for lunch and I accompanied her on public transport to make sure she got there on time at Pasta Bene. We were early and she treated me to personal vegetarian pizza before I went to an afternoon cinema class before her lunch with her friend.
The Signor remembered us from the days in San Francisco and was quite happy to see some old customers. Of course, we got the VIP treatment just like the good old days when we would convene for lunch with The Sibling.
While we were there, we were delighted to see a good number of Cal students coming in for either take out or eating in. We were glad to see all was well for Pasta Bene in Berkeley.
Pasta Bene was one of the family favorite restaurants when it was in San Francisco. It was located in one of the alley streets behind the Crocker Galleria, Hardie Place.
This was one of The Sibling's finds and was a frequent regular. The owners treated him like a VIP. At first, I liked it when they did not recognize me unless he was there in the restaurant. I loved the anonymity. One time I got there early before The Sibling and headed for the usual table. The Signora tried to tell me I could not sit there. I looked at her thinking, "Excuse me, don't you know who I am?!" Lucky for me, The Signor recognized me and told her that it was okay for me to have any table I wanted. When The Sibling and The Mother showed up, all was right in the world. It took me sometime to stop giving The Signora surly looks because of that incident alone when the family convened there for lunch. Eventually, anonymity gave way to when I got there before the rest of the family, I would be greeted as if I were The Sibling. When they asked if I was meet my sibling for lunch, all was good.
I was delighted to see that my favorite items were still on the menu: The Marco Polo and The Gambaretto. Will have to have one of those dishes for old times' sentimental sake.
Pasta Bene is muto bene in my book! -
Review from Danielle B.
San Francisco, CA
4/28/2012
Overall the meal was average. It was cheap and fast, but this wouldn't be on my list of places to go back to anytime soon. I'd rather pay more and have better quality. The
Bruschetta was alright, definitely had better, couldn't eat the Eggplant Parmigiana, it was a soggy mess and didn't taste good. The Gnocchi Sausage was not bad, but wasn't anything special. I guess its a toss up though, because for $9 it was alright. Personally I think Olive Garden has better sauce on their pastas though. Lastly the
Tiramisu was ok, usually I like Tiramisu to be more rich and creamy though. -
Review from Patrick B.
Berkeley, CA
5/17/2012 1 Check-in Here
Being a young and hungry college student, I always look for decent-tasting, cheap food that can at least be satisfactory in terms of fill factor. Pasta Bene is everything but the latter. I do feel like I have to get another lunch or buy another dish to even reach the point of satisfaction. Their Penne Bolognese is good, but nothing special, which can be said with some of their other pasta dishes. Service is a bit on the slow side, but it has a nice environment to it.
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Review from John M.
4/10/2012 1 Check-in Here
1 of the very few remaining perks of my workplace (which will remain unnamed as they do monitor social media & do frown upon any denigrating remarks) is footing the bill for a free lunch after specific "years of service" milestones are reached. After a coworker surpassed 20 years with our employer, I was lucky enough to be an invitee to the ensuing lunch.
Pasta Bene was the chosen venue. With the entire front of the restaurant being windows facing the street & high ceilings inside, Pasta Bene is open, airy & bright. Decor is nice, clean & simple. Service was friendly, but, since we were a large group, a bit disorganized.
We ordered a few sets of Bruschetta, Calamari & Crab Cakes as appetizers for the whole group. I ordered Gnocchi Sausage for my entree & Tiramisu for dessert. The food was a little slow coming out, but really not bad at all considering the size of our party.
The Bruschetta was very good, but the Calamari & Crab Cakes were both just OK. The Calamari, which was fried light & crispy on the outside, was more chewy than tender on the inside. The Crab Cakes, while having decent flavor, had too much breading & too little crab.
My Gnocchi Sausage was a big heaping bowl of heavy heartiness. & with the potato dumplings & sausage acting like a variation of meat & potatoes, it was delicious in a soothing, comfort food way. The gnocchi itself was good, but not the greatest. A sentiment that was repeated with the Tiramisu.
For what we had, I would rate the food 3-ish stars. What gives Pasta Bene the bump to 4 stars for me is price:
Bruschetta - $2.95
Calamari - $6.95
Crab Cakes - $6.95
Gnocchi Sausage - $8.95
Tiramisu - $3.95
Though not exceptional, the food here was still better than the last Italian joint with 5 star prices I ate at in the City. Decent food in a nice looking restaurant for cheap? Hey, I'm a fan of that. -
Review from Josh Y.
4/16/2012 1 Check-in Here
In terms of Berkeley Italian food, this is as good as it gets in the campus area. This place has a good variety of pastas and the portions are filling, but not over the top. I wish there were more selections with pesto, but the Rustico is my favorite. I've never had a lunch special, but for $5 it's pretty hard to beat. Also, the bread served with the pasta is super tasty!
There is always plenty of seating, and this place is great for students. Very clean and very cheap with a good location. -
Review from Shonda D.
5/11/2012
I was in the area shopping and stopped to get a quick bite to eat. So.....I wasn't totally impressed with the food or the service. But, the food wasn't bad. I think that Pasta Bene is a good option for students where they can eat something more than fried/fatty foods. In addition, the place is clean and airy. The prices are reasonable and the food is served quickly. So, you can get in and out.
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Review from Rebecca D.
Berkeley, CA
5/9/2012
one of the best pasta places in the Berkeley Area. It is better than Gypsy's in my opinion. The prices are great for a student like me who doesn't have a lot of money to spare. I usually get the Gamberetto which is fettucine with shrimp, bell pepper, and mushroom in a tomato cream sauce. It is only $10!
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Review from Furai X.
Berkeley, CA
4/1/2012
I stopped by on a rainy Saturday afternoon and was delighted by the friendly service. I ordered a melanzane to go and was offered a glass water as I waited by the counter. The nice waitress kept me updated on the progress of my food and I watched the cooks top off my pasta with some freshly grilled bread.
The pasta was delicious and had large chunks of eggplant. I enjoyed dipping the bread in the flavorful and bountiful sauce but the bread wasn't all that great by itself.
Will definitely revisit for the extremely reasonable prices, generous portions, and friendly service! -
Review from Andy Q.
Berkeley, CA
4/23/2012
This is a nice little joint where you can meet up for something a little more special. It's like Gypsys but better in that it has a little less of the college restaurant vibe you get at Asian Ghetto. Keep Pasta Bene on your list of a little bit nicer of a sit in place that's still close to campus.
I ordered: Melazane: fettuccini with roasted eggplant, sundried tomatoes & garlic in marinara sauce. The sundried tomatoes really completed everything with a nice sweet and different texture, while the eggplant went really well with the sausages in the dish. Overall, okay dish. There was enough for leftovers.
So all in all, it's a nice sit down place for only $3-4 more than normal. Not too bad. -
Review from Varada G.
Berkeley, CA
4/17/2012
Pasta Bene is decent. I'd come here again: the atmosphere is nice, service is good, meals are cheap and completely satisfactory. The pasta is alright, probably the best for its price range around Berkeley (and infinitely better than Gypsy's in Durant Food Court/Asian Ghetto).
You pay at the counter (giant menu overhead) and then sit down. Servers will come by intermittently to fill your water and bring your plates but they don't take your order.
Pros: $5 lunch special pastas. Nothing beats this in terms of value---even though it's pretty limited, I think it encompasses a lot of the popular entrees so it's good if you're a mainstream consumer. For other aficionados, the regular menu is still of course available during lunch hours and there are a number of options there.
This place is EXCELLENT for groups. No extra service charge, they take reservations, and it makes it super easy to split the bill if there does not exist a combined bill (as everyone individually orders at the front). I've thrown birthday dinners here and other group meals, and it just makes life a lot easier.
Dessert tip: Their vanilla ice cream is amazing. They've achieved the perfect consistency of cream and liquid and the additional garnishing with strawberries and warm chocolate sauce make my day. I hardcore crave Pasta Bene ice cream, even if the "real food" options are just adequate.
Cons: If you're an Italian cuisine connoisseur looking for gourmet goodies and fine wine, etc., this is not for you. In fact, not much in this radius of a UC campus will give you what you're looking for. The food is good, but it isn't smashing---I don't look forward to Pasta Bene all day before my meal but am content when I'm actually eating. So no complaints at all. Essentially this is more of a 3.5 than a 3, if that were possible. I'd definitely come here with friends or anything casual, but if I needed to impress or wine and dine somebody, this wouldn't quite cut it. -
Review from Food L.
Berkeley, CA
5/14/2012
well, where can I start? I ordered the day's special because it was recommended to me. In a scale of 1 to 10 the food was about a 4 but I am a foody so I ate it anyway. But what bothers me the most was the customer service. They took one of my plate that I put my toasted bread in it without checking if I am still eating. So we went and we complained our food was taken without our approval. Their response was "so what do you want me to do about it." But we were not shy, we asked them to replace it, and we asked nicely. To their credit, they gave us some more bread but not without taking a cheap shot against us. The waitress/manager who brought back the bread told me I needed to chill out and take it easy... it's mother's day.... and other things that are not related to my concern. Seriously??? I wasn't even angry at them for cleaning my table and taking my food while I was eating without consulting me, I wasn't even angry when they gave me attitude. But for her to tell me to chill out when I expressed my concern politely was uncalled for. I don't think I will ever go back to this place again.
I just wanna add one more thing, after I wrote this review, I received an email from the waitress/Manager the next morning. Here is what she said.
"It's me! The waitress!!! I remember you!!!!
...Please don't come back.
Happy Mother's Day!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jennifer M."
As you can tell from her message, customer service at this place is not their specialty, actually their food as well. -
Review from Jen L.
3/18/2012
This place opened up after I had graduated, but since I've heard such great things, I had to see what the hype is about. While the patrons are mainly college students, I've noticed other non-student looking customers as well. I guess this speaks to how good their food is!
For the price (normal Berkeley-student priced entrees $7-10), it is very reasonable. I've had the mushroom ravioli, which is exactly what mushroom ravioli should be, although it can get kinda heavy at the end. I've also had linguine dishes that were yummy. The atmosphere is bright, casual, and comfy with the big windows and new/clean tables/chairs.
Overall, I will come back if I am craving pasta in the area! -
Review from Anthony C.
Richmond, CA
3/1/2012 5 Check-ins Here
Pasta Bene is amazing in all aspects from the arched ceiling, the bountiful indoor/outdoor seating, low prices, and always coming through with 5 star affordable Italian food.
My recommendations include
- Beef Lasagna 6.95(5.95 during lunch special 11am-3pm)
- Eggplant Parmigiana 6.95
- Meatball Sandwich 6.95(ask for extra roasted bell pepper) -
Review from J X.
Berkeley, CA
3/5/2012 2 Check-ins Here
Do not come here if you are in a large group.
The food is okay, as usual, but the service was so shitty.
We came in a large group and were pressured to sit down and get our orders taken (for a fixed gratuity, of course). Fine, whatever. But when we asked the waitress if she could split the bill amongst 4 cards as we had no cash on us, it was like asking for her first-born. She informed us in this nasty, awful tone that she had "told us if we wanted to pay separately we were to do it at the counter" (when she did no such thing) and that she would "do it this time but next time we had better--" at which point we politely told her how much we appreciated it and handed her our cards. Uh, hello, weren't you the one who chirpily told us to inform you if we wanted it split a different way as you handed us the bill? Stupid wench. Never coming here again for my mediocre pasta. I'll take Gypsy's gruff cashier guy anyday! -
Review from Dr H.
Oakland, CA
4/16/2012
Each time we eat here we are satisfied. The portions are good, considering the relatively decent prices for the food. The customer service is also very good. If you're looking for affordable Italian food, minus the fanfare and hoopla, this is your place.
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Review from Jonathan R.
Berkeley, CA
3/30/2012
Pasta Bene is one of my favorite restaurants near the UC Berkeley campus.
Let's talk about the food. Delicious, fresh and affordable. Everything is made upon order. You can view their items on their large menu or see a regular sized menu when you get up to the register to order. They have a great lunch special from 11:00 a.m am until 3:00 p.m. consisting of a $5.95 entree item. They usually have choices that change every day.
My personal favorite is the "Chicken Breast Sandwich" with french fries on the side. Always delicious. It's a great mix of flavors. The chicken is always well season and it's always a pleasant meal.
The service is outstanding. The servers are cordial and the owners are almost always present at the restaurant.
Overall, I have not had a bad experience here. Definitely a must have for either lunch or dinner.
It can be a quick bite or a nice sit down place.
Just try it! -
Review from Katy W.
San Jose, CA
Updated - 4/13/2012
This place is still awesome. Have tried a few other dishes and they are all good. I am so impressed with the quality of the food and the atmosphere for the price. They're business model rocks and they're so nice too!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/5/2011
Thanks yelp for helping us out with a great casual and inexpensive place in Berkeley. It was a busy… Read more »
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Review from Cesie A.
2/2/2012 1 Check-in Here
It's rare to find a place that is so clean and good in Berkeley. It is an adoreable, clean, modern restaurant (yup, I am that blown away by the cleanliness). I also love that it's a mix between a fast food place and sit down restaurant- what do I mean by this? They have waitresses come by to fill up your water and clear the plates. It's just a really nice experience.
The food is also delicious. A club I'm an officer for decided to use Pasta Bene to cater and all the food was great.
I came here and ordered the chicken piccata--yum! I don't even like fettuccine and I ate the entire thing.
Almost forgot to add- they have happy hour everyday 3-7. -
Review from Austin W.
2/8/2012 1 Check-in Here
Very mediocre. I mean it's certainly not bad but for $10, I could boil some water and make some store made pasta that tastes the same for much less. Looking at the menu, there's really nothing that stands out - everything is pretty normal.
If you haven't been here before, I'd recommend checking it out. Note: they are a bit slow putting food out from the kitchen -
Review from Christal B.
San Diego, CA
2/26/2012 1 Check-in Here
Pasta Bene was just okay to me.
After a couple of hours walking around Berkley,
we were feeling a bit hungry at lunchtime.
There were a variety of restaurants around the area,
but I thought a chicken sandwich would fulfill my cravings.
We ordered a couple of things from the lunch menu- garlic fries, beef penne, grilled chicken sandwich.
The garlic fries were tasty. They weren't drenched in oil like I others I had in the past.
My sandwich was just okay. The chicken was little dry, and part of me wished that there was some other sauce element because the aioli wasn't that flavorful.
I got to try the beef penne as well. The tomato sauce it was didn't really excite my taste buds.
Prices were really reasonable, and the crowd was majority college kids.
Not sure if I'd come back the next time I visited Berkley, but it was a decent lunch stop. -
Review from Emily W.
Berkeley, CA
1/27/2012
My favorite Italian restaurant within walkable distance from campus!
-Food, 5 stars-
I've tried the
- Chicken Marsala: my favorite, despite the fact that I hate mushrooms
- Chicken Parmigiano: chicken is always tender and juicy
- Beef Lasagna: looks tiny, but it always fills me up just like other plates
- Cheese Ravioli: looks like a small plate, but very filling
- Melanzane: a perfect plate for a lighter meal (no meat)
- King Salmon: only plate with pesto (my favorite sauce D:), Salmon is a bit small and a bit too much pasta compared to the salmon
- Tropicana Pizza: I ate it after it turned cold, so it wasn't that great, but I will give Pasta Bene benefit of the doubt.
- Portebello Mushroom Ravioli Special: SUPER GOOOOOOOOD but it's not offered regularly.
- Tiramisu: YUMMMMMMMMMMMMM
- Cheesecake: YUMMMMMMMMMMM
-Service, 4 stars-
PB always has awesome service. However, when I went yesterday, I realized the waitress did not catch one of my orders over the phone so it was not made when I got there to pick up. At the same time I was re-ordering, the Italian lady (owner?) walked past by the waitress and said "she said no sausage" while holding a plate of Gnocchi Sausage. Yup, you guessed it.
I mean, despite the fact that she messed up, she was being very apologetic and friendly about it. As I was waiting, the Italian lady apologized to me for the wait and told me it would take a few more minutes because the chicken breast needs some time to be fully and well cooked.
In my opinion, customer service is not always about delivering error-free service, but more about the attitude of delivery. I'm sure all of us have run into super-rude customer services before, but PB treated its mistake very professionally.
Therefore, service gets 4-stars.
- Atmosphere-
OWNS Gypsy's.
- Price -
I always enjoy the 11-3pm lunch specials when I don't feel like spending much on lunch. But they have raised the price across all items recently, including the specials.
I dislike the price increase (umm who would like it), but I find it reasonable. -
Review from Navi T.
Hercules, CA
2/14/2012 2 Check-ins Here
I stumbled opon here after a sojourn in the Berkeley/Oakland hills and I was craving carbs after a date with my bike. I'm one of those indecisive types so I let the Yelp iPhone app do the work. A few swipes, and a jaunt from the corner of College and Ashby near a certain yoga outfitter where I was standing at to Telegraph I ended up here. Me and my riding buddies liked the outdoor seating, it was bike friendly in the fact that we brought our steeds into the patio.
As for the food goes, it's standard issue Italian. I had the chicken marsala and except for the pasta being a touch undercooked, it was satisfying. Washed it down with a $4 Black Diamond ale. My friends had the fettuchine alfredo and the gnocchi and I sampled it and it was good as well.
I'll mirror some of the other reviews there in that the ambiance is a step above Gypsy's. The service is walk in, order, sit down and food will be bought out to you. A sweet Italian lady took my order, and a girl who I've seen at the East Bay Bike Party was our waiter which I thought was cool and unexpected. -
Review from Natasha B.
Berkeley, CA
4/14/2012 4 Check-ins Here
Best value food for the price. Very affordable and very delicious.
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Review from Danna Z.
Los Angeles, CA
12/30/2011 2 photos
So you are traveling to Berkeley and you stumble upon Pasta Bene. Congratulations, it might just be one of the most serendipitous food encounters you could have wished for. Before you sit down and make yourself comfortable, take a look at the menu above the cashier window and place your order there first!
There will be a variety of pizzas and pastas to choose from, all of which offered at a fantastic price. The lady who helped me spoke with a thick Italian accent, and she even corrected my pronunciation as I was having trouble uttering what I wanted.
Looking around, the place is brightly lit and decorated with large posters on the wall, but I paid very little attention to any of that once my food appeared on the table. I had the Melanzane, and it was just DELIZIOSO! I might be a little biased as I am a fan of eggplants, but my friend who called the Chicken Marsala also liked my dish more than his own, so I think that's saying something.
Whether you are vegetarian or not, I say go for the Melanzane if you are cool with eggplants! Even writing about it right now is making me salivate... -
Review from Vince S.
Berkeley, CA
2/5/2012
1st of all, the atmosphere of this place KILLS Gypsy's. It's almost as if this place doesn't belong on Telegraph at all.
I wish I could say that about the food, though.
So far, I've had the lasagna, bruschetta, and chicken parmigiana. They lose major brownie points on their red sauce...it's like something is missing. And the lasagna was definitely light on the ricotta. I mean, that's why we get lasagna, we want some cheese up on that shizzzz. The bruschetta was like they took some bread from Safeway, sprayed some butter on it, and put some chopped tomatoes on it. Not. good.
However, they redeemed themselves recently, as I decided to give them one more try. The chicken parm was juicy, a good size, and I love how they didn't over-bread the breast. Not too greasy, but I wish they added just a little bit more marinara to cover the side of fettucini they serve with it.
Good and attentive service, though.
If you want great and authentic Italian, you'll have to venture away from Telegraph! -
Review from Anand G.
Berkeley, CA
4/13/2012 1 Check-in Here
They have a good variety of vegetarian pasta. I went here with a few of my vegetarian friends and we all ordered different items and they all tasted good. The ambience is nice and the food is not pricey.
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Review from Phuong V.
Alameda, CA
12/13/2011
I am so glad that Pasta Bene is doing great business. I am a fan of their lunch specials which used to be only $5.00 but I think recently they increased their prices to $5.99 or something like that. I usually get the Penne Bolognese! It is one of my favorite dishes that is also apart of the lunch specials. It has a perfect blend of ground meat and thinly sliced mushrooms. The pasta is never soggy or over cooked; aldente! When I feel a little adventurous I get the Gamberto, which is a creamy tomato sauce with shrimp. You can not go wrong with seafood! (unless you are allergic :[ )
Appetizers I would recommend is the bruschetta. Delicioussss!! -
Review from MakeUp M.
San Francisco, CA
1/8/2012 1 Check-in Here
Will I ever eat the food here and be magically transported to memories of beautiful, amazing Itay and their food which blows most countries out of the water? No
Will I get to place my order with a friendly cashier, and get heaping portions of good food quickly? Yes.
That is worth 4 stars, memories of Italy notwithstanding. -
Review from Wayne K.
11/26/2011
Some places close up when the UC students are at home during the holidays. Business is slow especially around campus on the north-side (Euclid) and on Shattuck, Telegraph and College. But that's a great time for non-student Berkeley residents and out-of-towners to enjoy some cheap but good food at some of the local student hang outs, diners, dives and eateries without having to stand in line and fight the crowds.
I'm a former UC student but I still like to check it out. We did that at Pasta Bene and were happy we did. Everything was frest and delish. We started with bruchetta and calamari for appetizers, then had some salads, pasta and pizza dishes, wine and dessert too, when it was all done and our party of ten including momma had a really tasty and filling family dinner. We did this for just about $20 bucks per person with no discounts or happy hour specials. What a deal!
The owners were there and they and their staff provided great service. Even though, PB is a walk-up, place your order and pay place, they provided us table service since it was so quiet and since we were having a single check dinner for the ten of us. I'm not sure they would do this regularly since they aren't staffed to service tables, they did it anyway. That's great service from owners and staff who care.
I was going to give PB four stars but when writing this review, it occurred to me that for the niche of home cooked family style italian dining (nothing fancy but just simple, fresh and delish) plus great service, they deserve five stars. Yeah. -
Review from Carolyn Y.
Berkeley, CA
12/5/2011
I've never liked Pasta Bene as much as my friends always have (most people do say it's better than Gypsy's, and that much I agree with - much less greasy) but I've grown to like the place. Nice clean interior, good location, great prices.
As for the food, for the first 5 or so times I went here I was very displeased with my food. I've had the pasta bene, ravioli, and lasagna which were all subpar - wouldn't recommend any of the lunch specials or any marinara sauce dish, for that matter. I distinctly remember once that my lasagna tasted a bit like cleaning solution which grossed me out.
Still, the more expensive dishes are solid, like the king salmon or chicken picatta. I also recall liking their tiramisu a lot. Obviously not the best pasta in Berkeley, but it's the best option for pasta near the UC campus. -
Review from Akvile H.
10/17/2011 1 Check-in Here
Want to know what got me to come here? ...that sandwich board right outside on the sidewalk that mentions their awesome deals, that's what!
Smart marketing tactic + awesome deal = you now have me as a repeat customer! For $5.95 during happy hour lunch time, you can get a variety of food and a great portion size at that! My husband and I walked by a bunch of times and saw the sign, then one day, we wanted to go out for lunch and remembered this spot.
Came in, were greeted by all staff members, and saw a lot of people happily consuming their Italian dishes. We both ordered two different pasta dishes and we sat down, one staff member brought our food out to use, nicely presented on a dish, and quite the size for that price. We were pleased. The pasta was delicious, had fresh vegetables, tasty sauce, and soft bread to dip into the sauces.
Their non-happy hour prices are just a dollar more but they are all less than $9-10 and are a great portion size that you may even have some left overs! Happy hour for appetizers and drinks starts at 3pm and those are some awesome specials as well. $10 for a pitcher of beer, yes please!
It's nice for a casual little date or if you just need to take some food to go. There is a small outside area out front to sit in as well as inside. It's clean, nice, and comfy inside...I would highly recommend this place if you want some tasty and affordable Italian food in Berkeley!Listed in: East Bay Bites
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Review from Kylie H.
Fremont, CA
9/29/2011
When you leave thinking, "I'm going to write a good review on Yelp about this place," you know it's legit! Pasta Bene's food is not only tastily satisfying, it's also extremely affordable! Many of their pasta dishes run under $10. The ravioli I ordered was around $7 and the portion was perfect! I loved how they didn't drown the ravioli in marinara sauce like the way Olive Garden does. Pasta Bene also knows how to make garlic bread the right way, and by "right" I mean good. Crunchy on the outside and soft in the inside with just the right amount of garlic and butter. Their garlic bread was mouthwateringly delicious, along with the marinara dipping sauce that accompanied it. I highly recommend ordering it! To top it off, the employees are very kind and welcoming!
I look forward to my next visit. -
Review from Gabe R.
Alameda, CA
11/9/2011 3 Check-ins Here
I've only tried their lunch specials and so far, so good. I still don't know if I would take this place over gypsies though.
Some of the things that are better than Gypsies:
-The waiting time is less here than at Gypsies. Is it more or is it kinda awkward waiting for your to-go pasta at Gypsies and you start seeing every single classmate you've ever had since freshman year?
-The dishes aren't as heavy and oily as they are at Gypsies, which is good because you don't feel as bad after eating it.
Overall its a great restaurant. The portions are a good size and they have really nice lady who offers water every time you order your food. -
Review from Grace C.
10/15/2011
Good Italian food for a great, student-friendly price. All of the pasta entrees were under $10, except for the Salmon pesto fettucine. No wonder it was packed during dinnertime on a Sunday.
The lasagna was good. The garlic bread was pretty garlicky - they put a respectable amount of chopped up garlic on it. I really enjoyed the Tortellini Primavera.
While the pasta here isn't top-notch, it's pretty tasty & a great value. I'd rather pay $9 for "pretty decent" pasta at Pasta Bene than $16 elsewhere for pasta that's only slightly better.
One drawback: Because the line gets long during peak times, if you're sitting at the tables in the middle of the restaurant (where the line forms), it could feel pretty cramped. -
Review from Justine W.
San Francisco, CA
11/12/2011
They have these amazing $5 dishes until 3pm.
Their menu is really affordable especially on a college budget.
I ordered the meat lasagna. It's about 4''x3'' which I think is a fair size for lunch and $5! The meat sauce was yummy.
I am definitely coming back when I am in the area. -
Review from Janice K.
San Leandro, CA
10/11/2011
Delicious pastas, delicious pizza, delicious appetizers, delicious desserts, all for a reasonable price!
I've tried many different pastas, one of their pizzas, their bruschetta, and their tiramisu. I was most impressed with their gnocchi because you won't find many places that are willing to put the time into making it.
A word of advice, do not order the lasagna. I found that thoroughly disappointing because I got a dish with cheese that lacked the intense cheesy taste that people associate with lasagna and a sauce that was sweet and reminded me somewhat of barbeque sauce. After eating a few bites, it was hard for me to finish...
Would have given this 5 stars but was disappointed with lasagna and atmosphere was not very good. There is a line that extends between two large tables in the center so it gets pretty crowded in there. -
Review from Chia L.
Berkeley, CA
9/30/2011 3 Check-ins Here
The only tiny set back is that portions are a bit small considering its price.
I think the pastas are decent. Fettucini alfredo or the gnocci are good. All the dishes here are extremely thick and cheesy, so the taste gets to be a bit too much sometimes. Makes me thirsty after a few bites. The bread, oh I'm so disappointed in the bread. I am a bread person, I LOVE bread. This place is probably one of the few places where I'll leave the bread uneaten. Don't know why, but its crunchy-but-not-really texture on the outside that is actually soggy in disguise is just so confusing to me. Is it trying to be crunchy or chewy? It comes out being neither!
Pizza, on the other hand, is amazing. The dough is chewy, crunchy, and filled with the amazing floury taste of bread. It's a tiny bit sweet, so it couples perfectly with the salty toppings. Not a lot of people think to get pizza here, but in my opinion they might be even better than the pasta.
The atmosphere is fantastic. Live band playing if you catch Pasta Bene on some weekends. Sun pouring in from the front windows, reflecting off the clear water glasses and shining silverware. Mmmmm, the decor might be one of the best things about this place. -
Review from Andrew S.
2/9/2012 1 Check-in Here
This place is okay. It's gonna be 7 or 8 bucks for dinner. They have lots of options but I always get the Penne Bolognese. The flavors are pretty weak and I think that I'd rather opt for Gypsy's. There are too many alternatives in this area to go here. Parking is pretty ample around here but it's also a little sketchy.
