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Venus Restaurant
Category: Restaurants Canadian (New) Canadian (New) [Edit]
2327 Shattuck Ave(between Bancroft Way & Durant Ave)
Berkeley, CA 94704
Neighbourhoods: UC Campus Area, Downtown Berkeley
(510) 540-5950
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 8 am - 2:30 pm
Tue-Sun 5 pm - 9:30 pm
Sat-Sun 8 am - 2 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner, Breakfast, Brunch
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Trendy, Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
589 reviews for Venus Restaurant
Review Highlights
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"The chicken sausage scramble was delicious." In 30 reviews -
"Rachel: Coffee (2.50) + Lemon Ricotta Hotcakes (9.50." In 15 reviews -
"I have had their french toast, very delicious." In 61 reviews
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- A Yelpy Insight: Vegetarians go nuts for this spot. See more places they like.
589 reviews in English
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Review from Kaity J.
5/21/2012 2 Check-ins Here
Yummy little brunch spot on the weekends. So yummy, in fact, that we ended up having brunch here twice in one weekend.
Solid brunch menu with about 6 choices, all of which varied and all of which sounded delicious. Everyone in our group was happy with their orders, but the favorite by far was the Venus Benedict, which is awesome with avocado or lox (smoked salmon), but is just as good without the add ons.
Coffee was good and service was friendly. Super quick service when we were there on Saturday, but pretty slow on Sunday (like 45 minutes for our food on Sunday vs. 20 on Saturday), which was a little disappointing, but the food is so yummy that it's easy to forget.
This would be an absolutely perfect place for brunch or lunch with the girls. Cute atmosphere + yummy, organic food. Win.Listed in: San Fran is my jam.
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Review from Donna M.
Milpitas, CA
5/19/2012
Venus has the BEST breakfast/ brunch in Berkeley!
The servers are awesome, seating is quick, and the food is amazing! I always get the 2x2x2 just because I'm indecisive and can't pick between savory or sweet breakfasts. So if you order this, you get the best of both worlds! Order the french toast! Its light and fluffy texture will have you crawling back for more.
The coffee is also really good, in addition to their mochas. I haven't been back since I turned 21, but I've heard good things about their mimosas. I also really enjoy the atmosphere of the place; it has that hipster, laid-back vibe I love on Sunday mornings. -
Review from Julia Z.
5/9/2012 Seated via OpenTable 4 Check-ins Here
This is one of my favorite breakfast places of all time. My coworkers and I come here often to celebrate birthdays and other occasions before starting our work day. It just makes weekdays that much better when we start with a meal so lovingly made by the chefs here.
I've tried almost everything on their breakfast menu but some of my favorites must be mentioned:
Royale Omelette: Any of the omelettes are an excellent choice but this one is a standout. It must be said that I'm not even normally an omelette fan because so many places mess it up. Happily for me, Venus not only does it right but well. The eggs make the smoothest and softest envelope for the avocado, bacon, cheddar and other goodies in this dish. It comes with potatoes and your choice of toast, biscuit or muffin. My coworkers love the muffin but I say go for the biscuit, so buttery and flaky! All of their baked goods come from Revival Kitchen.
2x2x2: This is a choice of flapjacks or french toast, eggs any style and sausage, bacon or veggie sausage. I always get french toast which is some of the best around, eggs over easy and applewood bacon! Most places will have you order your sweet dish and the savory sides are add on's (meaning more $) but not here! You can have your sweet and savory too!
Mocha: The mocha is so good here and it's huge! It's served in a tall glass like the ones for soda and topped with chocolate shavings.
I've only been here on the weekend once and there was no line at 9AM but I can see how hungry people can focus only on the wait and not on the amazing food. I say just get here early. You won't regret it! :)Listed in: Bay Area Brunch
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Review from Elaine L.
San Jose, CA
5/24/2012 1 Check-in Here
I only come here for brunch because i love the BISCUIT.
Just get the biscuit and eat it with their home-made jams.
Long wait so go early. The restaurant is really small. -
Review from Windy S.
5/13/2012 1 Check-in Here
Decided to try Venus because the wait at La Note was too long and the Hostess was not very friendly. Our party of 3 was seated immediately. Awesome. All the food coming out around us looked SO good! We ordered a round of Bloody Marys which I found the mix to be a little too sweet instead of spicy. Probably shoulda stuck with a Mimosa.
As for the food. I decided to go with the 2x2x2 and they allowed me to sub in the Lemon-Ricotta Hotcakes without any hassle at all. The eggs were ordered "over medium" and came out perfect. The Lemon-Ricotta Pancakes were INSANE!!! So Delicious! It came with a Lemon Curd and a Fresh Blackberry Syrup. My friends also ordered the Lemon-Ricotta Pancakes and the Chicken Sausage Scramble. They also raved about both. Service was extremely friendly and the Food was Fantastic! I would love to come back and venture through more of the menu. -
Review from Dorothy T.
Baldwin Park, CA
4/30/2012
I'm a vegan so I got the only ostensibly vegan item on the brunch menu: Harajuku Scramble (tofu, spinach, mushrooms, potatoes, toast, cauliflower, etc.). The serving was well worth the money paid and unlike most vegan dishes, it wasn't overwhelmingly salty (except the tofu); overall the dish was great - the addition of spinach was a nice twist. Would totally go back just for brunch again.
As for groups, the place is quite small and it was a very crammed situation to eat as a group of 4. I can literally smell the person next to me and if I wanted to, steal a bit of their food whenever they turned away. -
Review from Erin G.
Berkeley, CA
4/16/2012 3 photos
What I ate: Venus benedict with avocado
Visit date: April 1, 2012
First time? Yes.
I have been wanting to dine here for a long time! I decided to kick off birthmonth (yes, I celebrate all month long) here. Unfortunately, Venus does not take reservations for Sunday brunch. Instead, they ask that you call ahead of time on the day of to get your name on the list. I did just that, but then they told me to call back because I 'called too early'. So, I called back, got my name on the list, and then they said that for a party of 12 they might not be able to seat everyone together. Gasp!! But, alas -- after all that (plus an additional 30 minutes of waiting) the host was able to seat all of us together. YAY! We were huuuungry.
On to food. O nom nom nom. The Venus benedict is tasties. And as if a benedict wasn't enough, they offer to serve it with avocado. Get the avos for that extra creamy goodness. If you prefer soft poached eggs, remember to specifically request them because they make them hard poached and they don't ask for your preference.
I had a bite of the Harajuku scramble -- also tasties. It had so many veggies in there! I may go back just to eat this. -
Review from Lo C.
Escondido, CA
5/13/2012
So far we have only had breakfast here, so my comments are regarding breakfast. Here is the secret people... breakfast at 8am. Beat the crowds and free parking till 9am right out front. Can't get up that early, then you better make a reservation!!!! This place gets jamming, but somehow the service is outstanding, friendly, and attentive. The food is fantastic, but not your typical breakfast food. Make sure to get a house muffin with your meal.... best. muffin. ever. I love that the potatoes are served with sour cream and chive. The coffee is awesome.
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Review from Ray M.
Diamond Bar, CA
4/24/2012
Very energetic vibe although a bit loud so if that's not your thing, be forewarned. Our group of 7 people had breakfast there and they were able to accommodate us early at 9:00 a.m.
I had the Challah French Toast which was excellent although a bit pricey at $13. No one in our group seemed to care much for the bacon or the sausage. Overall, with all the amazing, great breakfast spots in Berkeley, this one was just O.K.
One last thing, if you have a bigger group like we did, be aware that that they will include the gratuity in your bill. When they run your credit card, the signature slip will again have the spot for gratuity, so pay attention or you will double tip. -
Review from Jin P.
Berkeley, CA
4/24/2012
Go here for dinner. Not brunch (go to La Note down the street for their AMAZING brunch, Venus's is mediocre in comparison).
Dinner is outstanding (menu changes frequently). Standout items: San Pedro Squid, Lamb Osso Bucco, McFarland Trout, Extra Thick and Creamy Hot Cocoa, Rhubarb Crisp.
Venus stands out because every dish manages to bring out multiple contrasting flavors (ex, half the dish will have a zesty/tangy flavor but the other half will be creamy savory), creating bursts of surprising flavor in every bite. It's even more fun to mix the different flavor components together to see how everything layers together perfectly. No dish is monotonous or boring; everything is incredibly flavorful and hearty. Trout had incredibly crispy skin, lamb osso bucco was so tender it fell apart into the risotto, squid was tender and flavorful, and the rhubarb crisp was tangy, crunchy, and soft all in one. You will leave feeling very satisfied and well-fed! Service was attentive and caring. Definitely recommend for dinner! -
Review from Lindsey F.
Berkeley, CA
4/22/2012
Eh... disappointing.
I don't think any of the four people at my table were super stoked on their food, and we all got different things.
Lemon and Ricotta pancakes: My dish was good? Sweet, a bit too sweet. Not very taken with it. Yes, I know these were pancakes, which are sweet. But there didn't seem to be enough depth on the place.
Indian Brunch: ok
Toast: dry
Jam: Actually have a problem with this...They served us a homemade orange marmalade that was incredibly bitter and not tasty. When we asked the server if they had another jam, she apologized that they did not and admitted that she also DID NOT LIKE THE JAM at all. Why in the world serve a gross jam....
Overall, too expensive for the quality of food. Sunnyside Cafe, close by, is cheaper and I think much better, and La Note is definitely more delicious. -
Review from Hannah S.
Emeryville, CA
Updated - 3/26/2012 1 Check-in Here
This review is purely for the breakfast/brunch.
Dinner at Venus is FABULOUS and you should make every effort to go. One of the best meals I've ever had in the Bay Area.
Now, for the breakfast. It was so infuriatingly mediocre. Why, Venus? Why suck so bad at such easy things like breakfast potatoes? Our potatoes were room temperature and all one mealy texture. No crunchy or crispy outer layer. Our eggs were lacking in the most basic seasoning and despite the good reviews for the chicken sausage, I found it to be bland and flavorless.
Also, a huge pet peeve. Several people who were seated after us got served their meals first. There was a couple who sat down at the table across from us a good 10-15 minutes after we had already ordered and they got their food way before we did. Our food took about 40 minutes to come out. That drove me nuts. We ordered eggs for god's sake! How long could that possibly take? And to get food that wasn't even hot? Did they leave our food sitting on the counter or something?
I will say though, best coffee EVER. Really really good stuff.
We only waited about 5 minutes for a table for two on a Sunday morning. Not bad at all.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/12/2012
To start off, let me just say that I'm fairly stingy with my 5 stars. So this is a big deal.
You… Read more »
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Review from Austin W.
4/1/2012 1 Check-in Here
Atmosphere: Loud. Wouldn't recommend it for a date.
Food: I ordered the 2x2x2 which was two pancakes, two eggs, and your choice of either two sausage patties or two slices of bacon. I opted chocolate raspberry filled pancakes (no extra charge), scrambled eggs, and the sausage patties. To begin, the pancakes were absolutely delicious. I can confidentially say that I have yet to have pancakes as fluffy as these. No syrup provided, no syrup needed. The eggs were unsalted - my preferences, and were cooked just right. The sausage patties, I wish could've been replaced with chicken apple sausages which my friend had ordered as they were a bit on the salty side.
Price: Price was a bit high. After tip and tax, my 2x2x2 and a house coffee came out to $17. I was full, no doubt about that, but it was a bit on the high side.
Service: Service was top-notch. Was seated within five minutes at 9:00am on a Sunday morning. Was brought menus and coffee right away.
Overall: I would definitely come back to this place for the wonderful service that I received. Price was high, but the pancakes were good enough to splurge on. -
Review from Soo Jung R.
Berkeley, CA
4/9/2012 1 Check-in Here
FAVORITE BRUNCH PLACE. I cannot believe I have not written a review for this place. I guess it was just so integrated to my life that I didn't even think of writing one.
I've been here so often before, but not so often these days because of my budget. Bummer. But it was nice to go back, and see the same nice guy taking care of the waiting list.
Getting back to the brunch part, I have been too all kinds of brunch places, including La Note (a block away from Venus), Betty's Oceanview Diner (4th street, also in Berkeley), Bill's Cafe (San Jose), and even one's abroad... and by far Venus gives the best brunch deal.
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I believe all (or most) ingredients are organic, and I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE their homemade jam. The very reason why I went here recently was because I was craving for their peach/apricot jam (can't remember which).
Unfortunately they change the variation every week/month (not sure), so this time they had marmalade jam. Still good, but I personally don't like marmalade so it was a little disappointing, but it made my brunch buddy happy :).
MENU:
I ordered the County Breakfast($8) with Chicken sausage ($1.50) added, with my eggs sunny-side up. I recommend their BLACKBERRY LEMONADE. It's very refreshing, NOT TOO SWEET. If you like your lemonade sweeeeet, probably not the best drink for you.
I prefer their breakfast menus (eggs, biscuit, sausage, potatoes; the whole deal) because its very comprehensive in terms of nutrients. They also taste good. And they're not THAT expensive either. If you don't believe me, try La Note. Honestly I think Venus' menu is affordable and easier to choose from as well.
One thing though - last time i went there was a group of like 8 people in front of us. I think the chefs were in a rush, so my potatoes were a little overcooked, and the biscuits weren't warm on the outside (although in the inside, it was as soft as ever).
NOTE: be ready to wait at least 30-40 minutes when you're going on a weekend morning. Lots of people love this place (including me), and it gets packed almost ALL the time. :) Maybe you'll see me there!
LAST NOTE: I have tried their dinners, but unfortunately (but obviously), dinner menus are more expensive, and sadly didn't satisfy me as much as their brunch menus do. Last time I went for dinner was quite awhile ago, so maybe things have changed. Let me know if it did! -
Review from Kristine W.
Oakland, CA
3/7/2012
Seriously one of the most delicious and satisfying meals I've had in a VERY long time. Picture it: It was downtown Berkeley. Two thousand twelve. Dinner....okay, enough of me channeling inner Sophia from "The Golden Girls"...but seriously, this tiny spot was Berkeley-bougie but deliciously redeeming.
* Our group ordered ALL (I think) the salads on the menu. Winners: warm kale salad and roasted squash salad.
* Roasted chicken: THE BEST CHICKEN I'VE EVER HAD! So succulent, moist, and flavorful! It was served with German butterball potatoes (best buttery-heart-attack-mashed potatoes ever) and spicy kale.
* Pulled pork sandwich: on the dryer side but still yummy. Also served with the German butterball potatoes (god, I love that name!). Definitely paled in comparison to the roasted chicken.
* Desserts: pretty disappointing. The cobbler was small and dry. The crumble was pitifully thrown together, and was served with whipped cream...NOT ice cream. Wth. I can't even remember the other dessert. Sad, coming from a sugar-holic.
Venus had great quality food but would only have dinner here again if it were a special occasion (read: too expensivo para mi).
Note: this is not a party restaurant. Our group was asked to keep it down a few times...and we weren't even that loud. No bueno. So this place is super small and intimate. -
Review from Veronica D.
3/21/2012
Went here for brunch with friends. It was very busy. As we're vegan there was not a lot of choices, so I got the tofu harjuku scramble and my husband got oatmeal. The scramble is pretty huge and more like a savoury lunch flavour than for breakfast, but it was good and tofu is not my favourite thing.
The large juice is huge here, I should have gotten a small. It's so much.
We're visiting from out of town and didn't know where to go for breakfast, our friends avoid soy but eats eggs so I think that's why we came here.
I would get here early as it's very busy and packed. It took a while for the waitress to take our order and get our food, but everything was made fresh.
The omelettes are so big I don't even think they finished them. lol -
Review from Smyth S.
Walnut Creek, CA
4/7/2012
Two of us on a Friday night, they were able to seat us right away. Convenient location
Service was average; always filling the water and checking for satisfaction, but nothing over the top.
Pomegranate mojito and speciality beers available were great
Had baby chicory salad to start; the worst salad I have ever had. They used a surplus of vinegar in the dressing. We couldn't even eat half.
Our main dish was fantastic...the chicken and potato dish. I would highly recommend this dish. Moist chicken with a spicy kick and rich potatoes.
We did not have dessert as we had to get moving to our show.
Good restaurant, but probably would try something else in the area. -
Review from Liem L.
Portland, ME
5/19/2012
everyone goes here when they can't get into la note.
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Review from G F.
San Francisco, CA
3/2/2012 Seated via OpenTable
I ate too much at this place! But it sure was good...
I started with the warm kale salad with cooked baby carrots; everything was fresh and delicious. Next, I had the Piri Piri Chicken. I couldn't get enough of the spicy mashed potatoes and perfectly cooked juicy chicken. We finished with the Cloud Nine for dessert -a concoction of espresso, whip cream, saved chocolate and liquor. This is a must have to end a perfect meal. I would go back to this place any day. -
Review from Melody L.
Irvine, CA
4/29/2012
I came here with my little as part of my mission to visit all of the planet-named places in Berkeley, and got some kind of chicken&vegetable dish off the menu. It was seasoned well and very juicy! It was also empty when we went, but I'd probably chalk that up to us eating dinner around 4:30-5PM.
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Review from Shilpi D.
Fremont, CA
3/18/2012
Fantastic service
Different but delicious food (the spicy chicken with German butterball and the soup were awesome!)
Great desserts
A lovely place to stop before a great show at the Rep.... -
Review from Sayaka K.
San Diego, CA
3/26/2012
I was raised by Japanese parents so we're "trained" early on that its very rude to complain about your food and to make lots of superfluous requests about food preferences is to be obnoxious & ungrateful. Generally I trust that the chefs will do a good job and if they don't I simply choose not to come back to their establishment.
The other night I went to Venus, I ordered the gnocchi and had to make a remark. . . "The portions for the gnocchi was absolutely TINY!"
I ordered the entree and it came with maybe 6 pieces of gnocchi (I counted). The "entree" didn't even cover half the plate. The waitress was kind enough to acknowledge my concern and ordered me another small plate of gnocchi. The 2 small plates left me satiated-I imagine the equivalent of one entree but the experience "left a bad taste in my mouth." Also, they had forgotten about my drink order-Pomegranite Mojito and brought it after our meal came out (they comped it) but it tasted bitter.
The server was apologetic, she mentioned this sometimes happens in the back with the chefs getting things mixed up, and the food runner who brought out my dish had mentioned the plate seemed small.
I've worked in restaurants before, I understand things happen and we have busy nights but I was disappointed. :(
Venus, I love your whole idea of food but the service was subpar.
But I had some of my bf's chicken and that was great! -
Review from Jeanie F.
Berkeley, CA
2/22/2012 3 photos
Wow my omelette was so yellow to the point that Venus gets 4 stars. Never have I seen such a yellow omelette. Plus, not only was it yellow, but it was also quite smooth. Smooth and yellow. All the things one must want in an omelette. Besides the look, it was a good omelette, good but nothing spectacular.
The homefries didn't seem like they were cooked for long, as some weren't as soft, but I didn't mind as I prefer that over burnt homefries.
There was a gingerbread pancakes special that day and so we decided to try it, but omg was it bitter. It did not come close to La Note's gingerbread pancakes. If you want gingerbread pancakes I'd suggest walking a block down to La Note. -
Review from John S.
San Francisco, CA
1/16/2012
We had walked by this place dozens of times before we ever thought of eating here. It's true, I'm not lying. It looks way fancier than it is. OK, it doesn't really look fancy, but when a place in Berkeley has real-looking interior brick walls and old-fashioned-looking chotchkes on the walls, I reflexively hold on tight to my wallet. I expected free-range-quail eggs and hypoallergenic Cornish-hen feathers and reusable pheasant tampons, so let's just say I was pleasantly surprised by the abundance of veggie-friendly options and the reasonable prices.
In Downtown Berkeley!
Did I mention it's breakfast all day? Maybe. I can't vouch for all day all day, but at least at two p.m. both times I've been, I've had breakfast. The homemade jam is delicious; you really must try it.
So where does it fall on the Downtown Berkeley planet spectrum? Right now, I'd say it's a hair in front of Jupiter, which is quite far in front of Saturn. But I reserve the right to reshuffle my planetary-restaurant ratings.
What was I going to write next? I don't remember. The bread is good. I want to sit near the back, but they keep seating us right in front, which is airy and bright but which goes against my nature. Or at least I think it's my nature. Compliment or message me if you understand atypical depression.
Hi, Christina C.!Listed in: Vegetarian Parents in Town?, Downtown Berkeley Eats
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Review from Edward W.
2/21/2012 1 Check-in Here
Came in at 830pm on a random weeknight looking to try something new and we were in for a surprise. The candle lighting at all the tables created an ambiance reserved for a romantic evening.
I started off the night by ordering a fruit bellini, which is only $6 during happy hour (normally $8). The drink was orange flavored champagne, and it went down really smooth.
I ordered the red wine braised beef short ribs that came with the best mashed potatoes I've ever had. It was quite buttery and not too thick. The short ribs dish was actually one very large short rib. The beef fell right off the short rib, and the red wine gave it so much flavor.
I'd highly recommend the fruit bellini if you are over 21 and the short ribs. -
Review from Shell J.
San Francisco, CA
1/10/2012
Love the food quality. Love the Warm Kale and plum Salad. We had two versions, one regular on the menu, the other one with pumpkin seed soil as my friend was allergic to olive oil. The pumpkin seeds one is interesting, with more earthy and organic taste. Loved both. We also shared a pork sandwich, pretty good as well.
Heard Venus is good for brunch. Will definitely come back to try out. -
Review from Kimya P.
3/16/2012
My bi-monthly go-to breakfast spot when I lived in Berkeley. Now, whenever I am in the area, I jump on an opportunity to get my Venus fix. In the meantime, I daydream about their coffee, Farmer's Omelette, and Scharffen Berger Raspberry stuffed pancakes.
Oh and by the way, that is exactly what you should order if you go for brunch:
1) Their coffee - it comes out in a glass mug; it's strong; flavor is robust; and the refills keep coming.
2) You prefer something savory for brunch? Get the Farmer's Omelette - fresh vegetables (spinach, bell peppers, broccoli, mushrooms) and creamy goat cheese. It's $10.50 for a huge portion size that comes with potatoes and your choice of bread (skip the toast, and get the morning glory muffin). This dish is consistently fresh and full of flavor without fail. I make my way through the omelette with helpings of potatoes slathered in Cholula or Tabasco and then as I'm winding down and the waiter is pouring my fourth coffee refill, I transition to the morning glory muffin. It offers the perfect amount of sweetness to finish the last of my coffee and it leaves my stomach and my tastebuds oh so content.
3) Now, if you need more of a sweet breakfast option, here's the inside scoop on what you order: the menu offers the 2x2x2 (2 regular pancakes, 2 sausages, and 2 eggs cooked however you liked); the menu also offers mouthwatering Scharffen Berger Chocolate Raspberry stuffed pancakes. If you ask them, they will switch out the boring, regular pancakes for this heavenly alternative - you should not hesitate to do this. Assuming you like chocolate, raspberries, and fluffy pancakes, there is no way you could ever be disappointed.
I really, truly love this place. Years of countless visits and not once have I had a bad experience. The staff is attentive, polite, and caring. The food is fresh, sustainable, and local. And, I've never waited more than 20 minutes to be seated for brunch. Oh and did I mention that the food is mouthwatering-ly good? :)Listed in: Morning Bites
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Review from Kadi D.
Oakland, CA
4/8/2012
Had brunch here today, we called ahead for seating & were seated on arrival. Service was really friendly, I had the 2x2x2 with french toast & chicken sausage, it was really good and really satisfied my hunger almost all day! the place is a little cramped & we were seated right next to the door which created a wind tunnel feel as people went in and out... But overall good experience will go again.
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Review from David C.
Boulder, CO
2/15/2012
What I want when going out for a meal:
1. Delicious food
2. Nice atmosphere
3. Decent service, read: Water should be topped off periodically, conversations not be interrupted with, "Is everything ok here?"
Venus has all three and reasonable prices.
Go there, you'll like it. -
Review from Alexandra L.
San Ramon, CA
3/30/2012
I went for dinner with a friend on Wednesday night. The place is rustic, rather small but inviting. The menu is simple with some salads, soups and only one entree each of meat, chicken, fish or pasta served with a variety of vegetables. We had the soup of the day, followed by the mussel curry and the gnocchi. Both dishes were nicely prepared, creative, and tasteful. I like that the ingredients are local/seasonal/organic and most dishes are gluten-free. The menu may be a little overpriced for the venue, probably to justify the quality of the ingredients. The staff is friendly and the service was fine. The bathroom is a little cluttered.
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Review from Christina L.
Berkeley, CA
My second outing in Berkeley! And it did not disappoint! I came here for breakfast so parking was fairly easy to find. This place is a small little restaurant, so not the best place for a large group.
Service:
The service was friendly and professional. A bit inattentive at first, but made up for it after we waved them down initially.
Food:
Venus Benedict - I loved their homemade potatoes that came as a side to my venus benedict. The benedict itself was absolutely delicious! I added the ham on and it was wonderful. Definitely a recommend dish from me.
Scramble - I didn't care too much for their scramble, but it was tasty when I had a bit of my friends dish. I loved their organic homemade bread and jam.
Chai Tea - Their chai tea latte was a bit on the sweet side for my taste.
Overall:
Would definitely recommend this place. -
Review from l a.
Oakland, CA
4/4/2012 Seated via OpenTable
Four of us went on a Saturday night before a play at Cal Performances. We were seated promptly and offered drinks - a large variety of wines and my favorite drink made with Prosecco and elderflower liqueur. Mmmm, we definitely were started off on the right foot.
The menu was very seasonal with beets, kale, sunchokes, and chicory all well-represented.
My husband had the sauteed boneless trout filet served with arborio rice cakes and a relish on the top (and some green vegetable) that was finger-lickin' good! The others in the group all had the pulled pork sandwich. This is not your Cuban variety sandwich but one made with slightly crispy pork shreds, a bit of cheese, and a special aioli and lettuce/tomato served on grilled sliced bread. Oh, the one nod to the Cuban variety was the little sweet pickles also served on the sandwich. It was really good!
Now, the bad news is that for four drinks, three entrees (two of which were pork sandwich), and four salads the bill was $165.00 - not including tip. A little pricey, but definitely delicious. -
Review from Alex H.
Berkeley, CA
3/26/2012
awesome for breakfast. huge portions, you will leave here full and happy
the royale omelette is made to perfection (how do they make them so perfect and yellow?) and stuffed with avocado, tomatoes, cheese, etc.
the yukon homefries are grilled to perfection, and organic ketchup is available on the side!
and my Morning Glory muffin came with yummy fresh housemade grape stewed jam in a little pot.
i tried the Scharffenberger Mocha with Chantilly cream, which was pretty good, not too sweet, very rich.
super high quality, super fresh, emphasis on great produce and seasonal ingredients. love it. -
Review from jack d.
San Jose, CA
4/6/2012
"Meh ive exp better" This is for the lunch 1 dish only****
breakfast looked great i hear dinner is amazing but this dish COULD be a star...
The steak dish with warm salad, its basically steak (good) its steak on a rain forest basically which is not bad but for some one who is into this much of salty greens could be something but def not 5* . warm salad was too salty (who ever made it should have FREAKING TASTED it!) i dont look like a food freak but i know my stuff from making 200lbs dough to cooking for 25 ppl full, apptzrs ent dsrt, in 3 hours from scratch and i eat everywhere everything!! epic lil pce of bread but cold :((( that bread warm would add another star and less salt another star, that would be 4 stars, and bonus star to make it 5 since they buy local market organic stuff, i could eat anywhere i was just looking for a non chain what ever cuisine full of ppl, NEXT time if any ill go for the breakfast which going to be compared to amazing Lil swiss cafe in Carmel,
Price $15.50 im generous so $4 tip, $20 lunch, sorry but price to excitement ratio is 4 out of 10 in my book. Thanks. -
Review from Tree S.
Long Beach, CA
Updated - 12/6/2011 3 photos
I'm still a fan, but my second try at Venus wasn't nearly as impressive as the first. I love the veggie tofu scramble, but my friends weren't as happy with their meals. So, I felt I had to at least report that they didn't like the mimosa, the omelet was described as runny, and the waiter forgot to take out the raspberries in my friend's yogurt brittle.
Ah, well. I still liked the gingerbread pancakes with persimmons. The blackberry lemonade was a little tart, but I got used to it. I still prefer Venus to La Note based on service and dedication to local produce, fair trade, organic and sustainable practices.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/4/2011
Skip La Note and go straight to Venus. You'll find better service, healthier and tastier food, and… Read more »
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Review from Adrienne G.
San Francisco, CA
11/10/2011 Seated via OpenTable
Venus lived up to her namesake as being the goddess of love this past weekend.....cause we LOVED our dinner
Looking for a pre-Greek dinner, Venus was close to BART & w/in easy walking distance to the venue
All kinds of pumpkinny deliciousness was mine for the taking & boy did we indulge!
Started out w/ the Squash Salad - tender squash w/ goat cheese, pomegranate seeds & pumpkin seeds all in this sweet pomegranate vinaigrette.....this thing was the bomb & I'm normally a salad-hater
The bf got Chicken w/ mashed potatoes & kale. The chicken was cooked just perfectly & the taters were nice & buttery
I opted for the Pumpkin Dumplings (aka gnocchi) w/ chanterelles & pine nuts in a butter sage sauce - hold the spinach please!.....OMG this was SO GOOD. The dumplings were pumpkinny but nice & savory. Some places put a sweet spin on the pumpkin & it ends up making it all taste like pumpkin pie but Venus has this dish down pat
Tender, just a bit of doughy, chewy, creaminess w/ tons of pumpkin flavor & paired w/ the sweet cream sauce & those truffly-like shrooms & it was the perfect flavor combination
For dessert, we split the Pumpkin Cheesecake In A Jar & again, we had a huge winner! Cheesecake, pumpkin-seed brittle, & whipped cream all layered w/ graham cracker in a jar - take your long spoon & dig down to the bottom to get in each layer & it's the perfect bite & the perfect way to end a scrumptious meal -
Review from Niki D.
Albany, CA
11/14/2011 1 Check-in Here
Excellent service, flavorful food, and beautiful decor.
My friend and I met for lunch at 1:30, and I ended up ordering breakfast, and I'm so glad I made that choice because it was sooooo good.
I love how this restaurant is "green" certified. A definite Berkeley treat! -
Review from Sara C.
Walnut Creek, CA
1/28/2012
Yummzah!
I had breakfast here with my friend today and I am super pleased. Awesome location, great atmosphere, lovely food. I had the hot amaranth cereal with almonds, currants and grated apple. Very light and healthy, warm and delicious. The coffee was EXQUISITE. I love that it's organic, local and sustainable. I can't wait to go there for dinner sometime! -
Review from Catherine W.
Saratoga, CA
4/30/2012
I had the lemon ricotta hotcakes, they were exceptional. They looked like pancakes but were moist inside and were served with lemon curd, blackberry syrup, and maple syrup. They were exquisite--probably one of the best breakfasty things I've ever had. Would definitely recommend this place. It was cute, not too loud, vintage/rustic feel, and wonderful!
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Review from Stephanie F.
San Francisco, CA
Legitimately, the best brunch I've ever had. I don't think you can go wrong with this place. From the local, organic, beautifully crafted food to the delicious drinks.... it's as good as it gets.
Not a complaint, but a general crunchy granola atmosphere... when I asked for a side of sausage they responded: chicken, soy, or veggie? It honestly took me a bit to realize we were still talking about sausage.
