Lunchtime before a performance at nearby Zellerbach Hall turned up a hidden gem in Julia's. The ratatouille, which I am a big fan of and therefore picky about, was seasoned traditionally, the ingredients and consistency were all true to the classic version. I was more than satisfied. The gluten free chickpea panisses (a tower of 3 round chickpea "fries") were a delightful and delicious first, so scrumptious in fact that I quickly found a recipe to make these popular South of France favorites at home. Creme brulee with a generous crust of caramelized sugar topping a creamy custard, another classic and favorite of mine was shamelessly gobbled with gusto with no manners whatsoever. The table service from Natalie was cheerful, discreet and attentive on the Saturday we visited. The ambiance was refined, the dining area dominated by a large framed mirror and carved ceiling. One star is missing from what could have been five due to the rather cool reception from the seating hostess. We found her a tad haughty. We will return undaunted, however. What a special discovery and worth the trip across the bay from Marin.
Gin C.
I had wanted to come but was hesitant based on the hit or miss reviews. I finally bite the bullet and made reservation with few friends for restaurant week. Service: it is not perfect, it could be more detail oriented, but it is not a deal breaker. The service is a bit slow and the details could be more fine tuned. Food: it was so good even the vegetarian options! The restaurant week menu was so good and I had enough left over with the porterhouse steak the size bigger than a hand! The dessert was not too sweet and the salad was huge portion. The location is at Julia Morgan's Berkeley City Club, you can't bet the view or the ambiance. Highly recommended to try!
Barbara E.
Food was delicious and high end. We enjoyed the duck and the burrata pasta and dessert. Prices were very reasonable. Wonderfully quiet and uncrowded. The ambiance is spectacular; it's in a gorgeous historic building designed by Julia Morgan. The building is huge with a pool reminiscent of Hearst Castle. The building seems to be very under utilized--there is a large empty library, a bar, and huge theater---would be a great space for events. Untapped potential
Tura
lovely dinner lovely experience. I am coming again on the 23rd. I'm having trouble making reservations but I will call to make sure I can get four of us there at 5 o'clock and will be seeing the show at Central Works and I was told that we can get a discount I hope that's true, thank you for a wonderful evening
MichaelA
So many great things to say about Julia's. The staff was warm, hospitable and helpful. The atmosphere was AMAZING ! Beautiful Julia Morgan design and detailing - and our hostess knew all about the details of the architecture and whether the fixtures/Italian pottery inlays were original ! (Yes they are !) The dining room AND the bar were so inviting. A live pianist provided music. The food ... oh my goodness ... the two of us had the Ginger Carrot Soup and the Winter Salad, and then Duck Confit. Of course we began with delicious cocktails and then a glass of Bordeaux /Sauv Blanc (Just one each, one of us likes red, the other white. The staff made great recommendations for us each.) Lastly we had tickets for a show which I thought started at 7:30. So of course I made the reservation for 6 PM. Turns out the show started at 7:00 ! They were able to provide all the above in 45 minutes with no prior notice ! Incredible. My only suggestion is to have a sign at the front entrance, since it's locked entrance inside the Berkeley City Club (also incredible). You need to buzz the front desk and be let in. Not a bad thing - but just a little confusing as I didn't see a sign that read "Julia's". Only "Berkeley City Club". We knew we were in the right place but didn't realize we needed to be buzzed in. BTW I am an CAL Berkeley alumni. It's been too long since I've been to Julia's. So proud of this heritage.
DogLover
My family and I dine at Julia's several times a year: at least six times a year. The ambience is the best! Charming, historical building and thoughtful decoration. The food never disappoints! The selections are not just the usual- although there are some usual standards, too. Service is a bit slow, but is exactly right!! You don't want to rush a meal at Julia's. Normally the noise level is low, and great for conversations. We were there the Friday of valentines week and Julia's was more crowded, and louder than I've ever seen it. Parking was more challenging, too.
UnderwoodRoundtreeRussell
Wonderful restaurant for a special occasion or just a nice dinner. Staff is terrific. Food is high quality, beautiful presentations, menu has a variety of choices including vegetarian and gluten-free. Always have a splendid time at restaurant.
Jerry Krause
Historic Julia Morgen architecture, great service and excellent food are the highlights here.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Very pleasant experience. Nice to see the lovely architecture. The food is solid and tasty. I had the duck confit. The duck was cooked very well. I really wished they had served larger white beans instead of the grain with kale. I liked the side-dish just not with this course. I would appreciate a smaller cheese plate - ours was for a table of four or six - felt really wasteful considering we are heading to a show right after dinner which many people do from here.
T S.
Had a truly wonderful dinner at Julia's with my son in college.i wanted to try Julia's for quite sometime but couldn't get a reservation last minute during my prior visits.This time I planned ahead and secured a reservation on a Saturday night. Checking in, we were greeted by name. Our server was welcoming and attentive. We started with a lovely glass of cab and enjoyed the pate and burrata. The duck breast and steelhead were also delicious. The chocolate lava cake unfortunately did not impress and tasted stale and store bought, or maybe I was just too full with all the deliciousness to appreciate it. But overall a lovely mother-son dinner that is worthy of the drive from LA to Berkeley. Probably the best meal I had at Berkeley/NorCal so far. I will definitely make a reservation early next time I go visit my starving college boy.
Great ambience, service and the food is quite good, although a little pricy. I've eaten here several times and always recommend this restaurant. The building itself is an architectural treasure.
JoeB
1-on-1 dinner with my oldest daughter, who love architecture. Julia's is housed in an exceptional architecture! This doesn't “feel” like a restaurant, but rather a cozy living room. Food, wine, service were exceptional...we are definitely coming back!
happyeater
Julia's Restaurant is a gem--beautiful setting, delicious food, and excellent service. I love to take people there for lunch or dinner. It's still a pretty well kept secret near the UC Berkeley campus.
Ssaky
Julia's keeps getting better and better. Last night the meal was delicious - we had the short rib and the steelhead, and shared the butter lettuce salad. Every part of each meal was perfect EXCEPT the portions were too large (which is why we split the salad). Service is definately improving. Our waiter was friendly and on point - we asked that she delay putting in our food order until we were done with our cocktails, and she did so without being reminded. She was very sweet.
Jacquelene P.
Celebrated our anniversary here and it was truly a hidden gem! The food was delicious! The duck breast entree was exceptional and the chocolate lava cake was the best way to end the meal. It's a very traditional and classic atmosphere, almost like dining in a cozy house. Service was very attentive and nice. If you're looking for a fine meal with a cozy and family atmosphere, Julia's is the place!
Lunchtime before a performance at nearby Zellerbach Hall turned up a hidden gem in Julia's. The ratatouille, which I am a big fan of and therefore picky about, was seasoned traditionally, the ingredients and consistency were all true to the classic version. I was more than satisfied. The gluten free chickpea panisses (a tower of 3 round chickpea "fries") were a delightful and delicious first, so scrumptious in fact that I quickly found a recipe to make these popular South of France favorites at home. Creme brulee with a generous crust of caramelized sugar topping a creamy custard, another classic and favorite of mine was shamelessly gobbled with gusto with no manners whatsoever. The table service from Natalie was cheerful, discreet and attentive on the Saturday we visited. The ambiance was refined, the dining area dominated by a large framed mirror and carved ceiling. One star is missing from what could have been five due to the rather cool reception from the seating hostess. We found her a tad haughty. We will return undaunted, however. What a special discovery and worth the trip across the bay from Marin.
I had wanted to come but was hesitant based on the hit or miss reviews. I finally bite the bullet and made reservation with few friends for restaurant week. Service: it is not perfect, it could be more detail oriented, but it is not a deal breaker. The service is a bit slow and the details could be more fine tuned. Food: it was so good even the vegetarian options! The restaurant week menu was so good and I had enough left over with the porterhouse steak the size bigger than a hand! The dessert was not too sweet and the salad was huge portion. The location is at Julia Morgan's Berkeley City Club, you can't bet the view or the ambiance. Highly recommended to try!
Food was delicious and high end. We enjoyed the duck and the burrata pasta and dessert. Prices were very reasonable. Wonderfully quiet and uncrowded. The ambiance is spectacular; it's in a gorgeous historic building designed by Julia Morgan. The building is huge with a pool reminiscent of Hearst Castle. The building seems to be very under utilized--there is a large empty library, a bar, and huge theater---would be a great space for events. Untapped potential
lovely dinner lovely experience. I am coming again on the 23rd. I'm having trouble making reservations but I will call to make sure I can get four of us there at 5 o'clock and will be seeing the show at Central Works and I was told that we can get a discount I hope that's true, thank you for a wonderful evening
So many great things to say about Julia's. The staff was warm, hospitable and helpful. The atmosphere was AMAZING ! Beautiful Julia Morgan design and detailing - and our hostess knew all about the details of the architecture and whether the fixtures/Italian pottery inlays were original ! (Yes they are !) The dining room AND the bar were so inviting. A live pianist provided music. The food ... oh my goodness ... the two of us had the Ginger Carrot Soup and the Winter Salad, and then Duck Confit. Of course we began with delicious cocktails and then a glass of Bordeaux /Sauv Blanc (Just one each, one of us likes red, the other white. The staff made great recommendations for us each.) Lastly we had tickets for a show which I thought started at 7:30. So of course I made the reservation for 6 PM. Turns out the show started at 7:00 ! They were able to provide all the above in 45 minutes with no prior notice ! Incredible. My only suggestion is to have a sign at the front entrance, since it's locked entrance inside the Berkeley City Club (also incredible). You need to buzz the front desk and be let in. Not a bad thing - but just a little confusing as I didn't see a sign that read "Julia's". Only "Berkeley City Club". We knew we were in the right place but didn't realize we needed to be buzzed in. BTW I am an CAL Berkeley alumni. It's been too long since I've been to Julia's. So proud of this heritage.
My family and I dine at Julia's several times a year: at least six times a year. The ambience is the best! Charming, historical building and thoughtful decoration. The food never disappoints! The selections are not just the usual- although there are some usual standards, too. Service is a bit slow, but is exactly right!! You don't want to rush a meal at Julia's. Normally the noise level is low, and great for conversations. We were there the Friday of valentines week and Julia's was more crowded, and louder than I've ever seen it. Parking was more challenging, too.
Wonderful restaurant for a special occasion or just a nice dinner. Staff is terrific. Food is high quality, beautiful presentations, menu has a variety of choices including vegetarian and gluten-free. Always have a splendid time at restaurant.
Historic Julia Morgen architecture, great service and excellent food are the highlights here.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Very pleasant experience. Nice to see the lovely architecture. The food is solid and tasty. I had the duck confit. The duck was cooked very well. I really wished they had served larger white beans instead of the grain with kale. I liked the side-dish just not with this course. I would appreciate a smaller cheese plate - ours was for a table of four or six - felt really wasteful considering we are heading to a show right after dinner which many people do from here.
Had a truly wonderful dinner at Julia's with my son in college.i wanted to try Julia's for quite sometime but couldn't get a reservation last minute during my prior visits.This time I planned ahead and secured a reservation on a Saturday night. Checking in, we were greeted by name. Our server was welcoming and attentive. We started with a lovely glass of cab and enjoyed the pate and burrata. The duck breast and steelhead were also delicious. The chocolate lava cake unfortunately did not impress and tasted stale and store bought, or maybe I was just too full with all the deliciousness to appreciate it. But overall a lovely mother-son dinner that is worthy of the drive from LA to Berkeley. Probably the best meal I had at Berkeley/NorCal so far. I will definitely make a reservation early next time I go visit my starving college boy.
Restaurantji Recommends
Great ambience, service and the food is quite good, although a little pricy. I've eaten here several times and always recommend this restaurant. The building itself is an architectural treasure.
1-on-1 dinner with my oldest daughter, who love architecture. Julia's is housed in an exceptional architecture! This doesn't “feel” like a restaurant, but rather a cozy living room. Food, wine, service were exceptional...we are definitely coming back!
Julia's Restaurant is a gem--beautiful setting, delicious food, and excellent service. I love to take people there for lunch or dinner. It's still a pretty well kept secret near the UC Berkeley campus.
Julia's keeps getting better and better. Last night the meal was delicious - we had the short rib and the steelhead, and shared the butter lettuce salad. Every part of each meal was perfect EXCEPT the portions were too large (which is why we split the salad). Service is definately improving. Our waiter was friendly and on point - we asked that she delay putting in our food order until we were done with our cocktails, and she did so without being reminded. She was very sweet.
Celebrated our anniversary here and it was truly a hidden gem! The food was delicious! The duck breast entree was exceptional and the chocolate lava cake was the best way to end the meal. It's a very traditional and classic atmosphere, almost like dining in a cozy house. Service was very attentive and nice. If you're looking for a fine meal with a cozy and family atmosphere, Julia's is the place!