Berkeley Bowl

I have been shopping at Berkeley Bowl for 12 years. I enjoy buying the nice selection of produce but everything else about this place stinks. The meat department literally stinks. The parking is a nightmare and the customer service is outrageous! WHY DO WE SETTLE FOR BAD CUSTOMER SERVICE??? Yesterday when I got to the check out the cashier was standing with her back to the anyone walking up to her lane, leaning on the cash register. I walked up and said «HI! How are you today?» She hardly answered, scanned everything while I bagged MY groceries in the bags I brought!!! She finished ringing and just stood there and watched me! I paid and then I had to carry all my groceries to my car by myself. Places like this and Whole Foods have this horrible do nothing for the customer attitude. What do you pay your employees to do?! Meanwhile all the supposed baggers are just wandering around pretending to look busy.
What happened to customer service? Is it just the self entitled Bay Area or California? I’m from the Midwest and my first job was bagger at a independent grocery store. I bagged ALL the customers groceries and then pushed or carried them out to the customers car and helped them load their groceries. Around here you are lucky to get a grunt hello from anyone that works at Berkeley Bowl. You are all a bunch of self entitled assholes. Take some pride in yourself. And how about some sort of dress code. There is such a thing as too Liberal and this place is the epitome.

They have everything here. So convenient. Their sashimi grade fish is super fresh. Veggie are great too. Love this place.

One of my favorite places to shop! They have everything from organic to conventional and an amazing selection of produce.

This place blew my mindpiece.
Imagine the best Whole Foods you’ve ever been to. But far less corporate. Mix in a few ethnic markets, a great butcher shop, and a first-​class food court. And there you have it.
I was in the Bay for a few days this weekend, and we managed to pop into BB twice — once for lunch for 11, and once for a breakfast burrito.
Bravo, I’ll be back.

Berkeley bowl is a grand experiment. Sadly, the experiment is in danger of failing.
Hypothesis one: Angry hipsters are capable of delivering good service.
Data: checkers frequently act like you are not there and do not acknowledge any overtures of friendliness or joy. Staff also criticizes you on meat and veg selections.
Conclusion: angry hipsters make lousy staff members. Maybe berk bowl pays poorly.

If you seek for lower price but better quality than the Trader Joe, Whole Food market and Safe way this place is the one.
Best market I’ve ever been for the whole package. Especially, the nuts and grain session you can’t beat it.
I wish this Berkeley Bow moves in San Francisco since it prevails all the competitors.
This business can do much better in the bigger city.
I wish its rest room is cleaner and I’d like to ask its employees to be aware of it.

OMG. Love this place. I lived in Oakland for a couple years — don’t know why I didn’t shop here when I did. I was visiting my best friend in Oakland after had moving East for some time, and she needed to grab a few items.
It was super overwhelming but I couldn’t believe the abundance of bulk food goods and organic produce items they had for such reasonable prices.
They had pretty much everything we needed and were looking for.
Employees are super helpful and knowledgeable.
Love this place! Could be in here for hours.

Berkeley Bowl is one of the best grocery stores I’ve been to! They have a range of fruits, produce, meat, grains, snacks. They have everything you could ever hope for! I first came here for a field trip and to talk to the owner, and my class and I learned about how they offer a wide selection for a single fruit or produce. They offer conventionally grown or organic, and within each category, they offer a wide selection of prices. The fruits and produce are definitely a lot cheaper here than a chain store grocery store like Safeway, and they’re a lot fresher too! The bulk foods section is heaven! They offer a variety of snacks like corn nuts and sesame crackers, different types of nuts, dried fruit, and they also have flour, spices, etc. in bulk too! The line to order meat can be pretty long but it is so worth it! I get steak and bacon here and boy are they delicious! They also have a small Asian section, which is nice because there aren’t any Asian supermarkets nearby, so if you just need some tofu or mirin, you can get it here too! There’s a pretty big yogurt and cheese section too. Adjacent to that, there’s a cooked food section where you can order take out. Berkeley Bowl is such a great grocery store; they serve generic brands and name brands, but if you want name brand goods, don’t buy them here because they’re a bit more expensive than usual.
Definitely check out Berkeley Bowl if you live in Berkeley and haven’t found a good grocery store!

Lots of fresh produce and a wide selection of food. Close your eyes and think of your favorite type of cheese. I promise they have it.
The aisles are kind of narrow, and if you go in the afternoon, the store is overflowing with customers.

Had some canolis from here last night… And they are amazing!!!
Every bite is as if you are voting into heaven. And your eyes get bigger and bigger out of amazement.
Of course this want the first time that i have gotten them, but I knew I should write my review because it was well needed.
I have also eaten the burritos here and they are also delicious. You similar not regret eating at their little cafeteria area inside.
I wish to come back and try it almost of their options!!!
There are plenty of seats outside if you came here to eat it if their cafeteria area.
I havnt actually shopped at the actual grocery store but IU plan on trying it out poetry soon. I’m sure that it will be just as amazing!

Hands down the best grocery store that offers the best variety for very good prices.
The only down side is that I have to drive over 45mins-​1hour depending on the 880 traffic to get grocery.
So when I come up here, I load up on all my favorites.

Freshest fish and vegetables in the East Bay. Since I don’t wan’t to repeat what everyone else has said, I am instead going to give you my Italian Grandma’s fish recipe from items you can get at Berkeley Bowl.
1. Wild Dover Sole (usually $ 8.99/lb)
2. Fresh Parsley
3. Bread Crumbs (Italian mix)
4. Lemon
5. Olive Oil
When you get home, rinse the fish in water and pat dry. Soak in Olive Oil. Preheat the oven to 325. Pour in the bread crumbs in a separate bowl. Place sheets of tin foil out. You will be wrapping each piece of fish individually. Mince the parsley, set aside. Cut the lemon into several wedges, put aside. One at a time, take each piece of fish out of the olive oil, and dip into the bread crumbs, making sure both sides are coated. Lay flat on the tin foil, put a generous amount of parsley on top and finish it off with a generous amount of lemon. (1 – 2 wedges per piece). Pinch the tin foil together (so it looks like a tent) make sure there are no obvious holes that would let the air out, and place into the oven for 13 – 15 minutes. Enjoy, and let me know if you tried this out by pressing the useful button below!

Really mad! I had a party for my 12 year old daughter and 10 of her friends. We had planned the party for months, and they wanted to go bowling.
We got here and first of all it was so crowded. I saw all these Vegheads outside with grocery bags, and I thought «Who brings groceries to a bowling alley?!»
Meanwhile the girls are all antsy in my van and then they said «We want pizza! We want pizza!» So I took them to eat and we forgot about it.
Anyway, so much for Berkeley Bowl. But I’m not mad anymore, and my husband’s company (400 people) want to go bowling so I’ll take them here next Saturday morning. I asked a lady who was on her way out and she said that you don’t need to make reservations, and walked away shaking her head.

I LOVE the Berkeley bowl and wish they would open up in Marin! They have the best selection of fruits and vegetables, an incredible bulk section, amazing vitamins and herbs, and the best prices on organic produce in the Bay area! Plus, they have wonderful prepared and to-​go food, delicious baked goods and much, much more.
I wish they opened at 8:00 a.m. vs 9:00 a.m. but I like the fact there is a café next door where you can have coffee and baked goods or breakfast burritos while you wait for the store to open.

This place is great! Fellow Unilocaler Jenny P. tipped me off that the mushroom selection here is excellent, so I try to stop by when I am in Berkeley to pick up mushrooms and other items.
The parking lot here is very busy, so it’s imperative to stay alert and not move too fast or you might risk getting in an accident. It’s happened to me before several years ago that someone honked at me when I didn’t exit my parking space fast enough after getting in my car.
I always buy bags of shiitake mushrooms when I come in and alway buy the kind from California after Unilocaler Chuck M. informed me that mushrooms grown in China use human feces as part of the agricultural process. Eww! So yeah, stick to California grown mushrooms both here and elsewhere.
I also love the large date selection they have here and the great prices. They seems to have 5 – 7 different date varieties and every time I go in I pick up a new variety to try.
There is also always someone standing outside of Berkeley Bowl trying to collect signatures for some ballet initiative. This kind of thing only seems to apply to local voters though, so I always tell them that I am from out of town.
Definitely check out Berkeley Bowl if you are looking for a great selection of mushrooms and dates! And a large variety of fresh produce in general!

Berkeley Bowl has been legendary among my foodie-​cooking friends. They have bragged about the selection and the prices of produce for years. I happened to be nearby, so I stopped by.
This is a fresh foodie’s dream, even for those who don’t have time to cook. There’s lots of great food that can be taken away: fresh breads, soup bar, deli, and pre-​cut/​pre-​washed produce. It seems like the produce might rotate based on season as there are some out-​of-​season stuff that wasn’t heavily in stock or represented with different varieties. I like how the produce signage includes where the produce came from. Prices may heavily vary on things like strawberries, lemons, and avocados. May the buyer beware: some of this won’t last more than 2 – 3 days in your fridge!
I’m not sold on the selection of non-​produce. There’s a niche section for Japanese rice crackers, and some of the frozen stuff is unusual for your local grocery store. Still, while there’s great selection, you may miss standard favorites.
Overall, I do like my fresh produce, and I have to say that this is one of the better (and cheaper) places I’ve been! Strawberries at my suburban ritzy Safeway off-​season are $ 6.99/16oz or $ 2.19/8oz at Berkeley Bowl. You do the math.

Berkeley Bowl sets the standard for a grocery store rolling the vibe of a cooperative mixed with essentials such as tabasco along with the fun of seeing food you never knew existed. While they have 10 different kinds of raisins or dried kiwi. Maybe you don’t need that many variety of raisins or dried kiwi yet having it on hand is part of the fun of shopping here. The bulk bins are extensive. Bring your own containers & a worker in the bulk department will due the tear as well as price out your bulk goods.
Heaps of produce with so many options with all great prices. So many different kinds of mustards from special horseradish spicy organic mustard to non-​organic mustards is how it works here it is a mish mash of organic high end with regular standards. Also great toothpaste, herb teas, & anything else you need or perhaps didn’t need or knew existed. Find it here & you can also get a meal here too as some good options for dining in.

Berkeley Bowl has it all in the way of fresh stuff, and the prices are very fair. It is always an experience to shop here, since it is always crowded. I have to put on my ZEN face and just relax and try not to bump into too many other shopping carts before exiting. I am the cart pusher and my wife negotiates the aisles and grabs the groceries. I think the selection is incredible especially for fruits and vegetables. Berkeley would not be Berkeley without Berkeley Bowl!
We get here usually on a Sunday morning to do our shopping for the Sunday afternoon cooking for the week. The service is excellent. The cashiers are extremely friendly and efficient. I don’t feel quite the same rush mentality that I get at Safeway sometimes, so that is nice.

Grew up by the original Berkeley Bowl when it was bowling alley! I still remember the large wooden crates of produce. In later years, the Bowl moved them same crates into it’s present spot, which was Safeway Store.
We locals call the the «Berkeley Brawl,» given the fact the parking lot is full and the store is fuller with jousting shopping carts! My love for the bowl is with the food to go, artisan breads and cheeses, and the selection of Asian veggies and prepared food and beverages.
A word to the wise: Don’t get caught sneaking a taste olives, because if you’re caught, you will face a lifetime ban from the store. For real!

I love in Marin and one of my main problems with the place was the lack of variety in produce. The local Safeway has the same 4 vegetables. Making the trip to Berkeley for this is TOTALLY worth it! So much variety in veggies and fruits. It’s fantastic. Highly recommended for someone looking to bring more color in their food.

I love Berkeley Bowl. The produce section is amazing (and competitively priced), and unlike a traditional store that has one kind of strawberries or blueberries to choose from, Berkeley bowl has lots of options by different growing region and price range for almost every fruit/​veggie (don’t even get me started on the amazing mushroom section). It reminds me of a farmers market, sans the farmers. They also have hard to find fruits and veggies (seasonally), which I learned when I was shopping for lychee.
When my Italian mother was in town from Boston, I brought her here and she was amazed by everything from the cheese selection to the international section, to the 20 different types of granola they make in house (among many other things).
Their burritos are delicious and inexpensive, and have a great coffee bar. They also make pizza (pretty meh though) and sell it by the slice, desserts, and Asian food (hoping to try the veggie lumpia soon).
If you’re looking for an interesting wine, beer, or coffee — this is totally the place. They have tons of spices and nuts in bulk, and you can find some hard to find things there too (bay leaves, matcha powder, teas, etc).
Tips: parking is tricky, as this place is always super busy. The store is tight, so try to use a basket and avoid pushing a cart. Also, I wouldn’t suggest buying things here like your typical General Mills cereal or Kraft Mac and cheese, because the mark up is insane.

Filthy. That’s all that I remember of this place from a few years ago, when a girl I was dating thought I’d like it. I don’t see why fresh, healthy food can’t coincide with cleanliness and good presentation …

This place is amazing. The produce really is the highlight of the store. They have so many different kinds of organic and conventional offerings. It blows my mind every time. The remainder of the store is similarly well-​stocked and clean. The bulk section is also excellent. Prices are good on some items; there are a few that are overpriced but not many. Highly recommend.
They could use more bike parking outside.

Berkeley Bowl is a foodie heaven. I’ve only been there once (because it’s almost a 30 minute walk for me each way), but it was definitely worth it. I could honestly spend hours in here… just looking at everything.
I love their HUGE produce selection. They have pretty much everything. It excites me so much when I see the same ambiguous mystery ingredients that the competitors must cook with on Chopped (the Food Network show) on the shelves at Berkeley Bowl. They have eclectic foods and a super large variety of things that you can’t find at the local Safeway or Trader Joe’s. Unlike other stores, they also have a pretty comprehensive international foods section, which is convenient for someone who has been trying to cook more Chinese food.
Although some of their food items can be pricier than at most other places, a lot of their produce is actually cheaper. It really encourages you to gravitate towards fresh produce rather than processed foods and ultimately eat healthier.
I love this place. I would definitely do my grocery shopping here all the time if I could — the main downside is how far it is from where I live.

I have to give 5 because I love it so much. I miss going there. Even though it’s crowded. lol it was a family thing. Being separated has made my trips a bit more difficult.
lol maybe it will be a date thing and a course to reconcile. Haha

I get depressed every time I go to Berkeley Bow. The selection is amazing, especially the produce, the quality is high, and the prices are reasonable to excellent. It’s depressing because I have to drive across San Francisco, over the Bay Bridge, and into Berkeley to get there. There is nothing remotely close in San Francisco, a situation that is getting worse as the new residents seem to like prepared foods at the market, even if they are insipid. The Whole Foods near me (a large one) doesn’t have some of the more interesting grains people are cooking but has at least twelve kinds of burritos.
Somehow, there has to be a San Francisco Bowl. it’s not fair it’s only in the East Bay.

Absolutely LOVE this place. I work a quick scooter ride away and come by at least 2 – 3 times a week for lunch. I’ve only grocery shopped here like a handful of times– with most visits comprising of me drooling over and trying items on their prepared food items only. This place is a typical fresh, local, organic, all around hippy loving epitome– without the pretentiousness of Whole Foods. You feel free and non-​judged when you’re browsing the endless aisles of quality selected items– reading everything on the labels and descriptions like it’s a whole new world you’ve got to explore.
Their emphasis on health and freshness is inspiring, as they have a whole aisle devoted to vitamins and well-​being (I’m slightly exaggerating). The produce is fresh and appropriately priced, they have a butcher/​meats section in the back, the staff is helpful, the flowers/​plants are varietal (with lots of succulents too). The prepared items are amazing, healthy and different. You HAVE to try their chicken noodle soup! The best I’ve had ever. There is usually a line for this particular soup, with it running out as soon as it comes out.
The worse thing here is the parking. The lot is small and is always traffic during peak times, like lunch. You get a lot of elder people loading the backside of their cars slowly… Parking for me has gotten easier since I’ve traded my car for a scooter.
Great place to check out if you’re on a healthy route in life and want to explore more!

God bless Berkeley Bowl.
Please open several branches in So. Cal. We need it here.

Parking sucks, but it does everywhere in Berkeley, so people who give it minus stars for parking… aboohoohoo to you. Nothing you can control.
Anyways, what can i say about Berkeley bowl that hasn’t been said by other people?
This place is like Whole Foods without all the pretentiousness and the prices, I think, are little better than WF. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still pricey though. They have almost everything you want, from puffed quinoa i nthe bulk section to pre-​made cookie dough. Their fish selection is on point.
Also, produce selection is good, however, some produce is so-​so looking. My family goes into china town and to larry’s produce for a lot of stuff and korean markets and ranch 99, so we wouldn’t buy produce here unless it’s a «specialty» kind that you can’t get at the asian markets.
Just beware of idiots in the parking lot. Because parking is scarce, people turn into animals with tunnel vision only.
Other than that:
lovelovelove.

Can not even begin to describe how this place is a foodie’s paradise. When my cousin first said «Berkeley Bowl» I thought she was talking about a bowling alley.
They have everything you could want/​need for fruit, veggie, baking, cooking, coffee, etc. The prices are competitive given what quality of produce you’re going to purchase. This place is like Trader Joe’s on crack.
My first time here I probably spent 1.5 hours wandering around. Ended up getting 3 bars of chocolate that I’ve never seen before, some pumpkin spice fig bars (these were a disappointment. tasted exactly like normal fig bars), and Cajun cashews. This place is a tried and true Berkeley, CA experience. from the fellow shoppers to the availability and selection of products.

Like most college students in the Berkeley community, I got pretty acquainted with Berkeley Bowl when I moved into an apartment my junior year. Located near Ashby Bart Station, Berkeley Bowl is pretty much a small grocery store that has everything you need. The only thing that detracts me from Berkeley Bowl is that prices do range depending on what you need.
First and foremost, produce is extremely fresh at Berkeley Bowl. Stay away from the organic aisle and you will most likely get a good deal (even a steal or two) when you are looking around for vegetables. The benefit of going to Berkeley Bowl over Trader Joe’s or even Safeway is that there is a wide variety to choose from and this place will most likely have what you need.
But venture deep toward the meat section and the other stuff you need on the grocery list and Berkeley Bowl becomes a little less appealing. Though this amazing store has things that you wouldn’t find at your generic store (like healthy cereal!), prices can vary A LOT depending on what you buy. For example, I wouldn’t really go to Berkeley Bowl to get meat, cereal, or even milk because you may be forking over more money than you should.
All in all, Berkeley Bowl is that reliable store when you need something quick and aren’t willing to drive far. However, I will most likely resort to 99 ranch for all my shopping needs because it is cheaper and has more things that I need. But given how most students do not have access to a vehicle, Berkeley Bowl is THE way to go!
Shop well and prosper,

Worm in the Wild Alaskan Salmon!
I do my grocery shopping here every Friday. Thank god I saw the worm while cleaning the fish!!! It simply means that the fish was not kept in a good condition and you should be carful! This is a health issue. I will add a picture with the date of purchase and the WORM. I called the store to let them know they should take the Wild Alaskan Salmon off the shelves and asked to speak with a supervisor. There was no supervisor in the store. They took my number and said he will call me back. In the meantime, do yourself a favor and don’t get the fish.

This place is a ZOO. In the parking lot, aisles and at the check stands.
Can’t do this again, ever. Even when there are rock bottom prices for organics.
I would rather save my sanity.

Dont come on the weekend. Parking is a mess. Customers are… aloof? Not sure of the right language here… heads up ass? I wasn’t super impressed with the ready made food but I was by all their cheese and dried meat.
Nice prices on stuff you’d get for double the cost at Whole Foods.
Come in the evening on a weekday to avoid the above.

I love Berkeley Bowl! So lucky to live by a grocery store this awesome! They have (almost) everything! The only thing I couldn’t find once was something I found at an oriental market. In terms of vegetables and fruits, there are mountains of them all over and they have all different kinds– organic & non-​organic. I’ve seen vegetables that I see at oriental markets, such as daikon radish, mung beans and taro.
My favorite part of the store has to be the bulk section. There’s almost every kind of sugar, spice and everything nice you can imagine. My boyfriend and I love getting the granola. Our favorite is the cherry-​vanilla granola. We also don’t ever need to buy packages of sugar and flour– only what we need. I think in the long run it saves us lots of money because we end up not wasting a whole box of flour or sugar if we couldn’t use them by the expiration date. Just remember to use a tag and write the number on the plastic container, so that the cashiers can charge you the right amount.
They seem to carry a wide selection of most products. For instance, they have a wide variety of yogurts. I’ve gotten to try almost every kind, except for those made with goat’s milk (I dislike the aftertaste). They also have a large selection of alcoholic beverages from different countries. This place is amazing and if you’re near the Berkeley area, you should definitely pay Berkeley Bowl a visit if you haven’t already!

Berkeley Bowl is like the over-​performing love-​child from the union of Whole Foods and your favorite farmer’s market! A Berkeley tradition with a bonanza of some of the best produce and unique specialties from around the world. You’ll find dozens of varieties of your favorite fruits and vegetables, sashimi grade seafood, and mounds of cheeses for every occasion. The best part is just people watching because both Berkeley Bowls get some of the most … diverse and varied … clientele you’ll ever come across in a grocery store.
The seafood and meat will be pricey compared to your average grocery store, but freshness and quality are very good, and they’ll carry some very hard to find fresh fish and meats.
Favorites — The organic produce section is place you need to spend some time, then wander over to non-​organic and be amazed at the number of varieties of each they carry. I believe I counted 14 varieties or oranges, 12 kinds of onions, and 20+ types of mushrooms.
Could be Better — Parking will always be a bear here, so pick your times carefully as the lot is small and street parking limited. Today I pulled into the lot and got the spot right in front of the main doors, so it’s possible.

I do love this bowl.
I hadn’t been to a Berkeley bowl in years, and based upon the last one I went too, I wasn’t necessarily, exceptionally impressed… with his one I am.
Fresh, vibrant, abundance of wonderful treats; both healthy and sinful… yet another place I could quite possibly spend hours in.
Not only is this bowl new, its absolutely huge! And they provide a nice little café as well. So much more exploring and indulging to do here. The staff that all work here also are as impressive as the store– everyone seemed cheerful and helpful.
Pleasured to now work close by :)

If you come across a vacant parking space a block or two from BB, take it. Parking in their small parking lot is a test in patience and an obstacle course. You have cars getting in and out of tight spots, cars waiting to get into a spot, and pedestrians walking to and from their cars. It’s a little crazy to say the least.
If you can get by with a basket while shopping, do it. It’ll be so much easier to get around without bumping into people or having to wait for people to get out of your way.
If you can shop here during non-​peak hours, shopping will be less onerous of an activity and will prevent an uptick in your blood pressure. After work hours hours, Saturdays and Sundays, and days before the holidays are all crazy times.
If you can manage to heed all of the above advice, you will have a much better shopping experience here. For an avid cook like me, BB is amazing. Their produce section needs to be seen to be believed. They have a large organic section, as well as regular produce. Expect to see many varieties of fruits and vegetables. I once counted how many kinds of eggplants they had and I counted 8. They have a nice seafood section with both wild and farmed fish and sushi-​grade seafood. Their meat case has a nice selection of organic and regular meats (pork, beef, chicken) and cured and uncured meat. They usually have a couple of kinds of organic and grass-​fed beef from which you can choose. Their dairy, deli, prepared foods (salads, Mexican and Chinese food), bakery and cheese cases are also quite substantial.
I like to buy my meats and seafood here as they always cut them up to my specification. Spices, dry pastas from Italy, cans of San Marzano tomatoes, cheeses, Asian groceries, chocolate, specialty flour and grains, and exotic ingredients are my usual purchases here. On our last visit, I needed stuff for the Asian Short Ribs I was planning to make, so grass fed short ribs, veggies, and Takara Plum Wine were on the list and I was not disappointed. If you’re lucky enough to live close to BB, you will never want for good food!

Berkeley Bowl! I would love you even more if you were closer to my house! :)
I came here a couple weeks ago as it was my first time and parking was packed house, it took me forever to find park! Everyone and they momma was at Berkeley Bowl! Before walking in, I’m asking my friend, SO why is this grocery market called Berkeley Bowl. He reply’s, «well it used to be a bowling alley». Ahhh ok… I understand now! If I had it my way I would call this the inside farmers market! haha
Walking in the place is HUGE! Produce market had a lot of varieties of fruit and vegetables and the prices are reasonable! The meat department was kind of the high end, so ill continue going to my meat market.
Pros– the huge variety of fruits and veggies
–the household products that they sale there
–The meat department (although kind of pricey)
–the different type of coffee that they have here for all my coffee drinkers
Cons– The parking, the parking and one more time: THE PARKING! Its just way to small and its ALWAYS crowded! Be aware!