Nico’s Hideaway

Good luck getting served here even if you have a reservation.
We attempted to eat dinner here last night.
First, it took a long time just to get staff to help us at the host/​ess desk. Once seated, it took ages for someone to take our drink order. Then, we asked twice for bread and after 45 mins finally received 2 slices for 3 people.
Finally had to leave with grumbling stomachs after finding out that the kitchen had lost our orders.
Had much higher expectations for this restaurants based on the reviews.
Lots of staff running around, but it’s really hard to get their attention and help.
What a disappointment.
I’d only go here if you don’t mind wasting your time, risking horrible service or you bring an air horn, emergency flares or some other more obvious way of signalling for help.

The great things about this restaurant the thing that really shines is the service. The staff are cordial. You can tell they just opened because they do a couple things differently from white linen restaurants, like offer cheese when they serve spaghetti. I thought the best thing on the menu were the appetizer wings. Next time I have a party I might just order them to go from here.
The bad was the rest of the food. My spaghetti came with a paste like sauce that tasted like watered down tomato sauce that was reduced again. The pizza was very very bland. But when I had it for left overs it was tasty. Maybe the flavors needed to settle? I had to find salt and pepper to put on my spaghetti. It was bad, like classico sauce from Safeway bad.
The garlic bread was delicious and the balsamic vinegar they used seemed very high quality. I would recommend getting the garlic bread as well. The dessert was interesting but they are still working out their menu.
I hope this place does well and stays, me and my girlfriend live in the area and we call it the cursed location because we have seen 4 businesses come and go in the 4 years we have been living here.
The only things I can say for improvement is to taste taste taste taste the food coming out of the kithen. And to offer white linen service since you are charging white linen prices, i.e. offer parmesian when you serve spaghetti. Also you should have salt and pepper on every table. The tables are small so maybe you can serve things on a pedestal like Zacharies.
Three stars because they were more expensive than LoCoCo’s down the street but their food was way less good. It came out to $ 40 each.
1 star is avoid the place at all costs
2 stars is edible but wouldn’t go back unless I had to
3 stars is average, would eat at again but wouldn’t seek it out.
4 stars is would seek the place to eat
5 stars is a recommendation to make a trip to visit the place

Horrible service!
Probably a better environment for drinkers.
Had to wave down our waitress several times and walked out because we never received our food after nearly an hour. Within that time we also had to reach for the water pitcher ourselves to refill our glasses.

What a great way to end my day off. I was rolling around in Berkeley and bam i see nicos. Good thing it was a holiday so parking was free. Its all street parking so good luck finding a spot when its prime time. So after finding a parking spot a i walk down to Nicos. Well what do you know its Happy Hour 3−6pm. Once inside you get greeted by the wonderful staff. I am an early bird so i got there at 3pm on the dot. Once seated i was handed the drink and happy hour menu.
I ended up getting the super fresh oysters and crispy Garlic wings.
I will definatly be back to try out the rest of the menu.

First time I went here I had a GREAT experience — got the oysters, fried mac n’ cheese, and mussels for happy hour, and those dishes were all great. Left the place feeling great about it so we booked a reservation for our friend’s 21^st birthday. That experience was mediocre at best.
Two of my friends ordered alcohol and me and my other friend didn’t (we’re under 21). The two who ordered drinks thought they were disgusting (they ended up stopping after drinking ¹⁄₃ — apparently one of the drinks just tasted like salt). I was curious so I took a tiny sip out of my friend’s cup and the waiter (tall guy with tattoos on his arms) started being a real ass. He immediately goes «All right, lemme see all your ID’s» and I told him I’m not 21 and he straight up starts YELLING at me, saying «You CANNOT do that. DON’T let me catch you trying that again or we’re gonna have to do something about it. OKAY?» Yes, of course, I know I shouldn’t have taken a sip and he had every right to say something about it, but to yell at me like a 5-​year old child when we’re trying to celebrate a birthday was completely uncalled for. His demeanor overall was just pretentious and douchey even to the others. He seemed like one of those guys who’s naturally a douche but is forced to be «nice» in order to be a decent tip. The other servers were great so it’s a shame this guy gets to bring this place down.
FOOD: After that we ordered entrees for dinner which were completely disappointing relative to the happy hour dishes. The ravioli was pretty good and the chicken parmesan was ok, but the linguini & clams was way too salty and the spaghetti & meatballs straight up tasted like cafeteria food — I’ve tasted TV dinners that were better than that. For dessert we got lemon panna cotta, which was soooo ridiculously sweet. FOUR of us struggled finishing ONE panna cotta because we couldn’t handle how sweet it was. One of my friends took a bite and said «I’m done; that’s way too sweet.» They accidentally brought us another one after we finished our first, and no one even wanted to touch it.
Overall: Ambience is great, servers are great except for one douche, happy hour is great, dinner is mediocre.

This review is purely for the Unilocal Elite event that I attended at Nico’s Hideaway:
Nico’s Hideaway is a new gem that’s located in Gourmet Ghetto. The atmosphere, patio outside, as well as the friendly staff make this a nice spot for a date or a great conversation. I had the pleasure of sampling some of their items at a past YEE. Overall, it was a positive experience — both on the service end as well as the food.
–Bruschetta–
What a great way to start off the meal! It’s very simple, nothing too fancy, but definitely satisfies your craving for food.
–Garlic Bread–
You HAVE to get this. The bread was so soft that it literally melts in your mouth. Add this with vinegar and olive oil, and you’ll be drowning in goodness.
–Oven baked chicken–
I’m not a big fan of wings, but the baked chicken wings were pretty good. Tender, juicy, and filling!
–Mac n Cheese Balls–
O my, these were probably one of the highlights of my meal. These arent your typical mozzarella sticks. Soft, chewy goodness in your mouth.
–Chicken Sandwich–
The best part of the chicken sandwich was the bacon. It was ssooooo crispy and juicy that I would trade my entire sandwich for another slice.
–Pasta Sampler
I hope they have the pasta we had on their usual menu because I would come back just for that creamy, decadent plate. This was definitely my favorite part.
–Pizza Sampler–
We had an assortment of pizza. From margarita, to cheese, to combo. Overall, the best was obviously the cheese. But I guess my friends beg to differ.
–Zeppoli–
The zeppoli was a bit burnt when we had it, but overall it was a nice finish to our dinner.
I had a great time trying out Nico’s Hideaway and will definitely come back soon. With the atmosphere, staff, and food, you cannot go wrong here!
Eat well and prosper,
–ß

Quite a lovely place for an intimate Italian dinner. There’s a rooftop deck which is lovely for summer nights. Ambiance is nice. Bruschetta was great, service was good. Sauce for the Spaghetti & Meatballs was a bit dry, noodles were not cooked well.

My boyfriend and I came here for Valentine’s dinner. The atmosphere is amazing and the view from the patio was awesome. They had the sweetest smelling roses as centerpieces complemented with candles. We did not have a reservation as we were just in the neighborhood looking for a fairly priced meal, yet we were seated after waiting for a brief period. Our expectations were well exceeded. The service and food are superb!

Amazing! The best burger we have ever had in our lives! We are ruined for all other burgers! The fries and salad? Off the hook! It’s all so amazing from the truffle fries to chicken sandwich.

Environment: Very modern and chic. Seating is a mixture of openness and intimate with the curtains to some of the smaller tables. They have a small outdoor patio upstairs that is nice on a warm day, but no view. Although we were given dirty silverware, the cleanliness was up to par especially their bathroom.
Service: Charlie was friendly, accommodating, and funny. We did have to ask for refills on things, but that wasn’t such a big deal. He had the whole patio to himself and it was getting busy.
Food/​Drinks: The baked egg is definitely a unique dish I have ever heard of or seen. Charlie highly recommended it since they recently re-​vamped it. Thank YOU Charlie! This dish was decadent in every way! The egg yolk was runny, the rosemary was crispy, the bread was the perfect pair. It wasn’t salty and you can taste every ingredient they put into this dish. The bf ordered the crab benedict. He said it was the best he’s ever had. I couldn’t absolutely agree with him, but it was easily one of the few unforgettable ones I’ve tasted. It wasn’t fishy at all. Usually, I don’t like country potatoes because they’re soft and mushy, but at Nico’s they are crispy and seasoned flawlessly. The poached eggs were slightly under cooked, but for us, we would have it under cooked than overcooked (cringe).
As for the bottomless mimosas, they don’t offer different flavors like other places I’ve been to. And for $ 17.95, this was the most expensive bottomless I’ve paid for. When Charlie gave us two glasses and 2 mini-​pitchers, I was surprised and impressed (score!). Usually restaurants pour the mimosas themselves, but with the mini-​pitcher we had at least 4 glasses until we had to ask for a refill. But around our 3^rd mini-​pitcher refill, they got a little more stingy and a lot more orange juice-​y. This is the reason why I left one star off. If you’re gonna offer bottomless mimosas, don’t cheat out customers when they ask for refills. Be ready for some drinkers like us! LOL!
VS.
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Heaven. That’s the best way to describe the eggs Benedict with crab cakes. Beautiful setting included a roof deck. Best of all no waiting for brunch and bottomless mimosas. I’ll be back

Location
It’s tough to pry away from my usual fave spots when I’m in Berkeley, but we decided to veer further from Rockridge to try this new spot in Gourmet Ghetto. Nico’s Hideaway just opened a month and a half ago in a quiet nook above the main draws. It’s got a cozy bar, a separate dining room, and a few outdoor tables perfect for enjoying a nice Sunday afternoon in Berkeley.
Food
I think I’m already hooked on their amazing happy hour — 3−6pm every day! Apps are $ 5 each. Our kids loved the Mac + cheese balls and truffle fries, and the hubby loved the wings and bruschetta. I, on the other hand, had my own set of priorities — $ 1 oysters! They had Fanny Bay oysters that night, and they were plump and juicy! Topping it all off — $ 10 off their caviar — I went for the sturgeon caviar, which worked perfectly with crackers and crème fraîche.
Happy hour drinks are $ 5/​glass for wine or beer, or $ 10 for their signature cocktails.
Service
Top notch! We were seated promptly and were attended to by a few folks who were all very friendly and accommodating. I think the warm and welcoming staff alone can make anyone a regular (which I think we will be!)

Loved this place! Went here for dinner last night for my fiancé’s (Nico!) birthday. The mussels were to die for, I meant to take a picture but we slurped them up before I could remember to. A must-​order for sure.
I had spaghetti and meatballs and my fiancé had a NY strip steak (rare). Their cook on the steak was absolutely perfect — fat was crispy and melt in your mouth and the cook on the inside perfectly rare and just warmed. Perfection.
They source their pasta locally from phoenix pastifico in Berkeley, which makes delicious fresh pasta. Their meatballs were enormous and had a delicious Italian sausage taste, and thick, rich marinara sauce.
I’ll definitely be back!

Went here with my in-​laws on Monday night at 6:30 and got our food around 7:20. The servers and hostess were pleasant, but they seemed overwhelmed the night that we were there.
That said, the food (chicken parm, linguini with clams, garlic bread and a chop salad) was pretty good. I liked the garlic bread in particular w/​the balsamic vinegar and olive oil – all hail carbs!

Definitely diggin the vibe of this new Berkeley spot! ‘Hideaway’ perfectly describes it. It’s easily missed, not on bustling Shattuck Ave, but one block down. Driving down Walnut Street and seeing this place beautifully lit up at the end of the block, I was definitely excited to stop in and try it!
The inside is very cozy and intimate, perfect for a dinner date or casual dinner with friends. They had a bar area up front, and we got some good cocktails off their menu for some drinks to complement dinner.
I came in for Berkeley Restaurant Week, so I got to try a lot of the menu. Oysters were bomb (although it’s hard to go wrong there for me!). Nathan and I split the bruschetta, which was also bomb. For my main, I got the Linguni w/​Clams which was pretty standard, but delicious nonetheless. I liked that they were generous with the clams. Nathan got the Italian Sausage Pizza which was HUGE and good. The sauce on top was interesting — I might have done without it.
Service was very friendly! I called in to see when they closed, and they told me it was busy but they saved a table for us and called as soon as it was ready. Would definitely go again!

It is a bit of a hideaway as it is on Walnut street 1 block east of the Gourmet Ghetto’s main drag — that being said it is worth the effort to try to find a parking spot and visit this new establishment.
First, I’d like to say that the staff and service here is first rate. I sent a message via Facebook to let them know there would be ten of us from work for happy hour on a Thursday, being a bit concerned as to if the bar area was large enough. Lo and behold they replied within 20 minutes, and when we arrived they had set up a table for us in a back room — it was essentially a private room. Rob, the bar manager, (Liquid Chef according to his business card) took care of us personally, with a friendly and attentive approach.
Now on to the goodness. The happy hour here is great!!! They have dollar oysters, and they were nice plump Fanny Bay’s — we plowed through three dozen. They have $ 5 drafts and house wines, an assortment of other $ 5 appetizers (garlic wings, olive plate, truffle fries, broschetta) and $ 10 off on the two types of caviar. The truffle fries were a big hit as were the wings. We also indulged in the caviar. Some of us tried a sampling of the house craft cocktails and they were excellent as well. Faves were the Purity martini, Moscow mule, and Manhattan. Those are $ 2 off during HH (4 – 6).
Get on over here! This is my new HH fave and I will also be back for dinner as well — can’t wait!

Let me start this review by saying that I grew up in Long Island, New York. The chef at Nico’s is from New Jersey. These places are two sides of the same coin. Even more fortunate, my dining partner at Nico’s was a friend from my hometown. The meal brought waves of nostalgia washing over us. If you’re looking for NY/​NJ style Italian comfort food, Nico’s is the place.
We started with bruschetta and wings. I’ve never had bruschetta with ricotta before, but it was a delight. Perfectly toasted, creamy, with fresh tomatoes and a sweet balsamic glaze. The wings were crispy, flavorful, and surprisingly not greasy at all. I’ve never had wings quite like them.
The memories started flooding in with the entrées. The chicken parmesan was gorgeously breaded, juicy, and covered with cheese. The marinara was wonderful; sweet and rich in a way that is extremely rare in the Bay Area. Chicken parm is a staple at every Italian restaurant in New York, and this is the chicken parm I’ve been missing since moving here 5 years ago. It comes from a place where food isn’t trying to be innovative, but just damned good!
We also had the sausage pizza. Sweet italian sausage, peppers, and onions, some more balsamic glaze. Take away the pizza and put it on a thick roll, and it tastes EXACTLY like what you’d get served at one of the carnivals would that pop up in Queens all summer long. Eating this pizza takes me right back to a summer night lit up by colored lights, riding the Zipper and playing Carnival games.
Dessert kept the ride going with another carnival staple: zeppoli. This hot fried ball of dough, dusted with powdered sugar, could only have been improved by serving it in a greasy paper bag (as I remember it). Of course, these zeppolis were more delicately fried and tastier than any ever served out of a carny truck. Just make sure you don’t inhale any powdered sugar when you take a bite. I made that rookie mistake, but I am out of practice.
For this transplanted New Yorker, Nico’s is the Italian restaurant I’ve been looking for. I can’t wait to go back with my wife, to see if a Jersey girl feels the same way.

So glad this place is literally under a 5 minute walk from my apartment.
My friends and I had the duck confit, bruschetta, and crab cakes off of their brunch menu. The home fries that the duck confit and crab cakes came with were on point – well flavored, crispy exteriors, warm and soft insides. Yum.
The bottomless mimosas also came with a glass and a carafe (per person!) so we wouldn’t have to constantly badger waitstaff for refills on our glass. A nice touch! We were also shown the outdoor patio which was wonderful until it started to rain. Will definitely have to come back on a clear and sunny day!
Finally, my friend’s answer of «bottomless mimosas» to the manager’s question of «what was your favorite dish?» featured on Nico’s Hideaway’s instagram, so classy of us.
Bottom line: good food, decent prices, delish mimosas, friendly and personable service, A+! Will be back for one dollar oyster happy hour!

I’ve eaten here twice now, and absolutely love this place! The location of the restaurant is great for anybody living on north side, and the inside of the restaurant is incredibly cozy and well decorated. They have these gorgeous lamps above the tables, really cozy booths with white tapestry around them, and nice light up trees for decoration. They also have an upstairs area where you can sit outside and have a bay view supposedly, but I’ve only been in the main area downstairs. The service was great, the waiters were very helpful and nice, only complaint would be that when I asked for sparkling water I got flat water… Either the restaurant doesn’t have it or the waiter don’t know what sparkling water is?
Now onto the food. The black caviar plate was really nice, I loved that they serve it with sour cream, which is how it is always served at Russian dinners. The charcuterie plate was also great, it has about 4 different types of salami to try.
For brunch this morning I had the Nico’s eggs Benedict with bacon which was REALLY well prepared. The hollandaise was on point, English muffins were NOT burnt (unlike the last 5 places I’ve had it), and the bacon was perfect.
Love this place. It’s definitely worth a visit if you live in the neighborhood, or even a drive if you don’t.

Very clean and lovely décor– great ambiance.
Wait staff are great. You can tell they really enjoy working in this establishment.
Full bar with tasty cocktails, lagunitas & others on tap and an expansive wine list. Bottomless mimosas for brunch!!!(brunch is everyday from 10 – 3)
I have eaten here several times now and the food is always amazing! Compliments to chef Ryan! My favorites so far are fried mac and cheese balls for an appetizer, crab cake Benedict during brunch and the black bean burger if you aren’t crazy about meat like myself or are vegetarian/​vegan.