Best Restaurants with a Wood Oven in Berkeley

We love sitting outside with a view of the bridge, water, and Treasure Island. They provide heaters and blankets. Service is always outstanding. Their recommendations are great. They take very good care of you if you're celebrating something special. As you'd expect, we're there for the steaks. None of us eat beef often, so we pick this place because we know it'll be good.

This is a restaurant that can accommodate any allergies and restrictions. Oscar, our server is a star. He took very good care of us. It was a birthday celebration and cards were placed on the table and a dessert with sparklers was complimentary.

The food was very good. If you are looking for pizza, there are lots of choices. Not so many non-pizza ones. Our waiter was very attentive and knowledgeable about the food and drink options. It was noisy but not so noisy that we couldn't have a good conversation. Our only complaint was that our table was in front of the door so every time someone came in, we got hit with cold air.

The 7-course prix fixe menu at Taksim is a splendid offering. Great flavors and dishes you don't normally find. The patlican (eggplant) and blackened cauliflower were standouts for us. Choose the beef over the branzino. It's a much better dish all around. I don't usually eat dessert but the Taksim donuts were not too sweet or too large and served with chocolate ice cream, five-spice chocolate and chantilly. Delicious! The restaurant is off the beaten path but it's worth making a trip down Fourth Street.

I love this place, sitting at a bar or a booth in the front room with the wood fire oven and cute bar and friendly attentive staff, awesome cocktails and food. You can't go wrong, Definitely my top 3 go to restaurants in the Bay Area.