Like Sherlock Holmes, I sometimes assume disguises. I appear as if I were a beggar. How I am treated when I so appear is revelatory. I have been cursed and mistreated in dumps. Other people have treated me with great kindness. In all my travels, no one was kinder than the maitre'd at CP. I write a lot about class. This isn't about class, it's about classy. When I talk about CP, I feel like Louie Armstrong trying to explain jazz. He said was that if you have to ask, you'll never know the answer. .

I would describe this meal as super fresh, clean food. We loved it! The meal took place downstairs and my husband did the wine pairing. He absolutely loved it. I loved the clean vegetables and different flavors of food. My favorite was the duck. Very good meal and excellent service with a prompt start time.

Eating at the sun-filled cafe is such a pleasure, for the food and the setting. I love the seasonality of the menu and how they celebrate and make the flavors of the ingredients really shine, which also means that for I never get tired of the food, it always has a new, freshness for me. I'm usually getting a salad, a pasta, and a dessert. Chez Panisse is a treasure and an institution, and I look forward to continuing to return long into the future.

This review is a bit different, so please bear with me. I have been eating at Chez Panisse restaurant and cafe dozens and dozens of times over the last 40 years. I've had better food at many Michelin three-star restaurants, but I've never known a restaurant to consistently deliver a better meal. The food is consistently thoughtful, beautifully prepared, and on point. The chefs here are not swayed by trends and the rush to the new; instead, they are devoted to delivering food of the now. That means you get hyper-seasonal items lovingly selected, often minimally embellished, which focus on the item's flavor of the moment. Until the outstanding flavor and attention to detail can somehow be conveyed by phone, there is not much to TikTok or Instagram here. You'll have to experience it for yourself. I highly recommend the place.

Chez Panisse was everything I expected, and more. This is a must-try for every local and visitor alike. Chef Alice Waters earned a Green Michelin Star for this restaurant, with all ingredients farm-to-table and "virtually no landfill waste". Wow! The sustainability alone is impressive, and you can taste the freshness in every bite. My group of four decided to order multiple dishes together, which helped minimize the cost while maximizing the number of dishes we could each try. We were so glad we did this! Everything was unique and packed with flavor -- the fact that the menu changes daily made it even more special, since the meal we were eating would never be replicated quite the same again. It adds to the magic and upscale feel of this Berkeley legend. This is fine dining, so we were expecting a hefty price tag, but the entrees were (relatively) affordable -- pretty much all in the $30-40 range. The appetizers were about $20 each, with the desserts rounding off around $15. Be prepared to spend, but if you're smart you can comfortably dine for 2 under $150 total. Standouts were the garden lettuces and green goddess dressing (I need a recipe for this!) as well as the wild king salmon toasts. The asparagus with my halibut was unreal -- bouncy and fresh with an intensely bright flavor I've never tasted in asparagus before (that's gotta be the organic locally-sourced specialty shining through!) Be sure to make your reservation well in advance; this place is worth every bit of planning it takes to get there. I'm saving my next visit for a special occasion, because this is exactly the kind of place you'd want to go to celebrate something big or someone special. Viva la Chez Panisse!

the produce they use is definitely the highlight! all the vegetables tasted fresh and sweet and crisp and the seasoning is simple but unique at the same time, which i think helps the ingredients stand out. (ex my asparagus pasta had mint which I would've never put together myself but I really liked it!) the chocolate tart was also super good my aunt and uncle love this place and take each of my family members once for a special occasion, and they said theyve never been disappointed! they also treated me for my birthday so I can't comment fully on whether I believe it's worth the price but if you're looking for a nice and special restaurant that serves good but simple food I would recommend it! tables are small and close together so it does get loud but we were able to chat just fine still

Superb food! Their menu changes everyday too FYI :) our group especially liked the root down farm chicken al mattone w/ butternut squash gratin & kale. Everything tastes so fresh, clean and not overpowering. The Pizza de Michele with goat cheese, prosciutto and rosemary is also a hit in our table-- it's a very light pizza, perfect for an appetizer. I wish my mezzi rigatoni with asparagus cream, black pepper, mint & pecorino had protein like chicken on it or something in my opinion. However, the sauce still tasted amazing :) My favorite would have to be the desserts. We ordered all of them-- and when I asked what's the best one, the server said the galette. And it truly was the highlight of our dessert tasting! The pink lady apple-sour cherry galette with vanilla ice cream complemented each other. The chocolate cake (Lindsey's chocolate cake with bourbon caramel) was bomb too. It would have been better if there were more candied pecans to it! :) Overall, 10/10! Would definitely recommend the cafe upstairs. They also have dinner service downstairs for a 4 course set menu ($175 per person).

We came here for a girls night out and had a wonderful time! We had made a reservation a few weeks out for the upstairs section (cafe). We were seated right away and saw the menu had so many delicious options to choose from! We decided to start with a beet salad, goat cheese salad, and Caesar salad. I would say my personal favorite was the beet salad with the marinated carrots - very fresh in all aspects. For my main course, I went with the rockfish. It was perfectly cooked and easily flaked off. Each bite felt decadent in texture. The taste profile was a bit off for me - felt a bit salty and was hoping for more complex spices. I did a have a bite of my friend's ribeye and that was definitely the star, especially the butter it was served with. For dessert, I went with the chocolate pave with hazelnut ice cream. Absolutely delicious! The pave was not overly sweet and the chocolate shone through. I loved the crispness of the nuts that it was coupled with. Definitely my favorite part of the meal. Our server was super helpful and patient. We enjoy catching up and didn't feel rushed in any way to leave. Would definitely come back to try other dishes!

Ever since I received a copy of "Fanny at Chez Panisse" for my 8th birthday, I've always wanted to come dine at the historic and iconic Chez Panisse. Treating my mother to Chez Panisse was so wonderful. I'm so happy to FINALLY dine at Chez Panisse, even if it's just the upstairs section. We skipped appetizers, and I ordered halibut while my mom ordered duck. For dessert, I ordered the apple galette, and my mom ordered the almond cake. The halibut was very fresh and soft. My mom kept wanting more of it because she actually enjoyed it more than her duck! She also really liked the crust of my galette, which was so flaky and crispy and crunchy. I did like her almond cake and how soft and spongy it was, especially the sweetness of the huckleberry sauce. It was such a cozy, intimate dining experience. My mom was so happy I treated her. She said she'd like to come here again for her 60th birthday, and on that day, she wants to eat in the restaurant downstairs. My Dad remarked in Chinese, "There's a lot of people who are taking pictures outside of the restaurant," and my mom replied, "Yes, it's a very famous restaurant!" In addition to the pictures we got while dining (thank you wait staff for helping us take pictures), we also got pictures together under the arch sign at the entrance too, because you have to when you're here!