Chester's Bayview Cafe - American, Berkeley

1508 Walnut Street, Berkeley CA 94709
(510) 849-9995
Parking: limited street parking
Hours: Breakfast and Lunch 8:30am-2:30pm Weekdays, 8:30am - 3pm Weekends;
Tapas Tues - Sat 5pm - 10pm

Last Visited: January 10, 2009

Food: 3 to 4 stars
Atmosphere: 3 stars
Service: 2 stars
Price: $$ to $$$

Helen and Mark had recommended we try Chester's for brunch, and on this weekend afternoon, we wandered into the restaurant after some difficulty with parking. They have a reasonable dining room downstairs, but the gem of the place is the limited upstairs seating which provides the bayview noted in the name of the cafe. The weather was clear with blue skies, and though we weren't able to get a table to enjoy the view, we did get to see it from atop the stairs for a moment.

Service was a bit lacking as we waited quite a bit for a server to seat us despite there being available tables. The hustle and bustle seemed to keep them from noticing us waiting for a table. When we were finally seated and served, service improved.

- Philly Cheesesteak - Thinly-sliced steak is served with grilled mushrooms, onions, green peppers, and Swiss Cheese. To me, this was standard fare - neither memorable in how good it was nor memorable in the other direction. It came with grilled potatoes even though I had chosen the other option of a side salad. Also, while the other three members of our table had gotten served, this took about five minutes more to arrive weighed negatively on the service rating given for this visit. It came so much later that I didn't even take a photo of it. $9.75

- Crab Hash - As seen from the photo, a hearty helping of potatoes is mixed with crab and topped with two poached eggs. Hollandaise is ladled on top of it. While filling and was good, it lacked the punch of the wow factor in its overall presentation and its flavor. I would eat it again, but it's not something I would make a special trip to enjoy. $11.25

The other photo is for a Belgian Banberry split and it's topped with bananas, choice of raspberry or blueberry compote, and whipped cream. $7.75

Breakfast and lunch dishes are good and plentiful. If you're looking for a slight twist on standard breakfast dishes included french toast, cramblers, potato pancakes, and omelettes, you'll like Chester's. For me, the food was just okay and service has room for improvement.