Cal’s Fried Chicken and Burgers

Had to check out Cals tonight with some friends while on the town! The food was great! We got the Mac & Chicken and the Chicken sandwich’s. One thing to be aware about is the price. However for those more expensive items the portions are HUGE! Definitely a good place to stop while visiting Berkeley!

Ordered online for a specific time, ordered was ready 3 minutes early which is pretty spot on. We got the banana shake, chopped cheese waffle fries, and berserk burger. The banana shake was very good, good banana flavor, not too sweet. Chopped cheese fries were good as well. Waffle fries were cooked well, not soggy even after a 15 min car ride home. It tasted like a cheeseburger on waffle fries without the buns. Berserk burger was good. Very messy though. I didn't care for it as much, but my wife liked it.

This was my first time here, and I'm so glad that I visited. I ordered the double smash burger, which was delicious and juicy. The order came with seasoned fries. The atmosphere was simple, no fuss, and the service was quick.

If you're looking for an exceptional burger joint, look no further than Berserk Burger. My recent visit to this Berkeley establishment left me thoroughly impressed. After reading a glowing article about the restaurant in SF Gate, I decided to give it a try with some friends. I ordered the Classic Chopped Cheese, and let me tell you, it was absolutely phenomenal. The patty was juicy and packed with flavor, while the melted cheese was oozy and irresistible. The dish was served with waffle fries that were fresh, crispy, and seasoned to perfection. One of my friends ordered a banana shake, which I couldn't resist trying. And let me tell you, it was a real treat. The shake was creamy and full of flavor, with bits of graham cracker topping and whipped cream adding to the decadence. Not only was the food top-notch, but the service was impeccable. The staff were friendly, efficient, and clearly take pride in their work. The restaurant itself was also spotless and had a great atmosphere. Overall, I cannot recommend Berserk Burger enough. If you're in the area, do yourself a favor and stop in for some great food and a shake. You won't be disappointed.

Had to try the chopped cheese and they didn't have the poboy so grabbed the Mac n chicken. Mac was a lil over cooked but still tasty. The chopped cheese was really good and the seasoning on the fries was 🔥 will have to go back and try the smash burgers. They were a bit busy in the back hardly saw any of the employees.

Got the cal burger,was amazing egg was cooked perfectly for the drop down the burger fries crispy will be back soon !!!

Best smash burgers in Berkeley. Sadly, took 15 long minutes for food to be ready and no one was ahead of me in Line so it did piss me off however the food is absolutely fantastic Recommended!

The burger was sloppy and didn’t look anything like the pictures online. Pattie’s were a lil thick and I can’t say it was anything to write home about. Not coming back. Jack in the Box would have been better. SMH

Don't blink or you'll miss it! We certainly did at first. A small hole in the wall on university Ave that you do not want to miss. You order at the front, sit down and they'll bring it right to you. There weren't that many people when we went but I could definitely see it being super crowded on game days or any events in Berkeley. Holy iiiissshhh! The smash burger was so freaking good. Midway through I thought to myself "I should've ordered the double". The fried chicken was really crispy as well. The amount of food was just enough with the side of fries as well. I would absolutely come back over and over. Delicious!

Best Smash Burger I have had! Cal's is a small location but they do offer indoor seating. The wait can be a little long depending when you go, but trust me, you will be happy to wait when you taste the flavors! Everything was spot on and delicious. Parking can be tricky but there are a few parking garages in the area that aren't too far.

Tried this spot for the first time today, and overall, it was really, really good! The chicken sando was unique and flavorful with a side of honey, and the fries bountiful and perfectly seasoned with a crispy, flaky texture. The onion rings were easily the best I've ever had--super crispy and packed with flavor. The only downside? The food took a long time to come out. It was definitely worth the wait, but if you're in a hurry, be prepared for a bit of a wait. That said, I'll definitely be back--this place knows how to make a great burger!

Came here for lunch and it did not dissappoint. Good chicken sandwich! No complaints there! Nice addition to the Berkeley area. The chicken came out pipping hot and it was a good size for the price! Staff was friendly and establishment was clean.

Place is reassuringly busy. Made my order relatively quickly. Waited almost half an hour for my sandwich, which was fine; it was busy. But I got to watch people get their orders after they ordered after me. Certainly forgivable; hectic service, there's only one guy in the back, it happens. Got my food at last; only to find out later it was raw in parts, undercooked in the thinner areas. No biggie; I'll finish cooking it at work.

Ordered chicken strips and fries, the portions were huge but the chicken was very dry and flavorless. The chicken strips were not strips. Also ordered a smash burger, it was just ok. FNL.

Yum Yum Yum!!! I seen Cal's burger on Instagram and decided to try it. I am in LOVE with burgers, and I haven't had a good one in the Bay Area in a while!!! Babyyyyy- these burgers wouldn't let me forget to make this Yelp post! Because I had them yesterday and my mouth is watering for them today. They are smashed to perfection and the toasted bun is like everything and more. Something as so simple as them toasted our buns makes a huge difference- the burger is so satisfying like nothing was wrong with it. I got the double smash with everything on it and added bacon- had mines cut in the middle to tackle better. My friend had theirs plain lol no veggies really just double smash with cheese - and loved it as well. Now the fries... they look very regular when they came out I was thinking I might not be a fan of these!!! But no!!! THE FRIES ARE THE BEST- I can't really put my mouth on what they do to them but they have a different taste and crunch I loved them!!!! * I will say customer service was a bit dry wish it was a bit more energetic- especially since this is a great place and it was not later in the day we came around noon... but everyone has there day - so I get that. Man please check them out, because I'm ready to grab my coat and head back there now!!!!

Came in at 6:45 and said they were closed. Web and sign says they close at 7. Wasted my 20 minute drive.

Came here with a big hungry group and we all really enjoyed it! We left stuffed and many of us even had leftovers. The guy who helped us was super nice and helpful. I had the single smash with onions rings and I thought the burger portion size was perfect, seasoned well, had great flavor! Loved the pickles. I also had some of the Mac n' chicken which was tasty. The chicken was crispy and moist, and Mac was gooey. They give you a little honey to drizzle too which I tried and thought was a nice sweet and savory combo. Others said they enjoyed the chopped cheese and chicken sandwiches they got. Would come here again and definitely recommend!

Great Char Burgers, I had the California Butger med rare and it was cooked perfect. Wife had the Barney's original burger, she loved it. Definitely will veined back next time I'm in Berkeley

I had the double with no cheese and no pickles. The burger was pretty good all in all. Smashburger with a good portion of meat, but the meat lacked seasoning. No salt or pepper on it so it was a little bland. The french fries are interesting, they were not bad, not good, just okay. I think the highlight of my meal was the ranch lol it was pretty good. I also had the onion rings and they were good all in all pretty okay place for a burger. The service was pretty quick, they do have limited seating. It's not that big of a place, but definitely a good casual place to grab lunch and go.

My kids are so basic - they always want fries, chicken fingers and hamburgers. Cal's Fried Chicken & Burgers is a great option, popular with 7 year olds and the college kiddos alike. If you don't order through uber eats, where prices are jacked by a few dollars, prices are reasonable. And the food? I mean not for anyone trying to be healthy, but the burgers are delicious topped with caramelized onions and pickles. The roll was well sized for the meat and fresh. The chicken tenders were thinly pounded fried cutlets. The fries, while they give you a lot of them, weren't my favorite. They definitely were the frozen, battered type... no fresh potatoes here. Overall, a really solid bet for fried eats or a really good smash burger. People rave about the shakes, but a pass for us this time. Overall, a glutinous, filling meal. Chicken and burgers are a solid 5 stars, but those fries were a 3. Enjoy!

Awesome food and service. Ordered takeout twice while in town. Both the chicken and burgers were delicious

I came here with a group of 6 and we had no issues getting a table. The staff was friendly and worked diligently to get the orders out despite being fairly busy. All of the food was really good and was cooked very well. I recommend giving them a try if you're looking for a good burger.

I got the spicy fried chicken sandwich and was underwhelmed. It was more than $17 for the sandwich and the ingredients were okay. Just a bun, chicken, and sauce (I removed the pickles). The chicken was big and crunchy but dry. The flavor was typical. The bun was soft but nothing to rave about. I did get to try my friend's fried chicken wrap and that was a lot better. Probably should have chosen a smashburger but definitely skip the chicken sandwich. The only redeeming trait were their fries but that should be a given.

Found hair all over my chicken sandwich. Plus it was just dry overall I wouldn't recommend.

Food was good and fresh. Burger was juicy and flavorful. Chicken is fried well and well seasoned. Quick service and prep. Ample seating. Little chilly with the door open but overall a great experience. Parking is hard to find even on a Sunday. Will definitely be back.

I was pretty excited to eat here based on the reviews on Google but my experience was ruined by whatever they sat your food on after it's cooked. I ordered a double cheeseburger and added bacon with seasoned fries. Everything would have been delicious if I were someone that just shoved in my face but I look at my food so I kept seeing fuzz/fibers on my fries. I'm like what is this?! It was on the fries and the burger. That's so unsanitary and they say they sit your food on napkins but napkins don't shed fibers like that. I can't return with that practice in place when strainers come in all shapes and forms.

Had high expectations going in after seeing this spot all over Instagram with people raving about it. The place definitely has that hype appeal, but honestly, it was just okay. Nothing too crazy -- it gets the job done if you're really craving a smash burger, but it didn't blow me away. Not bad, not amazing... just mediocre overall. Solid for a quick bite, but probably not something I'd go out of my way for again. Parking is mehhh. Depends on what time you go.

The name of the business obviously states fried chicken and burgers but babyyy, I came for the chopped cheese. I've never been to New York so I can compare it to theirs but as a foodie, the chopped cheese was delicious, flavorful meat with a little bit of crisp on some pieces. The sandwich was very well put together. The fries were hot and fresh and had a great crisp. The inside was clean and the service was quick and friendly.

This was my first time here, and I ordered the double smash burger. The burger was delicious and juicy, and it came with seasoned fries. The service was quick and simple . I would definitely return to try something new.

The Smashburgers was okay to me when I compared with other smash burger I had. Customers service was great

Surprisingly good smash burger. Well seasoned, both the burger and fries. Double cheeseburger with bacon was the perfect size for an active adult who burns calories throughout the day. I only say "surprisingly" good, because it is definitely a low key spot, mixed in with the cacophony of University Ave. You could easily pass by while driving and miss it. Parking is available, if you're driving, but you will have to feed a meter and walk a couple blocks...not a big deal for me. Service was friendly, and the dude at the counter was helpful and accommodating. We got there right around noon, it was full. It is sort of limited seating, but not an issue, by the time our food was ordered, we had a table for 2. I will be back for sure...Thank you Cal's, keep it going. Right on.

Excellent food, excellent service, ambiance giving high school/college student demographics. Clean space , indoor seating available . Ordered chopped cheese no lettuce no tomato comes with seasoned fries other sides available with charge. Cashier was hella nice and has a great personality. Very popular amongst the students, one said he comes at least 3-4 times a week.

It was juicy and real tasty. The cheesy flavor was spot on. It isn't the most bustling place for a Friday evening in the summer but the food and the fries are great. The service is also fast. The fries are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside and for me that's the perfect fry. The music was okay in the beginning with generic pop music but then it went into some annoying electronic/dance, so I'll ding a star for that.

Drove from san jose to try them and was VERY DISAPPOINTED 1st the menu pictures are a LIE the burger shown has two patties and I when I ordered it was only One thin flat piece of patty - definitely not Angus the bread was the biggest thing on the burger. The fries were greasy and the strawberry milkshake was watery, pretty much was strawberry milk . Not too mention $35 dollars Big Disappointment

Yes. You can eat there or take it to go. Parking was tight as I went towards the evening. Service was good. Open seating children are welcomed. Nice and clean with seating inside.

Yes yes yes !! Honestly the best burger I've had in a while. Delicious at its best. Big fatty burger with 4 patties was so yummy . Also recommend the Mac n chicken also amazing.

VIBE- The vibe is simple, the art is hand painted and dope, the music is chill, but listen. to. me! The best time to come here is definitely before Berkeley HS gets out or later in the day. Unless you don't mind playing musical chairs around 15 high schoolers and listening to school drama. Luckily, we made it just in time before they rolled in and backed up the kitchen. FOOD - I ordered the double smash burger + jalapeños. The wife ordered a chopped cheese. We both agreed on lemon pepper + spicy ginger garlic wings. The food took about 10 minutes to come out just as you'd want it to, hot, fresh and crispy. The chopped cheese and wings were lacking flavor. The lemon pepper left us wanting more of that real tanginess and the spicy ginger garlic was straight ginger. We love ginger, but not on these wings. The size of the wings were crazy and worth the price tag based off of portion. The double smash burger and the fries were definitely the stars of the show. They didn't have any lemonade or "cherry blast" (stated on the menu), but they have plenty of canned sodas and milkshakes. The Oreo cookie shake after all this food sent me into a food coma. PRO-TIP: Definitely coming back for that double spicy chicken sandwich and more of those fries! If you're a fry snob like me, theirs won't disappoint.

Definitely better places but the fried chicken wrap is slightly above average. Good vibes all around.

Delicious burgers, service was chill , in the middle of Berkeley. I was lucky to find parking , will be back to try more food.

5 stars. I haven't had a burger in a few months and this place was fire. It is so much better than in n out. Even the fries were amazing. I've personally never done meth , but I can imagine this is what it's like...simply incredible Not even lying such a great burger . Best way to describe it: it's like the 2008 Transformers Megan Fox of burgers Would definitely highly recommended !

I waited about 10 minutes for the guy in the back to come take my order. I thought I was going to get my food somewhat quick but no took super long. While I was waiting a guy came in seems like it was someone they knew he had a longer order then mines and he got his order first before I even got mines. I got the Cal's burger with some fries and it was disgusting. I tried the French fries first and they were cold so that already gave me signs that the food wasn't going to be good. I the tried my burger and the cals burger has an egg in it and when I took a bite the egg tasted like it was spoiled. I instantly threw it out. I ended going to McDonald's to get a better burger than this one.

Today was my first time ever trying this spot, I was in the area and gave it a try. The food was overall really really good the burger was unique and great and the fries were seasoned well and nice and flakey. The onion rings were easily the best onion rings I've ever tried and they came in a huge portion. The workers were really helpful, caring, and friendly. The cook even went out his way to bring out the food to my table. I ended up paying $26 for a double smash burger, fries, a side of onion rings and a soda Which might seem pricy but for the overall quality and portion for the food it was worth every penny. The place was also very clean and well kept. With my experience anything under 5 Stars would be injustice. I never go out of my way to write reviews but I knew I had too after today I HIGHLY recommend this place to everyone and I will definitely be back!

Food is delicious, portions were large It is a bit pricey but the portion sizes were appropriate for prices. Will definitely go back for a treat

My boyfriend saw a tik tok of Cal's & decided he wanted to try it out. It took a while to find parking since it's in a busy area. When we arrived we were greeted and placed our order. I got a doublesmash burger with fries while my bf got the Cal's burger. We also got the onion rings & an Oreo shake to share. I really like that they gave us a variety of sauces! I enjoyed everything & the onion rings were my favorite. I feel like the patty itself could use a little bit more seasoning but still good. My bf liked his burger as well. I realized they didn't give us the shake so my bf reminded the guy & he had it out quickly after which I appreciated. I would say it's a pretty small restaurant & there were a lot of teens when we were there so it's definitely not the ideal sit down restaurant. I would definitely visit again tho!

Came in today and the owner Cal served us with a smile. I asked for my chicken sandwich to be deconstructed and he already knew what it meant and was more than happy to do so. I ordered a double chicken sandwich which came with fries and coleslaw and I asked for my fries to be crispy and an additional buffalo sauce. My partner got the chicken strips order. The owner was so sweet and gave us a glass of tea to try for next time! #1 I didn't receive my fries #2 I didn't receive my buffalo sauce #3 My partner's chicken strips were actually whole pieces of chicken that weren't cut. #4 Which is the big One. They have a number to call (so I Could have fixed the issue but we had drove to far to come back before my partner had to leave for work) but the number does not go to the restaurant. Just an answering machine telling you to order online. All in all I will be back but this was a slight inconvenience for me and I would have liked my French fries

Checked out this spot since I saw a billboard on University for it. The chopped cheese was very good. It was packed with flavor and oozing with cheese that you want to just eat the wrapper too. It took me a while to get my food tho (15 minutes), but I think they will get that down and figured out quickly. Their fries could be better. It's $13.5 for the sandwich and fries, however I would much rather not have the fries and get a few bucks off if that was an option. I would come back if I was in the area.

Walked down from work and stumbled upon Berserk. I lived in NYC so I'm familiar with the chopped cheese. Popped in around noon and wasn't busy. Open seating and clean. Ordered the sandwich without fries. Waited about 8-10 minutes. Nice flavor, needed multiple napkins to clean up the juices dripping. Could of used more meat and chopped up more. Want to try it with bacon inside. Will return!!

Asked for to go. Served me on a tray. Forgot the $7 shake i ordered and had to remind him and show receipt. Got food home. Burger had onions I asked to be excluded. Paid 2.99 for bacon on burger. No bacon on burger. Wasn't crowded. They just don't listen or care. Burger itself was ok.. not worth $15 Burn me once. Won't be back.

BERSERK BURGER IS OPEN!!! From the people across the street that own El Pollo Picante, they bring to us their take on smash burgers AND New York-style chopped cheeses. For those of you who don't know what chopped cheese is, chopped cheese is similar to a Philly cheesesteak but with ground beef and loads of flavor. I'll admit that I was hesitant on trying it at first, but it was pretty phenomenal. The flavorful French bread that Berserk uses is something I would want most of my sandwich-type meals to start with. The juices from the chopped cheese soaked right in and stayed there without a crazy mess. I also tried out their single smashed cheeseburger and their Berserk Burger which was a loaded double cheeseburger with bacon, egg, Berserk sauce, all the fixins', and grilled onions. (Yes I have quite the appetite) The patty was juicy and a great size. Seemed a bit bigger than a 1/4 pounder for each patty. I also had waffle fries and a sneak preview of their banana shake. The waffle fries were nicely seasoned and not overly salty at all. The banana shake was a good thickness and had an easy straw so my temples weren't popping out. They opened before their grand opening and are adding their furniture within the next week so I didn't judge the tables/chairs because they were temporary. I DID appreciate having several tables/chairs for my group. I should have known that this place would be a hit because their place across the street, El Pollo Picante, is also great. (The best fried chicken sandwich I've ever had) And yes, I've had many of them!

Beware of their scam system. Priced on menu ISNT what you're going to pay. I asked why isn't it the same? He said I changed it. No honoring their menu and customer service was beyond rude. They definitely don't practice hygiene. Burger tasted like a normal in n out patty. Won't be coming back.

This place has been my weekly lunch spot. Not only is the service good . the chicken is GOOD and flavorful, and the smash burgers are to die for . It's a nice little spot to visit when in Berkeley.

This review is solely based on the direct response from the owner explaining his reason for eliminating phone orders. It's extremely unfortunate that people will order food for pick up and then not pick it up leaving it to be unsold and literally taking money out of the pocket of a small business and ruining it for the rest of us. I appreciate the explanation and wish them the best of luck in the future.

Y'all stop hyping this place up. The burger was just okay. Nothing to write home to mama about. If you hate seasoned fries like I do then them coming with the meal is not a treat. Ultimately you're still paying for them. Miss me with the seasoned fries and Just give me my burger a la carte. Fact of the matter is I could do without both. But that chocolate milkshake was bomb. I'd make a trip back for that there milkshake. The service was fast and friendly. Although, when I asked a question about the size of the beef patty it through the cashier off and he had to go get someone else to assist. Huh? Anyway, in my unsolicited opinion the food wasn't worth the hard to park location or the moolah.

The burger is really, really good. The chopped cheese was very good up there with meals hoagie. 100 outta 100

Mikko's Tier List Reviews~ Food - Hard to go wrong with the food! Whoever is cooking is talented but tbh it's hard to mess up this type of food. Price - bit expensive for this type of food, which it was 1-2$ cheaper for all items Ambience/Atmosphere - Casual and quick, not much to say Wait time - None when I went, lots of open seats Individual Dish Ratings - Chopped Cheese - Solid overall, flavors were great Tier Verdict - S+ Tier (out of SS, normie grade is 90/100)

I had the smash-burger and it was the bomb!! Can't complain about a thing. Small place, good service and it was pretty darn fast. The bread was super fresh and the burger has that steak taste!

They used to be "Pollo Picante" across the street for anyone wondering. You get a TON of chicken on the sandwich and the fries are perfectly crispy. Spice/ Tajin in the honey is an awesome touch. Service is fine. Super cool art on the walls! I recommend going here for 4x more chicken and better sauce for less than what you would pay at any chain.