Eccolo

Delicious, Delicious, The food was excellent quality and ingredients very fresh. The service was prompt and courteous. I've had a wonderful time every time I've visited. :)

Posted 01/12/09

An out-of-town foodie and I ate at the sparsely populated Eccolo recently where we gushed over the restaurant's amazing house-cured salumi plate and fab dessert but were DISGUSTED by the so-called crab-lemon pasta that had obviously been coagulating and hardening for about 30 minutes (and that was after having taken the advice of our wait person on her recommendation). However, if you eat nothing else, get that salumi platter! Historically, I've found their entries to be sometimes delicious and sometimes about the worst food I've ever eaten (except for Cyrus, that is!). Note: we advised our wonderful wait person of our issues with the pasta and the charges ($18 per plate) was immediately removed from the bill. And the dessert (3 varying types of gelato) were wonderful!

Pros: Great house-cured meats; lovely interior; spotless; terrific staff (except for weird hostess)

Cons: Lingering over wonderful appetizers results in COLD entrees; noisy; cold when front door opens

Posted 01/08/09

Eccolo has a relatively decent wine list with a focus on Italian wines. At the beginning, the waiter was quite helpful in regards to our wine selection. However as time went on and it became busier, it seemed the waiter was overworked. We had to wait almost an hour for our entree to come. For the price of the entree, the portion size and flavor was definitely lacking. We waited another 30-45 minutes for the waiter to order our dessert,which almost made up for the main dish. It had much more flavor and was almost bigger than our entrees. I would recommend Eccolo to someone looking for desserts and drinks, but not or a main course.

Pros: Desserts, Ambience, Drinks/Wine

Cons: Slow Service, Small Portions

Posted 02/16/08

I ate at Eccolo with a party of 7 on a recent Sunday evening. When we arrived at 5:30, the restaurant was maybe 1/4 full. It took a while, but our drink and dinner orders were taken and we were served water. Our wine arrived, then nothing happened for about 40 minutes. No refills on drinks, no appetizers.. When the appetizers finally arrived one was missing. We didn't do anything about it because we were just hoping dinner would arrive soon. 30 minutes later dinner finally arrived and we were shocked at the portion size. 3 of us had ordered a seafood stew that had a good flavor but almost no seafood in it. Another in our party had ordered a beef dish that again had good flavor, but was mostly lettuce/greens. Of course we wanted dessert after that, but had to track down a different waiter to get the dessert menu. I've never left a restaurant so hungry. There was a big party that started at around 6:15pm, and it seemed like all the staff was focused on that party. I would never eat here again.

Pros: Good location and ambience

Cons: Service, food

Posted 03/26/07

For each birthday, my family likes to get together and try a new fancy restaurant. But now that there are 2 toddlers in the family and we're new to Berkeley, I didn't know what to do. I picked Eccolo mainly because it's on 4th street, which I love. It ended up being the perfect place! The staff was very accommodating, especially regarding the toddlers. They had a separate kids menu and asked us soon after we arrived if we wanted to order something for the kids right away. The ambiance was very nice with the perfect amount of light. And the food was excellent. The proscuitto appetizer was fabulous and my butternut squash cannelloni was delicious. Whenever the little ones were restless we were able to take them outside, walk them down the street with lots to look at in the windows & not too busy with cars.

Posted 01/14/07

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times."

We booked a table for six for New Years Eve dinner - a chancey idea even in the best of restaurants. Arrived on time and were escorted to a table between the restrooms and the emergency exit. In spite of our protestations regarding the location of the table, it was either sit there or lose our deposit and any chance of dining elsewhere! Eccolo's New Years Eve dinner menu was severely limited - and, as it turned out, so was the service. The only water that was offered was bottled - both still and sparkling - no tap water, and, of course, all the bottled water had a hefty price tag. The food was, at best, inconsistent: all four of the prime rib dinners were oversalted, overpeppered and COLD! The plateau de fruits de mer was inadequate and not served with any additional plates; we had to ask for those. Shellfish seemed slightly stale.

Somehow, the restaurant managed to run out of most of their desserts (by 10pm!), and one of the offered substitutions (a fruit plate) consisted of two small tangerines, 2 dates and some nuts (looked like they were left over from Thanksgiving).

We were not made to feel welcome, there was no periodic check-back to see if we needed anything, we had to request wine to be opened and set up. There was absolutely no warmth to the experience - no frivolity, no party-like atmosphere - just $90 per head for a mediocre meal.

It does a disservice to Chez Panisse to include it in the resume of Eccolo's owner/chef. I spoke with him on our way out of the restaurant and indicated our displeasure. He seemed to be pleased that I kept my complaints brief and did not make any attempt to apologize or invite us back in the future.

In my humble opinion, Eccolo is overly pompous, overrated and overpriced. Avoid on New Years Eve - and at all other times.

Fortunately, we dined with warm and wonderful friends - that made it the best of times.

Cons: Overrated, overpriced, overly pompous

Posted 12/31/06

I've had several lunches and dinners here by now, and it's always been excellent. Really superb food each time, as well as knowledgable, attentive service. Highly recommended!!

Posted 12/29/06

We went to Eccolo's for dinner. It was good, but not stellar. We had the artichoke and persimmon appetizers. Both were innovative and delicious. The pork loin entree I ordered was very filling. I also had the vanilla panne cotta. Very light and smoothe. I thought the dining experience was alright. A little crowded with the seating and lacking a little in neatness. Service was fair. I would say that Eccolo was good, but not a stand-out. I think you could get something tastier for the same price or less. I am not sure I would agree with the 9.0 rating. It was an okay experience.

Pros: Good desserts, decent location

Cons: A little overpriced for food quality and service

Posted 11/19/06

I had heard a lot of good things about Eccolo. So I decided to finally give it a try. I met a friend the other day for lunch, and I have to say, I had a wonderful experience. We had a tough time deciding, because there was so much to choose from. My girlfriend who is vegetarian thouroughly enjoyed the Bucatini with chanterelle mushrooms. I had the Tuna sandwich, which had capers, olives and sliced cucumber. Fresh tasting and delicious. Our server was very pleasant and attentive. He was patient with our wine questions during what seemed to be a busy day. I had a great time. I can't wait to come back for the dinner menu.

Posted 11/07/06

I have hear quite a bit about this restaurant. I must say that the service was great, and the food was fantastic.

Posted 09/16/06

My boyfriend and I just had dinner at Eccolo this evening and I have to say that it was wonderful. We only went on a recommendation of a friend, because some of the reviews said that the place was horrible. I'M SO GLAD WE WENT!!! I will say that the service was somewhat indifferent, but it was far from bad. I personally prefer it when the staff doesn't want to be your new best friend. We began with the crab cakes. There were two little cakes fried to perfection. We then shared a second course of orecchiete, a type of pasta with which I was not familiar but am I ever glad that I know it now! It means "little ears" in Italian ( I didn't know this, but the waiter explained it... ), and the chef serves it with luscious house made sausage, cams and something spicy! It was one of the most delicious things I've ever eaten. My boyfriend had the squid and he said it was "super rico" (his native language is Spanish). I had the fritto misto with rabbit, green tomatoes, squash blossoms and eggplant. I was singing sweet songs of summer ex post facto, with vigor! For dessert, we shared a hot chocolate cake with whipped sweet cream and caramel sauce. It looked gorgeous on the plate and tasted even better.

I'm so glad we went. When in doubt, get thee to Eccolo!

Posted 07/28/06

My boyfriend and I visited Eccolo for lunch the other day. The food was good! We shared a corn soup, which was delicious and sweet. Then I had the Eccolo chopped salad with chicken. It was really simple but so tasty. And my boyfriend had the Spaghetti alla Norma, which we've both been wanting to try for some time. Also great! For dessert, we had a plum upside down cake and a berry gelato. Both were fresh and delicious. It seemed to me like the food at Eccolo was simple, fresh, and good. I would definitely go back.

Posted 07/26/06

I am so happy my partner and I decided to try this restaurant last night.
I ordered a Fritto Misto appetizer that was fantastic. I was so plentiful, a true mound of golden breaded eggplant, lemons, squash, and battered squash blossoms and squid...such a bargain for 10 dollars! My partner tried the grilled shrimp with romesco sauce. They were incredibly juicy and flavorful, set off by the bright crispness of lemony dressed cucumber.
We split a pasta as a middle course: orrecchiette with kale, sausage and clams. Simply sensational!
I had the duck as an entree, roasted to perfection and served with impeccable baby turnips and romano beans. My partner requested the chicken grilled "under a brick." Though I really don't think the chicken was actually grilled, it was succulent, tender, and complemented a sensational heirloom tomato salad deliciously.
We were clearly too stuffed for dessert, but we'll definitely try some on what is a guaranteed return visit. I can't imagine we'll be able to hold out for very long, as the food was truly superb.

Pros: Fantastic Food

Posted 07/25/06

We heard so much about the chef and how he used to work at Chez Panisse and the great food. We were sadly and extremely disappointed with REALLY bad service and terrible food. My boyfriend and I both ordered the steak, it was cold and the meat tasted really bad. They had put some butter on it, but it wasnt' even melted as the meat wasn't even warm enough! I ordered some appetizer which never made it to our table and when I mentioned it to the waiter he was not apologetic at all that he forgot to order it. The service was very, very poor. It was a slow night, so no excuses there. We ended up paying $90 for a food that went to the dogs! I could not touch the meat and neither could my boyfriend......but the dogs loved it.
If you want to have good food, don't go there.

Pros: The only place that was open on a Monday night.

Cons: Terrible food, horrible service, too expensive for nothing.

Posted 07/03/06

I was at Eccolo last night. But you would have thought we were in a TGIFridays based on the level of service received. The service was the worst I have received in a very long time. The waiter was inattentive and couldn't answer any questions about the menu. Service was so slow we had to get the waiter's attention when we wanted to order. When the food finally arrived, the portions were inconsistent and cold. We had to ask for the table to be cleared and again to have the glasses removed. The waiter never asked if our food was ok, if we wanted anything else, coffee, dessert,etc. When the bill came we asked that the mandatory 18% tip be taken off because the service was so poor, they did. I will never go there again.

Pros: parking

Cons: food, service

Posted 06/30/06

This is some of the rudest, most unfriendly service I have experienced in the East Bay. The waitress was never friendly, initially completely ignored us, then rushed us through our lunch though the restaurant was half-full. The food was poorly presented. We had to virtually beg for condiments. The manager demonstrated the same uncaring, unfriendly, obnoxiousness. I'd previously had pleasant experiences but this is a new low.

Cons: Arrogant, Rude

Posted 05/27/06

i lived in italy for two years, and the bollito misto sandwich is just like the one i used to have for lunch every day in florence. there's even celery in the salsa verde! i also love the spit-roasted chicken with asparagus bread salad.

sure, there are a couple of service problems, but the food is totally worth it.

oh, and the bittersweet chocolate cake is AMAZING!

Pros: great food, terrific wine list, local ingredients

Cons: just ok service

Posted 03/06/06

I don't have other words, this place is just terrible!
It claims to be italian but it looks like the chief never had italian food
if the main course would have been 10$ it was fine but here is 30$ or more
not worth even a try
I don't understand how it can be rated 9.0, it is a waste of your money

Pros: ambience

Cons: food, service, price

Posted 02/25/06

This place is horrendously overpriced for the quality of the food and service you receive.
Check this out:
We ordered linguine with clams.
The linguine arrived, but the clams languished.
When we brought this to the attention of the waiter, he took the plate back and put some steamed clams in the plate and returned it to us.
I was shocked but did not make a scene.
If this was the food court near UCB I would understand (although I can guarantee this does not happen there), but this is a place where an entree sells for $30.

Furthermore, I think the chef forgot Alice Water's number 1 rule:
fresh and good ingredients!!!
If I want excellent italian food I'd go elsewhere in the bay area.

If you really have to go there I suggest the Gnudi and the meat.

Pros: Lighting, Decorative oranges, gnudi

Cons: Service, sloppiness, price too high

Posted 02/19/06

After hearing good things, I went to Eccolo for brunch, and it was packed. Our server was competent and incredibly sweet, but obviously overexteded.
Curious, I asked my busy waitress how many other tables she was taking care of. The answer was "Oh, ten or so." Ten!! There's the problem. People will usually blame their server for bad service, but in this case fault lies with management. No restaurant that values its customers will give its waitstaff that many tables to take care of. Eccolo management has to decide if they care about their patrons enough to give them a server who is not stretched completely thin.
Additionally, I was told that they have huge problems with staff turnover, and can't hold onto anyone good. All of this points to major management problems, and the obvious result is poor service for us, the customers! I won't be back.

Cons: Long waits, Poor management

Posted 11/09/05

We happened upon this charmer of a restaurant for lunch during a shopping excursion, and it was so terrific, we made dinner reservations. For lunch, we had a delicious chopped salad with roquefort and chicken breast, and a yummy roast pork panino. The dinner menu was more varied, and delicious. We loved our heirloom tomato and romano bean salad, and a great antipasto plate. Ligurian fish stew and grilled rabbit were wonderful, and a simple plate of perfectly ripe plums and figs made our dessert. wine by the glass were reasonably priced and complemented the dishes we chose.

Pros: Pretty room, Good parking, Great Food

Posted 09/04/05

It's even better than most restaurants in Rome at that! Chris Lee's cooking is superb, imaginative and truly elegant. I have never eaten a dish at Eccolo that I didn't like and remember for a long time thereafter. The Tuscan fries with sage and rosemary are to die for, the stuffed zucchini flowers are worth the trip alone, and the risotto melts in your mouth. Zucchini flowers stuffed with ricotta and fresh herbs are a similar delight. It's light food, it's fresh food, it's natural food. My favorite.

Pros: great food, great atmosphere

Cons: service can be iffy, too far from SFO

Posted 08/06/05

Since its opening over a year ago, Eccolo has straightened out the occasional kinks of its first few months of service, about which there were justifiable complaints. Without any shadow of doubt, it now serves the best and most original food in the entire Bay Area, bar none - and including San Francisco. Chris Lee's cuisine is sensuous, refined, succulent - and always refreshing. Unfortunately, it is also very addictive . . . I wish I could eat there 365 days a year! The dishes represent personal and original favorites, tending mainly to Californian and nouvelle Italian - and Nouvelle-Lee. A real winner.

Pros: kids-friendly, good free parking, romantic

Posted 07/25/05

The food wasn't terrible, but it certainly wasn't good, and it was terribly overpriced. The menu, in an effort to be interesting, has sacrificed taste. I won't go back.

Cons: overpriced, food isn't good

Posted 05/30/05

I was very excited to try eccolo as it has been remodeled very nicely. However the service was too cute and insincere for its price category. staff needs some work as the food is less than exceptional.

Posted 04/23/05

I loved the location, loved the ambiance, loved the service, loved the idea of a great Italian place in Berkeley. It's the kind of place you could REALLY enjoy for Tuesday night, but with Saturday night prices. I'll definitely go back!

Pros: location, ambiance

Cons: price, unauthentic italian

Posted 02/10/05

Considering the pedigree of the chef, this place should be better. Mind you, it's not bad and I go here often, but it lacks flair and deep flavors and that WOW factor. It's kind of just functional.

Pros: nice spacious room, open air, not crowded tables --

Cons: , no parking for lunch

Posted 11/13/04

After another Untermann rave review, I had high hopes especially given the Chez Panisse roots of Chef Lee. Things started out with a spectacular lemon rosemary bread (from Della Frattoria in Petaluma) and an awesome Clerico Barbera which the waitress decanted for us in a superb decanter. Unfortunately, my duck was unacceptably over-salted and undercooked to the point of being tough and sinewy, difficult to cut even with a steak knife. I believe the delicious rich, dark, deep smokey flavor of duck is not achieved until the meat nearly begins falling off the bone (as Julia Child's steam-roasted method!). Eccolo's, however, disappointed: $25.00.

Pros: Fabulous Bread, Warm Service, Great Location

Cons: , Undercooking, Just OK Desserts

Posted 08/29/04

Our reservations were for 7:30. We were seated at 8:00. You expect that in SF but not in Berkeley. The waitress mixed up our food order, never brought simple things like sugar for iced tea when asked 3x! The waitress brought one entree 10 minutes after the rest of us got our entrees. Like some of the other reviews it just took way to long and the staff looked like they were all lost. They did take our first round of drinks off the bill but it still did nothing for our mood. It just was not a good experience.

Posted 07/23/04

I'm surprised to see so many negative reviews of Eccolo, and I think they stem from some less than sophisticated expectations. The menu is small and focused, and when the food is at its best, it's astonishingly good. There are a few oversights, like no seasoning on some of the fried items (which I guess could quickly ruin your opinion of a dish), and a so-so slab of beef at $32. But, the bollito misto and the grilled tuna were so perfect and tasty that I'd go back just to eat them again. Don't go to Eccolo ready to compare it to Chez Panisse or anything else--enjoy it for what is: beautifully prepared, simple, vibrant food.

Pros: wonderful ingredients, great service

Cons: , very limited menu

Posted 07/21/04

It took us 2 1/2 hours to eat 3 courses!! Every course took at least 25 minutes to get to our table. And the food was not worth the wait, either. The fritto misto was bland and my pasta dish was SO dry. The only dish i actually enjoyed was the gelati which by the way took them 30 minutes to bring. How long does it take to scoop 3 scoops of ice cream into a bowl?! Definitely not worth the wait or the price.

Posted 07/18/04

Went there for Sunday lunch. Menu looks good but when the food arrived, they were quite small. Pasta dish I had was too salty, so I returned it. I was brought the same dish but again it was way too salty. I'll try this place one more time.

Pros: Good service

Posted 06/21/04