Becketts of Berkeley

Everytime I walk by this place I get a little angry and nostalgic for what used to be.
This place is now Bec’s. A sad excuse of what used to be one of the best Irish pubs in the bay area, Beckett’s.
Beckett’s always had amazing beer on tap and events during the week. I loved coming here on a weekday, grabbing a table, ordering a Chimay beer and listening to Bay area musicians on open mic night.
I have yet to step into Bec’s, because everytime I walk by and peek inside I gag a little at whatever is going on in there. (Sorry if this is harsh, this was my favorite bar.)
From the Unilocal Bec reviews, I’m thinking people aren’t too fond of whatever is going on in there either.
Some advice, get rid of all the hoopla and chill a little. Simplify the chaos that is going on.

These are the things I liked about Becketts: the rustic old Irish cabin feel, the fireplace, Magnar’s on tap, the french fries (or chips)
These are the things I didn’t like about Becketts: the bland turkey burger, the weaksauce bread bun, the limited menu
I would be game to go back, but after I sample more bar/​restaurants in the area first.
*Oh, make sure not to sit in the small alcove in the front if you want to get service. It apparently is just for drinks and you will have to get those at the bar. My friend and I discovered this after 15 minutes of waiting around. Once we were seated by the fireplace our service was fine.

This bar is low-​key with a punch of hip. I use to come here during my college years. They have live music at night, large selection of food and drinks, and a laid back atmosphere where you can enjoy with friends.
You would think a ton of college kids came in here, but you’ll find that the crowd is older with a slight breeze of sophistication. The music can be monotone at times, but still entertaining.
I came here to celebrate birthdays and it was always fun. I particularly liked sitting by the warm fireplace while sipping my wine. :)
It’s close to campus and walking distance from the BART so driving is not required if you’ve had a few too many drinks.
Overall, I’d give it 3.5 stars.

With all this talk of Beckett’s closing, I’m really glad that I managed to finally go for the first time a couple of weeks ago.
It was raining ridiculously hard. Like, Vancouver-​esque rain (what’s the deal, California? I chose to move here SPECIFICALLY to get away from rain for four years and you always throw this at me every October.) Anyway, my friend and I were feeling in the mood for some Irish fare (or at least a large glass of Guiness) and decided to go to Beckett’s.
The atmosphere of the downstairs area is really quaint. Not as polished as Mahoney and Sons on the UBC campus but I like the rustic feel. We seated ourselves next to a big fireplace which was sadly unlit, but the room was still feeling really cozy. I was waiting for a hobbit to pop out of the woodwork at any moment.
The food was pretty good and very filling. We both had the beef burgers which were grilled well-​done as per our request. My friend washed hers down with the aforementioned Guiness and was content.
Service was… okay. Our waitress was attentive but I kind of felt that she hated her life.

My experience at Beckett’s was pretty good. Compared to other restaurants around Berkeley, Beckett’s is probably most well known with their unique ambiance. It is a very social, relaxed environment. They have a lot of options for entertainment, drinks and food.
It could be a great place to hang out with your friends on a friday night, drinks or social gathering.
I held my 21^st Birthday party there and the restaurant provided a nice private room for around 12 guests. It was intimate for friends to talk. I recommend getting their apple cider beer, which was delicious! They definitely card, just so you know.
Most of us ordered: Fish n’ chips, cottage pie which were all pretty good. I think its awesome that they serve fish n’ chips with mashed green peas, which I fell in love with. Their fish was crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. A little oily for my liking but tastes great when topped with freshly squished lemon juice. Their cottage pie was okay. Imo, it was a little too sweet (probably from the ketchup). The pie was served with tossed salad. (See my pictures.)Honestly speaking, their food is okay but their beer selection is supposed to very well known. So I would assume this is pretty good place for late night/​after dinner drinks because they also offer appetizers.
Reservations is important if you have more than 5 ppl. Call them if you have a big group. If your party is large enough, 15 or so, they reserve the bear room for you :)
Prices are decent, nothing was over $ 15 unless it was a huge meat dish.
Unfortunately, I hear that Beckett’s will close soon, so try it before they are gone D:

WHY!!!
What a great building.
I am going to boycott the next restaurant just because it will never be the same!
RIP Becketts
Make sure to check this place out while its open!

I love Beckett’s of Berkeley, after last night’s after party I wanted to update my review to include some of the food we had. I ordered some of my seafood favorites off the appetizer menu as a meal.
I ordered the Mussels in Irish Whiskey Sauce, Bacon, Garlic, Cream and Parsley — which were fantastic. These are a great dish to share and very flavorful.
I also ordered the Dungeness Crab Cakes, Roasted Pepper Vinaigrette and Arugula. I’m a sucker for Crab and since I was sharing with my favorite Ginger, Alexandra N. — we had to go for our crabcakes.
Thursday night is Corned Beef and Cabbage night and next time I’m going to go with that — because it looked incredibly yummy and I love love love Corned Beef.

I’ve been to the bar at Beckett’s a few times to watch a friend of mine perform. There are always live bands there on weekends, so that is a plus (music a little loud sometimes, but it’s a nice change from some of the other bars in the college area). There are two floors, so it’s reasonably easy to find seating (much easier on weekdays).
The drinks are okay; I would recommend just ordering beer because the cocktails are not very good & the bartenders give you attitude. I once asked for a lemon drop from the bartender downstairs and he gave me the worst service I have ever gotten, especially for ordering what I think is a pretty standard drink (not like I was asking for a blended piña colada or anything ridiculous). It was also terrible… so in general, I just avoid that bartender & things are good.

I was here for the Nerdilicious UYE hosted by the effervescent Kristy O.
I simply loved their seafood Shepherd’s Pie. The shrimps and fish in it were tasty and creamy and the smooth layers and swirls of creamy potatoes baked to a light crispy perfection was the perfect offset to the treasure trove that lay underneath.
A friend told me he tried the other three shepherd’s pie on the menu and that they were all very good.
I also tried a bite or two of the appetizers from the plate of others and they were pretty good too — though I don’t remember what they were.
The Pinot Grigio was rather mild (my benchmark is the one they served at ‘Gather’) but still good nonetheless. I forget the other drink I had but that was good too — I think it was a Mojito (or was that a Margarita?)
We booked an area on the upper level — this is definitely a place that caters to large groups too.
I would definitely come back!

It’s not often that I’m motivated to leave the San Francisco city limits. I mean, pretty much everything I could ever want or need is right here.
But a few weeks ago a compelling motivation arose: The charming Kristy O had organized a Unilocal UYE and it was to take place in Berkeley.
So I hauled myself across the bay to Beckett’s, which entailed taking TWO trains. TWO! But you know what? I’d do it again. I liked Beckett’s…a lot.
They had set aside a little pocket for us upstairs. I loved that there was a bar up there as well so that we wouldn’t have to chase down a waiter or waitress. The service was speedy and efficient and we had plenty of space to move around even with a row of tall bar tables. I wish I had taken the opportunity to try the tempting-​looking grub; judging from the fries I managed to steal when John P wasn’t looking, I don’t think I would have been disappointed. Next time, I intend to try the dining room.
Yes, next time. Beckett’s is only about a block and a half away from the downtown Berkeley BART station so I no longer have an excuse for ensconsing myself in San Francisco!

Plastic cups on St. Patrick’s Day? Boo.
Free bead necklaces with a 3 leaf clover baller pendant? Yay.
So…I arrive around 6pm, welcomed by staff outside who check your ID. Warned by John B. to head over early lest be beaten by a sizable line I follow his advice and go early. I am given a red band around my arm to distinguish me as drink purchase worthy. Next thing I know there’s a crowd of moms and pops and kids on the bottom floor getting jiggy with it, and a somewhat empty bar with nonexistent happening Irish music.. Bar=Irish pub=St. Patty’s Day=6pm=day light still= kids present= WHERE THE HECK AM I? *Disoriented*
Well, Beckett’s is a restaurant and bar and I suppose the upstairs did still maintain its bar-​esque so props to that. But, it really got me out of the mood and I subsequently did not feel like drinking.
St. Patty’s at THE Irish pub establishment in Berkeley doesn’t mean you can hold high expectations and get it satisfied. So go later in the evening. We left around 8pm to eat at which point all the families were gone and the drinking crowd was filtering in – so I assume. (It was hot that day though, I wonder how sweaty it got in there!)
Next year if I’m still in Berkeley, I’ll def make a trip over to Beckett’s, I’ll wait in the line at 9pm, and drink with hopefully lots of live Irish music playing in the background.
Though my review is harsh, I love Beckett’s so it gets a loyalty star bonus, which bumps my review from a 3 to a 4.

St. Patty’s Day 2010
plastic cups: Sure, they could be a little more sustainable about this, but I don’t see any reason to complain about no glassware on as hectic a day as this. It is an Irish bar on an Irish drinking holiday, so obviously it’s going to be a riot in here. Why would any college bar in their right mind serve everyone booze in pint glasses only to have them break all over the place.
waiting time: Just come early! I admit it seems wrong to be drinking when there’s still a full blast of sunlight outside, but if you go early, you can get shiny necklaces, listen to the fiddleplayer, and have enough floor space to do a jig. You snooze, you lose, and wait.
crowd demographics: This is why I love this place. They will never get serve me a black and tan, black velvet, or snakebite right, but I still love it because it’s the one bar I feel most comfortable in any time of day or whatever occasion with whatever people. The mix of people here is so odd, but cool at the same time. You’ve got your frat boys, gramps, nerdy undergrads, hot grad students, out of towners, and what have you. I saw lots of babies and children about, but they all cleared out by nightfall. Plus, props to the pregnant lady with the resistance of steel!

Top-​shelf trivia night (tuesday) and actually drinkable $ 3 pint specials.
I can’t remember the last college bar where the bartender immediately remembered my name and my tab, the pub quiz director gave our team two shout outs, and when ordering at the crowded bar between rounds, I didn’t have to resort to ANY of those hilarious bud light commercial tricks for getting the bartenders attention. (contemplated the prairie dog or the periscope once or twice)
Hadn’t been here in almost 5 years, but now that I’m back in Berkeley more often, may start making a habit of it (especially since I hear the bangers and mash is amazing)

The first time I came to Beckett’s was for my 21^st birthday & the bartender gave me a hard time. We walked in with at least 10 people & I couldn’t believe it! Luckily, he was trying to be cute & scare me.
Shout out to my favorite bartender, Richard! Scott is pretty great too & I haven’t had a hard time with the other bartenders. I think it’s called being patient or was it respectful? .Not too sure.
The drinks are strong & if you aren’t feeling up to liquor, the large beer selection should tickle your fancy.
I must say I haven’t tried the food here yet [I never get there early enough — kitchen closes at 10p] but friends say that the food is surprisingly good. Seating isn’t a problem when the upstairs portion is open & there are bathrooms on both floors.
– Quick tip: If you don’t like the loud/​live music, then maybe you shouldn’t be out so late? Just saying.
Live music is from Thurs — Sun, I believe. The music is top notch & always adds to an already warm atmosphere.
Beckett’s is the neighborhood bar that I will always keep coming back to!

Dropping by I was surprised I’d never actually been in this place before.
I mean I’m almost never in Berkeley any more, but it just seems like a place I’d like. Irish, which I am, and warm, which I love.
I ended up ordering the butternut squash soup since everything else on the menu reminded me of a fairy tale feast.
At first it was tasty and hearty with a «stuffing» vibe to it. But several hours later it made me sick to my stomach, possibly because it was so rich.
I wasn’t pleased with the bread, finding it to be heavy as well, but their steak cut fries were quite yummy and their ranch sauce crisp.
I’d come back, but order something different.

12.12.09
Berkeley pub crawl — stop three — Beckett’s
So I admit I never came here when I was in college. Not sure why, I lived two blocks away. But I digress.
They have a fireplace! It’s pretty awesome since it was raining pretty hard outside. We found little motivation to move from Beckett’s to location number four, but weekend warriors have to march on.
Good Guinness, nice bartenders.
Oh, if you’re a FRIENDS fan, they have Boddington’s on tap!

In sum: good drinks, nice atmosphere, generally very clean.
I didn’t have any interaction with the staff so I don’t know how good/​friendly they were.
Doesn’t seem like a place where you should be ordering fancy drinks though… stick to the hard liquor and beer.

A few weeks ago, I wandered into Becketts with some out of town guests looking for drinks and a bite to eat.
The décor is charming and the cocktails were decent, but the food was disappointing. I ordered the prime rib and it was the worst prime rib ever: extremely dry and flavorless. Honestly, I have had better prime rib at Denny’s… for half the price. My dinner companions found their meals adequate, but nothing special.
I’d recommend Becketts for cocktails, but suggest eating elsewhere.

This place is all right, if you keep your drink orders to just beers. Their cocktails are of questionable quality and ther service isn’t too nice if you challenge them by ordering something less than ordinary. Even some commonplace drinks can be messed up; like a black and tan. I ordered one, the bartender swore he made it correct with Guinness and Smithwick’s.
What’s wrong with this picture?
That’s not a black and tan, it’s a black and less black (properly called a Blacksmith). I don’t like being told by server than I am wrong.
Isn’t the customer always right?
Still, keep it to simple orders like «hefewiessen» or «Jameson’s on the rocks» and you’ll be fine. Stray off the reservation and you will get the ‘tude.
I really don’t have issues with the bad cocktails, not every bar can have awesome cocktails. I just wish the bad cocktails didn’t come with a dose of the bartender’s attitude.

This is going to be kind of a weird review. We left another place because it got way too crowded and hot. Some people were heading over to Becketts and we decided to follow them, even though we never found them once we got there.
It was too late to eat and I didn’t have a drop to drink. The atmosphere was awesome though! Multiple levels, lots of room, cool décor, plenty of seating, etc. I swear I saw one of the pretty Forbidden Island cocktail waitresses behind the counter serving drinks. If it wasn’t her, it was her twin.
I need to come back when this is the first place we stop, instead of the last.