Old-school restaurants near Berkeley

Americas - USA West San Francisco Bay Area
1

What old-school restaurants still exist in Berkeley and nearby (Oakland through El Cerrito)?

A few years ago there were more (Brennan’s, Giovanni’s, Spenger’s, Walker’s, Mexicali Rose) but the only ones I can think of that are still open are Juan’s Place and the Townhouse in Emeryville.

Farther out in the East Bay there are more: Casa Orinda, Emil Villa’s Hickory Pit and Harry’s Hofbrau in San Leandro.

And San Francisco of course has many: Sam’s Grill, Tadich, House of Prime Rib, Fior d’Italia, Tommy’s Joynt, etc.

2

The place in Crockett I was thinking of was the Nantucket. The Dead Fish is part of the Stinking Rose group.

3

Maybe Sam’s Log Cabin.

There’s also a Hofbrau in Orinda

4

Europa Hofbrau felt more like a deli to me. Menu’s kind of old-school but the decor, atmosphere, and location are 1990s strip-mall.

Sam’s building is old (Sears catalog log cabin) but the menu’s pretty contemporary. Good food.

5

A friend said the Townhouse’s style isn’t the same under the new owners.

I guess there are no good old-school places left in the immediate area.

6

Just curious - what is the definition of old school restaurant - simply open for many decades or a certain style of dishes ? From the ones you listed I only know Harry’s as one is close by in RWC and the photos of the dishes on Yelp look like very “old fashioned”

7

I mean an old place that has preserved something of another era in its food and atmosphere. The two Harry’s are 1950s-era hofbraus, like the old Brennan’s in Berkeley or Tommy’s Joynt in SF. Too bad they added the TVs.

8

How did I forget Trader Vic’s?