South SideThis area is the more "happening" side of campus with tons of undergrads in the area. With Frat Row on Piedmont and three undergraduates dormitories, this area can get a little loud on a Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night. It is convenient to live on this side because you close to Haas - roughly 5-10 min walk. It is also about 10-15 mins from the BART with access to pretty much all of the AC Transit bus lines. Some campus housing options include:
Jackson House - Graduate Housing. This is where I lived. I lived with 3 flatmates in a 4 bdrm apt, 2 bths. It's a bit expensive as it cost about $950. Included are maid service every week, all utilities including water, electricity, cable TV, and campus T3 Internet service. Roughly ~5 Haas Students live here.
International House - "I-House" is not just for International Students, but for all students - both graduates and undergraduates. Rent is a bit cheaper at $11k / year with everything at Jackson House and a meal plan. Roughly ~5 House Students live here.
Both options are great for single students who want to be close to campus.
Another ways of looking for Housing in Berkeley:
Cal Rentals - costs like $40 to view all the listings, but its worth it
Housing Maps - integrates craiglists and google maps. Pick SF-East Bay for Berkeley
It is also super close to the 'Asian Ghetto', the unofficial title of the food court located on Durant Ave. This food court has been my favorite place to eat because of its low price ($5-$8) and wide variety. Some of my favorite establishments include:
Gypsy's - Great Italian food for about $7 bucks. Try the Godfather's Favorite or Gypsy's Special.
Thai Basil - Great Thai food for about $7 bucks. Portions are a bit smaller, but the food is tasty.
Steve Korean BBQ - Cheap Korean BBQ for about $6. The running joke is that Steve is not Korean, but the food is good.
Vietnamese / Chinese - The owners are Chinese, but they have Pho. I like this place because they are cheaper (@ ~$5) and satisfies my Chinese and Vietnamese fixes.
Across the street are:Top Dog - Berkeley's most popular hot dog place. Try the Chicken Apple, Lemon Chicken, or Louisiana (spicy) for something different. A bit pricy at $2.5 / dog, but it's good.
La Burrita - Open till 2am (like Top Dog), they have good Mexican food at a low price ~ $5-7 / plate. Try the enchiladas, wet burrito, and philly steak burrito.
House of Curries - I like it a bit more than Naan and Curry. A bit pricey though at $8 / curry and $2 / naan.
Further Down West:Pizza by the Slice -
Fat Slice and
Blondies. I am personally partial to the pepperoni at Fat Slice because their dough and crust are softer, while Blondies is more dense and thinner. But at about $3 / slice (a really big slice), its a great deal either way.
Thai House - Actually down Channing, it has slightly better Thai food at about ~$8-9.
Great Wall - On Shattuck, this is the most authentic Chinese Food you will find in Berkeley. Great Peking Duck. Expect $10-$20 / person.
Angeline's Louisiana Kitchen - Pretty good southern food (although I'm not sure if I'm the best judge of its authenticity). Usually get the cajun shrimp or jambalaya. About ~$9-$15.
Up for something more expensive?Unicorn - Asian Fusion. Menu changes weekly with interesting dishes like Wasabi Curry and Lychee Duck. A good deal at about ~$20 / person.
Adagia - Located right on College/Bancroft across campus so you will run into a lot of professors. Typical California food, have had the lamb, steak, and scallops. ~$25-35 / person.
Kirala - Japanese Sushi on Shattuck. Never been, but heard its pretty good. Expensive though - $30-$40.
Local Bars:Henry's - At the Durant Hotel. Used to have 2 beers for $2 on Tuesday. I think their happy hours are now on Weds. More of a quiet / chill / older bar (except after Football Games).
Blake's - There is a dance floor in the basement. The stickiness of the bars/tables bother me sometime, but its a reasonable bar/resturant
Raleigh's - Similar to Blakes, but I like it more. Better selection of beer and gives off a cleaner feel.
Bear's Lair - Official school bar/pub. Beer is cheap and convenient. Good place to go to after a tough statistic's final.
Bars on Shattuck:Beckett's - Irish Pub. Grab some Guinness and you're looking good.
Jupiter - Has a nice outdoor area where they have live music. They brew their own beer and have awesome pizza.
Triple Rock - They also brew their own beer, but its a bit on the smaller side. Across the street is a late-night Thai food place with cheap food.
More info on bars, http://www.10best.com/Berkeley/Nightlife/Bars/index.html
Pros: Convenient location, Lots of really cheap food, Close to Haas (5-15 mins walk)
Cons: Lots of undergrads, kind of rowdy on the weekends, Expensive parking ($175 / month)