Help! Need cafe in Berkeley/Oakland

[essvee]

I just haven't found a good cafe on this side of the bridge yet. The one I'm looking for should be like my favorite in SF, Cafe Macondo in the Mission. I need used furniture, a game selection, a lot of crappy paperbacks, general dilapidation, no loud music and especially no techno music. Coffee is of secondary consideration. You can always add a shot of espresso if the coffee isn't that great. What I need is a mellow place to be comfortable and play chess all afternoon or evening. Any suggestions would be most welcome.

[gknl]

Did you see the thread about Mama Buzz Cafe? Well, not much of a thread, but it's owned by an egulleter's cousin: http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=27514

I haven't been there, but perhaps it's worth a look-see?

I miss hanging out in the Mission too but it's not really the same there anymore.

[essvee]

Thanks Grant. I'm gonna go check it out right now.

[megc]

What I need is a mellow place to be comfortable and play chess all afternoon or evening.  Any suggestions would be most welcome.

As far as chess goes, they may still be playing at Wall Berlin, in Berkeley on the southside of campus on Durant near the post office. For a long time that was a center of speed chess playing. It's got decent coffee.

Other places I've enjoyed are Strada on Bancroft at Hopkins/Monterey and Cafe Milano on Bancroft. Some people like Mediterreano on Telegraph, but I always thought their coffee was awful. Interesting people come and go through there, though.

I miss the cafe culture now that I'm here in NY (I lived in Berkeley for 9 years). NYers seem to like bars over cafes here.

[essvee]

Thanks for the tip, meg. I'll check em out.

[oscubic]

As far as chess goes, they may still be playing at Wall Berlin, in Berkeley on the southside of campus on Durant near the post office.  For a long time that was a center of speed chess playing.  It's got decent coffee.

I think Wall Berlin has been closed for a year or two now, replaced by a tea house that may have opened recently. I haven't been around for a few months so I can't say for sure. As far as cafes there's a place on Ashby and College that's always crowded if you're in the Elmwood neighborhood.

[megc]

I think Wall Berlin has been closed for a year or two now, replaced by a tea house that may have opened recently.  I haven't been around for a few months so I can't say for sure.  As far as cafes there's a place on Ashby and College that's always crowded if you're in the Elmwood neighborhood.

Wall Berlin closed?? Aw, too bad. Is the tea place any good?

That place on Ashby and College I think is an Espresso Roma, although they may call themselves something else, not sure. A couple other cafes come to mind - I think it's called "Berkeley Espresso" and it's on Shattuck and Hearst, I think. Then there is Cafe Firenze on Shattuck near the Downtown BART station.

[oscubic]

Haven't tried the tea place yet as I had been out of the country for a few months now. Am headed up to Berkeley tomorrow so there's a slight chance I'll hit up the tea place. While it was in construction I had the impression that it might end up being one of the many bad student targeted Pan-Asian establishments on the south side.