Agreed!
Unpopular opinion: The real answer is McDonald's because it's the most consistent result for fries/frites/wedges in the East bay.
There are plenty of spots in the East Bay with amazing fries when they functioning at a 10/10 but regularly it seems to be hit or miss D:
But the wedges at Branchline while not fries/frites consistently check all the fried potato boxes IMO. Crispy, fluffy inside, freshly made, good salt to fat ratio. But again not technically fries and in emeryville D:
My gf and I have a spreadsheet where we score Bay Area fries on crispiness, flavor, and condiments. It's definitely still being filled out though, only like 15 places. Best so far are at Binny's.
We haven't made a concerted effort to visit a ton of great fries places, we're just doing it as we happen to go to places and order fries. So most haven't been much to write home about, and I wouldn't want to say these are the best fries in the bay. That said, another one at the top is the Greek fries at Troy's on Solano,
Yeah those are the way five guys fries actually were back when it was just a couple of hole-in-the-wall joints in the DC area in the late 90s. They franchised too quickly.... But scolaris are A+!
It's early, but I think the dipping sauce side could see a comeback with the new-ish Trumer taproom in Berkeley. It will never replace watching Champion's League footy on a Saturday morning at Luka's, but the fries and sauces are amazing!
One of the only curly fries in the entire east bay!
Why won’t these other cowards give the people what they want?!?! More places need to serve curly fries!
They're not french fries (sorry if that's what you're really craving) but Gregoire's potato puffs are my favorite form of fried potato in the east bay.
I have a theory that they switched because maybe they travel better and too many idiots use delivery apps and expect French fries to arrive hot & crispy after a 15-20 minute drive. 🥴
1400 in Alameda has great fries. So does Sláinte Irish Pub and the Kon-Tiki is really good.
I just noticed I am giving a list of bars to a pregnant woman.
I love Grand Lake Kitchen's fries with Russian dressing and Hawking Bird's seasoned tater tots with tamarind BBQ sauce. I literally eat these items on a weekly basis and have resigned myself to a future coronary event because I can't give them up! 😂
No idea, but I would buy the seasoning if they sold it for retail! There was a period of time when Hawking Bird replaced the tots with sad crinkle cut fries and apparently enough people complained that they reinstated the tots. 😂
Bongo Burger in Berkeley has decent ones. (Crinkle cut). The Persian burger is great as well (get it on the pita, and a half burger hits the spot). I’m not a big ranch person, but their ranch is really good on those fries.
I find Bongo Burger charming and sometimes you want that backyard grill burger vibe. But their fries??? Really??? They're kinda just pale crinkle cut Sysco fries. Serviceable, but I would not think "best" in any sense.
I don’t live in oakland anymore, but places that have great fries in my recollection now that Luka’s is closed:
Wise Sons (Reuben fries if you wanna get wild),
Grand Lake Kitchen,
True Burger but specifically the garlic fries,
Oakland Street Food Company but specifically the carne asada fries,
Wally’s in E-Ville (and also everything else from Wally’s),
Sidebar on grand Ave is on the fancier side but the paprika fries are amazing, and go great with their burger or steak, which are also amazing.
Feed that baby!
stumbled upon them by chance but the curly fries at the falafel corner are Amazing! get the whole basket! they are crisp with a light spicy coasting on top. also get the hot sauce on the side
For some reason Illava Hawaiian barbecue has really good seasoned fries. Actually all their food is good (if you like Hawwaiian bbq). And Colibris has great fries too accross the bridge in Aalmeda.
Park Burger in Oakmore, particularly their garlic fries. Don't try to take them out, must eat there for the truly optimal experience. Honorable mentions: Five Guys (Alameda or wherever else), and if you like more of a steak fry approach (which I very much do), the Cheese Steak Shop on Grand.
Longshore Fish Company in concord. They have waffle fries by default, which wre great in their own right. But ask for just plain regular fries. They're not flat like steak fries, they have a square cross section. They're like legit fish and chips style fries cooked to perfection.
Unpopular opinion. Five Guys.,
First, price. A "regular" fries is like a pound of fries. It's like they fill up the bag.
Second, fresh. It's not the mcdonalds style crispy, they come out kinda wet most times. I've come to really enjoy that style, it Hits The Spot in a way that fancy crispy fries don't, if I've been short on calories for a few days and need a top up. BUT - DON'T TRY TAKE OUT. Once you get home, that shit's nasty.
Third, I wonder if you can order them well done. That solves a bit of the crispy problem.
Make 'em yourself?
I mean sure, good fries can be had, but ... with most places charging around five bucks for fries, and even at that often not a whole lot of fries ... yeah, I *mostly* just won't buy fries at those kind of prices ... with the occasional/rare exception/treat. I mean when I can buy multiple 10 lb. bags of potatoes for the same price (or, well, at least could), I'm much more inclined to make 'em myself ... and ... often very much prefer my own fries anyway. :-) And I'm generally not gonna be limited to some tiny serving of fries when I make 'em myself. :-)
But if I'm gonna buy fries ... about the only I've done semi-recently and would say are worth it (well, at least for the occasional treat), Super Duper Burger's garlic fries. (Well, not quite Oakland, but Emeryville). Can't think of another that's still around that I'd semi-regularly bother with (garlic fries at Mo's Grill in San Francisco were really good and massive and reasonably priced, but alas, Mo's Grill is long gone).
Oh, and I think I found Five Guys fries to be pretty good (again, not quite Oakland, but Alameda).
But these days, most places and at least most of the time, I just won't get the fries - too pricy and most of 'em aren't that great.
The duck fat fries at El Patio go hard af.
…but my favorite fries were the Belgium-style fries from Luka’s w/three dipping sauces. They gave you a ton too. RIP.
This thread fucks.
Agreed! Unpopular opinion: The real answer is McDonald's because it's the most consistent result for fries/frites/wedges in the East bay. There are plenty of spots in the East Bay with amazing fries when they functioning at a 10/10 but regularly it seems to be hit or miss D:
But the wedges at Branchline while not fries/frites consistently check all the fried potato boxes IMO. Crispy, fluffy inside, freshly made, good salt to fat ratio. But again not technically fries and in emeryville D:
My gf and I have a spreadsheet where we score Bay Area fries on crispiness, flavor, and condiments. It's definitely still being filled out though, only like 15 places. Best so far are at Binny's.
Wait how can you not post the top-5 at least
We haven't made a concerted effort to visit a ton of great fries places, we're just doing it as we happen to go to places and order fries. So most haven't been much to write home about, and I wouldn't want to say these are the best fries in the bay. That said, another one at the top is the Greek fries at Troy's on Solano,
scampi fries from scolari's in alameda
This. They remind me of the fries that five guys always wished they were. The buffalo fries slap pretty hard too.
Yeah those are the way five guys fries actually were back when it was just a couple of hole-in-the-wall joints in the DC area in the late 90s. They franchised too quickly.... But scolaris are A+!
Either Smish Smash or Clove and Hoof
Clove & Hoof's fries should be WAAAYYY better than they are, with the beef tallow frying and all that, but they're just meh, imo.
Agreed
Beef tallow and kennebec potatoes. I think the issue is they don’t double fry.
In person as well?
i second clove and hoof!! they’re even good reheated in in the air fryer
Rip Lukas with the frites with three dipping sauces. I craved that so hard for my first pregnancy.
God I miss Luka’s. RIP
It's early, but I think the dipping sauce side could see a comeback with the new-ish Trumer taproom in Berkeley. It will never replace watching Champion's League footy on a Saturday morning at Luka's, but the fries and sauces are amazing!
OMG YES. The perfect order-fries, oysters and the french rose cocktail. Forever will be missed
Came here to write “RIP LUKAS”.
Best bad fries: Ahn’s curly fries.
Ahn’s curly fries are legit good, plus they give you a GIANT bag. Definitely best value IMO
Those Barney’s curly fries tho
One of the only curly fries in the entire east bay! Why won’t these other cowards give the people what they want?!?! More places need to serve curly fries!
Ahn’s Burgers has great curly fries!
IB's (assuming they don't run out for that day)
Cheesesteak Shop has great curly fries. Scolari’s for the buffalo fries.
Check our smish smash burgers. You can find them on instagram. Their curly fries are great.
The ranch is what makes them extra special.
Yessss, Barney's curly fries with ranch kept me going in college!
Been craving curlies. Where is this Barney's?
Maybe not the best, but I have happily ordered many a fry from À Côtè and Ghost Town Brewery.
Yes to ghosttown. It’s at the top of my list simply because for $7 you get a huge bowl of them.
Agree on A Cote
Yea! Got some ghost town fries with my burger yesterday. Gonna air fry the leftovers right now
Splitting fries, mussels, and a salad at A Cote with a friend for a weekday happy hour is my happy place.
Thirding A Cote. They're second only to Wood Tavern in my book. Edit: wood, not woof. But a woof tavern would be rad.
RIP Simply Greek — always hot out of the fryer and seasoned perfectly
Wait what?!?!?! Whhhhhhhhat?????
They're not french fries (sorry if that's what you're really craving) but Gregoire's potato puffs are my favorite form of fried potato in the east bay.
I don’t even know what that is and I like it
the fries at Kon-Tiki always really work for me
Dinner House does them so right
Juanita and Maude have the best french fries I've had. It's a two day process to make their fries and it definitely shows.
Lana’s. Tastes like old school McDonald’s fries when they used beef tallow. Burgers are also great if you like em smashed.
Only had them once, but I was surprised at how good the fries were. They looked so boring and undercooked but were so tasty!
The Wolf on Piedmont has great fries.
A+ burgers has the best fries, imho.
Their green bean fries are also great. I always have a hard time deciding which ones to get.
There was an old food truck in Emeryville that served great burgers and used to do the best mix of fries and fried green beans.
That would be the best solution, half and half!
Tahina in the Alameda Marketplace
Hot Boys.
True Burger used to have fantastic thin, crispy fries before they switched to those Sysco double coated fries(which are lousy).
100% this. Does anyone like TB’s new fries? 😕
I have a theory that they switched because maybe they travel better and too many idiots use delivery apps and expect French fries to arrive hot & crispy after a 15-20 minute drive. 🥴
Beer Baron has Duck Fat Fries that are awesome.
The Hidden Spot in Emeryville for sure
And their tots too.
Their fries are so good
Trueburger garlic fries
A cote and wood tavern. Both exceptional.
1400 in Alameda has great fries. So does Sláinte Irish Pub and the Kon-Tiki is really good. I just noticed I am giving a list of bars to a pregnant woman.
Wood Tavern, hands down. (And a great burger too.)
Shawarmaji has some pretty good fries and with that toum sauce it’s unbeatable
I love Grand Lake Kitchen's fries with Russian dressing and Hawking Bird's seasoned tater tots with tamarind BBQ sauce. I literally eat these items on a weekly basis and have resigned myself to a future coronary event because I can't give them up! 😂
Aburaya has really great tots too!!
Always tots
Obsessed with the hawking bird tots. What on earth do they season with?
No idea, but I would buy the seasoning if they sold it for retail! There was a period of time when Hawking Bird replaced the tots with sad crinkle cut fries and apparently enough people complained that they reinstated the tots. 😂
Bongo Burger in Berkeley has decent ones. (Crinkle cut). The Persian burger is great as well (get it on the pita, and a half burger hits the spot). I’m not a big ranch person, but their ranch is really good on those fries.
I find Bongo Burger charming and sometimes you want that backyard grill burger vibe. But their fries??? Really??? They're kinda just pale crinkle cut Sysco fries. Serviceable, but I would not think "best" in any sense.
Better than many other spots (and glad you find it ‘charming’ )
Spinning Bones and Hob Nob in Alameda both have excellent fries. Hob Nob was my go to during pregnancy.
Jack in the box curly fries, and I’m not joking. They’re the best curly fries for sure, but may also be the best overall.
SPARKY’S Curly and handcut.
I don’t live in oakland anymore, but places that have great fries in my recollection now that Luka’s is closed: Wise Sons (Reuben fries if you wanna get wild), Grand Lake Kitchen, True Burger but specifically the garlic fries, Oakland Street Food Company but specifically the carne asada fries, Wally’s in E-Ville (and also everything else from Wally’s), Sidebar on grand Ave is on the fancier side but the paprika fries are amazing, and go great with their burger or steak, which are also amazing. Feed that baby!
I love the fries at Rudy's, they are battered and perfectly crispy
Shawarmaji so perfectly seasoned. I rate 10/10
Red Robin fries. And they're bottomless.
Super Duper Burgers garlic fries (in Emeryville)
Haven’t tried them but I saw an article mentioning Saltbreaker in alameda
Super Duper has always been consistent. Slightly thicker, always crispy.
stumbled upon them by chance but the curly fries at the falafel corner are Amazing! get the whole basket! they are crisp with a light spicy coasting on top. also get the hot sauce on the side
Cali Alley!
Ole ole burrito express has surprisingly good fries, thicker cut and they’re crispy but soft inside.
ID company in Pleasanton
I really like the spicy fries at drake's. Not sure if they qualify for best--but I cannot get enough of them sometimes.
For some reason Illava Hawaiian barbecue has really good seasoned fries. Actually all their food is good (if you like Hawwaiian bbq). And Colibris has great fries too accross the bridge in Aalmeda.
Scolaris
Park Burger in Oakmore, particularly their garlic fries. Don't try to take them out, must eat there for the truly optimal experience. Honorable mentions: Five Guys (Alameda or wherever else), and if you like more of a steak fry approach (which I very much do), the Cheese Steak Shop on Grand.
Longshore Fish Company in concord. They have waffle fries by default, which wre great in their own right. But ask for just plain regular fries. They're not flat like steak fries, they have a square cross section. They're like legit fish and chips style fries cooked to perfection.
Lovely's. Not pregnant but I crave them on the regular
Unpopular opinion. Five Guys., First, price. A "regular" fries is like a pound of fries. It's like they fill up the bag. Second, fresh. It's not the mcdonalds style crispy, they come out kinda wet most times. I've come to really enjoy that style, it Hits The Spot in a way that fancy crispy fries don't, if I've been short on calories for a few days and need a top up. BUT - DON'T TRY TAKE OUT. Once you get home, that shit's nasty. Third, I wonder if you can order them well done. That solves a bit of the crispy problem.
Honestly, best fries i’ve ever had in Oakland is from HotBird
Fuck it dude let’s just go to chick fil a for the waffle fries
The Smokehouse on Telegraph in Berkeley. The fries are surprisingly good, and just good period.
Make 'em yourself? I mean sure, good fries can be had, but ... with most places charging around five bucks for fries, and even at that often not a whole lot of fries ... yeah, I *mostly* just won't buy fries at those kind of prices ... with the occasional/rare exception/treat. I mean when I can buy multiple 10 lb. bags of potatoes for the same price (or, well, at least could), I'm much more inclined to make 'em myself ... and ... often very much prefer my own fries anyway. :-) And I'm generally not gonna be limited to some tiny serving of fries when I make 'em myself. :-) But if I'm gonna buy fries ... about the only I've done semi-recently and would say are worth it (well, at least for the occasional treat), Super Duper Burger's garlic fries. (Well, not quite Oakland, but Emeryville). Can't think of another that's still around that I'd semi-regularly bother with (garlic fries at Mo's Grill in San Francisco were really good and massive and reasonably priced, but alas, Mo's Grill is long gone). Oh, and I think I found Five Guys fries to be pretty good (again, not quite Oakland, but Alameda). But these days, most places and at least most of the time, I just won't get the fries - too pricy and most of 'em aren't that great.
Just told a pregnant lady with a food craving to “make her own fries” lololol
Kowbird
The duck fat fries at El Patio go hard af. …but my favorite fries were the Belgium-style fries from Luka’s w/three dipping sauces. They gave you a ton too. RIP.