Not as good as expected
As stated in other reviews, Fondue Fred is not the best place for fondue.

The Atmosphere:
A different atmosphere, as some seating is outdoors in the mini mall in which they are located. Well lit, and music in the background. While we were eating, we could smell cigarette smoke although it is not permitted in the area.

The Food:
The Fiesta Cheese Fondue was good, but they did not bring out the chips they said they would, so we ate it with almost-stale bread. The steak fondue was tough. We called ahead to make sure they had strawberries since we heard their selection is limited. Among the fruits included banana, honeydew, grapes, apples. If you request a specific fruit ahead of time, they may go out to get it for you.

The Service:
The service was poor as they did not check up on us nor fill our water. The family style restaurant was understaffed , although were friendly when we entered.    [22 Aug 2004 03:36:21]

Food:    Service:    Ambiance:    Overall: 

     ­Anonymous   

Spend Your Money Elsewhere
Although Fondue Fred is located in a quiet and quaint restaurant alley along Telegraph Ave in Berkeley, it is yet another restaurant that can remain overlooked. It was the worst dining out experience I had.

Looking at the menu, I made the wrong assumption that everything under the "Fondue" part of the menu involved fondue (ie. cheese) but it actually only included items 1 to 13 and nothing from 14 to 17. Items 14 to 17 had meat and evidently, according to the owners, meat and fondue were mutually exclusive. Upon receiving item number 17 (chicken and mushroom broth stuff), the pieces were large and the broth was soupy. When I asked where the fondue was, the owner replied, 'this is meat only and we don't serve the two together.' She claimed it was the traditional way, though when living in France I never saw such a thing.
However, she at least replaced it with a true fondue (apple cinnamon slices on the side with standard fondue).
The second fondue was absolutely terrible. It was thick and gooey, there was a bad aftertaste, and there was no seasoning. I think the wine or possibly the kirsch had gone bad (or maybe the cheese was too old) and left a rancid taste.
Neither my partner or I could even eat for more than ten minutes before giving up.
The bread was fresh, a bad thing for fondue. Normally bread, specifically baguette, is toasted and slighty stale and cut into very small pieces. This bread was none of the above and was rather tasteless (who knew people could make bad bread) and cut into very large pieces.
Finally, the salad. Salad was soaked in terrible dressing which had an old, gingerly but bland taste.

Service:
The waiter forgot about us and we never received a refill on water. When we received the chicken 'fondue' it took 10 minutes to call over someone. She was rather curt and rude but at least gave us another dish.

However, a restaurant that prides itself on lots of 'free' and 'all you can eat things' when there is large party, is usually not so good. How much goop do you need to eat to feel satiated? Also, we received a coupon (everyone did) for a free chocolate fondue. When another table ordered chocolate fondue it came with marshmallows. Marshmallows? Are we in the 3rd grade making smores? I don't know if the chocolate was good, but any restaurant that claims it is 'authentic' and serves marshmallows is definitely on the wrong planet. I never even saw the little fluff balls in France, or anywhere in Europe. Most normal people would eat fondue with fruit or crackers.

Well decorated in the wooden style (as the whole restaurant alley) with simple tables and landscape photographs. The music was a bit obnoxious: above normal volume and pop crap heard on the radio.    [08 May 2005 03:19:36]

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     ­Preeti   lemoncake1220 at hotmail dot com