While some things may be seasonal, birthdays most certainly aren\u2019t. I recently celebrated multiple friends\u2019 birthdays and now consider myself a birthday restaurant connoisseur of sorts. From sushi to Italian, I have compiled a list of budget-friendly birthday spots where you can celebrate without emptying your wallet. Whether you\u2019re planning your own birthday or planning a friend\u2019s, these spots offer good food, vibes and prices that still leave room for dessert.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Italian Homemade Company\u00a0<\/p>\n
For a smaller group of friends, walk down College Avenue to The Italian Homemade Company for comforting pasta and a pleasant post-dinner stroll. The restaurant offers a wide range of pasta options from pesto to bolognese and a cute view of Elmwood. The cozy interior and quick counter-style service make it ideal for a casual, laid-back birthday dinner.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Hana Japan<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re looking for a birthday dinner that doubles as entertainment, Hana Japan delivers. This teppanyaki-style restaurant cooks your meals right in front of you, complete with flying shrimp tricks and flaming onion volcanoes. While hibachi spots can sometimes get pricey, Hana offers a free birthday meal for the guest of honor when dining with a party of four or more. The deal includes a complimentary signature pineapple boat dessert and is valid one week before or after their birthday with a valid ID. Before or after your reservation, soak in the sunset at the Berkeley Marina and take some cute pictures with your friends.\u00a0<\/p>\n
El Talpense Mexican Restaurant<\/p>\n
For a laid-back and budget-friendly celebration full of sombreros, papel picado and colorful decorations, El Talpense on Northside is your spot. The menu is packed with flavorful Mexican dishes \u2014\u00a0tacos, enchiladas and burritos \u2014 all at prices that are student-friendly. If your ideal birthday dinner is relaxed, delicious and fun, El Talpense Mexican Restaurant checks every box.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Gather<\/p>\n
Gather is a great option near Downtown Berkeley, and it\u2019s perfect for a brunch or early dinner celebration. Known for its seasonal, locally sourced menu, Gather provides dishes that feel elevated without being overly expensive. Splitting a few pizzas or brunch plates with friends will keep the meal affordable while still giving the celebration a slightly more formal feel. The atmosphere and seating also make it a great place to take photos and toast to another year around the sun! I would also recommend dining at Gather with family \u2014 adults will love it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
DIY birthday dinner<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re looking for the ultimate budget-friendly birthday soiree, consider building your own celebration across three spots close to one another. Start with an affordable sushi pick-up at Sun Sun Sushi Shop. Once you\u2019ve selected all your favorite rolls, walk over to Sheng Kee Bakery to pick up slices of cake or sweet pastries \u2014 their desserts make the perfect low-cost birthday treat. Then bring everything over to Memorial Glade, spread out a blanket and enjoy your sushi and cake with friends. Take in the view and celebrate in this simple but memorable way.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"While some things may be seasonal, birthdays most certainly aren\u2019t. I recently celebrated multiple friends\u2019 birthdays and now…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":227089,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[34],"tags":[63845,30705,2076,12494,2633,103351,29028,46363,103350,103349,5434,38332,5292,143,145,144,412,103353,103352],"class_list":["post-227088","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-oakland","tag-berkeley-marina","tag-birthday","tag-budget","tag-college-avenue","tag-downtown-berkeley","tag-el-tapense-mexican-restaurant","tag-elmwood","tag-gather","tag-hana-japan","tag-italian-homemade","tag-marina","tag-memorial-glade","tag-northside","tag-oakland","tag-oakland-headlines","tag-oakland-news","tag-restaurants","tag-sheng-kee-bakery","tag-sun-sun-sushi-shop"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/227088","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=227088"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/227088\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/227089"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=227088"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=227088"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=227088"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}