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Alley Cafe
Category: Restaurants Breakfast & Brunch Breakfast & Brunch [Edit]
2265 Pear StPinole, CA 94564
(510) 724-5312
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 6 am - 2 pm
Sat-Sun 7 am - 1 pm
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Breakfast
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Ambience:
- Dive-y
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
95 reviews for Alley Cafe
Review Highlights
"Hash browns were tasty - buttery and crisp."
(in 26 reviews)
"French Toast - THE BEST FRENCH TOAST I EVER HAD."
(in 17 reviews)
"...have cinnamon toast, chicken fried steak and huge bowls of..."
(in 5 reviews)
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95 reviews in English
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Review from Raji R.
10/24/2011
The portions are HUGE and fresh. I love this place because it's your typical family owned, breakfast place. It's cozy, and everything on the menu is delicious.
It can be crowded, so yes some of the reviews are true that there may be a wait, but it's never an unbearable wait. I love love love love the hashbrowns, they're cooked just right and their breakfast food is never too oil ridden.
The service is always amazing, and your food comes out relatively quick. -
Review from Nat B.
Concord, CA
Updated - 1/17/2012
having been born and raised on the Alley Cafe, of course I am slightly (understatement) annoyed by the newer staff, SLOWER (YES SLOWER) service, and smaller portions.
this past Sunday, my husband and i went in for what i thought was going to be our usual hour long yummy Sunday breakfast/lunch. Things did not go as planned. We got there as they were getting ready to close
1. they now close at 1pm, not 2pm
2. the bus boy was more involved with the customers than the waitress
3. the chef could not multitask to save the place if it was on fire!
4. the waitress made no effort to apologize for it taking almost 20 min to take our order, when there wasn't even anyone else ahead of us, i felt sorry for the ones behind us
5. The table next to us had 2 people come in after we did, and placed their order 10 min after we did but got their food 15 min before we did.
6. once we placed our order it took over an hour for us to get our food!
7. the waitress did not even ask us if we wanted a refill on our drinks, if she could offer us a salad or toast to help pass the time so our stomachs wouldn't eat themselves.
8. portions are way smaller than they were even a year ago.
there was really ZERO reason it should have taken that long for us to get served, get our food and get out of there. We arrived at 1pm and they seated us, by the time we ordered (20 min) got our food (another 90 min) and ate (10 min) it was 3pm!
2 hours for breakfast is just lame! 2 hours is what i used to spend including the wait for a table which could be up to 45 min.
Alley still gets 3 starts because of the food. its still good aside from everything else going down hill. I really hope they get their act together, i don't want to see this place gone!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/17/2009
im really hesitant to review my local hole in the wall out of the way fave place to eat. but i cant… Read more »
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Review from Matt J.
Hercules, CA
1/12/2012
Enormous portions and quite tasty too. If going to eat on the weekend make sure to arrive early and prepare to wait for 30+ minutes.
Likes: Denver omelet is great, hash browns are cooked perfectly, coffee was surprisingly good
Dislikes: Extremely long waits and a bit dingy.
Overall: If you want a huge, tasty breakfast and don't mind waiting this is your spot. -
Review from Rob D.
Pinole, CA
Updated - 11/20/2011
This place has good food but waiting almost 50 minutes for french toast is too much. I understand that one waitress and one cook can only do so much but the three occupied tables certainly took a secondary priority to the phone in orders.
There is a bus boy there too. He is a young male wearing a white undershirt and with his jeans literally below his rear end. His buttocks in green underwear was completely sticking out over his pants as he slowly walked around clearing tables.
I understand family businesses and want to support them but come on... The wait was too much and the unprofessionalism was just too much for me. Putting on an alley cafe shirt and maybe covering the employees' rear end does not seem like too much to ask for.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/29/2010
This place is an Old Town Pinole institution, Flinstone sized portions and very reasonably priced.
… Read more »
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Review from Kandace R.
Redding, CA
1/30/2012
Husband went here while we were out of town with a buddy. Ordered the French toast with sausage and a side of hash browns. Portions were large and tasty. Service was okay and it took about an hour to get the food. He said there was 1 cook, 1 waitress, and 1 buss boy for a very busy small restaurant.
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Review from Mr. b j.
Hercules, CA
12/14/2011 11 Check-ins Here
Foooood....LOL. BIG Breakfast.
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Review from Tracy U.
Pinole, CA
10/10/2011
Oh how I want to like this cafe -- and I used to. It's family-owned; the type of small business I like to support. But that isn't enough, and things have gone downhill here -- badly. Our last visit, the cafe wasn't even that busy when we arrived. But it took almost an hour to get breakfast. Breakfast isn't a meal that should take long to make.
When it was served, nary an apology was offered for the loooong delay. Even worse, I was really anticipating the French toast; I like how they make it. But it was horrible. Apparently in the rush to do breakfast, the chef hadn't bothered to cook the French toast all the way through. It was a sorry and soggy mess -- ICK! I left hungry because I could not eat raw-egg French toast.
Well, at least our coffee cups kept getting filled, thanks to one of the regulars who was helping out.
I agree with the post about service: it just isn't friendly anymore. The only thing going for them is they serve big portions. Big Deal. Most of us are fat enough without porking out on enormous mounds of hash browns.
We used to go here fairly regularly, both on weekends and during the week. But there are better places to have breakfast. -
Review from Khrystal L.
Hercules, CA
10/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
I wish I could give this place 5 stars. It's a nice, small setting with good people. Service was a little slow, but again, there was only one waitress on a Saturday morning. The food was ok. Huge and very generous portions for the price, but I thought it was a little bland. I was so excited for the chicken fried steak with biscuits and gravy, but I was some what disappointed. The gravy lacked any flavor and the chicken fried steak was just too greasy. I don't think I will order this again, but will come back to try other items on the menu because its very affordable and in a good area.
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Review from Cheryl V.
Hercules, CA
So my fiance and I were looking for nearby breakfast place to eat at and decided to look on Yelp for those with good reviews. One of the top on my list and just down the street from our apartment was The Alley Cafe. Strange this place has been here since I can remember even before I was born, I would always walk past this place if ever I needed to go to my dads work at the Post office just down the street.
So I peeked at the pictures on Yelp and each picture had my mouth watering and tummy grumbling. I first noticed that they had huge portions and read that the wait was slow. We came in at around 11:30 am, took about 3 minutes to get seated and roughly 15 minutes to take our order and an additional 45 minutes to get our order. Since I read the reviews prior to coming here I had expected to wait this long so I did not mind at all.
There were only two workers , 1 cook and one waitress running this whole small cafe, it was quite a bit much just for two people. We ordered the chicken fried steak with gravy, hashbrowns, bacon, eggs over medium and a side of french toast.
Chicken Fried steak 3 1/2 of 5 stars - Its really good but I think my favorite chicken fried steak is from a restaurant in Vegas and it could be a tad bit bigger. Either way the steak was tasty the gravy could have been just been a tad bit more creamier and thicker.
Hashbrowns - OMG LIKE 5 POUNDS WORTH ON A PLATE!!! Who eats that much ??? Anyways they were delicious and taste home made. I like it EXTRA CRISPY AND WITH EXTRA BUTTER!!! Save room for your other things and just eat a fourth of it and take the rest home!
Bacon - Im pretty picky on my bacon. I like mine crispy but cant be burnt nor dried out or drenched in oil. Their bacon was almost perfect!
Eggs over Medium - its hard to get this one right , most places leave too much slimy white stuff if u know what i mean. But they cooked it just how i like it, just the yolk center untouched.
French Toast - THE BEST FRENCH TOAST I EVER HAD...
Came here 4 times already - since we live 2 minute walk away we just phone in our order and take it home! -
Review from Shayna-Marie G.
Hercules, CA
7/18/2011 4 Check-ins Here
Love this place! If you ever want that "home cooked meal" type of vibe then this is the place to go! If you're in a hurry and only have an hour or less then I would recommend calling in advance to have them start your order - chances are you'll be waiting 30-1hr, the first time I went we ended up waiting an hour and 15mins before our order came out - but it was well worth the wait. Food is YUMMY, owner has great customer service skills.
There is only one cook,and cashier/waitress so you can understand why the wait time is so long. If you miss home style French-Toast, this is where you can get your fix. SO GOOD!!!! The country fried steak isn't as great as I've had but has been my order for the past few visits*add salt to the gravy as it can be bland*.
on a Saturday/Sunday morning, this is the spot you need to go for some home style hospitality and enjoy a beautiful morning with family and/or friends :)
Keep it up Alley's Cafe - I will continue to be a regular... esp since I live right down the street ;) -
Review from Jill G.
San Pablo, CA
4/10/2011
I should have read the YELP reviews before going to this place.
YES this place is SMALL: 4 booths. 5 tables. 1 counter that seats 10.
YES this place is SUPER DUPER SLOW: one cook. one server. one busser.
YES this place has good PORTIONS: get the hash browns.
YES the SERVER is OVERWHELMED.
YES you have to remind them again and again for refills on drinks.
NO I would not recommend this place for those in a hurry.
NO I would not recommend this place for kids because the service is SLOW and we all know how fussy children can get (and even adults) when they're hungry!
It took 1 hour and 20 minutes for a Ham & Cheese omelette and a Veggie Omelette. AND because the cook didn't read the ticket correctly, he didn't notice that we requested no mushrooms. So ... again ... we waited.
If you're looking for a really good breakfast spot, Tina's Place is opening soon at the corner of San Pablo & Tennent, which is walking distance from Alley Cafe. Though I am a full supporter of local businesses, sadly, I think Alley Cafe will lose some much needed business when Tina's opens. -
Review from Resa N.
Bay Area
5/2/2011 2 photos
(Rating: More like a 2.75)
Restaurant Space... Small and cozy.
Service.... slow, but very nice and friendly.
Cleanliness... Could be way better. We sat at an open table but there was some left over hashbrowns on the booth and spilt syrup on the table. Before the waitress took our order, she did notice and wiped the table down with a washcloth. The menu's were a little grimey as well.
Portions..... huge (esp the hashbrowns)! The only thing is I think they use small or medium size eggs. My 2 over-easy eggs were not that big and didn't have much yolk you'd see in a large or extra large egg.
Food... Pretty Ok. French toast was good and filling (a little thinner than usual too). Chicken Fried Steak was a little bland, but maybe because I needed that morning salt in my breakfast. Bacon was tasty.
Price... inexpensive and affordable.
Wouldn't mind going back while in the area to try other items on menu. -
Review from A W.
Hercules, CA
1/15/2012
How long does it take to scramble a few eggs and fry up some bacon? Can you believe it took 90 minutes! Yes, 90 minutes from the time the two of us sat down until the time we received our food! The place wasn't even crowded! I have no idea why it too so long. I got a lot of reading done during the wait: the entire Sunday paper and a magazine. I saw a TON of take out orders being prepared, but no food was getting to the tables. I guess calling for take-out is the best thing to do. There was only one measly cook behind the counter. Give me a break! Also, it would have been nice for the waitress to come by and say what the hold up was or to even apologize for the slowness...but, no, we never got an apology. Alley Cafe needs to get their act together because the service SUCKS. Their only saving grace was that the French toast was tasty, but definitely not worth the 90 MINUTE wait! Go to Tina's or Pear Street Cafe instead. You'll get your food faster.
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Review from Leah R.
Pinole, CA
9/29/2011
I've been coming here since I was a kid and LOVE IT! If you have the time to wait for a yummy home made breakfast that is made to order, I would strongly suggest going here! My favorite is Dave's breakfast, It's SO good!
I was very excited to see that they are taking credit cards now! This was the only thing that would deter me from coming, but not any more! See you tomorrow Alley! -
Review from Ana C.
Hercules, CA
3/11/2011
Breakfast at Alley Cafe is great.
Large portions at great prices. I can never finish my plate!
Good service and a friendly staff.
Here's a tip.... Don't come here if you're in a rush. It does take a while to cook the food. They only have one chef cooking for the whole place. (At least thats how its been the few times I've been here).
But it is definitely worth the wait. It has that "home cooked meal" feel to it.
So if you're looking to sit down and enjoy some great breakfast, this is the place to go. -
Review from Jay B.
1/30/2011
Came here for breakfast..
This is a hole in the wall area..
Their breakfast portion is HUGE!! If your hungry for "breakfast" come here. Do not come here if you wan an elegant place, this is a diner experience.. -
Review from Rick F.
Contra Costa, CA
9/21/2011
This place gets 2 stars just because the food portions are greater than most. That's a good and bad thing for this place. I've been coming here for about 7 years and it's been consistent.
The owner is very nice but the "server" acts like you're bothering her if you ask for anything. Her name is Connie and only smiles while you're giving her a tip. It's apparent they believe that because their portions are generous, that you'll be willing to wait....and wait....and wait....for about 1 to 1.5 hours....for BREAKFAST!
I know the owner and the server are probably good friends because that's the only logical reason Connie is still working there. She's killing the business because I know too many people that like the Alley but are now migrating to Tina's Place. Tina's has great portions too with friendlier staff and shorter wait times. Our food was on the table 17 minutes after we ordered, not bad.
One tip for the Alley: KEEP KETCHUP AND TOBASCO ON THE TABLE. It has dual benefit; it keeps Connie from having to act like you just asked her for a kidney. It also saves her a trip and gives her more time to refill water which she almost never does without the customer asking for it.
P.S. Give the customers a menu when they sit down! I may be a regular but I don't always want to eat the same thing! IT WILL ALSO SAVE CONNIE AN ADDITIONAL TRIP!! -
Review from Daniel C.
Oakland, CA
2/1/2011 2 Check-ins Here
I recently went after a long hiatus of not going, and found that they were a lot less friendly than they usually are. I ordered a coffee, and it was only filled up once more before I left. And thats after I asked her 3-4 times to fill it up.
The saving grace is the food. Those pancakes are just ridiculous, as are the hash brown portion size. Another good selling point is the massive pieces of bacon.
Ill go back, but wont go out of my way. -
Review from Debra R.
Hercules, CA
12/24/2010 1 Check-in Here
We hadn't eaten at Alley Cafe in a number of years. I had a vague memory of the food being good but the staff overwhelmed by the customers in a full shop. (8 tables and about 10 chairs at the counter).
We arrived just before lunchtime and were told we could sit anywhere. Which would have made sense, but the 2 open tables and 2 open bar spaces were all awaiting bussing. So not really anywhere to sit.
It took about 5 minutes for one table to get cleared, and we sat down. The waitress (there is only one) came to us with 5 minutes and took our drink order. When she returned with my orange juice and my companions coffee (but minus my cup), she quickly took our order.
Then disappeared. Eventually to come out and take care of a variety of carry-out orders, a couple at the bar and one of the other tables.
Maybe 15 minutes later we managed to get a refill on the coffee -and I got finally got my cup. Our food was no where to be seen.
The people eating when we arrived all paid their bills and left, and a new parties wandered in and took and their place. Still no food.
When one of those parties was served their food before us, I finally asked the waitress to check on our order. At this point, we had been waiting 45 minutes for a waffle and egg and a omelet. She returned-after a back room confab with the entire staff- and told me it would take at least 5 minutes to cook my waffle.
NO APOLOGY FOR THE LAST FOOD. A blank look from the waitress when pointed out that later diners were being served ahead of us.
When our finally was served is was OK. Not great. Not worth the wait. I think a waffle should be crispy and light. This waffle has heavy in the center -like the batter had been sitting a long time and had lost some of its lift. There was an insane amount of potatoes served with the omelet -easily 2 cups of a frozen hashbrown shred. But most of the mix was white, unseasoned, heated through but never stirred enough for a nice crunch to develop -leaving only a small amount of this mountain what I would call good hashBROWNS. These were hashwhites.
In all, I would pass on another return to the Alley -instead opting for Flippy's in Rodeo or the Waffle House a couple blocks down from the Alley in Pinole.
Would that there were more options for a breakfast meal in the area. -
Review from Jessica D.
Pinole, CA
4/9/2011
If I could give this place no stars, I would.
Ok,..so my husband, son and I decide to head out for some breakfast. We just bought a home in Pinole and wanted to check out a local spot. We decided on Alley Cafe.
So we walk into this place...it is VERY small. We were never acknowledged by the waitress! Upon walking in, she was ringing someone up at the register. She then gets some food that's ready in the kitchen and delivers it to a table. She STILL hasn't paid us any mind. (mind you, this place is SO incredibly small, that there is no excuse to not even acknowledge a potential patron -- and this lady sees me carrying my 16 month old son who is ready to eat!) Then, the waitress walks right in front of us to grab some ketchup from one of the other tables...at this point, I'm beyond frustrated. I ask her "Is this place a seat yourself place?" and she doesn't even make eye contact with me when she responds "yup...but I don't have any tables right now. We are busy".....even though there was an unoccupied table that just needed to be cleaned. She then decided to go to that table and start taking the dirty dishes away. At that point, my husband and I looked at each other and decided that this was going to be a waste of our time...and we left. The waitress saw us leaving and THEN she tried to play nice by saying "OH Wait! Don't you guys want this table?" I turned and looked at her and said "You know what, you never even acknowledged us when we walked in, what makes you think we want to stay?" she played coy and said "Well I'm going as fast as I can!".
Unbelievable. I would NEVER recommend this place!!!! The waitress is RUDE and unpleasant. I'm not sure if she assumed that we had been there before and knew the routine...but she sure did lose our business! We cannot wait for Mel's Diner to open! -
Review from Rinky N.
East Bay
5/20/2009
This place is not for sissies!
If you are a delicate eater who prefers fancy but skimpy breakfasts then this is NOT the place for you.
If you are like me and like to eat then this is your place.
This is one of the few places on Earth where you will be served MORE Hash Browns than you can eat! I swear I was dilligently eating away at my two layers of HB for 20 minutes and I didn't even make a dent in them.
For the record:
I had 2 scrambled eggs with HB and an English Muffin
My son had biscuits and gravy with Hash Browns
We shared a REAL waffle--not one of those wimpy, tasteless Belgian
waffles. It was yummy.
Total cost with tax----$15!
They have a long menu, lots of choices.
Food is good. Maybe not up to Bette's standards.
Decor is clean, homey and interesting. There's a mural on the wall that shows a street scene from the 1950's or '60's. There's a woman with a baby in a stroller and two women giving her the "stink eye."
Staff was friendly. Wait was a little long, no problem for us.
Downtown Pinole is like a "Blast from the Past."
The Alley Cafe is filled with regulars.
We left feeling stuffed and with a box of leftover Hash Browns----
even I, Mrs. Potato Head had her fill!
Cash Only. There is an ATM nearby. -
Review from Kara R.
12/23/2008
"I told you." --Ex-Boyfriend
The ex-boyfriend is the pickiest eater on the planet. This is his favorite breakfast place on earth. I hate to admit it, but I love The Alley too. This is the perfect place to go when you're in the mood for a no-nonsense, no frills greasy spoon breakfast. Don't expect any rosemary potatoes or eggs benedict here...They only accept cash and you will leave with arteries slightly more clogged than usual.
They serve hash browns, not home fries, and the toast comes pre-buttered. According to the Ex, these are the two signs of a great restaurant. While I'm not sure I agree with that, I do agree with paying $4.50 for two sunny side up eggs, four slices of sourdough toast, two entire hot links, and about five potatoes worth of hash browns.
The service here is very nice, sometimes slow when it's busy (there's usually only one waitress and one cook), and they are really big Giants fans. This is the only negative aspect of the place as far as I can tell. There is an old lady who comes in every day wearing an A's jacket, though, and they seem to treat her fine so I'm not too worried about it.
Living in El Cerrito, this place is close enough that it's not a bad trip. If you are in the area and in the mood for a classic greasy spoon diner with charm, check this place out! I try to go later in the morning on Saturdays because it can get packed early on and after church on Sundays. It's a balancing act because they close at 2pm, but if you can, give this place a shot.Listed in: Brunching
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Review from Kelly H.
Chicago, IL
4/22/2008
I first heard about this place when I lived a block or so over, on Prune Street (right across from the largest meth-processing lab in the East Bay, and next to that was a Catholic school. Interesting people-watching there, at least until the meth lab got busted). I had walked by a few times, and seeing how tiny and dumpy it was, I just had to go in.
My first visit, I ordered pancakes. I thought it was odd that pancakes were sold individually, so I asked for the stack of three I normally get. The waitress stared at me for a second before saying, "Do you know how big the pancakes are?" I ended up getting one, and couldn't finish it. The damn thing was bigger than the plate, a good two inches thick, and served with an ice-cream scoop of butter on top. Granted, it was flavored with a hint of sausage and onion since all the menu items are cooked on the same tiny grill, but it was tasty nonetheless.
The food here has medicinal qualities, too; as one of my long-ago roommates noted, it was the greatest hangover food known to man. Al that grease and all those carbs hoover up any remaining alcohol and leave you feeling just fine.
Now that I live in Chicago, I obviously can't pop over for weekend breakfast anymore, but I'm glad to see it's still there all these years later. If I ever have reason to be in Pinole again, I will definitely stop by. -
Review from mike M.
Hercules, CA
7/18/2011
Overall recommended.
this is a great place if you want a homey slow paced place to have breakfast with someone and want time to talk or read the paper. since there is only one chef and he puts care and love into his cooking the usual wait is around an hour after you order.
I will say that they have the best french toast and bacon omelets I have ever had. I think the waffle was quite good. I am very picky about my hash browns and as with almost ever other palce I didn't like them. I think I can count on one hand the number of places with has browns I like.
as for prices, some things are a great value some are a bit on the high side.
still overall, recommended, if you have the time. -
Review from Terry T.
2/17/2010
I sat at the counter; and as I waited for my order, I watched heaping plates of food go by. I realized that I have never ever have seen bigger omelets; one pancake covers a large plate. If you consider potatoes a vegetable you can a months worth at one sitting
The service is very slow. I was not in hurry and was able to enjoy the cook at work; quickly patting the potatoes on the grill, buttering toast and cracking eggs.
It seemed like everyone knew each other and they all ate there every morning.
I had a piece of french toast and a side order of bacon. All in all an enjoyable inexpensive mealListed in: Wandering in West County
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Review from Kat C.
10/24/2008
Another 'diamond in the rough' eatery located in Old Town Pinole; Alley Cafe DELIVERS with their huge portions and very decent prices. Classic breakfast items like their 'hanging off your plate BIG" hashbrowns, juicy omelettes, bacon, sausage (variety~~~), toast (wheat or white)...then, for those who like a heavier brunch, there's steak to pair with your sides.
Yes, it can get very crowded... esp. on a weekend around 10am so just expect the wait...but it's worth the patience! (c'mon...just bring something to read or keep you entertained!)
HUGE PORTIONS at a decent price PLUS the old town feel of this restaurant has me craving and wanting to visit anytime I'm home for the weekend. Just....don't be in any hurry to get your food......the service is Old Town speed... :P Kick back and relax...take life down a notch :)Listed in: CRAVING these PLACES!, Top Restaurants
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Review from Pete S.
Update: I can't seem to find any breakfast place remotely close to this place for the freshness and value down here in So.Cal. What's really good hear is the pancake. Yes, just get 1 will be enough. What I also love here is the linguica (http://www.urbandictio...) and the german sausage. Can't get that down here too. All that + coffee + egg + for about $6? Service is not fast here but if you come early. (they open at 7am), or come the day after independence day, you should be well taken care of. We will be back!
Side Note: Check out the Pinole/Hercules farmer's market down the street to walk off your meal.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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11/19/2007
I've been here before my Yelp days because my sister lives in Hercules and her 5-0 friends… Read more »
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Review from Cynthia B.
San Francisco, CA
7/15/2007
Do you want breakfast? No...do you REALLY want breakfast? Like A LOT of breakfast? Want a pancake bigger than your head? Welcome to the Alley, one of the cool things about Pinole.
Nestled in-between St. Joseph's Catholic church and the Pinole Police station is this little treasure of a breakfast spot. Weird decor, friendly staff, down home cookin'. Fair prices. You can watch the chef cook in this little place. Keeps 'em honest. 'Merican cookin' for 'Merican people. "Merican! -
Review from kim-van t.
San Pablo, CA
Updated - 3/12/2009
DO come here at 7:45am on a thursday. tt's EMPTY.
you can tell that the folks that come on the weekdays are the regulars, the waitress was chatting them up the whole time.
there was no wait for service, no wait for food, it was AMAZING.
why is it that every time i come here i am amazed at the size of the portion of hashbrowns they give you. *melt* i love you hashbrowns!!!!
my eyes were like O.O (to borrow from kat c.)
oh, the leftovers are getting devoured later.Listed in: oh pin-ole.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/24/2008
i can't resist reviewing the alley as my very first review. let me tell you what this place is all… Read more »
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Review from Janice T.
3/21/2011 1 Check-in Here
This is such a convenient place to grab breakfast after Mass because it is just across St. Joseph's church. The moment you enter, you are greeted by the sign "CASH ONLY". We sat ourselves on one of the tables because the booths were all occupied, and we did not want to sit on the counter. It took a good five minutes before we were handed a menu because there was only one waitstaff, one cook, and one busboy. It took another 30-40 minutes for our order to arrive.. We shared "The Giant" which consisted of 3 French toasts, 3 sausages, 3 strips of bacon, 3 eggs, and half an order of hash brown. The hash brown was huge! Our order was such a great deal for only $10.55. If you are willing to wait for over half an hour for your food, this is a good place to try. We thought it was worth it.
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Review from Dela A.
Hayward, CA
4/13/2006
This is one of those places where no one will find you. They give you huge plates of food for a damn good deal. Its a very small space, with hand painted murals on the wall. They have been around in Old Pinole for a long time and one of the cooks loves the Giants. So they are always selling tickets. (I dunno if they have a team member theyre related to) But all in all, great place to hang for breakfast.
I recommend the Giant. I usually get it with all bacon. -
Review from cherry c.
San Pablo, CA
6/11/2011
I came here with my partner-2 kids, daughter and of course my eating partner my 96 yo grandmother. True to the reviews the service was slow................If your in a hurry this place is not for you.......true that this place is smaller than a bread box.......but one could say that it's intimate.....true the waitress is overwhelmed...........the coffee was weak..........but the portions were massive........pancakes were GREAT! Food tasted fair......would I go back...maybe for the pancakes!!! hmmm.....now i'm thinking where is Tina's cafe...this willl be me and grandma's next adventure in our culinary tasting.
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Review from Jennifer P.
Oakland, CA
12/23/2007
Friends visiting for out of town and staying in Hercules (and on a tight schedule), the mission: to find a good breakfast place close to them. Thanks to yelpers, we found a place within a mile of them that also had pretty good reviews. So, two yelpers unite for breakfast along with our other halves and family. Yes, Pete, you knew I would get to this review shortly.
We were mentally armed with the possibility that this tiny little place would not be able to seat us quickly on this Sunday morning. But, our timing was perfect and there was an open large table to fit all 5 of us without even a wait (except waiting for P, H and S. ).
THe place is very cute and quaint. I can see how the wait could be very long. But, most folks were likely in Church when we were headed in. The lines started to form while we were there. The big problem with this place is the inopportune placement of our table next to the door. The cold air in the morning came in every single time the door opened (and that became quite often).
The food comes in huge portions with lots of potatoes. I think all of us were more than stuffed by our meals and the prices were also very good. Pete S is correct, it did take a ton of time to get our food. Suprising with the simplicity of our meals, but I think there is only one chef and each meal is not started until you order. Oh well, it gave us plenty of time to chat. Just, do not come here starving.
Overall a good little place with huge portions of good food. Just be prepared for a potentially long wait to sit and long wait to eat. -
Review from Stanley C.
Oakland, CA
2/15/2009
Me and some buddies went here after we got our Black Friday shopping done so there was no real wait this early.
The place is very towny and cozy. Its decorated with nothing but SF Giants memorabilia which alone earns a star.
The proportions of the breakfasts are pretty big. I ordered an omelette was freshly made and cooked to near perfection. Definitely beats anything from Denny's.
If you're in town in Pinole (for whatever reason...) and want some quality breakfast not from McDonalds, come check out Alley Cafe. -
Review from jay h.
10/19/2005
Honk if you love Hashbrowns!!!! Omelettes, too!!! This place speciallizes in Breakfast (yes...with a capital B). Huge pile of hasbrowns on one half of the plate and a Gianormous Omelette on the other. (My favorite...Hot Link and Cheddar). You can order a half omelette if you have a wee stomach capacity. The pancake is as big as the plate it comes on and fluffly with a scoop of butter on top. (Ha ha....I saw a mom order this for her kid and she was hella surprised that is was at least half her sons size!!!)
Other choices....Biscuits and Gravy, French Toast, Steak and Eggs, Pork Chop and Eggs...etc. etc. etc.
This place is located a ways from SF. In Pinole. It's tiny and family run and hectic busy on the weekends. They do have bar seating right by the grill and you can watch the owner cook as her daughter and nieces serve. Go before 11am and you will get fed within the half hour. My family and I go so often they plop down a cup of coffee as soon as we sit down.
Closes early afternoon on weekends and weekedays they have lunch but I never had it. It would be 5 stars but the wait sometimes is hectic. -
Review from Joy J.
1/26/2009
Good food and huge portions but the wait.. is UGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHH!!
My daddy was getting a little impatient with our breakfast that he wanted to just walk out. They only have one cook the last time we were there.. and I think that is the reason why the food service is so slow. -
Review from upper d.
San Francisco, CA
5/14/2011
Great breakfast joint! The food is yummy and they give you big portions! Their pancakes are big. They give A LOT of hash browns. I usually never finish all of my food. The wait for your food is pretty long. That might be the only downside. They usually only have one or 2 cooks. The waitresses are friendly and accommodating.
The setting inside is nice with murals painted on the side walls. Real Old Town Pinole feel! I love it. -
Review from Lyzbeth S.
San Francisco, CA
4/15/2007
I love Alley Cafe. The portions are huge, the coffee is endless and he prices are good.
This is an old-time coffee shop. There's nothing fancy here just good basic diner food.
The soup is house-made. For under $4 I had a decent grilled cheese sandwich with split pea soup.
There's a small charge for splitting an order and that might be the best option.
My half-order of a German sausage omelet with hash browns and a huge, fluffy house made biscuit was still more than could be finished.
The hash browns were full portion and half of the large plate was covered with freshly shredded potatoes that were buttery on the inside and crispy and golden brown on the outside.
They also have cinnamon toast, chicken fried steak and huge bowls of oatmeal. There's French toast topped with cinnamon, sugar and ice cream. -
Review from kreativess ..
Oakland, CA
10/2/2007
Only wish I lived closer to this place!! Went here a few times a couple years ago with an ex who lived around the corner. We would come in on the weekends and wait forever for a table or wake and bake, call in sick and take a nice walk over there.
Ive never had such good traditional, thick, soft, wonderfully delicious French Toast ever!!! Good lord! I also LOVE hash browns!! They give you SO much its crazy, I ordered a HALF order and it filled up a large plate!
Hella old school inside, theres a family who runs it I believe, everyone is friendly, LOVE this place!!! I want to take my new boyfriend here even though the old one has moved...but its that whole "been here with my ex" type thing that ruins it.
I'll get over it. -
Review from Navi T.
Hercules, CA
1/17/2009 3 Check-ins Here
This place is a classical greasy spoon - don't come here expecting to keep a svelte profile afterwards.
HUGE, and I do mean HUGE pancakes, omlettes that will take care of both breakfast and lunch, and pleasantly greasy french toast. I like their hash browns, it's a must here.
My only gripes about this place -
1. Kraft singles is the only cheese they use, not much of a deal-breaker but I'm not a fan of processed cheese(unless it's on a hamburger).
2. Clean the decor!
3. Be prepared to wait - the cook is slower than a Mercedes diesel or a Prius.
Pinole isn't a classy town by any stretch of the imagination so if you're looking for something fancy, you'll disappointed. If you're in the mood for grease, you've came to the right place.
