Bajis' Down the Street Cafe
Categories: Diners, American (Traditional) [Edit]
2423 Old Middlefield WayMountain View, CA 94043 (650) 967-7477
- Price Range: $
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Private Lot
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: No
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Good for: Breakfast
93 reviews
Santa Clara, CA
"A dependable steak restaurant with good food and good service. I stick to the petite filet which has never disappointed me. They have a…" read more »
21 Reviews for Bajis' Down the Street Cafe
We're regulars here. Great homemade fries, omelette's, large glasses of ice water & friendly service.
I would give them a 5th star but their salads need work. I hope they see this and make improvements.
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I always come here when taking my car in for service at Independence Acura (just around the corner). The customer service here is absolutely amazing...very courteous, attentive, polite, and friendly. The food is your usual better-than-average diner fare, with some interesting Mediterranean twists thrown in (you get hummus as a spread on your vegetarian sandwich, as an example). The decor is industrial, as another diner put it, and even a little whimsical. I find the framed pictures of football players marching along the walls an interesting contrast to the poster loudly advertising a Korean vodka on their checkout stand. This place is definitely a go.
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I was originally going to give this place 3.5 stars but I decided to bump it up because the service really was great.
My husband and I stumbled upon this place upon recommendation from a coworker. It's not your stereotypical hole-in-the-wall, but it is a hole-in-the-wall nonetheless. The decor reminds me of an industrial diner. Not a wam and cozy diner, but an industrial diner. The food was what you expect from a hole-in-the-wall. Good food at decent prices. My husband ordered one of the vegetarian omelettes with egg whites. Now I must say for a omelette of that kind it was pretty good. I also had the huevos rancheros, definitely the best huevos I've had - but one of the better ones. The thing I love about Baji's is that it really is a no frills type of place where the food is simple and good. The best thing about Baji's is the service, they really make you feel welcome here. I can't wait to go back and try the pancakes!
I recommend this place for someone who is looking for a filling breakfast where the food is served with a smile. :)
I think the information is wrong on here. Baji's doesn't take card. They have an ATM outside for customer use, and if you remember to speak up, you can get the ATM fee reimbursed in the form of a free soda or coffee.
Really I want to give Baji's 3.5, but I don't think I can round it up to 4. My boyfriend swears by this place because he's a breakfast lover, but I don't really see why. The food is kind of average, or at least mine was. I got the Palo Alto omelette, I think, the one with chorizo. It was good, but the potatoes that came with it were not crispy enough. It was almost $10. Then I got a cup of coffee. It was strong coffee, which I don't mind, but we were there around 45 minutes and I didn't get a single refill. I need to my breakfast joints to be on that shit. But besides that, the service was super friendly and attentive. They're only open until 3pm, so it's not a breakfast all day kind of place.
Pretty good food and good portion size, but a little on the high side price wise. It is literally and figuratively "Down the Street," by which I mean it is only a few blocks down a major road, but it is in an industrial area that one would not normally drive down in search of food. You probably won't "just happen to pass by" unless you were getting work done on your car or something, which is probably why I never think of it when I want breakfast. It's out of sight, out of mind in this case.
This place was hard to find. The stretch of Middlefield it's on is pretty industrial - lot's of auto mechanics and body shops, a Toyota dealership, a bar. Not much going on in this neighborhood.
BF and I are always on the hunt for a regular, cheap, moderately healthy, local breakfast place for our sleazy weekend tryst refueling.
I think we found our regular spot.
More than the food my biggest reason for this is its proximity to my apartment, the huge menu, reasonable prices, and friendly and attentive staff. The space is much larger than expected, and they have free Wi-Fi, which I will check out next time we go - probably this weekend again.
We ordered the Independent Corner omelette with corned beef, onions, mushrooms, tomatoes, sliced olives and cheddar cheese. It came with, toast (whole wheat of course!) and country potatoes.
I wasn't thrilled with my omelette. It lacked flavor (and I don't like to add salt to my food). The corned beef was bland, and not as tender as I think it should be - but not tough exactly.
Hopefully when we go back I will enjoy my choice more and bump my three stars to four. It would be great if this place can continue to overcome the challenge of it's location.
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I had been urged by a friend to try this place when I first moved to Mountain View. Finally, two months later on a lazy Saturday morning I went around brunch time.
I see why she raved about his place. It's the first time I have ever had an omelette from a "diner" that was not greasy and soggy.
The veggie omelette had just the right amount of cheese and veggies that it was still fluffy and moist. No grease to seap into the toast and turn it into porridge.
I will definitely be coming back on my lazy and cabin fevered weekend mornings.
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After a long 24 hours on call in the ICU, I was craving some hearty American breakfast before heading home to pass out...
The place is quaint, very homey and reminds of the White Palace Grill back in Chicago. Excellent.
The cafe country with gravy (w/ eggs, sausage plus hasbrowns) was overall fantastic. The biscuits were soft, the eggs nicely scrambled and not too wet and the sausage savory. The hashbrowns were likewise a cut above - crispy on top and bottom, soft on the inside and none too soggy or greasy. The gravy, though, was a bit of a downer. It tasted a little too watery and didn't really have much flavor...
This place has earned a spot on my breakfast rotation, but I don't think I'd get the gravy again.
Quite possibly the best breakfast places in the South Bay... that I have tried so far.
My fav's:
1. Biscuits and gravy - sooo good! Suasage gravy and 'homebaked' like biscuits. Gravy is tasty and not too filling. I consider myself a "B & G" connoisseur and would have to rank these in my Top5 (not even close to Red Hut in South Lake Tahoe though).
2. Chilli cheese fries - dont need to say anything. Sooo much chilli, cheese, and fries.
3. Any of their omelettes - large size and packed with lots of stuff.
Everything I have eaten there so far has been delicious. No regrets at all. The portions could be a little larger on some stuff (thats why they got a star snatched from them).
The best part about this place is there is never anybody there! No lines, no wait. The service is excellent as well. Very friendly and hospitable. Many patrons are addressed by their first names, really a mom and pop type place.
A lot of options for breakfast and lunch. After studying the menu for 15 mins, I ended up with the good old hash browns and pancake. $8.50 for Bajis'hash browns is just too much unless they give me a mountain of bacons, plus it's really not that special. I would probably just get the hash browns from the side orders for a lot cheaper. My friend's waffle is dry and crunchy, but I like mine moist and full of texture.
Consider there aren't that many breakfast places in Mountain View, I will probably go back. The outdoor seating and the relaxed environment make it a good place to chill.
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As many times as I've seen this place over the years I'm not sure why I hand't tried it till now. I was thinking I was gonna go for some BBQ down the street but it turns out they were closed today. So as a last minute occurence I drove down to Baji's.
Not quite a hole in the wall but in a remote enough area where it pretty much qualifies as one. Pretty large menu but I decided I would focus on breakfast. Had the corn beef, cheese, olive, tomato and onion omelette/scramble with sourdough toast, hashbrowns and a small sife of bacon. Good solid breakfast fare and I must also say the service is quite good and friendly. Definitely will try this place again when I want some old school breakfast or try some of their other items.
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SUPPORT LOCAL FAMILY OWNED BUSINESS. I had a coupon for this place and truth be told, had never heard of it. Tragically this morning, I was in the mood for some pancakes. Easily missed when driving, I had to make a U turn to find the joint. Once I pulled in, I noticed and early bird special for 4.95. Quaint, small, with an "i love the bay area" feel to it. Great service and extensive menu boasting an omelet bar. I ordered the pancakes, and those were huge. I was only able to eat 1. Skillet's looked smaller and solid, but they are a little more expensive. They serve everything from your traditional 2 egg, meat, potato breakfest to french toast and fruit pancakes. Plus-they have some "ethnic" dishes as well. Overall, solid if you want a change from the standard joint. Note-they will give you free coffee or soda if you pay with cash from the ATM outside-those darn credit card fees! Did I mention they serve breakfest all day...
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This is my local "Cheers"-like hangout. Okay, so there's no cry of "RUSS" when I walk through the doors but the staff definitely knows me. I've been coming here for years, but that's not why they know me - the staff starting recognizing me after my third time here! Oh, and we're not just talking about the wait staff - Bajis (the owner)himself will come up and chat with you when you visit whether it's your first or fiftieth time.
The food is simple but filling and the portions are generous. They hand mix the vanilla cokes and the chocolate milk. You can substitute cottage cheese, salad or fruit for the fries if you're watching your diet. Few places pay this much attention to making their customers happy like this anymore.
However, it's not just the food and the staff that make this feel like a corner diner from the '50s. It's all about making you feel at home. Free internet ... free newspapers ... frequent diner cards ... who does this stuff anymore?
Two things to realize - they are not open for dinner and they prefer cash (though they will take credit cards). There's an ATM on site to promote their cash preference but they'll give you a free soda to offset the ATM fee.
On the upside, they're open for breakfast and lunch seven days a week. They're also one of the best places to eat if you like to take your dogs with you. They have no problem with us bringing our dogs when we eat in their outdoor seating area and even bring the dogs water dishes without us asking!
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3/9/08 Update.
Arrived around 11am on Sunday with plenty of seating. Both of us ordered the Huevos Ranchos, I had tea and my friend had a mimosa. Plenty of food, sauce did seem canned but definately had some bite to it, my friend was sweating. Staff is always friendly and the food quick, just doesn't seem all home cooked, more processed. For two, $31.
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Went on a Sunday morning at 11am and got seating right away. I so wanted to love this place, I want to find a neighborhood breakfast place near me. The staff is so friendly and attentive, the atmosphere is welcoming, great outdoor seating but the food felt too processed for me. I ordered the 15. Poached eggs with cheese and ham on muffins and tea for $11. I asked for hash browns instead of cottage fries, the browns seemed the frozen type, they forgot my salsa and when asked to bring it, it tasted like it was from a jar. The ham on my breakfast had a processed taste and feel to it too. The Numi gourmet tea was nice and unexpected from a mom and pop breakfast place, I expected Lipton tea with the quality of food I received.
I tried this place after they received a glowing review in the Mountain View Voice. I go here sometimes for breakfast because it's close to my house.
My favorite on their menu is the country scramble with biscuits and gravy. Many places attempt southern style biscuits and gravy but get it wrong. Baji's gets it 100% right.
The breakfast burrito is also good when they bother to make it correctly. The service is OK.
Cons:
- Tiny restaurant, there are entrances at both ends, neither of which are double doors that prevent drafts, and both are right next to all of the tables. There is nowhere you can sit where you aren't blasted by cold air by the people constantly going in and out.
- Booths with soft backs. What the hell Baji? Do you really think I want to feel every movement the person behind me makes while I'm EATING?
- Coffee. BAD. Tastes like motor oil. Sorry but this is officially a deal breaker. I will not go to a breakfast place that makes terrible coffee. Learn to make it right.
- Order accuracy is around 50%. Half the time they get it wrong. HALF.
- There are prominent signs claiming to give you a free drink if you pay with cash. I've paid with cash a hundred times and never gotten a free drink. That kinda makes them liars, doesn't it?
Bajis is the kind of place you would drive past and not try cause it looks kinda ordinary from the outside, but it is actually a bit of a gem. Good food, great service, nice people.
My husband orders one thing - the Loma- Verde omelette, as a scramble, every time we go (technically, he no longer has to order, it just arrives when they see him.)
It is definitely worth a try if you are looking for a comfortable place with fresh food and a neighborhood atmosphere.
I forgot to mention....the coffee is not great....pick up a pete's on the way.
We picked up lunch from here the other day - they have a really nice selection of burgers and sandwiches. I had the french dip with fries - tasty although the roast beef wasn't quite as tender as I'd have liked. I imagine this place is better suited for lunch than dinner.
Another great breakfast spot. The interior is small but there is an even smaller outdoor seating area. The usual breakfast foods are served but there are specials every day. Great sandwiches also. Their poached eggs are done very well (hate it when the egg whites have drifted away from the egg itself) and you can opt for cottage cheese, tomato or fruit in lieu of your potatoes or hash brown.
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The food here is fine. But the prices are RIDICULOUS! They've had a captive audience for years, and so you pay $10 for a $6 burger. I sound like a Carl's Jr commercial.
Baji's has a huge menu and great service, often from Baji himself. They offer standard burger joint food with a Middle Eastern twist, meaning you can get your burger with fries or tabouli. My husband loves the avocado burger. I love the veggie burger with no mayo. The fries are exquisite, and you can ask for spicy fries (very spicy!) or garlic fries (actually disappointing) in their place. We love Baji's for lunch.
Vegan Report: Many good selections here.
I had a good breakfast here and would recommend others try it. The food was tasty and quite un-greasy. Coffee was ok but not great. Service was good and the waiter was uncommonly polite. The price is in the same range other good breakfast spots (most menu items are $8 - $10).
My only complaint is they gave me minute maid for orange juice, which imo has too much sweetener and not enough real juice.
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