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The classic diner. Nothing exotic here.
Hearty breakfast, great sandwiches. Endless cup of coffee to make your eyeballs swim in the back of your head. If you're looking for comfort food in the form of a hearty breakfast of eggs, bacon and potatoes or cheese burger with french fries piled high on the side, this is definitely your place.
Efficient and courteous service.
You can bet I'll be returning.
Just try it! The food is good, and the people there are great! I love their french toast!!
Walking distance from my friends house walked over great coffee. Comfort food when you need it but next time I am in RWC I will try another coffee shop. Service not bad very nice but will try other places.
I have a hard time giving credibility to some of the 3/4/5 star reviews of this place. I fully understand that there will be a good deal of variability in a persons experience at a given business, but the all-around poor quality I experienced here was to me beyond that variability. Let me explain:
First off, the food was incredibly bland, with some items being undercooked and others overcooked ( brick production has browns with no taste, psuedo-charred omelette, cold salsa in the huevos rancheros). The food came out suspiciously quick, around 4-5 minutes. In addition, the portions were really small (more on this in a bit). The coffee was really bad, places like Denny's and the ilk have better joe than this. It was watery and it was intuitively obvious that this was done to cut a corner. Not a wise choice, with coffee being a cornerstone of a good breakfast experience.
Second, the prices for breakfast are ridiculous. This alone is enough for me to avoid this place. $12.55 for Eggs Benedict, Scrambles for nearly $11.00, current economic climate considered, these kinds of prices are still high. It would be one thing if the quality matched the cost, but that ratio is woefully absent. Minimal quality + small portion sizes + high cost = an avoidable dining choice.
Third, the wait service was lackluster, except for the busboy. Our waitress was quite indifferent and awkward at times with her interactions. I got the sense that towards the end of our meal she sensed our dissatisfaction, and instead of addressing it in an attempt to retain a customer, she ignored it.
All in all I felt like I was viewed as cash generating cattle, while trying to be duped with poor food and service. Even Bob was there, and that made little difference. No business has a day were all aspects of the service process break down and become poor, to me this speaks to something more core to the business aesthetic.
Looks like it's been over two years since I wrote this review. Just wanted to give y'all a quick update that just may help get you through the damp, cold, dreary winter months.
It's all about the comfort food.
One of my co-workers declared today a definite "chili dog day". And I wasn't really sure what that meant - or where we were going - until we walked out the door and headed in the direction of Bob's. The five of us sat down in the corner booth and one of my co-workers said, "Five chili dogs with fries please." That sure hit the spot, our table was oveloaded with giant grilled hotdogs on top of french rolls, covered by an enourmous heaping mound of (quite yummy) chili. Side of onions. A couple pickles. A generous serving of fries.
And the peace of mind in knowing that you will most definitely not be hungry for a good week or two. Too bad there's no officially sanctioned nap time at work...
Bob's is very reliable for good diner-type food served quickly. The staff is super friendly and… Read more »
Diner food is comfort food and Bob's Courthouse makes yummy yummy diner food.
First I want to give 5 STARS to our waitress Irene, she was friendly and put up with our (I like to include/blame everyone in my fun/harassment) smart ass ways. She had witty come-backs and appeared to enjoy patronage, despite our (my) humor and off-beat ways.
Diners are the best place to eat after a long drive, movie (which is how we found our way to Bob's), or night of distilled/brewed beverages. BCCS&R fits exactly. My wife and friend both ordered the grilled cheese with onion rings, but my wife ordered a side of avocado with hers. When there food came way too early, my wife's had the avocado integrated into the grilled cheese (please note that even at a diner integrated does not equal on the side). Our great waitress came over to one, apologize for the other waitress bringing 2/3rds of the food our and to rectify the integrated/on the side problem. Even though I suggested that Irene could just separate the grilled cheese and avocado there at our table, she lived up to her best waitress title and brought my wife a side of avocado (isn't she great), My food did finally arrive and was as expected, YUMMY.
Whenever you go and patron a diner, you just need to remember that you are going to a diner. If you don't like diner food then don't go to one. But if you are in downtown Redwood City and hankering for good diner food, go to Bob's and ask for Irene.
btw: If you are lucky enough to get Irene as your waitress, ask her why her decaf coffee is so clear.
This place is an old school diner with some interesting, almost surreal decor and an extensive menu that includes Mexican breakfasts, diet plates, hot dogs, sandwiches, pancakes, French toast, waffles, and Cuban sandwiches. The food is decent though pricey, but the ambiance is priceless. And they serve BREAKFAST ALL DAY.
Part of the old school appeal includes the pies in the dessert case and gum for sale by the register. The paintings also feature some interesting juxtapositions: clown paintings (Red Skeleton) next to Marilyn Monroe, old RWC, and sports stars. The cafe is particularly popular with the grey hair set.
I had two poached eggs, with two pieces of toast and a cup of fruit salad ($6). They cooked the eggs well and the whole wheat toast was fine. The fruit salad was very nice as they cut the fruit up into small pieces, used a wide variety of fruits and the fruit was fresh (cantaloupe, strawberries, honeydew, pineapple, grapes). They also turn out a decent fried egg sandwich with lettuce, tomato (the tomato was mealy though) and mayo. The egg was cooked longer than I prefer.
The prices are higher than I expected, e.g., $10 for a Cuban sandwich but it's a local independent diner that's open late, serves breakfast ALL day, and if you get lonely, there's an oversized stuffed dog on hand to keep you company.
We came in on a drizzly Sunday morning, not much of a crowd, and sat down. It took a long time for someone to bring coffee and menus and a long time after that for our order to be taken. We both had bacon & eggs with hash browns and toast and it was very good, no complaints about the food whatsoever. Good coffee too. Our server on the other hand was pretty unfriendly and I don't generally go back to places where someone who expects me to tip him can't even manage to fake a smile or make eye contact.
I freakin' love Bob's. I drive all the way from San Jose just to get the waffles there. The coffee is also good, and I'm a bit of a coffee snob.
I like to get the waffles with sausage and scrambled eggs (make sure you ask for both well-done). A friend of mine ordered hash browns, so I tried those, too. So good! Nice and crispy on the outside, but not burnt.
The quality of the service varies on the day you go. I love it when I get a sassy, old-school waitress.
This type of restaurant is a dying piece of American culture. Please enjoy it while you can. For those of you who have had negative experiences, I encourage you to give them another chance to win you over.
Only four stars because the service *does* vary in quality. Plus, those black velvet clown paintings? What were you thinking, Bob? ;)
Oh, and I disagree with the person who says that it's not fat-friendly. I'm a big girl, and I can fit in relatively well. It's not uncomfortable, though maybe a bit snug. Experiment and see what seating arrangement works best for you!
This is a grizzled old timers joint. Everyone here I noticed, has lived full lives, and they're looking for a solid tradition American meal. The staff are super nice and it's place that is somewhat frozen in time.
Definite diner feel, and now that I think about it., I should have stuck with something American and traditional. My co-coworker went with the stuffed zuchinni, which had ground beef, spices and other things, with a side of rice and sauteed veggies. I started with the Italian Wedding soup and the special of the day which was bay shrimp crepes with poblano sauce, garlic toast and caesar salad. My co-worker liked his dish and I thought the soup was good. However I think there were too many countries going on in my entree. American, Mexican, Italian and French. It wasn't bad but I think I should have just gotten something more straight forward.
As I said the service and people are great, and it's a very family friendly environment. Going for burgers, sandwiches and breakfast next time! 3.5 stars.
Nothing amazing, good location but once inside it could use a thorough cleaning, seriously. And that kind of grosses me out....
The food can be a little greasy, but it is a greasy spoon.... so... I do like the fact that it is a family business hold out in a neighborhood going corporate.
The service was good.
the food, not so good. I came here with my family one morning for brunch.
The food was way overpriced for waht you get. and we all agreed, that the food tastes like they just bought it from frozen grocery and microwaved it.
The hasbrowns was this brick of shredded potatos that wasn't crispy. (seemed microwaved). The waffles was just like the ones you can buy at frozen grocery with tiny squares, very flat. The kids meal came with chicken fingers and fries that... again was stuff i'd see at frozen grocery store microwaved. The coffee was NOT good at all. I was thinking to myself.. I could do this easily!! just buy in bulk from safeway or albertsons, and open a breakfast place, reheat the food in microwave, serve it on a pretty piece of lettuce , and charge $11 per plate. i'd be making a KILLING.
Anyways, we all agreed not to come back here again. at least not for breakfast. maybe the lunch is better?
Say what you'll say, but I love Bob's and go there about once a month.
Please don't confuse Bob's with a place like stacks...they're not in the same category.
If you want long wait times, pankcakes made from horse food, and an amibiance that's not at all personal - go to Stacks.
If you want a place that has a variety of comfort food, delicious milk shakes, and a gracious and welcoming owner and waitstaff - go to Bob's.
This is an old school, family-run coffee shop that serves breakfast all day. If you've ever been to one, you'll know what to expect...and Bob's exceeds THOSE expectations.
Things to order: pancakes, egg sandwich, curly fries, sausage patties, club sandwich, and they even have a decent burger. Go to it!
(p.s. I do like Stacks, too)
Service: 4 stars
Food: 2.5 stars
Ambience: 2 stars
This place is your standard run-of-the-mill old-school diner. I thought the food was fine and the service was very good. I had a bacon and cheese omelet.
I'm sure there are better places out there, but Bob's definitely has a spot in my rotation, albeit rarely. It's a perfect spot for a mean hangover when you need some grease.
I really didn't like this place at all. It gets a star for having food that's edible, but that's really it. My BF and I walked in and had to wait a while for someone to seat us, and then the guy said "How many?" and when we said two, he immediately walked away with menus, expecting us to follow him. We were still looking at the menus a minute later when he returned asking if we were ready, and it felt like we were being rushed. I asked for a cranberry juice and it came with no ice. I do prefer no ice, but most people don't, so I thought that it was odd that no ice was the default.
I'm glad that Bob's offers a short stack option of pancakes, as two are plenty. My BF got a mimosa and it was in the smallest wineglass I'd ever seen. Halfway through eating my BF accidentally reached over and spilled his full cup of coffee across the table and onto the booth seat. This happened right as another waiter/busser walked right by our booth to get silverware directly behind us. I thought for a second that was was rushing over to the stand with extra forks and napkins to help us, but no. I had to flag him down and I asked for extra napkins. He said oh sure and then proceeded to look for a large towel to wipe the mess. In the meantime, the hot and wet java was slowly creeping toward me on the booth seat so I asked again for extra napkins and he said hold on and walked away. I had to ask my BF to just turn around and grab a stack behind him so that I could wipe up the mess.
The place gets two stars overall because another guy immediately came over to pour more coffee, which was nice. We never saw our waiter again until he brought the check. My BF was going to order another mimosa when he came back, but it made it a little hard to do when the waiter already rang everything up. I really want to give this place 1.5 stars, as 1 is too mean, but I feel that 2 stars is too generous.
There was just nothing special or interesting about Bob's. The food was okay, service lacking, and just an ordinary place. PLus, it was a hot day and there was no air conditioner or fans. Stacks is definitely way better and worth the wait/prices.
I went here for lunch on a Saturday. It was a cute little diner. As soon as we were seated, drink orders were taken, but it took awhile for the servers to come back and take our order. We were in a time crunch since we had to head back to class, but the food came out so quick, we made it back on time. I had a turkey sandwich with fries. The sandwich was nice and simple. Fries were nice and hot. Service was very friendly and even Bob himself was at the register and greeting guests.
I'm going to give Bob's 4 Stars - it's your average, run-of-the-mill, no frills local diner. That said, there was a certain air about it that tells me I'll be back.
You can tell people have been coming here for years. My omelet was was better than expected, hash browns were tasty, - nothing was greasy which I half expected it to be.
Well lit, friendly staff, lots of families and old folks on a Sunday afternoon . . . Gotta love the clown paintings on the wall.
3 is average, Bob's is a little above average, hometown feel, just kinda a cool local feel to it.
I love it!
Maybe because I have no grandparents, I love this place. It makes me happy and walking in, is exactly what it looks like:
Short order cooks
Everything is a-typical american diner
It makes me upset that others said "this place is gross". I mean, jeez, it's a downtown RWC diner that's been there forever. It's no Red Lantern, no Stacks, not even Denny's. It's BOBs.
Bob likes his restaurant, makes traditional american diner food. I like that.
You're the best Bob! Love your cute diner!!! The Chicken Fried Steak is SO GOOD, A+ Bob and friends.
Bob's is a great little coffee shop in downtown Redwood City. We came in for breakfast around 11am and were seated right away. Drinks came right away. It took a few extra minutes to have our order taken but once we did the food came very fast. Everything was pretty good except my hash browns were cold. Over all it was a good experience and we will probably return!
Ever in the mood for a nondescript non memorable breakfast at a reasonable price? If so this is the place for you. My wife and I ate here a few weeks ago...... I can not complain about my meal... but I can not tell you that anything was particularly good.... Wait.... They were quick!
Ok... so they get a Star for Quick... plus the obligatory one star for being reviewed....I would give them a star for reasonable prices.. but that is only worth a half... how I wish I could just make this a 2.5 Star.... They were friendly so I will give them a weak 3 stars.
So my review is if you are in a hurry and want a fair priced meal that chances are you will not remember... come here!
When I saw some people actually gave this place 4 whole stars my first thought was: "I wonder what color the sky is in THEIR world?" My second thought was that I better post a review and add my two cents.
Bob's Courthouse Cafe is one of the few remnants of the old "Deadwood City." In fact, I think it is the official poster child of that era. Basically it's an old diner with subpar food and tired atmosphere. But it does have a killer location, right next to the refurbished town square and across from the new theater complex.
Nobody I know goes here if they can help it. In my ten years in Redwood City I have eaten here only once, for breakfast with my kids. That was enough to convince me to stay clear (apart from kid breakfast emergencies). My kids enjoyed their pancakes well enough, but my eggs, sausage and hash browns were pretty pathetic. ( I could've done better in my kitchen at home). And the coffee was thin, bitter, and almost undrinkable. I saw they had an espresso machine, but when I asked if they could make me an americano, they reacted like I had requested gold filigree on my eggs. (Apparently only a few people knew how to operate the machine, but they said they would see about it). A full *twenty minutes* later they brought me the worst americano I have ever had, but at least it was better than the coffee. I appreciate them going to the "trouble", but it WAS breakfast time. It was the year 2007. And it was, you know...in a town. And to top it off , the prices were on the high side for what we had.
Note: I do like the collection of clown paintings...so tacky they're kinda cool. In a nicer place these would be a riot. Here, well...I wonder if they actually think it's high art ?
You know you hope to find a diner that's a total gem. Unfortunately this isn't it. The food was fine but my husband pointed out in his best Gordon Ramsey accent that the salsa was canned and it was processed cheese. The coffee was only OK too. The staff was very nice and I would be fine to go back just because its right in downtown but with Stacks right up the street, its hard to think that I will.
This is the place to go to see someone you'll know and just relax and enjoy your meal - kind of like Cheers.
Bob and Irene (the owners) are great. The service is quick to bring you a drink and a menu. I like that you can dine alone and read a paper or bring some friends and look across the street at the upgraded Courthouse or the new Cinema.
The breakfast specials (weekdays before 10:00am) are great deals and you can usually get a nice lunch special as well.
They also have a small banquet room (holds about 25 or so) that I have used before.
Its been in RWC for ever and I finally got a chance to go last Friday.......They have a great salad bar all you can it for $11.00. Not bad at all if you ask me. The burgers are okay.....its nice to be able to get breakfast in the afternoon and not have to go to stacks. I gav then four stars only because they have fresh spinach in the salad bar....otherwise it would be a 3:)
Enh, it was fine. Middling everything. No reason not to go elsewhere, especially if you've got time to go the 7 blocks to Stacks.
I live maybe 6 blocks away from this place...my wife & I had been wanting to try this place for almost 6 months (New to the area). We finally did...She & I completely agree on this: It was a Saturday morning, only 2 other customers besides us. It took almost 10 minutes for our order to be taken. Another 15 for the food, which was mediocre at best. My wife & her sister thought it was even worse than I did. All of our water glasses came dirty, but were then replaced. Speaking of which...I go through water quick. I would completely understand if they were busy, but I never got my water filled once within the hour-or-so we were there. Then, we almost walked out because we asked for our check 3 times & they wouldn't bring it! They also pitched a fit about the coupon that we used (http://Restaurant.com). I'm not sure why all the locals love this place...more power to them...we won't be back!
Bob's Courthouse is now located directly across the street from the Downtown Century 20 movie theater. It's an old-style diner and offers the usual diner faire for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Their prices are extremely economical compared to Stacks and other local breakfast places. The service is good, timely, and friendly. This is one of the last places in Redwood that still make the city feel the small town it once was.--since I initially gave this review I've had to knock off a star since Bob's has upped their prices and the food has gone down in quality. Bummer!
Sorry Bob, you seem like a nice man but the food is WEAK!! We went here without checking Yelp and were very disappointed. The food is greasy, salty, boring, and worst of all pricey!?!?!?
This is a total old man place to go. In fact my grandfather took me here. It is just so dated. Food is unremarkable, though once I had the chicken cheese steak and it was quite good.
If you want a good american style breakfast, this is the place to go in Redwood City. Strategically located next to the old courthouse and in front of the new Century theatres complex, this family owned business resists the invasion of corporate america's fast food chains just across the street. They do this with friendly staff and a bunch of all time favorites like omelets, biscuits and gravy, pancakes, french toast, etc,.. This place has been a hotspot for locals for a long time thanks to the owner. It's places like this one that give Redwood City its character.
You have to come a visit Felix the waiter he's the best.. The owner is usually there and is a friendly man.. My family and I come here every weekend and we love the traditional american breakfast for the family. I agree with some reviews the food is not spectacular but it is consistently good food. the price is okay but if you hit the place on weekday mornings before 11:30 you can get a special for $5.79, big meal...
very standard coffee shop menu. no frills. nothing to write home about. nothing really to bring me back. i'm actually not sure why people eat there - maybe they are expecting to see flo walking around telling the boss to 'eat my grits...' maybe it would taste better if i had blue hair.
I really don't get why this place only has three stars. It must be the atmosphere...I'll admit the clientel is on the older side. But they have the tastiest fresh squeezed orange juice, great french toast and waffles and I wake up on Saturday mornings dreaming of their scrambled eggs with cheddar and provolone. Also, I'm a fan of the home fries and occasional Sunday-morning live bluegrass. But then again, I'm a pushover for pretty much any live music while I eat.
My first impression was....what a dump. Once I sat down I thought, eh it's clean just an old diner. Not what I expected in this newly renovated part of Redwood city. Which is fine by me, I'm all about the mom and pop places. Just a note: This is not a fat friendly restaurant in terms of the furniture (which was out of line as their portions are huge) . 99% booths without the clearance needed for someone of size like myself.) The (one ass) captain chairs they have allowed me to perch on the very front third of the chair very uncomfortably I might add. Perhaps they need to invest in one or two armless chairs. I did mention to the waitress that this was not a fat friendly place. I did not get a response. The menu appeared somewhat pricey for breakfast fare, however once our orders came it was apparent why they were higher than many other places. The portions were huge. I'm a power eater and I couldn't eat everything on my plate. I ordered the chicken fried steak and eggs, I was given a large breaded and fried cube steak, a huge slab o' hash browns, three scrambled eggs and three slices of sourdough toast. Holy crap that was a huge amount of food for $10 bucks. Not prize winning food, but solid fill ya up grub. Yeah so most of the patrons are white tops or lawyers so what.
im gonna write two reviews cuz it's not clear which one is the REAL bob's courthouse on here.
so ive been going here for probably about 5 years, maybe once a year or so...pretty much because i and the other people im with can never think of anywhere else to go...not because we necessarily love the place or anything...the food has never been anywhere close to being great....id give it a 3 maybe on a scale from 1 to 10. the service is OK, but the people there are always really tired looking and the old lady who owns the place with bob never, EVER smiles.
anyways, up until today, i thought the place was OK and might have even continued going there like once a year....BUT, today i had a meal there and got some apple pie for dessert...i had eatten about half of it when i suddenly noticed something weird looking in it. i look closer and it's a MOTH!!!!!! how fricken gross...so my mom brings the dish up to the old lady who works there and she just says that she's sorry and that it wasn't there when she served it, that it must have dropped in there at the table or something....and of course offers me another piece of apple pie (mmmm, yummy, just what i want after having found a MOTH in it!!??)...so she had already charged my mom for the whole meal (including the apple pie!) and i begged my mom to have her take off the apple pie....why on earth would you charge a customer for something that they found a bug in?? soo lame!! so my mom asked her to take the charge of the apple pie off...& that's the end of the story.....and at no point did she ever show that she was really sorry...since the lady looks like she's been awake for 72 hours straight and NEVER smiles.
moral of the story: go to max's instead. =)
Redwood City, CA
Category: Restaurants
Redwood City, CA
Category: Diners
Redwood City, CA
Category: Breakfast & Brunch
Redwood City, CA
Category: Latin American
Redwood City, CA
Category: Breakfast & Brunch
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