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Buck's
Categories: Restaurants American (Traditional) Restaurants Breakfast & Brunch American (Traditional), Breakfast & Brunch [Edit]
3062 Woodside RdWoodside, CA 94062
(650) 851-8010
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 7 am - 9 pm
Sat-Sun 8 am - 9 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Lunch, Breakfast
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
Nano P. said: "I just left Anne's Coffee Shop and I gotta say, I love it the moment I walked in. I love the old school diner feel. I recently learned that its not a retro attempt, everything in there is the real deal from back in the day. I…" read more »
271 reviews for Buck's
Review Highlights
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"I mean, really who makes French toast out of croissants." In 17 reviews -
"For $5, you get a very large piece of delicious coffee cake." In 9 reviews -
"the bread pudding is rich and decadent." In 6 reviews
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270 reviews in English
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Review from Claire W.
I am a little surprised at all the complaints people giving lower rating had. Went there today for lunch after our hike at the nearby Wunderlich Park and we had a good time, both enjoying the food and the interesting decor and cheerful ambiance and fun wait staff.
It's in the little "downtown" area of the Woodside town. There are only about 3 restaurants there (from what I could see at the parking lot) to choose from, with the Sunday brunch crowds we had to wait for 15 minutes for our table for three when we arrived at 12:30 pm. When we first walked in we saw the Statue of Liberty there greeting us and we saw how funky all the decor on the walls and ceilings are, so even with the 15 minute wait we decided to stick around.
When we were finally seated, we were fascinated by all the pictures and objects hanging on the wall and ceiling. That made the 20 minute wait for our orders seem to just go by quickly!
I loved my crab cake slider sandwich, which comes with a choice of fruits, fries or cole slaws on the side and I chose the fruits. It came with two "mini" crabcakes sandwiched in between two "mini" buns with generous portion of sliced avocados, fresh sliced tomatoes and iceberg lettuce. The crabcakes were delicious and the portions were just right. Actually the two "mini" "crab burgers" were quite filling and it was not that mini after you finished the meal! I also loved the fruits on the side, which were pineapples, strawberries and melons. $16 for so much fresh, delightful food including crabcakes? That sounds about right in my book.
I saw other Yelpers' review complaining how pricey their dishes are and how dry the "low calories" pancakes, etc. were. Well if it is "low cal" then I would expect it to be less tasty as they would not use the full fat, butter etc., which is what makes food delicious. Duh!
Well maybe $11.25 for an omelette dish it is a little pricey. But what do you expect from a restaurant located in Woodside? Also my crabcake sandwich was perfect and worth the money! They also have burgers, chicken sandwiches and soup and salads on the menu and they do look a little pricey.
My lunch companions, both guys ordered the same fish (halibut) tacos, which came with rice, black beans, quacamole, shredded cabbage with small pieces of halibut in the tortillas. They both liked the dish as well.
Nice place for a relaxing atmosphere good for family with kids too. We saw some kids busy playing the treasure hunting game finding items on a list they give you based on the objects they have in the restaurant. That would keep the kids entertained for a while.
The waitress was nice, fun and engaged in conversation with us too. She even gave us an extra glass of beers! If I come back I would probably get either the same crabcake sliders or try their crab salad or the hot crab with melted cheese on baguette sandwich. Yeah, I am all about crab meat! -
Review from Danielle P.
Redwood City, CA
5/6/2012 1 Check-in Here
I have been to Buck's a handful of times since I moved to the area and your meal is just part of the experience of this restaurant. I believe that many people come here strictly to look at all of the bizarre decorations. Parking can be a bit tight, so if you're meeting a larger party, factor in an additional 5 minutes or so to circle the lot. Once you come inside, depending on the time of day/day of week, you may have to wait 15+ minutes for a table. However, there is plenty to look at and keep you entertained during your wait.
When you come here, it is like a different experience with every table you get seated at because the decor varies so widely. The carpeting is this hilarious alligator (crocodile?) print, the ceiling is filled all sorts of hanging items, the walls are covered with custom license plates, bronzed baby shoes, over-sized dog bones, magnifying glasses, and cereal box toys, you name it. The best way I can really describe it is to say it looks like someone got high and went on eBay and just started buying a bunch of random stuff.
The first time I ever came here, their special was this delicious corn cake breakfast that was fantastic! Every time I come back here, I hope that it will be on the menu or it will be the special again, but it never is. Buck's does, however, have a decent selection for vegetarians, so it is still possible to fill up without having to ask for meat to be removed from items on the menu. I have grown accustomed to ordering the build-your-own-omelette, but my husband likes to get the breakfast 2.0 dish which I think is an egg-white omelette with boca burger grounds and fat free swiss cheese. I really like their home fries, which come as a side with most of the breakfast dishes. While I wouldn't say that the food is spectacular, it is still very good, and I'm always excited when someone suggests we go eat at Buck's. -
Review from Mark H.
5/2/2012 1 Check-in Here
The decor of Buck's is eclectic and fun. You have plenty of great conversation pieces on the walls and ceilings.
They sat my friend and I in a booth at the window. There are mostly booths around the restaurant with stand alone tables in the center of the restaurant. There is a small bar area on the right side of the restaurant with a full bar.
The prices are on the higher side but so is the quality of food.
I ordered a mushroom burger with grilled onions and two different kinds of mushrooms. It came with the option of fries, coleslaw or fruit. I had the fries.
The burger was juicy and cooked perfectly. The fries were good. The garnishments for the burger were tomato slices, onion slices, lettuce and a sliced dill pickle.
I had an iced tea to wash it all down. The iced tea was fresh brewed.
My server was Marina and she was very attentive and fun to talk to. She made my experience great with her excellent service.
I look forward to going back soon. -
Review from Valerie R.
San Jose, CA
5/18/2012
I gave this place 3 stars because it has some sentimental value to me. I remember being 6 or 7 couldn't wait to eat at Bucks because of all the amazing decor that they had on and around the walls.
Now that I am older the decor is kind of "over-whelming" and my Grandpa or Dad isn't covering the bill. Let me tell you that this place is pricey. I'm going to keep this short and sweet next time if I'm going to spent $60 on a meal for 2 I better be in Vegas, Drunk! Imma keep my sentimental memories and leave it at 3 stars. -
Review from Tom D.
Burlingame, CA
5/25/2012
Hardcore old school great place to eat and sign deals. Buck's has history. LOTS of history. I hope one day to get one of my retired license plates up on the wall. =]
Try the nachos, but bring a friend or two to help finish them off!
They do have free WiFi. -
Review from Kim V.
Redwood City, CA
5/22/2012 1 Check-in Here
Excellent service and food! Breakfasts are http://bomb.com
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Review from Nicole A.
4/16/2012 1 Check-in Here
After a hike we needed breakfast. Trying to get into this place at 12 on a Sunday wasn't easy. There was a 30 minute wait for a table for two, but we were able to sit at a small table in the bar area right away. The service was a little slow, but that may have been partially due to where we were sitting or due to the business.
There was certainly a lot to look at while we were waiting, so if we hadn't been starving the wait wouldn't have been a problem. The sour cream silver dollar pancakes were pretty good and the french toast was pretty amazing. They make it out of crossoints, so the french toast must end up 80% fat. It was sure tasty, but way more calories than I had burned on the hike. The chicken-apple sausage we got was good too.
Their lunch specials looks pretty interesting - much more "new american" than traditional american. The prices were a bit higher than expected, so we will likely stop in when we are in the area and starving again, rather than choosing to go there for a "cheap" meal. -
Review from Dan B.
Time for a ratings downgrade.
I do like Bucks, most of the time. It has a completely unique atmosphere; It tends to be festive and fun, and so we take out-of-towners and family here on occasion. But the food there, on average, is, well...Average. It varies from awful (the baby back ribs), to the OK (burgers), to the pretty good (crab cakes, chicken piccata). Servings are large, unless you order the hot crab w/ cheddar sandwich, which is comically tiny.
But the final straw for me was the horrific service we experienced on our last visit. It was so incredibly bad I wondered if we were on hidden camera, and someone behind a mirror was watching our reactions, giggling to themselves.
The waitress actually walked away before we finished ordering, and we had to track her down so we could finish; I had to go to the bar to get our drinks, since she seemed to have forgotten those; Our waitress disappeared into the kitchen for long stretches (it's a mystery as to why). Near the end, she disappeared for so long I went to the cashier to demand our check. And the place was only half full.
At the very end, our waitress attempted to make up for her bad behavior by pretending one member of our table was celebrating a birthday, which they weren't (a month away was close enough for her). We were presented with a dessert and the usual off-key fanfare. This just added a surreal moment to a long evening.
Of course this last visit was the exception, and service was fine on most previous visits. And yes, I'm sure I'll be back again. But something tells me I will do so with a little less spring in my step.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/3/2008
If you've never been to Bucks, you owe yourself at least one visit. It's a bay area institution and… Read more »
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Review from Scott L.
Moab, UT
3/24/2012
This is a review by a vegetarian
The service is friendly and efficient. The potatoes looked really good. The surroundings are amusing. But the hot chocolate and waffle ($12.50+ tax and tip) were fair to sub-fair.
If you're getting together with friends it's fine. If you're gathering to eat, head elsewhere. -
Review from Aria L.
Redwood City, CA
5/6/2012
Bucks is an excellent place to have excellent food while having an excellent time!
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Review from J E.
Oakland, CA
4/29/2012
Apparently the reason we ended up here was because cool techy guys in the 80s used to come here to dream up all of the fabulous techy things we have now. The , definition of eclectic and not really my style, this place has alot going on, including carpeted floors. My bf's meal was small but pretty good, mine was huge and pretty just okay.
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Review from Melodie K.
Menlo Park, CA
1/25/2012 5 photos
I haven't been to this place in a few years, and even then I only stayed about 5 minutes due to the fact that we came for breakfast, they'd just opened AND had just turned the heat on, and it was so cold.....but I digress..
My friend Pam wanted to meet here for an early dinner as it's halfway from each of our houses, ok, going for dinner, should be warm by then, so I said okey dokey. Got there early - like 15 minutes before I was supposed to and said so to the hostess. Her reply "not a problem, as far as we're concerned, you're right on time! Welcome!" Very nice!
I knew before arriving I was going to have the Single Pork Chop and just hoped it would be good (so hard to find pork with any FLAVOR these days which is why I quit buying/preparing it). While it looked juicy when it arrived, it was a thin chop, not alot of flavor and a bit on the dry side. Sigh. Pam ordered their "most popular item" - the Crab & Cheddar Sourdough which she enjoyed.
Price point: others have mentioned the prices being a bit high for what you're getting - I'd have to agree. Both of our dishes were $18.50. I'd never pay that for the Crab sandwich when I could EASILY make that at home for alot less. As a comparison, the Berkshire Pork Chop (and maybe THAT'S the key to good porkiness - Berkshire pork!) at the Menlo Grill was $24 and worth every penny. It was a center cut, thick and absolutely yummy.
Service - wonderful. Granted we were there early before they started getting busy but that doesn't always translate into good service. In the "above and beyond" category, our waiter told me that the mixed veg consisted of carrots, broccoli and cauliflower". Hearing the last one I made a face and said "that's ok, I'll just pick it out", and when he brought the dish, he'd done it for me. How nice was that?! -
Review from L S.
San Francisco, CA
3/9/2012
Good food, wacky decor, friendly staff. For breakfast, the french toast or the huevos rancheros are super good. I must admit, my absolute favorite lunch item here was their homemade veggie burger which they've stopped making for some reason. Seriously, I was so sad when I found out. I had my tastebuds set for it!!! Seriously, Bucks?? You replaced your delicious veggie burger with lameo Gardenburger or BocaBurger??? Boo on that.
This place can get a serious line forming on the weekend, so I'd say go early for breakfast or after 2 for lunch. Enjoy! -
Review from Gabi M.
Dublin, CA
3/30/2012
Howdy & Welcome to Buck's!
Wow, this a very eclectic place, so many things to see, like a museum/restaurant. I dare you find another place with gator-print-carpet...like a funky local diner for free-range-rich people in Woodside.
The gal at Yerba Buena nursery recommended this place, so we were hungry from spending a crap-load on native plants.
The clam chowder is AWESOME! Some of the best I've had & I spent summers in new england. My crab melt was good, but had some white-goo sauce which was good, yet I would have liked more lump crab (for $18) and less sauce. But I'm not crabby about it (oh bad).
The fries were not great, but no biggie, don't need to eat more of those. not very fresh.
Service was great, very nice, super fast & attentive, everyone seemed to work together to help.
The bar was cool looking (checked it out later) - might be a nice place to have drinks & snacks.
We would go back & get more chowder, sit in the bar. -
Review from Arie T.
Mountain View, CA
4/14/2012 1 Check-in Here
I'd give it 5 stars for ambiance (The place is very colorful), but the food is hovering between 2-3 stars at best.
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Review from alan r.
Cupertino, CA
4/8/2012
Funky place great stuff all around been here 20 times service been 3-5 and food 3-4 many a deaL DONE HERE AND THEY HAVE good plates for breakfast and dinner
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Review from Olivia Vanessa R.
Daly City, CA
12/3/2011
I'm not in the mood to do homework (hopefully one of my Physiology group members doesn't stumble upon this entry) so I'm going to write about my favorite meal of the day: Breakfast and how Bucks took breakfast towards a more complete measure of excellence this morning.
This is the second time I've ever been here or to this area. Located in high altitude, with a surrounding vicinity of hiking trails and pine forests Bucks provided a whimsical experience. The walls are adorned with a variable plethora of decorations, from comical caricatures, cowboy hats hanging from the ceiling performing as table lights, vintage photos and even a photograph of San Francisco made of gelatin.
A very kid friendly atmosphere, I noticed they provided a treasure hunt for kids. I tried to ignore the tuba and the clamoring but I realized this was probably their congratulatory for winning the treasure hunt. This does not at all seem desirable when suffering a hangover and yearning for a peaceful morning and a little intimacy.
Service was pretty expedient considering how busy it was. The menu is simple but ranges from the usual breakfast items to lunch and bigger entrees as well as daily specials. There is nothing out of the ordinary on their menu, except for the somewhat steep prices. Our food came quickly. For breakfast I had the eggs benedict, which came with 2 poached eggs on canadian bacon and sourdough, a side of fruit, and country potatoes. My entire plate was a little on the charred side which they slyly tried to cover with the hollandaise sauce. Failed to hide the burned potatoes though, luckily for them I like my potatoes over cooked. My husband ordered blueberry pancakes, basted eggs, bacon and potatoes. His plate looked pathetic especially for the price paid ($11) but he insisted they had the best bacon and his plate wasn't as meagre as it looked.
I remember reading a very vivid description of coffee in Hemingways A Farewell to Arms. The main character described his coffee to be murky grey in colour and potentially the worst cup of coffee he had ever had but it managed to do the trick. I could say the same for their coffee, after not having had any for 2 days I was expecting better, but alas disappointment reared its ugly head. Nonetheless, I would have liked more than one cup and it took half an hour to get a refill and to apologize the waitress gave me one to go so I ended up with 2 too many.
Brief Synopsis (I suppose this is supposed to go at the beginning) Bucks wins by default, because of beautiful location and decoration. It wouldn't hurt to lower the prices though, they are rather steep and it's only breakfast after all.Listed in: The Land of Milk and Honey
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Review from Otto Neubert B.
4/2/2012
Buck's of Woodside has become known as a place where entrepreneurs and venture capitalists meet over coffee or brunch to discuss their next project. The place is widely decorated from floor to ceiling with many different and interesting objects from astronauts to the Statue of Liberty. I had a delicious lunch and enjoyed the atmosphere and food with many colleagues.
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Review from Anna R.
10/24/2011
Came here for the first time last weekend after a company hike for an early dinner. We had made a reservation for 15 and they put us in a semi private corner and didn't seat anyone around us, making it a nice intimate team event. Showing up in our hiking clothes was not an issue, it's definitely a casual, relaxed atmosphere at Buck's.
The place's interior decorations are insane, hilarious, interesting, educational, and some made me drop my jaw. Lots to see, which was great for the children that some of my coworkers brought along. They were handed scavenger maps and they had to find various kitsch items around the restaurant - definitely a kid-friendly place!
I wouldn't mind seeing a larger (or improved) draught beer selection, maybe some local California brews, which would go well with the Americana style food.
I ordered the French onion soup, which was huge and super cheesy. Yummy Gruyere everywhere and a piece of sourdough bread was resting nicely among onions and broth. It could have had a few more onions for my taste, I like my French onion soup on the thicker rather than the brothier side.
The soup was followed by one of the appetizer specials: large grilled artichoke split in half - one half stuffed with dungeness crab meat and the other with shrimp. This was all served with two dipping sauces and rested on a spinach and veggie bed. Delicious! The artichoke and seafood stuffing was amazing. The portion was large enough that it filled me along with the preceding soup. I would easily come back to Buck's to eat this again! Hopefully they'll consider putting it on their regular menu (as season permits).
Everyone else at the table was devouring their steak sandwiches, grilled salmon, veggie pasta, etc. No one had a single complaint on the food, which says a lot when you're in such a large group. Everything came out at once so no one had to wait before digging in.
I didn't have dessert, but some coworkers ordered strawberry shortcake, white chocolate bread pudding and other items that made me drool all over the table cloth. The dessert portions are HUMUNGOUS! You could feed a small army with one of their delicious treats. Will have to come here just for dessert next time! -
Review from David J.
Redwood City, CA
3/26/2012
The 4 of us arrived at around 8:45 a.m. Sunday. Upon entering, we were asked if we had reservations, and replied "no". This unsmiling hostess then told us to wait. Looking around, a little more than half of the talbes were unoccupied, or couldn't be used bacause of piles of dirty dishes on them.
This was a special day for us, and thus we were still in good spirits when we were finally seated. Our section was filling up, but the one lone server was trying to keep up, but getting further behind.
We had been ready to order for about 10 minutes, and when the server came to take our orders, turned away and left us because we hesitated for only 10 seconds or so. So, after another 10 minute wait, the server came back, and we were by now so anixious that all of us started ordering at the same time. We didn't mean to do this, but we didn't want our server to leave us again without taking our orders. So, we felt rushed but managed to order.
The food was pricey, but O.K.
Then, before we were finished, our server threw the bill onto the center of the table and asked us to leave to make room for some other customers!!
We were not being slow or wasting time. In fact, we apparently used up our alloted time at our table, and this wasted time was due to our server leaving us for a total of 20 minutes without taking our orders.
Please understand, I/we have always made it our routine to be aware if there are indeed many people waiting to be seated, we would conclude our visit rather quickly and leave to make room for others.
Bottom line: Business must be too good, as they seem to be lax in not only their organization of the dining room, impatient with customers and downright rude to complete the unacceptable behavior. Perhaps Buck's is not worried that as a result of this and similar situations, some of their customers would prefer not to come back to face this kind of subpar experience. We thought that spending big money here would result in a pleasant experience. Not so at all!! -
Review from Xue H.
11/9/2011
Really overpriced. But the guy at the counter was quite nice and our take out didn't take too long to get.
-eggs and chorizo pretty tasty. Small portion for me though :(
-Friend's buttermilk pancakes were kind of meh. I guess he's used to more sugar/salt. -
Review from Penelope L.
Palo Alto, CA
2/25/2012
Interesting decor, fun reading on the menu and wanted to like this place but the moldy raspberries (the bunch, not just one, hard to believe the chef could have missed this) that came with the pumpkin pancakes really turned me off this place. When I pointed this out to the waitress, who was as shocked as I, the chef replaced the moldy raspberries with a plate of unmoldy ones. Dish wasn't comped, didn't offer to make a new plate. It was disappointing. The country potatoes were really nice and crispy though. I would say it was overpriced, but then I don't know the going rate for moldy raspberries.
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Review from Sean O.
San Jose, CA
3/17/2012
We stopped in for breakfast, not really knowing what to expect. Its funky inside with stuff all over the walls and hanging from the ceiling. Our waiter was frazzled and had to ask every question twice. My eggs Benedict was ok, and I liked the side of fruit that came with. My side of potatoes were overcooked and overseasoned though. We would probably go back if we were in the area and didnt have plans to go somewhere else, but its nothing to write home about.
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Review from Mike V.
8/11/2011
This place is like cheers, where everybody knows your name.
The crazy stuff on the walls are fun for kids and adults alike and my girlfriend and I love to split the oatmeal and the huevos rancheros (which we try to eat while we are peppered with questions about how we met and how cute we are by the amazing wait-staff).
I wish I lived closer. what can i say. -
Review from Allison M.
Palo Alto, CA
8/26/2011
Came here with my mom looking for a lunch place with free wi-fi... Buck's delivered on both counts!
I ordered a diet coke and a garden burger with avocado, my mom got a diet coke and a turkey melt on sourdough. Our waitress definitely wasn't overly friendly, and was slooooooow to refill our DC's (and later, to bring the check)... And when our food came, I noticed almost right away that she had forgotten the avocado on my burger, but she was gone and didn't come back for at least twenty minutes, so I just went without. And the burger was great anyway! The chipotle tahini dressing absolutely made it. Although... I still can't help but feel that it would have been made better with avocado. What isn't??
Stars also for allowing free substitutions of fruit for fries-- extra stars for always asking which the patron wants (rather than making me ask and feel like a pain in the side!)
I thought at first the pricing was a little high, but for the area and for the food quality, it really is pretty reasonable. Vegetarians can also get a boca burger, a few salads, or a grilled cheese... Not much else besides that. Still, I'd be realllly close to giving this place five stars if our service had been better!Listed in: Where I Can Score Some Coke
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Review from Jane Q.
La Honda, CA
1/4/2012
Went here for breakfast on New Years Day. The hostess was kind enough to take my reservation the day before, suggesting it would be a good idea. So the three of us show up expecting to be stuffed with all the goodies that breakfast brings.
It was really ordinary. Not terribly filling, but we didn't go away hungry. The food is average and I think from what I read on the menu, that they try to fancy things up a bit (french toast is via croissant. This doesn't speak of the hearty dish french toast is suppose to be. A member of the wait staff overheard my disappointment and let me know right away that any of their breads can be used...even white). Real maple syrup costs extra. The omelets were not impressive to me. I was looking for imagination I suppose and when I didn't see it decided to go with a Belgian waffle. Don't get me wrong, the foods not bad. It's just ordinary for the prices they charge. For three people the bill came to $35. And that was 1 (one) Belgian waffle split in half, 2 scrambled eggs, 1 medium orange juice and one order of home fries and scrambled eggs. Oh, and 2 coffees. $35?????? Not again, not me. It was fun looking around at all the stuff on the walls and ceiling. But I can go anywhere to look at stuff. Personally, it seems like someone figured out how to get their old lady to quit nagging about all the junk lying around the house, store it in a building and create a business that would pay for the rent for the storage. -
Review from Andrew M.
San Carlos, CA
6/24/2011
Buck's is a silicon valley institution. Dozens of deals and start-up ideas were discussed at the tables of this establishment. That alone (being a techy) has always intrigued me about this place. I've been there for breakfast, lunch and dinner and have never been disappointed with the food or the service. The place has an amazingly eclectic collection of items adorning the walls, ceiling and floor and is great for a game of "I spy" with the kids. The food isn't cheap, but it's not expensive either. I guess my biggest complaint is regarding the kids breakfast meal composed of two scrambled eggs, a couple pieces of sausage, and a couple of pieces of toast weighing in at around $9. That's a bit pricey for a simple kids breakfast. Other than that, I really love going in there.
The chinese chicken salad is one of my favorite menu items, and the desserts are to die for. Make sure you split them though, they are HUGE! -
Review from Amanda G.
5/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
I've had this place bookmarked for quite awhile, and we finally got around to having brunch here last Saturday.
Ugh, what a disappointment! My one unhealthy breakfast a week was wasted here:(
I ordered one buckwheat pancake and one buttermilk pancake. Both were VERY dry, but the buckwheat was literally inedible. Had our waitress ever come back to check on us, i actually would have sent it back.
I also ordered a side of bacon, and i appreciated that it was cooked the way I like it, (super crispy, bordering on burnt.) Although, it was nothing special, I've had better bacon at a lot of places.
I had a few bites of my guy's scramble and potatoes, and his breakfast was much better than mine. The scramble had good flavor, and i liked the way the potatoes were cooked.
I had a chance to see some of the lunch items ordered by nearby tables. The lunch stuff looked a lot better, (tacos, sweet potato fries, crab & shrimp stuffed artichoke.)
I thought prices were a tad high, especially considering service wasn't great, and neither was the food.
I might return for lunch or dinner, but not anytime soon. -
Review from Margaret p.
San Jose, CA
12/4/2011
good food, great service, quaint and fun! sensory overload. so much to see!!!
my only hmmmmm......maybe a bit pricey. $6 for a glass of OJ? fresh squeezed gold may not cost that much! hah! -
Review from Lauren S.
Woodside, CA
11/18/2011
I like Buck's because it's convenient and easy for us to get to. The food is good, but I agree with other reviews that say it's definitely overpriced. It's great for kids because there is a LOT to look at on the walls, and the servers usually do a great job of bringing out the kids' meals first.
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Review from Lynn S.
5/7/2011
Happened to arrive in town as a local parade rode in. There were fire trucks, jeeps, lots of kids riding in the back of trucks and law officers on horseback. It was a slice of Americana, so we parked and tried Buck's for breakfast because it had a good view of the activities.
The restaurant decor is kitschy, the wait staff could not be more pleasant, and the food is freshly made to order. You can get a hearty, traditional breakfast here--at reasonable cost. Nothing fancy. -
Review from dc l.
San Jose, CA
6/26/2011
I remember having a great time at Buck's for breakafst about two years and made a point to return to Buck's on Friday for lunch. This place has defintiely gone downhill. The food was generally OK -- we had a large party and ordered quite a few of their signature dishes -- food was fine, but I found their menu to be rather limited.
The bigger problem was service -- our waitress was VERY slow and I had to raise my hand or at one point walk up to her to get what I wanted. On top of that, the greeter at the entrance was definitely on the borderline of being rude -- he was generally unfriendly, and after seeing the child in our party, instead of picking up a kid's menu, the greeter gave me a "look" to ask me to get the kids menu for him, so he can show us to the table. Hmmm... am I missing something here? Is it my responsibility or his to pick up menus for guests? To this day I still can't get over it.
Definitely not going back. -
Review from Marie S.
3/14/2011 7 Check-ins Here
I just don't think it's in me not to love, cherish, and obey the tasty sway of Buck's! This place has a funky, unpretentious, but not-at-all-divey atmosphere I haven't gotten anywhere else. And the food's great to boot!
When you walk into Buck's, you're going to notice all of the "flare" everywhere - on the walls, on the ceiling, even the floor. But don't assume it's at all random; no, it's more like a curated museum chock full of the history of Silicon Valley. Try to sit near a wall so you can see at least a chunk of this exhibit up close and personal.
I have never had something at Buck's that wasn't exceptional, but I do have my favorites. I love the Eggplant and Buffalo Mozzarella Salad and the almost-always-there Special of an "artichoke split asunder" filled with crab and shrimp. The crispy seasoned bread that comes with it is almost a wonder unto itself!
Oh, and if you're Geocaching, don't miss the hidden hotspot tucked into all the other wonders in here!
Oh Buck's! Until death do us part. -
Review from TR T.
Redwood City, CA
Updated - 3/14/2012
I try to come early and avoid the crowds, but they do a decent Eggs Benedict, along with all the b-fast classics. Service is OK, decor is amusing and it's convenient.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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11/4/2006
Gave up on weekend breakfasts here. Too crowded, mediocre service, inconsistent food of average… Read more »
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Review from Sharon V.
12/31/2010 2 Check-ins Here
I've been coming to Bucks for years and while you're not usually coming here for the food, the charm of this place will get you every time. The eclectic collection of items placed around the restaurant is quite amusing for first time visitors.
Since moving to Southern California in 2002, we needed a gathering spot with friends during the holidays to celebrate the end of the year and to celebrate another year of friendship. They have been friends of my husbands for nearly 20 years so these friendships are very special to us. It wasn't long before Bucks naturally became our meeting spot for our post holiday brunch and it's become an annual tradition since. Plus, who wants to cook brunch after slaving over the stove for Christmas and Christmas eve?
The food will probably yield a 3 stars for me but they make up for it in service and ambiance--and for all the personal memories this place holds for us. After brunch, we always gather for the annual photo around the large hand carved fish on the side of the restaurant and it's great to see our collection of photos grow over the years.
We look forward to visiting Bucks for many years to come.
P.S caution with the eggs benedict. This last visit, I found egg shells in both of mine. Boo! -
Review from Sam M.
Northern, CA
8/11/2011
What a interesting place. You really do spend more time looking at all of the decor than the food. This place is like a combination of Disneyland, Ripley's and the local carnival.
The food was pretty good. My omelet came out wrong but our waitress had it fixed quickly and removed it from our bill. -
Review from Cherie S.
Sunnyvale, CA
1/27/2011
Hike & Buck's. Is there a better way spend the morning on a weekend? Hike one of the nearby trails and then gobble down a big flavorful breakfast at Buck's.
What do the Statue of Liberty, a surfing alligator, a blimp, bronze baby shoes and a motorcycle-riding squirrel have in common? Buck's! The place is crammed with fabulous kitsch.
Funky and eclectic, the atmosphere is almost overwhelming (especially if you're hungover.) If ambiance makes you dizzy, just put your head down and eat.
The service here is good--the waiters are friendly and knowledgeable and don't say annoying things like: "everything on the menu is good."
The Huevos Rancheros was great; it had an incredible salsa flavor. The omelets are good, but if you like your bacon crispy--make sure and ask for it. My bacon was on the wiggly side of done. The seasoned potatoes earned a double yum.
It's a bit pricey for breakfast, so unless you're a VC (which I'm sure many of the patrons are) you're not eating here everyday.
Buck's is a Valley favorite and I'll be back. -
Review from Nathan W.
Alameda, CA
6/12/2011
I'd been hearing such wonderful things about this place over the years, and finally had the chance to check them out. Unfortunately for me, I arrived just after 11, when they stop serving breakfast, which is what I really wanted...
I had the BBQ bacon cheeseburger, the one featured in a photo below. My server recommended it, telling me it was their most popular burger. I'm sorry to report that I was disappointed. The whole plate was overdone. I ordered the meat cooked medium, but the damned thing turned up dry. The buns were overtoasted, and the onion strings were dry and overcooked. Even the fries were burnt. Ugh...
What saves this review was my spunky server, Mychel, and the overall character here. I love the old photos and tchotchkes everywhere. The prices were a little too steep for me, though. But at least I can say I've been here now... -
Review from Ed L.
12/24/2010
Extremely overpriced for food you can get at any diner. In essence you're paying double for the quality and portions they serve. Tried an open-face crab sandwich which was a slice of French bread with mayonnaise and some crab with a little cheese on top. Also got fish and chips which had 2 small pieces of fish. Total damage was around $50 for simple food I could make fully drunk. The wait and service is also quite slow given the number of families and groups which is annoying.
I do not understand how this place can be so busy; it must be location or rich people just want to blow money outside the clubs, like at the breakfast table making it rain while popping caps off of OJ and milk. I guess they have lots of neat unique memorabilia hanging on the wall so you can look at it as getting admission to Buck's museum of weird shit and a meal. -
Review from Greg G.
Cupertino, CA
1/15/2011
Its a perfect winter day - 65, sunny, calm. Had a three hour hike and was very hungry so went to Bucks for lunch after. The parking was impossible so had to park across the street with the threat of being towed! It would be nice if they provided valet parking; they could earn some extra money and the added service would be a big help to the patrons who all face the same difficulty.
The service was excellent. Got a table upon walking in the door, and tea immediately. The food came out in under 15 minutes and was quite good.
I ordered eggs benedict (traditional) and fruit. Very tasty, but not the best ever.
The art on the wall is hilarious and adds to the personality of the place. They ust came out with an iPod download that explains the wall art, and also a book, available at the pay station.
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