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Grove Cafe
Categories: Restaurants Sandwiches Food Coffee & Tea Restaurants Breakfast & Brunch Sandwiches, Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch [Edit]
2250 Chestnut St(between Avila St & Scott St)
San Francisco, CA 94123
Neighborhood: Marina/Cow Hollow
(415) 474-4843
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 7 am - 11 pm
Fri 7 am - 11:30 pm
Sat 8 am - 11:30 pm
Sun 8 am - 11 pm
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Paid
- Good For:
- Lunch, Breakfast
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
544 reviews for Grove Cafe
Review Highlights
"I hear the fresh squeezed OJ is pretty amazing as well."
(in 20 reviews)
"decor is a bit ski lodge but not overbearingly so."
(in 22 reviews)
"I got the chicken pot pie and the crust was perfectly baked."
(in 17 reviews)
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544 reviews in English
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Review from Gen L.
Walnut, CA
1/13/2012 1 Check-in Here
I was pleasantly surprised about the taste of the food and coffee here. We had scrumptious sandwiches good to the last bite. The coffee was perfect. Strong and smooth. The orange juice glass is super-sized, as some would say. Many many restaurants and eateries give you a small or regular size glass of OJ, which makes you crave for more after gulping it up in several seconds. This place allows you to enjoy your meal with the tall glass. That's definitely worth raving about -- in my opinion.
They have nice seating arrangements with unconventional seats in the center of the room. I forget exactly what they were and didn't take photos but I recall that it was interesting. The seats/tables by the window are close to each other so you better be comfortable cuddling into a small space with all your stranger friends around you.
It's a bit pricier but I had already anticipated it considering the neighborhood that it is in.
I'd definitely will come back here when I return to SF and wander my way to the Marina again. -
Review from Annalise F.
San Francisco, CA
1/22/2012
Went to the Grove on Thursday night to enjoy a light dinner with a girlfriend of mine. Although I've been to this establishment before, this was my first time at the Chestnut location...and as far as I'm concerned, the Yerba Buena location is still my favorite.
Per usual, I ordered the tomato basil soup- which I still really love. The lavender lemonade caught my eye as well. It was good, but I'm not sure lavender belongs in lemonade. Something about my purple drink was a little off-putting. (I do love lavender scones though!)
This location is like the others, cozy, quaint, nice staff. That being said, I felt rather squished. It is not a place to go for a private conversation- but a great place to eavesdrop! -
Review from d b.
San Diego, CA
1/11/2012
So far the food was okay, but not great for the price. Being a regular customer, I noticed that carrot caked unsliced for three days straight, so I thought I'd get a slice before they threw it out. It was sliced too small and was a bit dry, but the icing made it taste OK. Again, the portion size is tiny (10" cake cut into 1" slices).
The coffee was above par, but still the price is a bit higher than the many other shops up and down the street.
The atmosphere was initially nice with the fireplace going. However I (and a few others) were run off by management today (apparently two hours is too long to eat your $15 slice of cake and coffee). I understand the dilemma management has when there are people waiting to be seated, and other (paying customers) are seemingly lingering about. Today however there were at least four to five tables still available and the place was starting to thin out when the manager asked us to leave. I think management doesn't realize that the $15 cake should include some "ambiance" (they seriously think they can run people out and have a sustainable business on their food alone). Up until that point, my night was going well. The experience was a total buzz kill. -
Review from Karen T.
2/8/2012 1 Check-in Here
I had the lasagna and it came with bread and a salad. It was really fresh and tasty. I love the atmosphere after a stressful painting session the place had a very relaxing calm feel to it. Oh and the guy at the register, I'm sure he knows, Hot! heehee had to throw that out there.
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Review from Regina W.
Updated - 1/7/2012
I've been going here for years. It's been on and off. The first was when I lived in the city and was in law school. I then moved away, but would stop by when I was in town. Now I live in Berkeley, but I'll stop by if I'm in the area.
That's what I did the other day. I had their breakfast, which they serve until 4pm: awesome. I also had some loose leaf tea. My breakfast was good: poached eggs, apple smoked bacon, hash browns and toast. The bacon was particularly tasty and I could tell it wasn't the stuff you pick up in the grocery store. I chose the mint tea.
The layout is still the same. I'm not sure if it's still owned by the same people though. I say that because when I walked in a really enthusiastic older man approached me as if I was brand new. Now granted I'd not been there for awhile, but I've been going there since the late 90s. He was friendly, but it was just a little odd because I wasn't expecting it. Everything else was pretty much the same.
It's still packed with yuppies, but that's not surprise because those are the people who live in the Marina. However, it's a nice cafe with some good drinks and good food. Any place where I can get good service, good drinks, good and get a bit of work done is a good place.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/12/2009
It's been years since I've hung out here, but it's still a great spot. I was a law student back… Read more »
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Review from Doug S.
San Francisco, CA
1/28/2012
This morning my wife and I were collecting the car from last night's dinner in the Marina when we needed a coffee refill - we decided against Peet's and happily got in line at The Grove - I was thinking..."cool, we're supporting local business and they have Caffe Roma's coffee, we all good"!!
Then something went terribly wrong - we ordered two LARGE COFFEES and an apple turnover - still optimistic, I handed over $8.60 for our order and waited...then the smiling worker shouted out...2 COFFEES to go. We looked down to see TWO small COFFEES (12 oz) that bore a striking resemblence to Folgers Crystals. I said, we ordered large coffees - blankly and without regret, the smiling worker said "we only have 1 size for regular coffee, the large cups are for Lattes only".
Still hopeful for a good cup of Joe, we added cream....wah, wah,waah...what we now had was 2 overpriced, small cups of watery, lousy-ass coffee. Disappointed, dejected and still in need of our morning "pick me up" we headed back to Peet's to rectify the situation.
Grove - you made us feel cheated and "a little dirty". Get some real coffee and put it in a big cups! -
Review from Tim S.
San Francisco, CA
Updated - 1/3/2012
Much to my surprise and disappointment, a couple of happenings to drop the Grove down a couple of notches.
Arguably, the food at the grove has never (or will it ever) be "great" - it's acceptable. It is also "pricey". The desserts and coffee, food-wise, were where it hit its highest marks. Now, the pastry chef has changed for both cakes and muffins. Both the new Red Velvet and bran muffin have fallen a couple of notches (IMHO).
Outside of the sweets, the Grove has made major changes to discourage the folks coming in with the laptop to knock out a few email while enjoying meal or coffee. Definitely understand the need to flip tables, but still - disappointing.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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9/13/2011
This is the marina breakfast staple and fall-back for lunch and dinner. One thing the Grove is… Read more »
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Review from Galen W.
San Francisco, CA
12/23/2011
There's just something wrong with a place that evokes 60's Haight Street funkiness charging $9 for a breakfast burrito that you eat among well dressed, intense folks hunched over their iPads.
Of course, the incongruity is not the restaurant's fault. Except that the food delivery service and table clearing is too efficient for the laid-back facade. The food itself is also jarringly too rich, creamy, unspicy, and upscale.
I enjoyed my OJ, coffee, and breakfast burrito. But, they weren't special and 16.65 felt expensive.
The place also feels like a cash cow and it obviously popular and meeting the needs of the neighborhood. If I owned it, I probably wouldn't change anything. But, if I really had intended to open a relaxed coffee shop, I would be disappointed in my creation. As a customer, I am simply reminded why I don't go to the Marina often. -
Review from Xin S.
Los Angeles, CA
12/6/2011
Cozy. Like a ski lodge in the spring time. Vegetarian chill was amazing.
Saturday 11am. This place is the place to be. Everyone strolling in with their sat morning workout gear. Lulu Lemon everywhere. Young people, old people, families, singles eating by themselves at the bar top. Everyone comes here! -
Review from Pete R.
San Francisco, CA
2/3/2012
I've been going here and the Fillmore location for years. I love their fresh squeezed orange juice, the french toast is nice. The draft beers are great. And even their sandwiches are really nice. I set up a time on a Wednesday mid morning to meet two others to go over some stuff on my computer. I came into the establishment with only two others in the whole place. One was on his computer and the other having breakfast. The place was pretty empty and virtually every table was free. I sat down, ordered a ($5!!!!) Cappuccino and waited for my party to arrive. I was there perhaps 3 minutes before a older gentleman asked me if I was going to order anything. I said I had just ordered my coffee. He so slowly turned away a little upset it was just coffee. As my party arrived the same older gentleman came over and brought us menus and walked away. We proceeded to talk. Again, the same gentleman returned and barged into our conversation to basically say. "Order something or you'll have to leavet... now." Mind you, we had been there about 15 minutes at this point with intentions of buying more. We also were 3 out of maybe the 9 people in the establishment at this point, so it wasn't like we were keeping others from having their meal or coffee. This whole experience just left a bad taste in my mouth (pun intended). They have decent food and a good coffee house concept. But this type of "service" is very unwelcoming. Because of this I will probably never again recommend this place or return.
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Review from Cate A.
San Francisco, CA
12/28/2011
Great place to grab a quick lunch or hang with friends.
I have had the tuna melt, grilled cheese w/ tomato soup, nachos and mac and cheese! ALL AMAZING! I have a hard time deciding every time!
Also, their cookies and hot chocolate top off every meal.
Atmosphere is great! Feels like you are in a Tahoe ski lodge! -
Review from Britt B.
San Francisco, CA
12/19/2011
The only reason they lose a star is because it's always so crowded that it makes it hard to really get settled in. Also, last time I came they ran out of oatmeal before noon. Come on people!
Overall though, it's got a cool ski lodge vibe. Can't go wrong with a huge glass of fresh squeezed OJ/coffee while sitting in a ski lift chair. -
Review from Sarah H.
San Francisco, CA
1/20/2012
I come here on days when I want to zone out a coffee shop. The staff is friendly and the service ins't too slow. I really like the atmosphere of this place, but the coffee is horrible. The coffee is very weak and doesn't have much flavor. The food is mediocre, I wouldn't make a special trip to eat here there are many better restaurants in the area.
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Review from Frenchie P.
San Francisco, CA
12/30/2011
Please stay far away from this place! The staff, namely a guy called kevin is a total douch-nozzle... as he proceeded to tell me how stupid i was for accidently calling the wrong location and placing a to-go order. At least i was nice enough to call you back and let u know i made a mistake. Why do you have to be such an asshole? Seriously though, just go to the Hayes valley location... all those peeps are super nice!
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Review from Mike B.
Chicago, IL
12/6/2011
A solid choice for breakfast. Nothing is better when you are hungover and tired from the night before.
All of the egg dishes I've had have been great and filling.
The OJ is out of this world, and comes in a pint glass!!!!!!!!!!! (you can also get a pint of bloody mary if you want, but I can't stomach those in the morning)
You order, get a number, then choose where in the Telluride ski lodge-style restaurant where you would like to sit.
On one occasion, we sat outside and complained that one of the tables was wobbly. Due to rust, it wasn't fixable and the guy picked it up and trashed it; right there, on the spot. Now THAT is what I call service!
I love this place and will be sure to check it out again the next time I visit my friends in SF! -
Review from J L.
San Francisco, CA
1/31/2012
I'm a regular customer of the grove on chestnut (2-3 times a week for tea, food, or takeout)), and while the staff is usually very friendly, the food, or preparation, has gone downhill. They seem to have a difficult time getting orders correct - bacon asked for extra crispy and it comes out barely cooked, bagels barely toasted and doughy, cheese on items when ordered without cheese, iced tea bitter, etc. For the number of people working there behind the counter, it seems chaotic and disorganized, and it's too bad they consistently can't get food orders done right. And when you mention that they have gotten your order incorrect, they sometimes argue with you or seem put out that they need to fix it. For such a great local cafe, it's disappointing to continue to experience sub-par service and food. Hopefully they can turn it around again. And what is up with the strict monitoring of wifi and table usage? Yes it gets crowded, and people shouldn't snag a table all day, but it seems they are hovering over you and pushing to get you out of there, when a big part of the draw and why they are so popular is that you can sit and work a bit there as well, or just enjoy the ambiance. I'd hate to find another regular spot, but may have to venture out.
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Review from Tom B.
San Francisco, CA
1/12/2012
A great spot for breakfast or lunch serving a simple but tasty menu and great coffee. Outside seating in the sunshine is great for getting some work done and watching the good looking Marina types strut around. Can get very busy but I've always managed to find a table in the end.
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Review from Jen M.
Cleveland, OH
Updated - 12/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
The Grove wasn't as good as I remember, sad to say. Gone from the menu was the KZ salad, my fave. Different people work there, too. Hummus and pita were still good and the vegetarian chili and fresh squeezed orange juice were as good as I remembered. Just bummed about the KZ salad and the rock hard chocolate chip cookie. Sniff sniff. Good news..they no longer have wireless so people cannot hang out there all day and hog the tables for diners who need them!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/3/2008
I heart the Grove. This is THE best place to meet a friend to grab a bite or have a drink. The… Read more »
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Review from Shannon B.
Seattle, WA
10/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
The frequent The Grove whenever we're in town. Good, solid food and great service.
Add in Wi-Fi (when it is working) and The Grove is golden. -
Review from Kim S.
10/25/2011
Great place for food & drink and people watch. Always crowded - does anyone work??! lol! Tough to get a seat which is a bummer.
Apple Chicken Salad - scarborough farms spring mix, granny smith apples, grilled chicken, point reyes blue cheese and walnuts in a champagne-raisin vinaigrette. A delish combo. -
Review from Alex G.
1/20/2012
I am a big fan of small, independent, family owned cafes/restaurants that have a certain positive yet chilled out energy to them. This place certainly has it. Came here for dinner with my fiancé and another couple. Sat by the fireplace with a deer's head hanging above us and music playing faintly in the background. I ordered the skirt steak. My fiancé got the beet salad. Both were delicious. The beer selection is nice. Chimay, Fat Tire, and Porters are some of draft options. They also have a Dry Pear Cider which my fiancé describes as one of the best ciders she has ever tried. I read some of the past reviews and service seems to be a consistent complaint. I though the waiters were very nice and outgoing. Maybe they made some recent changes. No service complaints from my end. Another positive is the ridiculously low price of food...can't beat a good skirt steak for $12 or a dinner for 2 including drinks for $35.
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Review from David L.
San Francisco, CA
12/30/2011
They pretty much get 2 stars because the atmosphere is great. It is a great place to eat with friends or hang out outside with your dog while you eat. It really does feel like a ski lodge. It's very comfortable. I also enjoy the pay first and then sit method.
The food continually disappoints me. It's not that it's bad, it's that it's not great, but the prices are so jacked up. Everything costs a little bit more than it should and when you get the portion size for the price you paid it leaves a bad taste in your mouth for the food.
The French toast was bomb, the eggs Benedict left me hungry, and the breakfast burrito is awful. The breakfast burrito is honestly like gourmet pig slop. Why would you put potatoes and re-fried beans together, and why do your eggs suck so bad in this thing?
This place reminds me too much that I'm in the Marina. They've built up a pretty facade but it's only skin deep, though they do have a few tricks. -
Review from Michelle T.
San Francisco, CA
9/26/2011 3 Check-ins Here
You cannot go wrong with this Marina standby for brunch, tea, drinks, lunch, work, really whatever. They have yummy sandwiches and salads, good beers on tap, and a cozy interior including a fireplace. It is spacious enough that you can almost always find a seat, and on warm days it's lovely to sit outside, pretend you are European, and watch all the yuppies drift by.
I have to say though - I've had a few disappointments recently. I had a glass of wine that was pretty awful - and once I ordered tea and the water was so lukewarm that it didn't brew at all. I ended up with a cup of warm milky water... -
Review from Amy H.
San Francisco, CA
12/14/2011
I like this place a lot for breakfast, but the service is usually a miss.
Food = delicious, especially the Eggs Florentine Dave's Way (so good!)
Service = slow, often rude, lackluster
Eat here, but don't expect smiles, fast service or any issues corrected. Food is always good. Just hope for the best with service. -
Review from Joel C.
9/13/2011
Had breakfast here with Troy this past weekend and will definitely add this to my "Best Breakfast in SF" list. The restaurant is located on Chestnut which is perfect for people watching...be sure to get there early on Sunday morning in order to grab a table outside.
The coffee is good....I go out of my way and get coffee here instead of Starbucks or Peets down the street. I hear the fresh squeezed OJ is pretty amazing as well.
For food, I ended up getting the breakfast burrito with bacon. The burritto is stuffed with eggs, bacon, salsa, avocado, beans and hashbrown potatoes. I'm usually not a fan of hashbrowns...but these were the best I've ever had! Troy got the eggs florentine Dave's way and it looked pretty tasty.
Overall a good experience. Just note that it's one of those places where you order from the register and they bring the food out to you. I'm looking forward on having breakfast there again soon! -
Review from Kyle J.
San Francisco, CA
7/31/2011
Horrible experience!! I have been to the grove many times and have good or decent experiences. Despite being over overpriced it typically is ok. This morning my boyfriend and I went in early (8:30) and ordered. The restaurant was not busy but our food took 30 min to come. When it arrived we asked for ketchup and the rude bus boy simply replied "we are out" and in a manner that was annoyed as if we were asking for something ridiculous. How is breakfast place out of a widely used condiment like an hour after being open??? And why is this a ridiculous request?!
Then we start to eat our food and my boyfriend's omelet is full of bacon when it was supposed to be veggie omelet with goat cheese. after he takes it back, we snack on my in the interim. He takes a bit of avocado and the full hard skin is on it. That is sloppy!! Could have been dangerous too. Then his food comes out and there is huge chunks of goat cheese. Disgusting.
Bottom-line is grove you when by default. This place is sloppy, overpriced and rude. I wont be returning. -
Review from Mansi A.
7/26/2011
I'd have to say The Grove is one of the most anal establishments in the Marina. Each $5 purchase gets you an hour of free wi-fi. To get that wi-fi, you have to ask the cashier at the time of ordering and they'll print out an additional receipt with a special access code and password. It's cumbersome...and annoying.
And the food? Meh. My asian chicken salad was sub par. Blah. Skip it unless you want to eat overpriced, bland food while people-watching and seeing frat boys in shorts and polos drink beer at 11am on a Wednesday afternoon. -
Review from Joy T.
San Jose, CA
12/8/2011 1 photo
I enjoyed the quaint cabin decor and the ski lift in the middle of the venue. My lunch was French onion soup, grilled cheese and pear cider, which a thoroughly enjoyed it all. Also the workers were very attentive. I definitely plan to come back next time I'm in the area to try other items on the menu.
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Review from Chris O.
11/20/2011 1 Check-in Here
Good service even though it's not technically table service they still bring you things and check on you. They have a good tea selection and at only $4 a pot it's a good deal, which helps make up for the very overpriced $10 sandwiches that only come with a handful of plain potato chips (the meat and bread were good quality though). The interior is kind of cozy and cute.
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Review from Greg H.
Glendale, CA
7/25/2011 1 Check-in Here
Staying in the Marina...eat at the Grove. Great breakfast, great juices, great coffee, and a super nice staff with great service.
French Toast! -
Review from Adam O.
Alameda, CA
9/11/2011
Really pleasant ambience. A cross between a coffee shop, a wine bar and an eatery. Salads are pretty sizable and they don't skimp on the tasty cheese. I had the chicken pot pie. I don't know why as I'm always disappointed! There should be pie crust on the bottom people! Pretty mellow crowd. All the other place seem to be pretty loud but I guess that was because the 49's were playing.
Outside seating was available so that's where we sat. Inside is nice too. Felt cozy. Can see it would be packed in the winter.
Liked it -
Review from Scott p.
Berkeley, CA
8/29/2011
Good space, good music,
Good breakfast burrito. A few vegetarian options. -
Review from Natasha M.
San Francisco, CA
10/27/2011 11 Check-ins Here
Oh how this place has gone down hill. There has never been a corkage fee before but now there is. It is crazy! I am sad to see this place go. The food is OK but go to Pluto's. People here are stuck up and unfriendly. The service is nonexistent. I am sad but not going back here.
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Review from Mandii S.
San Francisco, CA
11/25/2011
The coffee is terrible tasting & the most expensive in the neighborhood ($2.25 one size only / $1 refills). I recommend you go elsewhere if you just want coffee.
The coffee is weak & tastes like Yuban or Flogers, not a good roast. -
Review from sasha h.
10/4/2011
I like the atmosphere, the fact that it is open late and the people. I can't say I like much else though, namely the food. It really isn't that good. The coffee / chai etc is fine. The cookies are the size of an adult's face, desserts are good and the juice is fresh. The portions are decent but the salads, eggs and rest of the menu is all just so-so. If I'm already there and hungry than I eat but otherwise this is just a coffee shop to me where I can do work. Good location in the marina though; as a result line can be long and this place gets busy on weekends
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Review from Robb M.
10/21/2011 1 Check-in Here
I love to come here to just people watch with my coffee, computer, and carrot cake! Things are a bit pricey, but again you're in the Marina so what do you expect.
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Review from Marilyn V.
Seattle, WA
10/20/2011
We wandered into here random while walking around the Marina district on a Saturday afternoon. This place is located in a really cool area with tons of quaint shops all around. It was pretty busy around lunch time, with most tables occupied. They had a pretty wide variety of dishes, sandwiches, eggs, good brunch items. They even had mimosas! I wouldn't mind stopping by the Grove Cafe again on my next visit.
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Review from Patrick O.
Redondo Beach, CA
4/26/2011 1 Check-in Here
Bacon.
Screw Beef.
Bacon.
it's what's for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack time, meal time, Christmas time, tea time, game time, study time, me time, you time, laundry time, drink time, gym time, tan time, and if your really good, all the time.
I think my buddy said it best: "You know Patrick O. The pig is a magical animal, it turns grass into bacon"
The next half an hour was spent recovering from laughter and repeating this phrase over and over again, floored by the absolute truth in the description....god I'm such a witty class act.
So mix said bacon with awesome local fresh knock your socks off tomatoes, green lettuce that would make whole foods jealous and bread that only can be baked in the basking glory of the bay and man, you've got yourself an orgas....I mean, you've got yourself one hell of a sandwich.
Mix that with the ski lodge style decor, the marina location and fact that they serve beer and wine and I'm sure in no time at all you'll have found a little bunny to have conversation with. -
Review from Myrna J.
Long Beach, CA
5/3/2011
I've eaten here four times. I usually have the oatmeal because it's usually chilly and morning when I go there. This time I had french toast and a grilled cheese sandwich. Both were good but the toast was a little tough and hard to eat made more difficult because the table was shaky and I couldn't cut it without knocking over my orange juice.
But I still like going there. I like the way it feels to be there. I noticed it only had about 3 stars so maybe the rest of the food isn't so good?
It is always crowded though and this past Sunday was very warm and sunny making it even MORE crowded. I'd go back. -
Review from Amanda H.
San Jose, CA
8/8/2011
Hands down the best BLT I've ever had. Watermelon lemonade is also great.
I love this place. Great location, great atmosphere and great food.
