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Pine Cone Diner
Point Reyes Station, CA 94956
(415) 663-1536
- Hours:
Mon-Sun. 7:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Street, Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good for:
- Breakfast
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
55 reviews for Pine Cone Diner
Review Highlights
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on a weekend visit to Point Reyes Station, we stopped in here for breakfast at the recommendation of a friend. Pine Cone did not disappoint!
i had a simple bacon, cheddar, avocado omelette, and my wife had the chicken fried steak. both were tasty and done just right. the ingredients were fresh and flavorful, things were cooked to perfection, and everything hit the spot.
as for prickly service, it seemed pretty much right on par with what i'd expect at a diner; no complaints here.
check out the Pine Cone Diner if you're in Point Reyes Station!
Uh, It's not actually a diner. The food is better, and the service is far worse. Despite the unexpected deliciousness of the fried oyster salad (4 stars! 5 stars!) we left feeling kind of burned.
Pros:
Fried oyster salad! Fried oyster salad! I was a little dubious about the feta cheese plus pickled onions plus avocado plus thousand island dressing PLUS fried oysters, but I was so very wrong. The thousand island dressing matches the slight creaminess of the oysters and avocado, but the pickled onions save it from tasting overly creamy or fried. At the same time, the feta cheese is just tangy and mild enough to balance out the onions. Awesome. And, with about four or five large oysters, actually worth it at $12.
Cons:
I don't need to feel especially loved, or even especially liked, by waitstaff. They have a job to do, and they don't have to be all that happy about it. However, when there's only one or two vegetarian options on the menu, and you're in Northern California, not ripping off the vegetarians would be the honorable thing to do.
Case in point: the vegetarian in the party wanted a recommendation for what to order. The waitress didn't have one for him -- which was a little odd (what, she's never had a vegetarian customer before? In Marin?) So we ordered the Caribbean salad sans chicken. We asked if they could substitute sauteed tofu (which is on the menu, but in another dish) and the next words out of the waitress' mouth were: "Oh, Juan won't do that." She didn't even bother asking. She just told us, definitively, that it was not an option. Which was, in the moment, pretty funny.
The salad that emerged was about 1/2 - 1/3 the size of the oyster salad, with basically the same ingredients as a side salad. He was charged the full fare -- $11 -- for essentially a side dish. At the time, we didn't complain, as we hadn't asked ahead of time about the price, nor had we asked if there were any better options on the menu. Although, having ordered the fried oyster salad, I can tell you that it was immediately obvious that the oyster salad sans oysters sans tofu was the way to go for a vegetarian.
We left feeling burned (and one of us, hungry). I don't think the waitress deliberately tried to take advantage of some tourists and overcharge us for what was essentially a side salad. I think she just didn't feel any need to be helpful, or even mildly flexible.
Despite the lovely salad, we would have had a better experience at the food market across the street, and that's what I'd recommend you do as well. Or, alternately, order exactly what's on the menu and send the vegetarians across the street.
What a cute place! And they serve REAL food!
Husband: "I see you have corned beef hash on the menu. Is it good?"
Waitress: "Oh yes, it's delicious. It's one of the local favorites."
Husband: (quietly and with a wink) "But is it REAL corned beef hash?"
Waitress: (looking slightly bewildered and somewhat offended) "Yes, it's REAL."
Husband: "But out of a can, right?"
Waitress: (looking back at the Samoan-looking cook in the kitchen who also looks somewhat offended) "NO. It's not out of a can. We MAKE it here."
Husband: "Oh. Well then I'll have the corned beef hash." (Note: he would have had the corned beef hash if it had been scooped off the side of the road and thrown onto a plate. He really likes corned beef hash.)
Well... the man didn't shut up about the corned beef hash for 2 days. It WAS delicious. I even thought so and I think corned beef hash is disgusting.
I had a yummy scramble thingy that was also delicious.
But the most memorable part of the whole experience was my introduction to Tom & Dave's coffee. I had a similar conversation with the waitress that my husband did, only about the decaf coffee. ("Is your decaf coffee GOOD?", etc., etc.)
And it was FREAKING DELICIOUS. Just like the real stuff only without the annoying side effect of making my breast-feeding baby bounce off the walls.
And I was talking about Pete and Dave's coffee for.... Well... I'm still talking about it, aren't I? My husband tried to buy a bag of decaf beans but the waitress informed him that they sell out of the decaf first. Every day!
So I ordered some online. :)
Thank you Pine Cone Diner for the great breakfast and for introducing me to the best cup of decaf I have ever had!
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"Good food, prickly service" , as they say.
That's exactly what you get here.
Well-executed classic casual american fare, picnic tables, definitely a good dining option on a sunny, lazy day in Point Reyes Station.
I have no problem if my wait staff does not try to be my best friend. The service hasn't been bad here, and the food and vibe are good enough for me to give it a 4 star.
We ate here on 10/3/09 for breakfast. We had planned to eat at one of our usual favorites (Cafe Reyes, but it wasn't open, and Station House Cafe seemed a little too much) This was pleasant since it seemed more locals were here, and fewer of the bicyclists.
Standard American diner menu, and authentic 50's tables and dishes. The dishes were amusing since none of the dishes matched and even included one from Applebees.
Eggs cooked as ordered, omelet was very lightly cooked not burned (this shows the cook knows what he is doing), hash brown potatoes freshly grated and perfectly cooked.
Best on the menu was the freshly made biscuit, very flaky and good tasting.
Service is what everyone else has commented, somewhat distant which I assume is what they called "prickly." Nonetheless, generally attentive and have no real complaints.
There is also outdoor dining, but we thought it was a little windy to eat outside.
I have eaten here for 48 years. I am still alive.
Great location - good menu and horrible service. The young blonde needs an attitude adjustment. If she had cracked a smile once I might have considered 4 stars....
The inside is a very retro diner decor and it is also nice to sit outside too, albeit a view of the parking lot. Good menu choices from typical eggs/bacon to corned beef hash and an oyster omelet. They also do huevos and chilaquiles.
Next time we are in Pt. Reyes Station - we will probably check out another option because that gal was so horrible (and her boss didn't seem to care or notice.)
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I arrived there right when they opened at 8:00 am and it was not crowded at all. I ordered wheat pancakes. They were pretty good, but they served the syrup cold. I like hot syrup with my pancakes! The service wasn't that great. The waitress wasn't very friendly. She didn't say hello to me when I walked in or have a nice day or even asked me how my food was. I even hand gave her a tip and she didn't look happy to receive it.
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I LOVE this place! If I could I would eat breakfast here EVERY day.
I totally adore the decore in this roadside diner and the food....
i(mmm)pecable!!!!!
Biscuits and Gravy, Corned Beef Hash (the best ever), and the eggs cooked to perfection, YUM!
-Oh Pine Cone, how I pine for you.
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If there are chilaquiles on the menu, I will get them every time. Bonus points if you offer a green sauce (which the Pine Cone did not). They did note a spicy red sauce on the menu, and hoooey! was it spicy!
The Pine Cone Diner is cute -- right out of a 50's midwestern town, with booths, formica stools at the counter, and milkshakes on the menu. But the rest is all modern -- organic, locally grown ingredients and diner menu favorites with an updated flair.
Prickly service? Someone must be making a pine cone joke. The folks here are matter of fact and all business, just like they are at my favorite Alameda diners.
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I have been back here since and have to say I either did the food a mis-service or I went on a bad day the first time around or the food has improved a notch.
Sure - it's no haute-cuisine of SF, but it's perfectly acceptable and the basket-o-fries was plenty, which always keeps me happy.
The service... still prickly - but that only adds to the local flavor.
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1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
9/29/2007
A diner that serves bottled beer is always worth a second look, but this place was a little… Read more »
Husband found this place on Yelp (thanks everyone!) and we decided to take a Sunday drive through Marin County and check out the Pine Cone. We showed up around 1pm and saw that this place is very tiny! Like, itty bitty little miniature tiny but that is totally part of its charm. We waited a bit to get a table...(its the really small yellow table in the picture), and yes it was very small, but just the right size for two lovebirds like me and my husband. Based on previous reviews we psyched ourselves out for really bad service from grumpy waitresses....but that is the opposite what we got! We got called "honey" and "sweetie" by the staff repeatedly as well as smiles and my husband even got the often elusive shoulder pat. So not sure where the bad service reviews are coming from but I guess everyone can have good/bad days.
We were craving breakfast big time and were happy to see that they serve till late afternoon. I had a delicious bacon and cheese omelet, and the eggs were so fresh and fluffy and the bacon and cheese were plentiful. The best omelet I've ever had. Great hashbrowns and I like how you can choose an english muffin instead of toast without extra charge. My husband had a scramble and devoured it.
A couple things to mention, its cash only (there's a Wells Fargo around the corner if you come unprepared). Also, their online menu prices are old, they are about $1-$2 more per entree now. But still a great value to eat in a tiny little dinner with fresh food and eclectic decor. I would go back in a heartbeat.
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Never again! I can deal with surly wait staff, no problem. What I won't deal with is lazy waitresses who lie. My friend and I went there today for lunch. Two parties of 2 were seated well after we were seated and they got their food, ate, and were out the door before we received our lunches.
I ordered a Thai Salad and my friend had simple eggs and bacon so this was not rocket science. The dining room had completely cleared out, there were 2 tickets in the window the whole time and yet it took us 45 minutes to receive our food.
When we called the waitress over to ask her about status of our meal, she gave some excuse about all the people outside who had ordered all at one time. We didn't believe her, simply because of the 4 people in the dining room mentioned above. She could have come by our table after about 20 minutes to let us know that our food was going to be 25 more minutes and let us decide if we wanted to stay for the wait.
She didn't apologize or act like it was a problem to her at all so we stiffed her on the tip. Oops! We forgot to tip just like she forgot to put our ticket into the kitchen or have the courtesy to update us on our order. We have both waited tables and we rarely stiff a waitperson, no matter how shabby the service. No apologies.
I recommend you go across the street to Tomales Market instead and pick up a sandwich or some cheeses and find a nice place in back of the market and enjoy yourself. Everyone back there looked so relaxed and happy.
The food is outstanding. So are the drinks, especially the caffenaited ones. Everything tastes fresh, and wherever they can, they stick to organic produce. More on a personal note, they serve the best vegetable chili soup I've had in a long time.
Hypothetically if I were to ever run a diner, the food and ambiance will hopefully resemble theirs... Delicious, charming and so darn special.
BUT one thing that would greatly differ is the SERVICE. At my place, there will be warm greetings and smiles regardless of how busy we are....because it's just NOT RIGHT when you can't enjoy your meal because of unpleasant service.
Really...one smile. Just one smile would have made an enormous difference.
CASH ONLY.
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My wife and I stopped in for breakfast on a Sunday morning they were somewhat busy. We were going to sit out side and before we could sit down some one took the table, so we went in side and asked to sit a a table that seats six people.
We were told not asked to sit on an end so other people could sit down, we said Ok.
The server that took our order was very short with us and tended to ignore us after she took the order.
Our server did not bring our order to us rather the second server did, and she brought us the check also.
As far as the food went we had the chicken fried steak, with the sausage gravy, the steak was just dropped in the fryer to cook (that and the gravy we the best part) there was also biscuits they were the most dry thing i have ever tasted. All in all this was the worst place I've
eaten at the service we received was at best was bad. I would never go back and would not recommend the place to any one.
So after that nice drive from SF to Point Reyes, my lady n I were getting pretty hungry. So after walking down the street we saw the Pine Cone Diner.
Seated at the counter this is what we ordered.
She had an omelet, the contents I cant recall.
and I had the country fried steak with biscuit!
food was very good~ Hash browns were done very nicely, the eggs were good, my country fried steak was done quite differently then other places and was also very good. Oh and the biscuit was nice too~
Our waitress was very nice and quick with the service. If you do not want to sit inside there is outdoor seating too~
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Food is decent, good even. Service was terrible enough to not ever want to return. You know the type... when you feel like you are inconveniencing the waitress by being there in her booth? We had interactions with several of the wait staff and every last one of them left us shaking our heads in amazement.
Funky atmosphere and good enough food, it's too bad the surly staff has to go out of their way to ruin the rest of the dining experience.
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I love corned beef hash. Especially when it doesn't come from a can. These folks make it on location. It was great. I came out with a few friends on a backpacking trip. Talk about a way to start the weekend off.
Their hash browns were great too. They were cooked with garlic which was a great touch - never thought of doing that with hash browns.
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Great for breakfast. Come early in the morning though when it's quiet. The dining room is quite small and can get a little crowded with visitors and locals. Apart from the food, I loved the decor. The colorful chairs and booths and plates on the wall and tea cups hanging by the kitchen were delightful.
Best food I have ever eaten in a place with "diner" in its name. It's also probably the only "diner" I've ever visited that uses local organic ingredients. I recommend the cobb salad.
A "must stop" on your weekend motorcycle ride.
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This place is quite the sight-and one of the nicest diners I've ever seen! The set-up is lovely and simple, a collection of mismatched plates cover one wall, pictures and signs are plastered all around, a great cut out of farm animals stand propped up along a shelf, coffee pots, multiple mugs (no two alike) hang over the window to the kitchen, of course, there are pinecone trays positioned on another shelf, brownies lay in a cake tray on the bar counter (a five dollar giant brownie-no drugs in this one ;) , a tiny, bright orange door lead to the bathroom, the vinyl booths (which are a comfort) give us a feeling of old world, classic americana-I don't think one could take it all in on just one visit, there is just too much to look at-candy to the eyes, treasures everywhere; there is just always something new to see!
The staff was, of course, friendly and has a small town kindness that is touching. They are placed well in Pinecone amongst all of it's possessions.
The food is very interesting and somewhat modern for diner food, not to mention, diner food in a place named Pinecone with a very vintage decor. Thai Beef Salad (delicious), Tofu sandwich, Fried Oyster sandwich, etc. (naturally, everything comes with Potato Salad, Cole Slaw, or French Fries, one can upgrade to Chili too.....), they even use a lot of local and organic products, this is by no way an average diner! So, after you take that ride at Five Brooks Stable and are needing a bite of some good old local grub-this is the place to hit up, afterwards enjoy a beautiful ride back driving through Black Mountain..... :)
My daughter and I decided to try the Pine Cone, as the Station House, our old stand by in town, was closed (as it is every Wednesday). I had not been to the diner in many years, and was very happy with the breakfast we were served!
There weren't many people there, so we had our pick of a nice booth inside, or a table outside. We opted for outside, and were really happy to sit in the sunshine on a beautiful West Marin morning. Our waitress was friendly, efficient, and not prickly in the least (as others have said). I had some great apple juice, and my daughter ordered iced tea. We split a stack of banana pancakes that were out of this world! They were fluffy, tasty and very fresh. Lots of bananas, butter and syrup. I was amazed how quickly we were served and how those three pancakes really filled us up. Oh, I also had a side of chicken apple sausage, my daughter a side of avocado (don't ask me...) All told, the bill was about $23 (which is a bit steep, but still, we loved the food). I'll be sure to return to the Pine Cone again! (Note to self: remember to bring cash...no cards accepted. Oh, and don't bring a large group inside---the booths are really small).
This place has THE BEST banana pancakes in the world! I'm so glad that we found this place while staying in Point Reyes Station for a friends wedding. We ditched wedding brunch to come here and it was totally worth it!!! It is a must stop if you are in the area.
The waitresses are great, and the food is fantastic. I can't say anything for the inside of the diner, I prefer a lumberjack breakfast on the picnic tables outside :o)
This was a favorite for my 16 year old son after a recent stay in Olema. The place has enough character to entertain your wandering eyes while waiting for the food. It helps the conversation along--especially when it's a mom and her teenage boy.
We had great service, the owner took some time to take two photos of us. The place was busy! The food was very good with a decent selection of organic food. My son loves bacon and I let him indulge here and there. He loved the bacon here. He also had pancakes and a side of fruit. I had oatmeal with fresh fruit and an egg on the side. All were prepared well. The coffee was very good, and the price was decent for the organic scene. I'd go back. My son will make sure of it.
I really loved this place. From the funky plates on the wall, to the aqua vinyl-covered tables, to the frenetic waitstaff, to the perfect diner counter. I wish the Pine Cone were in my town.
So. Four of us went in for lunch. There was a long wait. They don't take names. Just stand there patiently and don't be a jerk. When you're a jerk you may be admonished. Sit down when instructed. Be ready to order when the server comes.
It took a long time for them to finally take our order, so of course we were all ready. I had a patty melt and my friend had a burger. They actually asked them how we wanted them cooked! And miracle of miracles, my little patty came out really pink, just like I'd asked.
The fries were tasty, the potato sal I tried was good, and the husb liked his clam chowder and salad combo. They also have the good kind of crushed ice for your soda.
I will gladly revisit the Pine Cone next time I'm around. And next time, I'm trying the chilequiles.
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Nice breakfast place when you're out in this neck of the woods.
Apparently a new waitress had recently started working here, because the two that were working (the veterans) were saying stuff like, "So here's this 17 or 18 year old girl telling me how we gotta change things. And I says 'Listen you only been here three days and . . . . ' "
Needless to say, My coffee cup went dry twice, and I was in barely sipping mode shitting at the bar right across from the pot.
But the omelette with the trout = Ridiculous.
Order this, put lemon and salt on the trout and enjoy. You will encounter small bones. But sooo good.
I got a yelp account just so i could review this place and let others know what a bad experience it was.
My boyfriend and I went here on my birthday after camping along the coast. Not only was it my birthday and a beautiful day, we also got engaged that day so we were in an celebratory mood and wanted a special brunch.
Our waitress was incredibly rude. My husband ordered tofu because he can't have eggs. Well, the tofu scramble comes with eggs apparently, as the waitress rudely showed me the menu with no words, but a pointed finger. Ok, so this was our error, but at least be nice about it and perhaps offer to make him something else, or at least verbally discuss it with us, or even just a simple acknowledgement that it sucks to accidentally order something that you can;t eat. Who hides eggs in a tofu dish anyway? Not only did he have to suffer through picking through the eggs (which we paid for), but the feeling was one of complete disregard and disinterest in our satisfaction, and he left hungry and we both left with a horrible taste in our mouths.
My food was only ok and then we had to basically beg our waitress to acknowledge us enough to receive a check, or come to get us change.
It takes a lot for me to write a bad review, in fact, I never have before.
I grew up in a restaurant family and waited tables for 10 years and was simply appalled at how we were treated here.
I will NEVER go back and don;t think you should either.
We went here on Fri 11/17/06 for breakfast. This place is small and funky. Only 5 booths and 2 other tables, plus outdoor sitting.
We ordered housemade corned beef hash which comes w/ 2 eggs any style, toast or English muffin for $11.25 Hubby liked it very much.
I ordered the special for the day: blueberry pancakes short stack. Short stack means 2 huge pancakes, but then they put the blueberries on the top, not in the batter and the blueberries were the tiniest things I've ever seen. I'm a big eater and I could only eat 1 pancake, and a bit of the 2nd one. $6.95
We also got a small pot of tea $2, and apricot juice $2.50.
Separate men and women bathrooms. Women's was good when I used it.
Cash Only! I hate that but what can you do. Total before tip was $24.46 so not cheap, but pretty tasty. They have some annoying flies in there, even have fly paper hanging from the ceiling. yikes.
Hrs: 7am-4pm 7 days a week, but in the Fall and Winter months only until 3pm. Breakfast and Lunch Only! No Dinner available.
I'd come back to try lunch: cheeseburger medium rare $9.25, and mocha milkshake-organic espresso coffe & chocolate $6.25, clam chowder New England style-white cup $4/bowl $5.25
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BEST HASHBROWNS I'VE HAD IN YEARS!!!!
Speedy, friendly service. Good, organic, cali farm-style food. YUM!
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classic greasy spoon diner with big portions and outside seating...
2 words: espresso milkshake*
*(-minus 1 star for NOT having espresso machine working on my recent trip)
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I've loved this place on prior visits, but a busy New Year's Day lunch left me less happy after the meal than before it.
We were totally ignored when waiting to find out about a table, then seated with only scant and begrudging acknowledgement of our existence.
Food was lukewarm and not great. I ordered the Huevos Rancheros, so maybe this was not the best choice.
Most of all, I advise future diners not to sit at the booth closest to the door. The screen door slammed no less than 150 times during my lunch and was CRAZY loud every time. I nearly had post-traumatic stress disorder by the time we were done eating.
"Get me out of here," was my final statement to my sister.
Having our coffee brought out BEFORE our meal when we'd expressly asked for it after was a a bad start. The reason given -- that they closed at three and that the coffee machine needed to be cleaned out, was worse, since the menu said four, and no effort was made to warn us of the time shift.
I mean, come on, one of the people who ordered a coffee was getting a Cobb Salad. That's food service that puts the needs of the staff in front of the needs of the customer. That may still cut it in Europe, but that shit can get you fired in a lot of places here.
I got a watery white bean and tomato soup and someone else got the black been chili, which was bland. The entrees were okay. We asked about the homemade pies that the menu trumpeted but were informed that they had to be ordered a day in advance.
Y'know, I hate giving a bad review. And the staff was nice, in a disconnected kind of way. But serving us without warning us that they were closing and then ignoring a reasonable request -- that coffee be served after our meal -- and acting like it was a favor we were even getting service . . . and no pie.
Sorry, I guess I don't write any good reviews after three.
Service Update; Took the convertible to Pt. Reyes yesterday and enjoyed my usual Thai Beef Salad& chocolate shake. My husband had chicken-fried steak. It was all incredible. So, nothing new on the menu to review but.. but.. it was unusually quiet, there were empty tables (!) therefore our server was prompt, our food came out fast, and our waitress was funnier, friendlier and chattier than usual. The point of this update is when it's crowded and busy it's reasonable for your server to be stressed.
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1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/23/2008
I know five stars sounds like a lot for a diner, but it IS a five-star diner. (Sorry I don't eat at… Read more »
cute little place with personality. good food, big portions, fairly expensive prices. my recommendation is to get it to go and then to drive out to national park where you can have a picnic with a spectacular view. also that way you don't have to wait for a seat.
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It seems that the theme for me lately is things aren't as good as they used to be. Soon I'll be saying, "in my day, ice cream was just a nickel".
ANYWAY, same story here. I ate here years ago, and deeeelicous. A few days ago SO,SO.
Hubby hound got Clam Chowder, he gives it 3 paws up (out of his 4 paws), but the way he described it, a powdery after taste like it had been thickened with flour and not mixed well enough (blech), and he thought canned clams, clams are just a mile or so away, but high labor, so fair enough.
I got black bean chili, served barely warm. Good but, hey, with soup, you work on a recipe, perfect it, and repeat. Perfect and repeat. That didn' t happen here. I like the cute diner decor.
I was curious how the Pine Cone Diner would fare on Yelp. On Sunday mornings, when most Yelpers would hit the Pine Cone, this small diner is not at its best--don't get me wrong it is still great--but this is a place to have lunch at on a Wednesday. Then you can linger over your ice tea, read the paper and chat with the locals. This is a country diner with a West Marin ethic, so you get organic, free range food at Marin prices.
It reminds me a bit of the local diners we visited when visiting my uncles in Michigan's U.P. but with tattooed and pierced servers. I enjoy the BLT with avocado, the pancakes and the hash. The Thai Salad is great and at dinner keep your eyes open for the sea food special, odds are good that what you are eating was swimming that morning.
We come here often for breakfast and lunch in the summer. Everything I've ever had here has been really tasty. As others have said, it is a little expensive for a "diner", but they use only the finest ingredients so you are paying for serious quality here.
I love the decor. It totally reminds me of something I'd find at home in the South. In fact we love it so much, that when we found a painting of the Pine Cone at a gallery in the city, my fiance snapped it right up and we now have a bit of the Pine Cone at home.
We've been here several times for breakfast/lunch. The restaurant is small and funky. Interesting memorabilia/plates on the wall. Plenty of reading materials inside and outside. Good coffee...nice simple breakfasts. A bit on pricey side but mostly orgainic.
Yummy.
I never miss the chance to eat at the Pine Cone when I'm in West Marin. I favor the breakfasts. I've tried all the traditional diner breakfasts offered here, and just adore them. The bacon, especially, is high quality and crispy.
I've had the club sandwich and burger a couple times each. They satisfied, but didn't delight me like breakfast.
Atmosphere is perfect. Service is generally terse, but not unfriendly. Somehow, I don't care that they're not effusive. It's part of the experience.
The folded animal book cutouts on top of the VERY narrow bathroom door told me this wouldn't be your average small town diner. Meticulously decorated in some ridiculously romanticized version of small town charm (not even Hollywood could get it this perfect), the Pine Cone is the kind of place where your expectations are completely shattered once you walk in. The food -- mostly organic and local and although diner-inspired is hardly dinerish -- is more than a match for the atmosphere. The Thai beef salad was amazing, with delicious spinach and rather generous, tasty meat (and what's not to like about that?). My friend's chili cup came in looking like a pinata party ready to explode, in terms of both flavor and quantity, and my fried oyster sandwich was... just... heavenly, the crispy coleslaw a magical complement to the perfectly battered and fried oysters, and the bread a hearty compliment while fluffy enough to not make this a harbinger of food coma.
The food coma actually came courtesy of their humbly named "brownie", a gigantic hunk of chocolate goodness that, at $3.75, pretty much sealed the deal. Pine Cone, you had me at "hello".
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