Rick's Cafe
Categories: Diners, American (Traditional) [Edit]
205 State StLos Altos, CA 94022 (650) 559-1941
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Announced 3 weeks ago
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 7:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m. - Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: Yes
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Good for: Breakfast, Lunch
- Alcohol: None
25 Reviews for Rick's Cafe
One of Rick's Cafe's Favorite Reviews
I have to say that for a new restaurant, Rick's exceeded my expectations both in service quality and food quality.
I've come here several times. I am always seated promptly even during peak times. The cafe has lots of interesting decorations which create a nice ambiance. I usually take a seat at the counter where I could watch the cooks preparing the food. Everything they are making looks really good, too bad I can only eat one thing at a time!
I've ordered the Country Breakfast Skillet which is diced bacon, chopped onion and bell pepper, eggs, potato, cheese, and a side of really good toast. I always order breakfast with all kinds of modifications and they always get it 100%. I usually get my food about five minutes after ordering.
I've also had their banana pecan waffles and some other breakfast combo's. They never fail to please! Excellent food presentation. Damn good coffee, and hot!
The service here is friendly and prompt. I would highly recommend for either breakfast or lunch. I can't wait to go back and try some other things on their menu.
Girl: So what's your favorite part about Los Altos?
Archie: You mean besides the fact that the most dangerous person in town is that 89 year old guy that speeds on his lark scooter?
Girl: Of course.
Archie: The hash browns at Rick's.
Buttery.
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I like Rick's cafe and it's a viable downtown alternative -- and more modern version of -- the Los Altos Coffee Shop (which, while fun and good, is more a trip back to 1950s diner America).
Rick's is a breakfast / lunch only place. The decor is modern. The ceilings are nice and high. They have a counter if you're solo or just like eating at the counter. Seating is mostly big booths, but I think there were a few tables as well. Service is good.
Menu-wise, they have a strong selection of breakfast stuff (e.g., omelettes, pancakes, crepes) and a good selection at lunch (sandwiches, paninis, salads, burgers). The smoothies are nice and light.
Overall, a strong review for a nice place to have lunch in downtown Los Altos (where, frankly, there's not much competition particular if you're not talking Chinese/Japanese/Mexican).
If you are craving breakfast mid-day, Rick's is a nice option in downtown Los Altos. Alas, we weren't in the mood for breakfast when we went, but the breakfast plates going by looked awesome, specifically the french toast with strawberries and whipped cream.
My girlfriend and I went for lunch on a Thursday. It was full but not terribly busy and we were promptly seated on the back patio, right under the heat lamp... awesome! There was already a pitcher of water on the table... awesome! haha Anyhow, the menu is huge and leans on the breakfast side of things, but there are lots of great lunch choices too. She ended up ordering a chicken panini which came with grilled portabello mushrooms and a huge green salad for about $10. I got the vegetarian crepe stuffed with avocado, feta, sun dried tomatoes, and more cheese, accompanied by hash/roasted potatoes, a little fruit cup,and a salad, all for $8.99. Total deal. I ate every single morsel on my plate in true porker fashion!
Everything was great about this place and the only reason that I didn't give it a 5 star was that the food was super tasty but wasn't earth shattering good. Hmm, maybe I should give them 5 stars. Oh well, if they are as awesome next time I will bump up to 5 stars.
Rick's cafe is my absolute favorite breakfast place. The place is always clean, the food is always fresh, the portions are large, the service is good, the coffee is delish, oh and did I mention the hashbrowns!? Best hashbrowns ever! Try one of their skillets, or their wheat germ pancakes, or really anything on their menu. You can't go wrong! This place can get busy on the weekends, but I never mind waiting. They also have a nice outdoor patio in the back with heaters if that's your thing. I go here at least once a week for breakfast. Now if only they opened one up in dowtown Palo Alto...
we love going to ricks because the food is good...and we can sit outside with our puppy. The coffee is great ! I am a fan of the scrambles for breakfast an the hawaiian pancakes soooo good.
We came to explore breakfast places in the Bay Area.
The Not So Good:
Food - Incredibly bland. I thought it was impossible to make breakfast stuff bland but they did it. My husband and mom had the open-faced breakfast sandwich and the egss, avocado and tomatoes were tasteless. My had an egg scramble dish and that was bland too.
The Good:
Booths - They are really nice, long booths. Can fit 4 adults nicely trying to contain two squirmy kids.
Ambiance - Despite the bad food, there were plenty of people there.
Coffee at the Table - They give you smaller mugs but leave the pot there so you can actually drink your coffee hot. (Tough for me trying to feed two kids and actually get to drink it once in awhile.)
Service - Nothing that special but they took our order promptly and cleared the table promptly.
Time to get a Table - Fast. Probably has something to do with the food!
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If I was Luke Skywalker and found myself here, I would call Scotty and tell him to beam me up. The food sucks and so do the bathrooms. But it has a sweet parking area in back.
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This is a very decent, very clean place to eat. Everyone is very nice and the food comes out fairly quickly. I love how they keep a pitcher of water at every table so you do not have to wait for refills.
The first time I went for breakfast I ordered the eggs Benedict which I thought was terrible. The flavor was off, the eggs were gross, the english muffin was soggy BUT the second time I went back I ordered the Hawaiian waffle which kicks butt! It comes with very fresh fruit which added to the wonderful flavor of the waffle. Portions are HUGE so expect to take some food home.
Oh, the hot chocolate is gross so I will never order that again.
All in all I think this place is fairly hit or miss with their food.
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So happy we found this place thanks to Yelp. We normally stay at a hotel in MView when we are visiting and we tried it out. YUMMY can't wait for our next Bay Area trip. Be sure to have a waffle and be ready for a nap after having breakfast here. Nice and cleeeeannnn too.
With the inspiration of Laszlo's bold, patriotic, revolutionary act and Rick's consenting order, Major Strasser is thoroughly embarrassed and considers both a threat. He instructs Renault to close down Rick's Cafe -- on the grounds that people are having "much too good a time." Reluctantly, Renault does so.
Rick: How can you close me up? On what grounds?
Renault: I'm shocked, SHOCKED to find that gambling is going on in here.
Croupier: Your winnings, sir.
Renault: Oh. Thank you very much. Everybody out at once.
Satisfied.
That's how I feel after my first time eating here. Prices were a dollar or two higher per item than I thought was necessary, but I guess you have to pay that extra dollar for the Los Altos address, huh?
I had a portobello panini that was pretty darn good. The bread was excellent & the mushroom & red bell pepper were prefectly grilled. It did lack a little seasoning, but I got a side of their super yummy house italian dressing and dipped it in for a perfect panini! The coffee was just ok, which was weird given that the place is decorated with this huge coffee roaster.
The husband, who says that 4 stars is too generous for anyplace we've only eaten at once, had scarmbled eggs, breakfast sausage and a side of fruit. The fact that they serve breakfast until 3pm is a definate highlight as he always wants breakfast! He liked his breakfast a lot.
The 4 year old had Mac N Cheese (no big surprise), but didn't eat much of it. I don't think she was very hungry because it was decent mac n' cheese. It was definately made with a bechemel style cheese sauce, though the cheese could have been some variation of velveeta. It was better than the box kind, that's for sure.
Other pluses-
Caraf of coffe, & picture of water with lemon on the table to refill as we needed. Though it was tap water with that weird Los Altos water taste. They should serve reverse osmosis purified water for the best tasting water.
The service was really great! The waitress anticipated needs and suggested things she could bring and then waited to hear our actual needs that were fulfilled promptly. My husband substituted the potatoes (which actually looked amazing on other people's plates) for fresh fruit without so much as a blink of an eye on her part.
It is definatelt a step above the average downtown restaurant and will probably become a regular stop for us.
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This place is pretty big and so are its portions. I had a plate of the Huevos Rancheros and I almost couldn't finish it. I didn't even have dinner the night before either. It was really packed when I got there and even as I was by myself they had no problem seating me at a table. (I didn't realize they had a breakfast bar until I was seated). But pretty good. The service was nice and if you ask for coffee, they set down a thermos of coffee at your table so you don't have to keep getting it refilled. Much appreciated. I could go through a whole pot myself :) I wanted to try the crepes but my stomach was packed full.
Went to Rick's for lunch for the first time today, and have to say I was impressed!
The place is clean, with big comfortable booths, and high ceilings. The tables are all set with a pitcher of water and glasses. The menu is quite extensive. The prices may shock you a bit at first ($12.95 for the salmon lunch crepe), but the portions are generous.
I honestly had a hard time deciding what to to order (breakfast all day = bacon all day!). The salmon lunch crepe did sound good, and the BLT is a classic, but I ended up going with the crab melt sandwich. I've seen this particular sandwich on other menus, and am usually disappointed when I order it. Thankfully, Rick's makes a great crab melt. They use real crab, tomato, and avocado all served on toasted rye. Fantastic. My sandwich also came with a celery salad (with a light tangy dressing), a few pieces of fresh fruit, and potatoes. I couldn't have been happier with my lunch.
Since this was my first time at Rick's, I'm going with 4 starts. I have a feeling that after I've made it back a couple more times, I'll have to change this to 5 stars.
Food was pretty good. Generous portions.
What really stood out and what I liked was the fact that each table had a pitcher of coffee and water. This is a great idea since a good percentage of waiter/waitress table visits are for refills. I like it for the efficiency factor and some private time.
The server did spot check the table and if we needed anything in a timely fashion, but didn't over do it.
When the food was presented the ketcup, mustard and other condiments were presented as well.
Only reason why I did give it a 5th star is that the food could use a little more room for improvement in the taste and grease factor.
I really want to love this place. Everyone is right..The hash browns are excellent. The sides are better then anything we've ordered. Its fine, never get sick and the staff id cordial enough. The timing was really off today. We waited far to long for lunch and our sandwiches were not very well executed. The meatball was a soggy disgusting mess. Stay away from this one. Theres an Italian Deli on Main. Go there. The crab panini missed the mark, too. it was cold mealy crab salad on toast. Yuck. I liked the green salad that came with it. We have tried a few different things and just can't find any dish we love. I would love to know what the 5 star dishes are because we haven't found them.
We do like the ambiance. Its a very upscale diner. I'd be happier at a diner with some heart and soul. This one isn't it. I'm still looking for a place in Los Altos that has great great great food. With so many people, in this town, who love food, we really don't have a great reliable restaurant. The best anyone seems to say, "Its not too bad.." At $30.00 for 2 people for lunch? I want something wonderful. So far, its the water pitcher and the hash browns. Not worth the money..Water and potatoes??
I would say this is one of the best breakfast places in the area and we have searched long and hard for many years to find a decent restaurant for good waffles and pancakes. Their bacon waffle is great, as is their blueberry wheatgerm pancakes.
They roast their own coffee beans and make their own blend. You get a carafe of coffee at your table which is a nice touch.
Los Altos has a new breakfast player in town. Asides from Original Pancake House and Los Altos Coffee shop, it's good to see the addition of variety to the area. This place is almost the size of those two put together so it's a spacious place for breakfast and lunch crowds as evidenced by their grand opening. I went decently late and there were still throngs of people waiting around. They however had thought this out pretty well as there were rows of chairs outside for waiting patrons.
Their menu has all the kreadast usuals like omeletes, scrambles, pancakes and then lunch items like sandwiches and burgers. The menu is pretty large for a breakfast/lunch place only. Had the Mountaineer Skillet which has corned beef, hash browns, onions and two cheeses topped with a bagel and two eggs, style of your choice. Added a side of Applewood Smoked Bacon to top it off. Pretty damn tasty and totally hit the spot. The prices are a bit on the high side ($4 for bacon!) but then again you're in Los Altos and it's definitely not the value of Flames (Cupertino/SC - RIP), but it is higher quality ingredients. The service was pretty good and my waitress took good care of me.
Overall it's good to have more variety in the area and I'll be back to try a few more things.
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As breakfast places go this is one of the best! Los Altos has never been a destination point for me, although once a year I do venture out to their community to catch their Christmas Light Parade. However ever since I stumbled into Rick's Cafe I find myself going to Los Altos for breakfast at least once a week. What makes their restaurant special is not the enormous portions of food or their unique attention to detail, (this place is FREAKY clean) but what I personally find to be their best attribute is just how NICE everyone is. From the host who greets you at the door, to the servers who genuinely seemed please to serve you. In terms of the food it's difficult to pin point a favorite. It's an 8 page menu, so be prepared to do some reading. I have however narrowed my favorites to the "Green Eggs and Ham" , the "Fruity French Toast", the "Very Berry Sundae" and because there is no better food than spicy food the "Spicy Jerk Chicken Sandwich". Once you leave Rick's Cafe you'll either cozy back into your bed for nice nap or you'll feel compelled to stroll through the town trying to walk off all the excess calories. To this dilemma I do have a suggestion: strap a bicycle to your car and go for a nice ride around Los Altos, you'll find tons of scenery, fresh air and very friendly people.
Wow! Finally Los Altos needed a place like Rick's Cafe. Rick's Cafe is by far the best place to have breakfast and lunch. Everything on the menu looked good, and I was right. We ordered an omelette and bluegerm pancake and it was to die for. The food was incredible and the portions were huge.
The service was fast and very friendly, very comfortable & relaxing atmosphere.
Overall excellent food, excellent service, definitely gets 5 stars rating in my book. I will be coming over and over.
I'm lukewarm about this place. It's a great space for a restaurant and Los Altos could use a place like this, so I hope it succeeds. But honestly, it wasn't that good. I ordered an omelet and it was greasy and bland. The coffee was tepid. The best thing on my plate was the hash browns and they were pretty darn good. Surprisingly good. I wish I'd had a whole plate of those.
It's not been open very long, so the wait staff are still getting used to the menu. The menu is kind of complicated. I was hard pressed to find an omelet with anything less that six or more ingredients. Finally found some down at the bottom of the menu, but it took a few minutes to convince the waitress that they were legitimate omelets and not additions to the specialties.
Everyone is nice and friendly, just a little confused and abrupt at times. I sat at the counter, so when my waitress didn't bring the jelly i just reached over and got it myself. A waitress I hadn't seen before came over to me and said, "Have you got everything you need now?" Like I had broken the rules somehow or she'd finally found the source of her irritation.
I will go back and try it again. Like I said, I want it to be good. But there are two other local breakfast places in Los Altos that blow this place out of the water when it comes to the food.
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I was really trying to be the first to review here because I like the blue exploding "1" that accompanies that distinction, but oh well. My parents and sister ventured in here post-Thanksgiving weekend as a change of pace from the old standby favorite, The Los Altos Coffee Shop, and everything was pretty good.
The portions were HUGE!! An omelet will run you about $10, but the amount of food you get is worth it. I had the zesty hot link omelet and I thought that it could stand to be spicier. Bagels seem to the toast of choice here and I cannot say that I was disappointed, as I heart carbs. The breakfast potatoes are also excellent. The jams and preserves on the table are a real treat to add to your buttered bagel.
The menu is expansive, so allow yourself ample time to read it over before ordering. I'm excited to go back and try one of the benedicts.
This place is super good! I got the blueberry waffles, and they were to die for. The waffle was rich and flavorful, the whipped cream was homemade and creamy, and the blueberry topping tasted fresh and not canned. The service was great, and there was no wait at all. The 1 star left is because this place doesn't blow my socks off. The food is still great, and so is the menu, it's worth checking out
a little pricey, but they leave a coffee pot on the table I like that !!!
good stuff!! good service & food
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