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Categories: Diners, Breakfast & Brunch
Neighborhood: Downtown OaklandMon-Fri. 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Sat. 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
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Can I say that I really like this place? If life was Facebook, I'd hit the "Like" button under this place several times with neverending fervor.
What a fresh and delicious Denver omelet! What a mouth-watering serving of potatoes! What nice people! What ho, vegan menu!
Got to try some of the buddy's smothered steak, which was delicious. I think my omelet got a little jealous.
Love the interior too... It's really cute and and and.
A quick forewarning. CASH ONLY. Slightly pricey too, but worth it. Smothered steak, yes?
:D Yay, I am most definitely a fan. Pressing the non-existent "Like" button...
Unfortunately they do not currently have a vegan bun or roll for their labeled-as-vegan sandwiches.
The extra star is because they were receptive towards my complaint and hopefully will make the switch to vegan bread soon.
If not for this, it would be a 5 star review. The staff was friendly and the veggie pulled pork was unique.
Rico's is cool because the have a vegan/vegetarian menu that's almost as big as their regular menu. And the items on said menu are those that we vegan's often miss out on. Things like pulled pork sandwiches. Yum.
Minus one star because it's a little pricey and they don't accept credit cards. Plus one star for the cool wall of license plates. Minus one star because the fries don't come with the sandwiches.
They have a huge menu of milkshakes - if only they made them with soy! Do they? I guess I've never asked.
Finally got here after seeing the reviews on yelp for a while. We both got the vegan pulled pork, which was interesting, but could have been better. It was a lot of fake meat, not so much anything else. I'd like to go back and try something else.
This place is slowly growing on me. I don't like that they only take cash, but at least they offer a vegetarian Bánh mì. It's a good lunch staple for non-fancy or non-elaborate foodstuffs.
A place where meat lovers and veggie heads can both love!! You can now embrace your tree-huggin' vegan friends because y'all can now eat together at the same table! They have a great vegan/vegetarian menu right next to their meat menu. I love this diner -great food and great prices. The place is super cute and the service is incredibly friendly.
They have tator tots!!! TATER TOTS! Crispy, crunchy, perfecto!
I love Rico's burger . It's messy and juicy. The burger is thick and cooked to your liking. The slices of jalepeno really add a good kick to the monster.
Being a big meat lover, I was surprised by how much I loved their VEGAN pulled-pork sandwich It comes with this awesome tangy bbq sauce and the "pulled-pork" vaguely tastes piggish!
The sandwiches are predictable but solid.
The garlic fries here aren't too bad either!
I'm a pretty easy-going rater, but this place was just disappointing.
I went for breakfast, on one of those days where you just need to escape the office, even though it's 9am and you just got there. Attempting to fill the empty part of my soul with diner food and escape with a mindless novel for half-an-hour shouldn't be too hard. I went based on yelp reviews, but I think this place either went way downhill or is really hit-or-miss (I missed).
And cash only blows.
How do you mess up scrambled eggs and toast? Dry, cardboard-ish toast and strangely flat, bland eggs, crappy coffee . . . it was just so sad! Alas, I must find escapist fulfillment somewhere else.
wow, went back here for a second try and bombed it.
I paid $5.00 for chili cheese dog that had, I believe, Ortega Chili, and nacho cheese.
We're not talking about shredded sharp cheddar or even a slice of American, we're talking liquid nacho cheese. It sounds like I am whining, I sort of am. Not only was it Nacho cheese, it was slightly "sprinkled" on my wiener. What ever happened to "dunking" my frank into a tub of cheese?
I followed it up with... you got it, Chili Cheese Fries for $4.00. It came with probably chili from the same can of Ortega, and again, a few drops of nacho cheese "sprinkled" on my 13 fries. I know Americans are obese because of the oversized portion servings. But come on, 13 fries???? (I counted)
Service was extremely friendly and the Frank's RedHot Sauce was still available, thus the 3 star.
5 Stars for making a fantastic Bacon Cheeseburger, but minus one star for making it the size of a… Read more »
Vegan Pulled Pork Sandwich. It sounds like a joke or a gimmick or a sad, desperate act of denial. It is GOOD, my friends. Good effing ish. If you are not vegan, you will like it. If you are vegan, you will think Rico is God.
His burgers are amazing, too. Acme bread RULES! Organic greens, good ingredients, and portions sized how they *should* be--they satisfy but leave you wanting more yumminess.
Only gripe is the hours, but like a lot of hidden Oakland gems, you just gotta getcho ass there in time to meet their schedule. Just how it is! Now GO!
If you are vege or veagish or omni (like me) this place rules... Salmon Burger rocked my socks... French Toast hella big... Reuben was tasty...
It's quirky and cute and delicious... a diner but no SLOPPY too much syrup vibe... more lisa loeb then denny's
CASH ONLY M-FUCKERZ...
Mmmmm...that chocolate banana milkshake really hit the spot yesterday. Thick, creamy, and neatly presented. I'm coming back for more!
Simple menu, simple place ... none of the pretentious snobbery that gets involved with places in the bay area and has a delightful staff who serve with simplicity.
There's not much to say except that it's good.
I like it.
Word.
Went to Rico's for luch with a couple buddies of mine (one of which is Dave K.... yelper extraordinaire).
I ordered the Philly Cheese Steak... for like 7 bucks. Then I realized fries didn't come with it.. BOOM add another 2 bucks.. throw in a DC (Diet Coke), and your lookin at 10+... this better be good right!?!
Not so much...
The sandwich was a little on the small side... not that I judge a sandwich by it's size, but for 7 bucks i expected a substancial meal. The cheese was like that nacho cheese you get at ball game... this is a PHILLY cheesesteak. If you went to philly and asked for nacho cheese on you cheesesteak you'd get slapped in the face! No doubt about it! The fries were nothing to write home about... barley cooked through... seemed fresh though.
I will say that the service was great, very nice people, and the it has a "local diner" type feel, which I like... and those to attributes keep Rico's from getting a 1-star rating.
There have been rumors that their fish sandwich is pretty good... don't think I will be back to find out.
Curly fries, peanut butter milkshakes, veggie burgers, and vegan sandwiches: these attributes alone warrant at least four stars. But it's the quality and care put into each meal that makes Rico's a five-star joint. It's dishes are timeless and the setting classic. Prices are affordable, too.
As far as I'm concerned, Rico's is the only real diner in Oakland (aside from the Pretty Lady, which isn't as accessible; and Nikko's Café, which is too greasy).
I'm not big on rating places low; simply because I don't like it doesn't mean that others won't. We're all not the same human, after all.
I went here because a friend mentioned they have a vegan/vegetarian menu for their Saturday breakfast. I had the french toast with vege sausage (morning star, I believe) and my honey had an omelet with tater tots (like the kind you buy frozen). There were tons of eggs on the menu and not many vegan options, so I would say they did not have a decent vegetarian/vegan breakfast menu.
We did not eat lunch here, and it seems from the reviews that folks wrote, that's where the "meat" is. haha. So, we should probably give it another go, just not for breakfast.
It was a straight forward diner like place, and it seemed like the folks that were working there took care in their jobs. For the four or so tables that were occupied in there, it did seem to take a while for the food to come out.
First of all, I don't understand when someone claims to absolutely LOVE a joint and will only fork over four stars...or even the occasional (gasp!) three. Would you say that you LOVE your mother or LOVE your beau and give that person anything less than a high five? Don't think so.
Rico's is a delicious and quirky gem-of-a-diner in what was, and can still be, a rough Oakland neigborhood. They are consistently clean, have a fresh fare at reasonable prices, and here's the real kicker: a restroom for patrons. Thank heavens I can finally stop peeing in the streets after coffee.
In all seriousness, before you hate or decide to withhold some lovin', consider the heavy pros. And if you've only gone once and weren't impressed, buck up and try again. Rico's has much to offer and I am confident that anyone can find a meal to encourage a good belly rub and a grin.
I almost gave it 4 stars but realized this review is based solely on the vegan pulled "pork" sandwich...
That vegan pulled "pork" sandwich pretty much rules. I guess it is made from mushrooms and it is a very original texture. The BBQ flavor is not overpowering or hot. It actually has a nice sweet taste to it. I also really like that they don't stick a bunch of crap in the sandwich that would take away from the "pork."
The (vegan) curly fries and tater tots are much appreciated.
The Vietnamese sandwich and the cheesesteak sandwich can both be modified to be vegan. (Seems to make less sense with the cheesesteak though.)
That's about it... but let's face it, if you are vegan and going to Rico's, you are going for the pulled "pork" sammich!
My only real complaint would be the hours this place is open.
Another vote for the vegan pulled pork! This sandwich is killer. The sauce is wonderfully tangy, with a little sweetness, and the wheat bun is great. The "pork" can be a little too chewy sometimes, but it's still super tasty. The banh mi and cheesesteak can also be modified to be vegan, just make sure to get the wheat bun since the french roll contains milk products (but extra points to them for being aware of this!) Extra points also for the self-serve ice machine and water cooler.
And who doesn't love fried potato products? Tater tots, classic fries, curly fries, garlic fries. All super hot, crispy, and delicious.
Minus a star for hours. They're great if you work downtown, but if you don't, it can be difficult to make it down here when they're open. They also really need some vegan milkshakes!
Really dig the Rico Burger with curly fries. I don't think I've even had anything else here. I love jalapeno burgers and this one is just done right. And curly fries are curly fries. The hours are weird, but I guess I can't blame them considering what a dead zone downtown oakland is after work hours and on the weekends.
"So where are we going?" She asks as we turn onto lower Grand Ave, "There's not much open downtown on the weekend."
"Oh, you know... this new spot."
"Oh god, is this one of your yelp finds?"
"Possibly. What's wrong with that?" i teasingly respond. i already know her answer.
"This is gonna be one of those dirty-ass shit holes that yelpers love to talk up, because they think that makes it all 'authentic', isn't it? Those geeks just eat that shit up... Oh by the way, my mom told me she started using yelp."
"Really? Like writing reviews? Oh no, she's not gonna be on talk is she?!"
"No, just reading them."
"OK, well tell her to give me some UFCs."
"What's youeffsees?"
"Useful, Funny, Cool- those little buttons where you can vote on reviews. Oh, and sometimes yelpers like to rearrange it to F-U-C 'cause, you know, it almost spel-"
"GEEKS!"
We pull up to Rico's Diner.
"I knew it," she mutters.
"Well some of the places i've found have been pretty nice," I protest as we walk in. "What about Levende East. I found that on Yelp. Or Digs Bistro. Or Fringale. Or Mua. Or..." But it was too late. She was already rolling her eyes while brushing the previous patron's crumbs from our table with her bare hands.
Of course, she wouldn't actually admit that despite the rock bottom prices, our eggs were light, fluffy, and perfectly cooked, the home fries were seasoned just right, and the corned beef hash was some of the best either of us have had in a long time. But we both knew. Oh yes, we knew.
And for dessert? Sweet, sweet vindication.
I am not sure what I can add that hasn't already been said.
After reading the reviews I figured I had to try it. But once I walked in I had a second though, since it doesn't come across immediately as a nice place.
However the delicate jazz station and friendly person at the counter changed my mind.
The food was very good and very nicely done. My fish sandwich was much better than a piece of fried fish on bread ought to be, Also after eating an order of curly fries and deep fried fish, I left feeling light and happy rather than heavy and ill.
Surprises all around in that place.
It don't look like much, but it was damn tasty. My P.I.C.C (partner in culinary crime) said that he's been wanting to give this place a try, so we did, I had a chili burger (i was taking a break from being healthy) and it was yummy. No fuss. No muss. If you are in the area check it out. I'd actually give it 3.5. nice, but not nothing to break your neck over getting to.
Before I start, I just want to say that I think Rico's Diner is a gift from God.
When I think of Rico's I think of witchcraft, and I mean that in the nicest way possible! For example, their home fries are cooked with amazing consistency. Every single one is crispy on the outside, deliciously soft on the inside. I honestly did not believe that was possible! It must be witchcraft! Or NASA. Maybe NASA works in their kitchen.
And I really dig their veggie burgers. Usually I feel a little silly ordering a veggie burger in a restaurant since I tend to get distracted by the idea of swimming Scrooge McDuck style in all the money I could be saving by buying a Costco pack of garden burgers and cooking them over my gas stove at home. I mean, a meal AND heating? It just makes sense! But, Rico's veggie burger is AMAZING! I honestly cry a little bit while I'm eating it. Maybe it's the sauce? Anyway, It's either made by NASA or made out of NASA scientists. Delicious!
Now that I've made reference to cannibalism, I think I'll leave it there. I love you Rico's! You're one of my favorite parts of downtown Oakland! I hope you never get rid of that Trogdor style pie painted on the window! At least I think he's a pie...
The consistency is impeccable. Rico's is kinda a tad towards the $$ side as far as diners go, and times were kinda rough for awhile so Rico's got the cut... but I went right back 6 months later and that chicken torpedo sammich was still nomlicious as I could remember. One week later, went back for the burger, and was found equally nomlicious.
Hell, I think they perfected the art of deep frying, now that I think about it - everything from home fries to onion rings, from tots to hotdogs(!), were spot on. Think super-crispy exterior, still-steaming interior, not-quite-as-greasy-but-still-sorta-greasy fried goodness.
The food? I'm fairly sure they utilize an artisan bread supplier so the stuff is always super fresh (not that cash & carry crap you'd get at one of the many other mom-n-pop burger joints in the region). Veggies and stuff also quite fresh. Grilled stuff is char'd appropriately. Eggs were ok, though scrambleds seem to be on the stiff side every time I tried 'em. Portion size isn't as generous as other greasy spoons, though Rico's is a place where silver spoons wouldn't be out of place.
I'd be remiss to not mention the riblets... an acceptable substitute for a full on piggy supper at doug's/flint's/e&j's/etc*.. though the sauce is your standard semi-spicy bbq the meat itself is tender and juicy and what you'd expect from decent ribs. It comes with a side salad by default (so you don't feel as guilty, even though the mixed fresh greens were actually quite tasty) and a side of fries (or whatever flavor of tater you wish to sub, they're super accommodating!)
Greenbacks only, be warned. Closest ATM is prolly city center...
*in no particular order, omg
I tried this place with a few of my Co-Workers.... ( two of whom are 100 lbs soaking wet but could eat their body weight at any given meal as long as the food is right! and it was at Rico's)
Like most we approach eateries in Downtown Oakland with caution but with the positive reviews we decided to give it a try. We were SO pleased with this place. The only downfall is that I have yet to try the shakes I just can't seem to pass up the burger and fries, and it's too much (for me) to add a shake, but one day soon!! If you go with a friend and want to try it all I would suggest getting one burger and fries and one shake, split it all! Doesn't look like a lot but trust me it's more then enough.
Burger and Fries get ordered separately at the counter near the rear of the shop ( so don't forget to order the fries too) , they have soda and ice tea but I usually opt for the free filtered water they have available.( they will also give you a wedge of lemon for your water if you kindly request it )
They staff is very friendly, helpful and patient as you decide what food you will regretfully have to wait for next time to try. After ordering you are given a number for your table so the food knows where to find you. Our food has always come quickly and been delicious.
It is true that the place can get packed so try to be wise about your timing. There are a lot of business around with employees hankering for a great burger to get them through the rest of their work day . I would suggest going at 11:45 to beat the crowd or after 1 on weekdays.
They place has a cross between a small town dinner and off the beaten path gold mine city dinner feel to it. It's a great place to enjoy great food while you relax with your friends, family or co-workers.
I LOVE this place.
I was really excited to visit with my son because they have tater tots. Silly, I know, but I freakin' love tater tots.
My son had a reuben with fries. I had a bacon cheeseburger with tater tots. It was scrumptious. Both sandwiches were excellent. My burger, in fact, was the best one I've had in ages - perfectly cooked, juicy & thick. Yummy.
But what about the tater tots? They rocked. Rico's tater tots are the idea of tater tots made into reality. Really. So nummy.
Service was nice & it didn't take too long to get my order. Overall a great place to eat, lots & lots of food. Loved it.
I've visited a few times for breakfast, but although i had no complaints about the food, I certainly don't understand the 5-star raves.
I think I've discovered that I don't really like counter service for the morning meal. My coffee cup needs pampering, not neglect.
So I guess ordering a garden salad topped with vegan chicken at a greasy spoon diner sort of negates the purpose of going, but I don't care. SO good.
That vegan chicken is probably some brand I could buy at Whole Foods or maybe it's so good because it's cooked in meat juice from the grill....but shhhhh, I don't want to know. I've never tasted anything like it, and I'm addicted.
To counteract the semi-healthiness of the salad, I always steal a few french fries or tater tots (they have TATER TOTS!) from friends. SO salty, SO crispy. Truly glorious. :-)
Great go-to lunch spot in DT Oakland. On my first visit I had a meatball sandwich...pretty good. On my second visit we went all-out: I had a fried catfish torpedo, cheez fries and a peach milkshake. Too much food! But I had some help eating it. Very good: my sandwhich was great! Delicious breading, sauce and cheese, and the fish was fresh, tender and steamy-moist-hot.
The fries are nicely prepared, crisp and fresh and hot and tasty, but the cheese is actually "cheez" as in velveeta or cheez-whiz or something like that...I like that stuff, but some of you may not: you are warned.
The peach shake was a little thin, but they split it without asking (and put whipped cream and a cherry in each glass) and was darned good, as you would expect a peach shake to be. No fresh peaches, just ice cream, but still nice.
Best part is you get decent portions, good-quality, fresh food and it's pretty inexpensive.
Quite honestly, I was totally disappointed with this place.
I wanted to take my friend out to a great place for breakfast, so...of course...I used yelp to look for a cool breakfast spot. I came across Rico's Diner and I was really excited from reading reviews. We decided on Rico's and got there around 11AM. As we sat there, we waited for the waitress to give us menus. We made eye contact several times until we realized we were supposed to grab the menus ourselves. We grabbed the menus and decided what we wanted. We then waited for the waitress to take our orders...then realized we are supposed to go up to the counter and order. That was our bad for not reading the small print above where the menus were held. Just so you yelpers know next time, grab your own menu and go up and order! My friend ordered for us and paid $20 even for our meals. We found it a little old... my meal was $6.95 and his was $6.75... so even with tax, it shouldn't have came out to $20? Did she just give herself a $5-$6 tip? My friend didn't mind much and just paid...whatever.
I ordered the country fried steak with home fries and scrambled eggs. My friend ordered the "Oaktowner," which consists of scrambled eggs (he added cheese to his), two pieces of bacon, french toast sticks and home fries. He said his was "edible, but you can't really get this type of food wrong." As for my plate, I was disappointed. The country fried steak was super salty! The home fries, meh. The scrambled eggs, bland.
I really, really, really wanted to like this place. The food was a little less than mediocre and the service, according to my buddy, was unpleasant. He said the lady who was taking his order was rude and unfriendly. I hate giving bad reviews, but I don't think I'd ever come to this place again. :(
Thanks to fellow Yelpers I found this place on the day I was hungry for a good burger. Rico's a bit pricey for lunch everyday, but the chocolate shake, old-fashioned thickness, is worth coming back for.
Total for cheeseburger, garlic fries and shake was $13.05. Points for service and cleaniless...I'll be back to try the gravy.
I'd left work hungry and needing protein, and not being familiar with downtown oakland yet, went to Briazz. Most disgusting sanwich I have ever eaten. Ever. Left it on a bench and hopefully someone who needs food ate it.
So I start wandering and find Rico's, order a cheeseburger to go, super cute place, nice counter lady, etc. Ask for no mustard, no pickles, no onions. I hate mustard. Really hate it.
Back to work, and alas, mustard. I'm so hungry I ate it, and the burger was good, but the mustard kept me from being truly happy.
And it was cheaper than the sh*tty Briazz sandwich.
Hopefully next time, no mustard will be harmed in the making of my cheeseburger.
Edit: I read other reviews and PRICEY kept coming up. Seriously? You think $5.75 for a cheeseburger is a lot? You need to either go to Burger King or move out of the Bay Area. I thought this place was very reasonably priced, especially for the quality.
Edit again!! Went back, no mustard, delicious meats, and the fries are sooooo goooood.
Cute little place with an old-fashioned feel and a wall covered with license plates from all over the States. Expect to spend around $10 a person.
So, Jeff C. and I came on a Tuesday at about 1pm, and the restaurant was quite empty. We grabbed our menus and studied the available yummies. There was a Vegan Menu and a Breakfast Menu (Served all day long), as well as burgers, sandwiches, salads, sides, and specials. Plenty to choose from, including Wild Salmon Burgers, which I may try next time. I ended up ordering a Cheeseburger, and split a side order of Tater Tots ($2) with Jeff.
At the ordering place, there was also a list of milkshakes made with fresh ice cream and fruit. Sounded kinda good, but for me, a Cheeseburger was enough artery-clogging. You can choose how you want your burger cooked--medium rare, medium, etc.
Our food came quite quickly, and surely, my Cheeseburger was delicious. Rico's does not disappoint. The bread was soft and yummy, the veggies were fresh, and the beef was deliciously tender. Mmmmmm...quite a filling and satisfying meal. Rico's also decorates each meal with a little slice of watermelon, which makes a great palate cleanser or a refreshing dessert.
And...the tater tots were yummy!!
If you're going to eat diner food, you might as well do it right.
Chicken fried steak with mashed potatoes and corn. Everything on my plate was delicious. The sauce was rich but not overly heavy. I can't get mashed potatoes this good at higher end restaurants. Just check out the photo and try not to want it. C'mon, I dare ya.
Tater tots were nice and crisp. If you're worried you won't finish your food, at least get these to share. My friend's cheese sauce fries were delicious, too. I wanted the mango shake to taste more strongly of mango, but that's my preference. If you like thick shakes, try them here. The toasty bread accompanying the chili looked like something a "nicer" restaurant would serve. Just very well-prepared food in a casual, fun setting.
Give your order to the nice folks behind the counter and grab a table; they'll bring your food to you. Entertain yourself with the license plates gracing the wall as you wait. I firmly believe it's OK to indulge in not-so-healthy food as long as it tastes great, and promise to be back for the meatloaf sandwich.
I got a note from Rico about their hours:
"We did a little experiment with opening on the weekends for takeout until late but it wasn't a very nice scene on the sidewalk.. due in part to the bar next door and the overall sketchy "atmosphere" outside. Sorry... hopefully things will get cleaned up in the future and then we would love to open for dinner."
Hope to get lunch here soon, or I can just wait for downtown Oakland to be cleaned up.
Got a flier at last month's art murmur saying Rico's would now be open on Friday and Saturday… Read more »
Overall, very good to excellent. Great burger...with fries and coke, $9 bucks for excellent quality. Everything prepared perfectly. Best fries I've had in a long time. A certain freshness to it despite being a burger.
The whole place feeds off that vibe -- a certain freshness/crispness despite serving familiar food. Clean and modern (mid-century for you design geeks) yet still cozy and unpretentious. That's harder to pull of then anyone thinks.
It's everything everyone says...I only wish they were open past 3 p.m. but I understand the neighborhood is mostly lunch stuff for office workers. If this place was located elsewhere it would packed all the time...and yet if it was elsewhere it might not be the same. A good reason to go.
I was wondering what happened to that guy...
http://www.youtube.com...
Aw-hey, aw-hey...RICO...aw-hey, aw-hey...SWAH-VAYYY!
OK, maybe it isn't that Rico who opened this crackerjack-size place in downtown Oakland. I didn't see a bandana-sporting guy busting a move with his abs on display, though that video is nearly twenty years ago. Gee, the potbellied, bald guy in the kitchen could have been him. Just kidding. He ain't there...he's a record company executive now. There was just a quiet Asian woman at the ordering counter.
I was hungry after two women had their fingers in my mouth all morning. No, it wasn't that...I had a dental appointment just down the block and I noticed on Yelp that this is considered one of Oakland's best diners. It's a plain place with some kitschy flair - a wall of state license plates (somebody must've gone nuts on eBay) and the cartoon paintings on the outside windows. It's really quiet at 9am on a weekday, and they ask you order at the counter before sitting down. No biggie.
I had the $7.25 Corned Beef and Hash plate (see my photo). Just decent. On the upside, the corned beef was not canned and tasted like they made it themselves. The downside was that there wasn't much of it, and it was mixed in with a hug portion of home fries. The potatoes tasted lightly grilled, not greasy...my problem was that there was just too much of them relative to the meat. The scrambled eggs were pretty standard at least until I squirted the hot sauce over them. It also came with a couple of heavily buttered pieces of toast.
Breakfast nirvana? Not really though they seem to be on the right track. From what I read about the burgers and fried chicken, it probably makes sense to come later in the day. The trick is that they're open only until 3pm. I don't feel it's quite a destination place, but hey, I do go to the dentist at least twice a year, so a return visit could be in the cards.
FOOD - 3 stars...not a stellar breakfast but not for lack of trying, probably better for greasy spoon grub
AMBIANCE - 3 stars...nothing special in a quiet part of Oakland's downtown
SERVICE - 3.5 stars...serviceable, nothing more than that
TOTAL - 3 stars...a middling place for breakfast in the East Bay
Great food, great ambience, great service.
Not-so-great prices. Just a little too expensive. If it was just $1.00 less, this would be a daily lunch stop for me.
Price aside, it's an awesome restaurant. The Reuben sandwich is packed with flavor and good meat, and who ever puts parsley on onion rings? Beautiful...
OMFG, I can't believe I'm an Oakland native, and I just found this place. I'm a firm believer that it's all about quality over quantity when it comes to food.
Rico's provides GREAT food for your buck. Every major entree is about 7 bucks. I rather have a homecook meal feel to it than spend 5 bucks on a subway or quiznos.
Now I came back here 2 days in a row.
1st Day- I had the country fried steak. Usually it has corn so they said. But they ran out. I thought I was gonna be disappointed because I heard about the corn. Boy, was I wrong. Their Country Fried Steak hit the soul, mash was great, and their sweet carrots were heavenly treats. Like my appetite for sex, I was really hungry that day, so I also ordered the Rico's burger too, mmm. Their fried onions on the burger, and the jalapeno added an extra umph to it. The burger was better than Barney's. But I know a better burger joint. I give the burger 4 stars. I ended my meal with a Chocolate-Banana shake ( this is very very important.)
2nd Day- I had an ok appetite this day, so I decided to order the Pull Pork sandwich and the Country Sausage Gravy and Bisquits. MY GOD, I had an outer body experience with the Pull Pork. I felt like a young whipper snapper, sitting on a porch in the south, with no worries in a day. It was epic. My bisquits and gravy was dripping from my lips cause I was eating it too fast. I finished it off again with the Chocolate Banana Shake. Now I've had plenty of shakes in my day, but this shake takes the cake. It was $4.30 with tax but GOD it's worth it. They use real bananas and the texture of the shake is perfect. How can a shake be so rich and thick at the same time??? It made me feel like a catholic school girl about to have her first kiss. Best shake I've ever had.
I've recommend this place to everyone I've seen. Quality food for a very reasonable price, especially during tough times like this. Too bad it closes at 3:00 pm daily, so you got to get in there fast. Next time, I'll have to try the BBQ pork riblets, and you all know I'll be having that rich, creamy Chocolate- Banana shake again.
For now, I'll recommend the Country Fried Steak, and definitely the Pull Pork Sandwich, until I pulverize their whole menu. And you're all welcome, you can thank me later.
We didn't know what to expect when we hit Rico's Diner.
We knew that the folks on Yelp liked it, and we knew that the gravy was supposed to be good.
In fact, the entire reason we decided to stray from Telegraph (other than the fact that we wanted breakfast) is that my Partner in Chow was seriously in the mood for some biscuits 'n gravy. And it's hard to find good biscuits 'n gravy, even in Oakland. Or at least we thought it might be hard, not knowing where to find them. And so, with the help of the Yelpers, off to Rico's we went.
I figured this would be a run-down, questionably clean downtown locale full of locals. I was therefore pleasantly surprised to find it recently remodeled with clean lines, nice tile and clean modern tables.
I was even more pleasantly surprised to find that, despite this being a true diner with a true diner menu, the bread is organic and there's an entirely separate vegetarian/vegan menu. This means that your veg friends can come to this diner and actually order a faux pork sandwich, rather than getting a cottage cheese and tomato plate. So Rico's gets extra bonus points for catering to the urban renewal that downtown (and the newly christened "Uptown" - ah, realtors and developers and your clever marketing ploys) is experiencing.
Which is to say that the loft communities springing up down Broadway mean an influx of yuppie and hipsters that want good food. And Luka's is both expensive and not open for breakfast on Saturdays.
Anyway, once we went in I was pretty happy with our surroundings. Note: you seat yourself and order at the counter. And they only take cash, so be forewarned.
What we ordered: Mexican egg-white omelette with a side of veggie sausage, biscuits and gravy with 2 scrambled eggs and bacon, 2 coffees
Service: friendly
Atmo: nouveau diner - they took care in redoing this place
Crowd: Hipsters + the neighborhood
Spent: $20
Overall rating: 4 sporks
This place gets extra bonus points for a focus on quality ingredients in basic diner food, as well as for cool and clean decor. The bathroom was even clean, and the tile and groovy metal sink show an attention to detail.
The good: The food was a notch above usual diner food. The omelette was well executed and full of vegetables, and the gravy was incredibly rich and definitely satisfying for someone with a hankerin' for good old fashioned biscuits 'n gravy.
The less good: The breakfast potatoes were too fried for my taste, but I'm all about protein in the morning anyway. PIC was "afraid" of her scrambled eggs, because they were "too yellow." They tasted good, but she was afeared anyway. We're not sure whether it's fair to ding them for that - they may have been just super farm fresh. Or they may have been nuclear. Who knows?
The coffee was good, hot and plentiful. Mmm. Coffee.
The other upside: this place is cheap. Cheaper than the Rockridge Cafe or Mama's, and the food is as good or better than both of them. Plus, you can't find that kind of gravy (or any, as I recall) at either location. And there was no wait. And they serve breakfast all day. And they have both cheesesteaks and meatloaf on the menu, which means we'll be back at some point to try these diner classics.
I talked with Rico himself about some awesome hand-painted signs I found upstairs while waiting for the bathroom. They're rad mid-century diner menu signs that were there when he took over the place, and we both agreed that they'd look awesome in a house kitchen. He told me that he's been running the place for about a year.
Nice guy, nice place. Go eat there.
But don't tell too many people. Waiting 45 minutes for brunch drives me up a wall. ;)
As reviewed on our blog - http://eatupeatwell.bl...
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