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The Homemade Cafe
Categories: Restaurants American (Traditional) Restaurants Breakfast & Brunch American (Traditional), Breakfast & Brunch [Edit]
2454 Sacramento St(between Channing Way & Dwight Way)
Berkeley, CA 94702
(510) 845-1940
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 7 am - 2 pm
Sat-Sun 8 am - 3 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Breakfast
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
253 reviews for The Homemade Cafe
Review Highlights
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"I always get the waffle and home fries." In 42 reviews -
"Their huevos rancheros are delicious." In 15 reviews -
"Make sure to ask for real maple syrup for the waffle." In 8 reviews
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253 reviews in English
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Review from Gabrielle T.
Oakland, CA
One of the best places to get some breakfast. My best friend and I are loyal constituents of this "homemade" institution. We used to stop by on Saturday mornings almost religiously. I love the grits with just a smidge of butter and brown sugar, with the seasonal fruit bowl. Their fruit bowls are plentiful and you can tell they're made with love... Or at least, not made with the same kinda greed the other spots make theirs with (which is why they contain like 5 red apples and 2 green grapes... C'mon, everyone knows that's the cheap fruit!) Homemade's fruit bowl (this time of year) comes with peaches, blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, pineapple, and more! Definitely worth ordering.
This past Monday was the first time I've ever actually been on a weekday, and it's still pretty popular (but no wait!), so I elected to sit outside and bask in the mid-morning sun (thank you, Cali weather). It was a lovely visit and reminded me of every part of Homemade that I love: the friendly servers that take their time to chat with you and learn your preferences after just a few visits; the delicious grits that are never too lumpy, bumpy or frumpy (I'm not gonna mention any names but... Broombrush Cafe & Brown Sugar Kitchen, ahem); and the diverse and flavorful options that offer enough choices for anyone in your party.Listed in: Brunch-Time!
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Review from Christina L.
Berkeley, CA
Small little cafe located in Berkeley. Parking is hard to find, but it's berkeley! when is parking easy to find? Breakfast was pretty crowded, so I would suggest that you come early.
Service:
At first I had a bad impression of the service because of the person who sat us. She gave us bit of attitude when she told us to sign in and them stand outside. But when we were sat the waitress and staff was really friendly, quick, attentive, and professional.
Food:
Pancakes - They were pretty decent. But not the greatest. I opted out of the maple syrup just because I wasn't feeling like spending the extra cash.
Omelette - Decent. Wasn't fantastic, but it was good.
Potatoes - Decent.
Price:
They were a big pricey compared to the quality of their dishes. But not too far off. I still think it was worth it.
Overall:
I would recommend this place for breakfast. -
Review from Cynthia W.
Berkeley, CA
1/23/2012
One word: "Meh."
Came here for weekend brunches twice - once to fulfill a Groupon, and the second time because I'd unfortunately forgotten prior fulfillment.
- Head waitress was pissy both times.
- The food took SO long to arrive (an entire hour for two items!!)
- Food was above average, but consisted mainly of cheap carbs (toast and potatoes)
- Food was not exactly cheap, either.
There are too many better brunch places in Berkeley to excuse coming back to this one. -
Review from Lorissa W.
Hercules, CA
12/3/2011
I had a tuna sandwich on wheat with a side of home fries. It came with a pickle. Hubby had a pastrami melt.
Pros:
*Food is good.
*I like sitting at the counter to watch my food being made. : )
*Friendly and efficient waitress
*Clean bathroom
Cons:
*Portions on the small side
*The unisex bathroom lock doesn't work and a man walked in while I was using it!
* We waited 20 minutes OUTSIDE(mandatory) on a cold day while there were empty seats inside.
*We waited another 20 minutes after being seated at the counter.
Verdict-- I'm too lazy to wait 40 minutes for a sandwich and I can't use their bathroom. I don't plan on coming back soon. -
Review from Ava C.
Oakland, CA
12/28/2011
Very reasonably priced breakfast dishes.
Had the corned beef hash and it was just OK. Very small pieces of meat and lots of potatoes. -
Review from HeartBeat Radio F. M.
Berkeley, CA
12/21/2011
The potatoes here are flippin' epic. Perfectly seasoned, salty, peppered with fried onions and slightly crusted in crispy charred skin.
GAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!yummy -
Review from Christina C.
Berkeley, CA
11/13/2011
Normal. Run of the mill. Neither terrible enough to incur my wrath, nor wonderful enough to attempt prose. This place serves breakfast. And it serves it very normally. There is nothing exciting about the menu, nor is it lacking.
For breakfast, I'm typically in a savory mood. I want just a little bit of home fries, some sausage (NOT chicken apple), and that's it. I'm not really fond of eggs. I think I like pancakes but I really don't after the 3rd bite. Yes, I'm uncertain about my preferences, I can't make up my mind, my world is a jumbled mess of variables! Inhale. Exhale.
The home fries here are flavorful. There are nice browned bits and seasoning and herbs and spices. The sausage here is....eh. It was close to something I would like, but not quite there. I really like the breakfast links sold in bulk at Costco. Porky, peppery, perfect. This sausage tasted just a bit too normal. Not juicy enough. Not enough flavor. Just an ordinary slab of ground sausage meat.
And finally: breakfast is expensive nowadays! I thought this was suppose to be home-made. But it's priced closer to home-made-served-to-hipsters-who-like-to-pay-more- for-something-you-haven't-heard-of. I really don't need the truck full of starch. I wish they did a half portion at half price.
No, I have no friends with which I could go to breakfast and split a meal. I eat all my meals alone. Crying. In the corner. Clutching the remaining shreds of my dignity and wiping my tears away with my expunged soul.
On any given weekend, this place is packed to the organic, sustainably farmed, fairly traded seams. BURSTING with hipsterness. When did all these hipsters come to Berkeley? I thought they couldn't travel over water....Or is that werewolves? -
Review from Holla F.
Oakland, CA
I DON'T GET THE HYPE ON THIS PLACE!
I was forced to come back to this place and give it another try since my friend's Groupon was expiring today. I give it one star for the friendly host and waitress, but that's about it. It's small and cramped. I ordered the bacon, guacamole and cheese omelet w/coffee. I am not a fan of the homefries, too small and burnt.Food was average, nothing extraordinary. Worst of all, I think I went home with food poisoning. Not cool.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/22/2011
NOT HOMEFRIES heaven at all! I went this morning around 9am with a gal friend. We hate waiting. We… Read more »
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Review from Megan P.
Oakland, CA
2/19/2012
Their waffle is an east bay favorite. It's crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, nicely spiced and not too thick. Basically, it's waffle awesome-ness served with real maple syrup (by request).
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Review from Robyn M.
El Cerrito, CA
10/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
This place is OK.
Yes, their home fries are very good, but the service is not. Once seated, we had to wait 15 minutes for our order to be taken, and then we had to wait an additional 40 minutes to get our food. Not once did our waitress come by and let us know are food was on the way or stop by to check on us. Once we did get our food, we never saw our waitress again. After being done with our meal, and waiting 15 minutes, we had to flag an employee down just to get a check.
The Homemade cafe does have good food, but there are way better breakfast places in Berkeley that have the same menu and give you better service. -
Review from Katrina v.
San Jose, CA
11/6/2011 3 Check-ins Here
This is a great place for my 300th review, 'cause it's awesome.
Homemade indeed. Everything I've tried here is tasty tasty.
Srsly, get the HOMEFRY HEAVEN. It's homefries with salsa, guacamole, cheese, and sour cream. Trust me, it's extremely freakin' good. You can also have pesto instead of guac, but I haven't tried that version as that sounds pretty darn weird to me.
Service is pretty good, not outstanding. I've always had to wait here, but never for too long (about 15 minutes, usually).
This is a perfect weekend breakfast/brunch joint. Take your boy or ladyfriend! -
Review from Saill W.
Berkeley, CA
11/27/2011
We LOVE this place because the people are awesome. Cozy, warm, with a wonderful neighborhood feel.
The food is usually great, especially the pancakes and waffles. The brewed coffee with endless refills is quite good, but it's the espresso drinks that will actually knock your socks off. It's not expensive at all, especially when you cash in the free meals you can earn with your "weekday card".
But the real reason to visit is because of the friendly, cheery, helpful staff.
Oh, and it's a great place for kids! -
Review from Raji R.
10/13/2011
Two Words that keep making me come back:
HOMEFRY HEAVEN,
SO, SO, SOOOOOOOOO tastey! Basically diced potatoes, with salsa, guacamole, and sour cream, all piled on top of delicious potatos!
I've gotten the huevos rancheros here, and been absolutely satisfied. Also their pancakes are totally delicious, fluffy, not too sweet, just right. I've also ordered a couple of sandwiches, but this place, in my opinion is strictly for breakfast food.
This is one of those, 'don't judge a book by it's cover' type places. I read a few of the prior reviews and people seem to be a little unhappy with the place, yes it's a little rustic, but it's cozy and it's hipster. I love it.
Also make sure you get a good cup of joe while you're here!! -
Review from DJ Y.
San Francisco, CA
8/4/2011
Whoa, whoa time out. This gem deserves some crucial words. It reminds me of shampoo where you rinse and repeat...only it's eat and repeat. BARTing from SF has become semi-quotidian, probably bi-weekly.
Although hardly salubrious, the food is usually above average-- it's all about place and time, just like anything. Get there in the early AM for best food. They serve lunch, too, but haven't ventured there past 10AM.
The Mexican Scramble with home fries (if they haven't been sitting idle on the grill for TOO long) is on par. I substitute red onion for green chilies, and it's dope. Upgrade to bagel with cream cheese for about a buck (instead of toast), and voila: wrap it up and eat it for lunch.
The newer art in the place seems anachronistic; I guess I failed to appreciate the former wall hangings, which better fit its ambiance.
The staff is amiable and congenial, there are tables outside, a coat rack by the bar stools, do-it-yourself coffee and water refills, and a decent bathroom. Prices have spiked (home fries used to be $0.65 back in the day), but extras like sour cream and whatnot, if you ask the cook, he'll hook it up. Don't forget about the crumb cakes! Never a bad experience here. Rock on! -
Review from Alan P.
Berkeley, CA
8/6/2011
You get what you came for with the food i guess, but the service was a pretty epic fail. When the waitress came we asked for a little more time, then never saw her again. After like 10 minutes we had to get the attention of the woman behind the cash register who the whole time we were waiting was obsessively cleaning the espresso machine in a really jarringly loud way, shaking our table with her banging. Apparently she was now our waitress. When I apologetically asked to change my order to the homefries after stupidly ordering the grits, she gave me coldest eye-roll of scorn, making me feel like an annoying idiot for failing at life.
After the meal you pay at the cash register up front, where you get put on the spot by the cashier about how much you'd like to tip. I paid with a card and she actually asked me how much I'd like to tip!! I told her, "um, well we kind of felt neglected in the corner, so maybe a dollar?" Awkward silence ensued.
We live like a block away from this place, but there's definitely a reason we've only come here like 3 times. -
Review from Nick S.
9/23/2011 1 Check-in Here
I had a BLT for lunch today that could have been the poster child for bright colors and delicious flavor. The bacon was crisp, the lettuce fresh and the tomatoes bursting with red, tomato-y taste.
I've read in other reviews that things can get a bit crazy on weekends, but today (Friday) at lunchtime the place was great, like those old Visa commercials where everything moves like clockwork. -
Review from Craig B.
Berkeley, CA
7/1/2011 1 photo
Sensible good food if your mother REALLY new how to cook and had the time.
Just how many different forms of cow's milk did your mum use in her pancakes?
Great pancakes -
Review from Marquell C.
Oakland, CA
2/5/2012
Eat in or outside, has a chilled, organic, earthy Sunday feel to it. Pecan stuffed and topped waffles w/ homefries and the guacamole egg omelett is on point. Stick w/ water or Mimosas... The juices are overpriced. Very cozy place, elbow to elbow w/ strangers that may become friends, lol.
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Review from Kit K.
Berkeley, CA
5/30/2011 11 Check-ins Here
I've been to Homemade Cafe twice, and the experience on weekdays is a completely different experience than on weekends and holiday.
Regular weekdays include a selection of items for $5. Filling and pretty tasty for a damn good price. The place is also so much more low key. The wait staff takes a minute to chat and the "What can I get for you, honey" really delivers on the promise of the name. We came for my partners birthday and the entire restaurant sang her happy birthday. Adorable.
However, service here on a busy weekend is an entirely different affair. This is a small place, and they staff to levels where the people are tripping over each other. Some of them handle stress more productively than others, and the rest you can fill in from some of the single star reviews.
I will keep coming to the Homemade Cafe because it's within walking distance, and because it's got a sassy charm. But if you've got thin skin and expect a certain modicum of politeness from your wait staff, you may want to look elsewhere. -
Review from Jeffrey S.
San Leandro, CA
7/27/2011
My wife & I came here on a Sunday a couple of weeks ago. I won a gift card at a fundraiser, and the folks running the fundraising event raved
about this place, so we wanted to cash it in.
We arrived around 11:30 AM and noticed that all the outdoor tables were full, and there were a few people waiting idly. We walked in the door and were about to sign in, when one of the servers seated us at the only remaining empty 2-top. With the nice timing, we proceeded to go through the menu.
The first thing I noticed about the menu was that all the egg dishes were served with 1 slice of wheat toast, "unless you prefer two." While I understand this is Berkeley and everyone here is conscious about wasting food, I thought this was a curious thing to point out. Nevertheless, I ordered the corned beef hash and eggs dish, with a side of bacon and a large glass of fresh squeezed orange juice, while my wife ordered the Eggs Benjamin dish (smoked salmon and sauteed mushrooms) with an iced tea.
When our food came, my wife was impressed by the size of her dish. There were 2 good-sized portions of smoked salmon on top of the English muffins, along with a spicy, thick hollandaise sauce. She dove in right away and finished her place quickly (though she did give me one bite to try).
Unfortunately, my dish was very disappointing. The portion of corned beef hash was very small, with mostly hash and not much beef. The onions and peppers that were mixed in seemed very bland, as if all the components were grilled separately. None of the flavors seemed to blend together, making my meal very boring. While the bacon, eggs and toast were good, I couldn't finish the hash. I did take it home with the intentions of eating them the next day, but I couldn't even do that.
While this place is very popular (based on the many people waiting outside for a table after we left), I don't think I could come back here unless I was invited by a friend or given another gift card. I wanted to like this place, but there are way too many other brunch places to try before I'll come back here. -
Review from Shal J.
San Francisco, CA
7/1/2011
If you have ever had real huevos rancheros, then don't order them here.
No wait at 10am Sat. That said, I wouldn't wait in line to eat here.
Nice service, but won't be back bc of the blah food.
The only reason to come here is if you could literally roll out of bed and into a booth. Any more effort than that is not worth it. -
Review from John Z.
1/15/2011
Stopped at a friends in Berkeley 12:30pm Saturday to get some brunch. Armed with a couple of Yelp-based recommendations, he mentioned Homemade Cafe first, a two-block walk from his home. Long live Jambi for the nice weather and grabbing an available outdoor table.
a few notables:
- The service, rotating with four different ladies, was fast and super-sweet. I wish I had gotten one server's name as she was exceptionally accommodating and worthy of a call-out.
- Two coffee orders brought not just two coffees but a thermally insulated pitcher of joe for our table. Dunno why but just loved that.
- The cafe seems to take great pride in their eggs. My friend's scrambled were perfect. Wish I could make them at home like that consistently.
- On the topic of egg pride: if you order "over easy" here, expect not just a runny yolk but a runny white center. I asked our server if I could get them more cooked. She was happy to oblige, but explained that this was their 'over easy' order, and what I wanted was 'over medium.' I've never been to an eatery that had such finessing descriptions for their egg dishes -- and frankly feel the other places get it wrong when Homemade Cafe gets it right.
- I ordered the "Home Fry Heaven" which comes with an option of guacamole or pesto topping. Asking the server which she thought was better, she said "how about half of each?" Accommodation -- what an appreciated gesture!
Totally enjoyed my H.F.H. with my quickly-replaced "over medium" eggs, as my dining companion did his scrambled eggs, home-made muffin and sausage. Shared my sourdough toast with him, who enjoyed it with the strawberry jam brought as one of the table condiments. Coffee was high-octane diner-style -- decent but potent stuff, be warned!
Homemade Cafe is the kind of brunch joint I wish I had two blocks away from my home. I don't know if I'd make a special trip to it from Oakland, but would be happy to drop in again when I'm in the area. -
Review from James M.
Charlottesville, VA
12/27/2011
We were looking forward to having breakfast here during our visit to the Bay Area. I had chicken apple sausage with delicious home fries and a fresh-baked poppy seed muffin. My partner loved her spinach, feta and mushroom omelet. One of the best breakfast experiences ever!
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Review from I Be E.
Pasadena, CA
12/9/2011
im a sucker for diners, and this place hit the spot. coffee served in the old style coffee mugs - love it. any place that will replace toast with coffee cake is ok in my book. the coffee cake is very agreeable.
ordered the homefry heaven - it is heaven. add with salsa, guac, or pesto. yum yum! mexican scramble with grits. heck ya!
like eating breakfast at your aunt's house. cant beat that.
pros:
old diner feel
counter seating
strong coffee
funky vibe
fun servers
feels like your aunt is running the place
cons:
tight quarters but thats not a deal breaker but harder if you have infants -
Review from Alyssa G.
1/23/2011
I love to go here whenever I'm in Berkeley. My favorite is the scramble with pesto, and it comes with toast, jam, and delicious home fries and a dollop of sour cream.
Very homey feeling, serve your own coffee and water refills, not a lot of communication with servers. They take your order, bring your food, and mostly leave you alone. I guess you could call this place efficiency-oriented.
All in all, the place gets a lot of light and has a nice vibe, and the food is tasty and reasonably priced. I'm a fan. -
Review from Emmeline S.
Berkeley, CA
10/11/2010
Come on guys... no need to be overzealous about your breakfasting experience. Food always tastes better when you roll out of bed around 10am, fluff out your hair a little & stroll on over to whatever local cafe/restaurant sits around the corner. Homemade Cafe is perfect for this. Around 10am, I've never experienced any sort of excruciating wait. In fact, I don't think I've ever waited over 5 minutes for a table. And I usually go on weekends.
Yes, this place is a little more than overpriced, but it's all about the ethics. The local-ness. The artistic, homey-grungy vibe. The homemade food. Homemade doesn't always connote 'good' per se, but it does connote 'fresh.' Homemade Cafe makes fresh food for lazy & leisurely morning diners. If you can't handle the (admittedly Berkeley-aggressive) establishment branding... well, you've read the Yelp reviews. You can make your own decision! Don't get bullied into coming if this sort of eating experience isn't your thing. It is, after all, a diner. And a crowded one at that.
I personally think that the crowd is partly what makes Homemade Cafe so special. I love how diverse it is. You can be old, young, alone, in a group, or with 3 screaming kids... it's hard to feel ostracized or out-of-place. There's this comfortable sense that everyone is part of a community, and I think that's a hard thing to find in Berkeley nowadays.
The food is satisfying. The home fries are salty-delicious, (crispy on the outside, mealy on the inside, sprinkled w/ herbs, served w/ yummy veggie-plenty salsa on the side) the elusive ginger-pear muffin-- besides being the reason why I came back to Homemade Cafe-- is warm, spicy, and filled w/ flavorful chunks of baked pear.
The eggs benedict are perfectly cooked to order, and while I have a problem with the blintzes, (who knew they'd be a gigantic cheese-and-sour-cream explosion?) you just have to know exactly what you're getting into before ordering. Simple enough.
The coffee is not great (it kinda just sits on a hot burner waiting to be served) but there are free refills. ...That's good enough for me. :) (Shh.)
Bottom Line: This is THE place for a leisurely morning followed by an afternoon nap. It's downright blasphemous that Homemade Cafe doesn't get a higher rating. -
Review from T P.
Martinez, CA
1/19/2012
If I could score zero, I would. Busy day? Long wait! Employees trying to act pleasant, however, their "Berkeley" comes out.
Three different of their "waiting" staff ruined my order by not listening.
Charged for food I didn't eat. When I complained about not getting all of my order, I was informed that "now they were closed" and I couldn't get the saugage I ordered originally.
When I went to pay, I was informed, after a lot of confusion with an inept hostess, that the food they said they couldn't get for me, was now on the table I just left and I would have to pay for it since they made it.
When I protested, I was called a name by the wonderful "Berkeley" hostess to "Get out of here old man"! (I'm 68)
They made me pay and take the food that they said thay couldn't prepare in a paper bag.
This place should be reported to the fire department (if there still is one in Berkeley)
for overcowding.
Lousy luke-warm food, mouthy help and a bad day.
"Homemade Cafe"? Spend your food and tax dollars somewhere else!
P.S. Groupon gave me a full refund and a $10 credit for this outrage! -
Review from Kendra C.
Emeryville, CA
3/9/2011
The first time I went to this restaurant, it was my boyfriend and I.. we were seated rather quickly, in the corner of the bar seats right in front of the open kitchen.... I enjoyed this feel because I felt that it was a genuine feel of homemade food made right in front of you! The service was straight to the point, but friendly. The cook handed us our food right off the grill!
I had the corn-beef hash, scrambled eggs and english muffin. Very big and nice portions and the jar jelly was really good. My boyfriend had the link sausages, eggs well done, english muffin and a side a grits. Pretty basic breakfast foods that only a fool could mess up! He also had a Mimosa which he said was VERY good (meaning there was a nice amount of champagne) and proceeded to order another.
Ever since we have been back twice and I have had no complaints. You do have to get your own refills of water and coffee.. but that wasn't really an issue.
The only thing I will say is don't go here expecting over done service, because of the concept of this quick, hip cafe- the service correlates with the character of the restaurant name "Homemade Cafe" - You really do feel like you are at someones house! -
Review from Jeremy G.
1/29/2012
I used to live a few blocks away from here and would always wonder what the fuss was about their brunch. I finally came to try it out months after I moved to a different part of town. I'd say they make some decent no frills food. The menu isn't filled with much exotic fair save for the unexpected inclusion of the mazto brei. My friend got that, but it was far too soft for my liking. I prefer my brei crispy. I got the corned beef hash and it was made more flavorful by the tableside salsa. Overall though, I wasn't wowed by the products. Homemade Cafe is a proper name. And I get that that is the point. Yet, I go out to eat because I can't cook the food I procure as well on my own. Then again, my friend and I never got to try the pancakes our neighbor had (they looked exceedingly fluffy), so perhaps we made poor menu choices. Come expecting a decent meal, but not a great one. Revel in the salsa container on every table.
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Review from Ashley H.
Benicia, CA
6/2/2011
Love, Love, Love The Homemade cafe.
What more can I say, this place knows how to do breakfast!!
Pro: The coffee is always superb and the food is always cooked to perfection. Eggs are delicious every way you desire.
Con: A little crowded at times. Best to order ahead of time if your in a rush, and picking up your order's to go. -
Review from T W.
Berkeley, CA
10/15/2011
Ok food. I had the Gaucamole, Cheese, Tomato, Lettuce Sandwich on toasted whole wheat. It could have had more gauc. Waitress forgot my orange juice and put it on my bill. They took it off. Friend had juevos rancheros which were good but the side of black beans were not. I guess its more of a breakfast place. I won't be going back.
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Review from Chris H.
El Cerrito, CA
10/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
I've been coming to the Homemade Cafe for all of the 16 years I've lived in the Bay Area. Whenever friends come to visit from out of state they ask to come here for the blueberry pancakes (such juicy fresh and large berries!). If you are a local there is a chance you will see an old friend there whenever you go. Don't expect fancy here, but do expect a filling and tasty dish.
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Review from Ed U.
1/5/2010 5 photos
I have to admit I had not been back to the Homemade Cafe since...are you sitting down?...1980. Yes, I was a young pup then, a third-year proto-slacker at Berkeley who found any excuse to avoid cooking in my little studio apartment. I came here often because they let you nurse your self-service cup of coffee for hours at a time. I would be reading Kafka for Comparative Literature or going over the Black Lightning lecture notes for my Sociology class since I probably overslept that day.
Flash forward three decades later, and I'm still the same fresh-faced pup...only with a salt-and-pepper goatee...oh, and a knee that cracks when I get up...and yes, a touch of arthritis....in my butt. I was in the East Bay after a dental appointment last week and for some reason, I had a senior-moment flashback to the Homemade Cafe not even knowing if it was still there. Thanks to Yelp, I confirmed its survival and went over there to find that absolutely nothing has changed in thirty years. It's the same hippy-dippy place it was with the same hippy-dippy staff, most with the same knit caps, and there was something reassuring about that.
Since it had been so long, I just went with the standard $8.50 Weekday Combination, which consisted of two fluffy pancakes, an egg sunnyside-up, and a sausage patty. The huge pancakes dwarfed the rest of the dish (see photo), but that's ok since that's what I really wanted anyway. They actually give you Log Cabin syrup which I don't think I've had since the last time I was here. It was comfort food at the same table I sat at oh so many years ago. Thomas Wolfe is wrong, wrong, wrong...You can go home again...with a walker...and a touch of arrhythmia.
FOOD - 4 stars....gimme that ol' time breakfast plate
AMBIANCE - 3.5 stars...a hippie commune with a grill
SERVICE - 4 stars...they're fast and furious and genuinely sincere...say, weren't you here thirty years ago?
TOTAL - 4 stars...I won't wait another thirty years....because I'll probably be deadListed in: Go East, Young Man!, Breakfast at Tiffany's
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Review from kimberly v.
Berkeley, CA
8/30/2008
I can't believe I've not written a review of this place, given that I've been coming here off and on for about 30 years. This is not the place to impress your boss or date, to get fawning service, or to be knocked out by the atmosphere. It's a little grungy, sure, but I also have a little inside info that helps me appreciate that.
The owners are former social workers, and they don't always pick their help by how beautiful/cute/cleancut/perky they are. You can almost count on piercings, tattoos and a little surliness. The coffee is self-serve, yes, and no they don't always remember to tell you. The bathroom doesn't quite open on to the eating room, there is a small alcove between the two doors, but it's close - heck! the place is small! It's actually amazing how much good food can come out of a kitchen about the size of the bathroom. Everybody has to be very efficient, which may explain the lack of "Hi, I'm Tiffany, and I'll be your server" feel.
On the other hand, they have some of the best waffles in town, terrific french toast, home fries & scrambles (love the Mexican Scramble, with chorizo), pancakes, a very respectable eggs benedict, and decent blintzes. I'm not a personal fan of the omelettes, just because I am of the more French "thin" omelet than the "thick/fluffy" variety, but some people swear by them.
They have "Kid's" (very small cups) hot chocolates, okay espresso drinks, and more. Also great for lunch - the Tuna Melt is a personal fave.
One of the more memorable moments here was when Martin Sheen and entourage were eating there near the holidays a couple of years back, and led the entire restaurant in Christmas carols, even though everyone had been very well-behaved and had not bothered him a bit during his meal. A Berkeley institution hanging in there. -
Review from Allison L.
Berkeley, CA
Updated - 11/24/2008
Had a startling and negative experience here this morning that is causing me to drop my rating from four stars to one.
My husband, mother-in-law, and I walked in here early this morning. I was almost instantly accosted by the owner (server? not sure). "I recognize you," she said. "You're the chick from Yelp."
I just gave her a blank I-haven't-gotten-my-coffee-yet smile.
Then she ripped into me about writing a nasty review. "Am I the 50-year-old with pigtails?" she said, throwing menus down on our table and flouncing away. Then she returned for more: "You have some nerve coming back in here after writing nasty things about us," she said.
We left. I was angry and saddened. What the hell had I written? I've always liked the Homemade, a few small issues here and there aside. Since I don't own an iPhone, I couldn't check right away and I fretted that I'd said something horrible to really set this woman off in front of my family members.
Just now I checked. See my original review below. I really see very little that's negative ... and, in fact, the 50-year-old women I was describing were the patrons, not the servers.
But no matter. If my review angered her, she had many options in dealing with it. The tack she took was confrontational, embarrassing, and ultimately needless. Homemade offers good breakfasts, but so do many places in Berkeley. I won't be back.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/18/2007
Settings are amusing (lots of hippie women trying to look delighted about everything, smiling with a… Read more »
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Review from Sarah L.
Albany, CA
7/13/2008
ugh. I used to come here on weekdays (back when I was a retail worker selling shoes to the masses) because I could walk there and it was cheaper than the other walking distance spots (La Note and Venus).
Fast forward seven years. I have a better job and eat at better breakfast spots. I don't go places where I have to wait for my food because I can get a bit, um, cranky while waiting for my sustenance (I'm a swimmer! I need to replenish my carbs!). I've never understood the allure of Homemade. I always thought the food was okay, but not phenomenal.
Occasionally we have an out-of-town guest that wants to go here for whatever reason as happened yesterday. The hostess was rude, we waited for an hour, she was rude again, and we left. We knew there'd be a wait, that's okay, we're entertaining our guests' desires. If they want to wait an hour for potatoes and sour cream, fine. But the rudeness was crazy.
See, I've worked retail. I've worked restaurants. My new career is also one that deals with people. I know first hand that it never pays to be rude to a customer. You bite your lip, smile, and go to the back to yell, smoke, whatever gets you to calm down before heading back out to war.
Get a clue, Homemade. For now, the only Homemade Cafe I'll visit is the one in my kitchen. -
Review from CJ Y.
Berkeley, CA
9/19/2006
I HATE THIS PLACE. JUST BECAUSE IT IS 2 BLOCKS FROM YOU DOES NOT MAKE IT GOOD.
WHY?
1. BAD EGG DISH #1. The Huevos Rancheros --was just so bad. The salsa was poor and tasted 60-day old. The portion was small. Sloppy.
2. BAD EGG DISH #2. The omlettes. What is so hard? Put some mile in with the eggs and cook under low heat? Do I have to give these directions when I order?
3. PANCAKES - OK. These were OK. Not the best, but a HUGE improvement over any eggs.
I cannot go back here ever. It is really bad. Just because it's Berkeley and have an Organic item on the menu does not make it good.
I have never had worse eggs. Never.
Long lines and below average food.
I would recommend any Berkeley breakfast joint above this one. -
Review from Andy M.
CA
10/17/2008
Apparently there are actually three things you never want to see being made: laws, sausages, and your breakfast at Homemade Cafe.
I'm a big fan of counters in breakfast places, so I was happy to find that Homemade Cafe has a small 8-person counter, whereas I had only sat at tables in the past when I had gone with larger groups. On previous visits I had found the food to be decent if not particularly memorable. Unfortunately, sitting at the counter gave me a full view of the kitchen and left me with a much diminished opinion of the food.
When you have an open kitchen and counter seating, you need to have a spotless kitchen, even in a greasy spoon. Homemade Cafe's kitchen? Not so spotless -- kind of nauseatingly unclean like you see on episodes of Kitchen Nightmares. The cook's style was slow and careless: he would crack eggs and some egg white would drip onto his shoes, to break a yolk he used his fingers, the range, pans, and grease traps needed some serious cleaning, sausages were grilled on an oily cooktop with additional oil and then put on an old grease-laden towel to sit until the eggs were ready, and the floor was littered with bits of food even early in the morning. By the time my food arrived, I could barely muster any appetite to eat it. Luckily, the food didn't taste nearly as bad as it looked, but that's about all I can say for it.
My advice: if you must eat here, sit at a table.Listed in: The Great East Bay Breakfast…
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Review from Tajira M.
7/7/2008
I went here with my family yesterday for breakfast at my brother's recommendation.
The service seemed a bit hurried, but not really rude. When we came in, there were only two servers, and it seemed like one was getting the brunt of the work done. The cafe is crowded -- there was about three inches between our table and another, which was a bit awkward. So many people showed up after we arrived, and though there are a couple of small tables outside, I could tell everyone wanted to come inside.
There is a policy of getting up to refill your own coffee, which was different. Our server never let our mugs get empty, so we never had to get up for a refill, but some people at another table did.
The food was really good. My brother said he always gets the waffle or the blueberry pancakes. I just got the standard bacon and eggs, but they have something called home fry heaven. They just take the home fries and add cheese, guacamole, salsa, and sour cream. It was quite good, and all of our food came out nice and hot. My brother had a waffle with chicken/apple sausage, Mom had an omelet, and my dad had ham and eggs with a waffle.
By the time we left, there were two more servers. Most of the patrons seemed like regulars. We left feeling stuffed and happy.Listed in: Start your day right!
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Review from Linda M.
3/14/2008
I consider Homemade Cafe to be a Berkeley breakfast institution. The food is solidly good and fresh. There seems to always be a wait for tables, even on weekdays. Be prepared to wait outside. You can get an espresso drink from their To Go counter if you need immediate coffee satisfaction before you're seated.
Today I enjoyed the spinach/mushroom/feta omelet w/ home fries. They have just about everything else on the menu, but don't expect eggs benedict. It's not an option. Also you'll be getting up to get your own coffee refill(s)...cuz they really don't make any attempt at bringing the coffee pot to your table. It's just the way they do things.
I'm a big fan of potatoes and fondly remember the Home Fry Heaven (home fries, cheese, pesto, etc) from my college years, though now it seems a bit overwhelming unless I have about 3 friends willing to share it. I recently found out 2008 is the International Year of the Potato http://www.potato2008..... I think every year should be the Year of the Potato...don't you?
Full breakfast for two was $25 plus tip.Listed in: Kid Friendly Eats: East Bay
