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Village Pantry
Categories: Food Coffee & Tea Restaurants Diners Coffee & Tea, Diners [Edit]
184 2nd StLos Altos, CA 94022
(650) 941-0384
- Hours:
Mon, Wed-Sun 7 am - 2 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Breakfast
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Dive-y
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
59 reviews for Village Pantry
Review Highlights
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59 reviews in English
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Review from Jennifer M.
Sunnyvale, CA
Excellent food and service. I absolutely love the Village Florentine. The spinach is fresh, the eggs were poached perfectly and the fruit was fantastic.
BUT WHAT IS REALLY AWESOME IS YOUR FOUR LEGGED FRIEND CAN SIT WITH YOU IN THE FRONT OR BACK OF THE RESTAURANT. The restaurant has a nice patio in back that allows me the comfort of spending time with friends and family and the ability to bring your best and pawtastic foodie critic with me.
I have not stopped coming here after my first visit. This is the place to go if you are hungry for breakfast in Los Altos. Nom nom! -
Review from Tricia N.
San Jose, CA
Breakfast and lunch served all day, every day. They treat you as if you've been there a million of times, and they're always making sure you're enjoying everything. The place is quite small, but it gives it a very cozy, home-like character. As a result, the food there also tastes as if it's homemade!
Overall, pretty good food and great service. -
Review from Kate C.
Los Altos, CA
Great spot downtown for breakfast, literally a hole in the wall. I think the food - which is definitely short-order cook style - and coffee is better than the other downtown offering in this category - Rick's. Also the service is superb, everyone who works there is super friendly and they seem to know almost all of their diners' names. Inside is quite cramped (including the bathroom - don't even think about trying to change a diaper there), but you can grab a table on the back patio for a great relaxing weekend brunch, usually lots of people there along with their dogs which is great for the kids. Love the banana pancakes, just the right level of sweet and density.
NOTE they do not take credit cards. -
Review from Mark L.
San Jose, CA
Very small place, diner-like counter in front with a few tables and a small room in the back. Food was generally good, the pictures of the breakfast choices are very helpful. The best thing this place has going for it is the outstandingly friendly staff that makes you very welcome. Note, cash only, no credit cards.
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Review from Alex M.
Los Altos, CA
The minute you walk into the Village Pantry, you're treated like a regular, and after you've eaten there, chances are you'll become one too. Though the food isn't knock-your-socks-off amazing, but it is good and filling (nutritious is whole 'nother story). It feels like what a small breakfast restaurant should feel like, homey and comfortable. The owner knows each member of my family by name. The menu consists of a wide array of American breakfast and lunch choice. For a nice, filling, and cozy breakfast, the Village Pantry won't disappoint.
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Review from Christy Y.
Los Altos, CA
Great food and great service. Tiny bathroom.
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Review from Marilyn T.
Palo Alto, CA
The Village Pantry has been a downtown Los Altos staple forever. The building is super cute, and they're only open until 2pm (closed Tuesdays), which means it's always busy for brunch.
Their selection is not as extensive as at some other places, but they have all the typical breakfast staples, plus some specials not listed on the website menu (crepes, biscuits and gravy, special waffles, salmon scramble, etc). Salads aren't that great, but you probably shouldn't be ordering a salad here anyway. If you want something more lunch-ish, they have lots of different burgers but also classics like tuna melts and patty melts. I'd stick with the savory things (eggs, etc), and make sure you get the HASH BROWNS, which are shredded by hand every morning, crisped, and so good.
It's simple breakfast/brunch fare... With added specials like root beer floats and hot chocolate with whipped cream (and even basic beer and wine.) Service is very attentive, and the owner is super friendly and obviously very passionate about their food. Gotta support your local family owned breakfast places! -
Review from Jiushi B.
Los Angeles, CA
Service was very attentive which accounts for the three stars but the food was not memorable. Very sweet people served us which alone accounted for a good review and we gave them a good tip, but nothing that spectacular for the scramble, eggs Benedict, home fries, fruit, etc.
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Review from Ryan L.
Breakfast Quest 2011 continues. I had the best breakfast here on Saturday. This may have been one of the best breakfasts I've had in a long time.
Village Pantry is an old time coffee shop* located on Second Street in Los Altos. Some may describe this as a "dive" or "hole-in-the-wall" and you can easily walk by without giving it a second glance, but then you would be missing a terrific breakfast. This place is nothing fancy. There are two cafe tables outside, a counter with attached bar stools, big vinyl booths. Newspaper, pictures and other kitsch cover the walls. On one of the stools was a big pile of newspapers for patrons to read as they sip coffee before they start their days.
The menu is breakfast and lunch. They're only open until 2pm. I ordered the Joe's Special. If you're not familiar with the Joe's Special, it's a dish from the early 20th century that consists of eggs scrambled with ground beef and spinach or a variation thereof. It was a "scramble" before scrambles became a trendy (and simpler) alternative to an omelet. At the VP, it includes ground beef, spinach, mushrooms and onions. I was excited because you don't see Joe's Special very often anymore. I was halfway through my meal and I realized that I didn't get the Joe's Special. My meal was only eggs, ground beef and onions. I think there was a communication issue and I didn't have the heart to send it back. In addition, the food was great. Looking back on the menu I got #6 Village Scramble instead. I saved $2 and still had a great meal. The scramble came with hash browns and toast. The hash browns needed a little salt and then they were amazing. They were so crispy and flavorful. I believe they had to use butter when making them.
The service was friendly and excellent. The woman behind the counter (the owner?) knew everyone who walked in the door and never stopped moving. Next time I'm in Los Altos I will definitely return here.
* NOTE: "Coffee shop" here is used in it's original form, to be distinguished from a "coffee house". A coffee shop is a restaurant that serves many different foods and is always open for breakfast. The coffee house arose with the introduction of espresso coffee drinks in North America. Coffee houses typically serve only coffee and baked goods (think the ubiquitous Starbucks). A coffee shop serves full meals (think Rockwell paintings and the restaurant from Seinfeld). Diners are traditionally only pre-fabricated restaurants full of chrome and vinyl and often are in the shape of a rail car. I believe the confusion between coffee shop and coffee house has led to many more restaurants to be called "diners". For example, Denny's is technically a coffee shop since it's not pre-fabricated, but is often called a diner.Listed in: Best Breakfasts by the Bay
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Review from Michelle V.
San Jose, CA
Came here for the 2nd time with Brad C. this past weekend. We're basically gettin used to making this awesome breakfast spot one of our regulars since we'll hopefully be moving to this neighborhood by next year.
I ordered one of their Sunday specials: (smoked) Salmon Scramble with hasbrowns and wheat toast.
I ate everything off my plate...again, no surprise there because their portions are just perfect! Didn't order the homefries this time. Hashbrowns were the crispiest I've ever had even without asking to make them extra crispy. And the flavor on my scramble was very yummy yummy yum, no need for any drippy drips of Tapatio on top
Once again, VERY VERY good customer service here. The two women here both complimented my funky hair and my top. So sweet. And they seriously only have regulars that come in. Seems like people come here weekly for their weekend breakfast/brunch spot. There is also garden seating outside, but we stayed in side this time, cuz we was HONNNGREEE & sat right by the kitchen. :P
Will we be back and back again? Mmmm hmm! You betcha!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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9/14/2010
Had a wonderful breakfast on the SBBF Brad C.'s birthday this past Sunday. This breakfast spot has… Read more »
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9/14/2010
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Review from Jason M.
Mountain View, CA
I wish I could be a bigger supporter of the Village Pantry but it fell short of expectations. On the positive side - staff is super friendly and the restaurant is a true small proprietary place that shows it has proven itself throughout the years in Los Altos.
My issue though was the food - the servings were great that is, if you are on a diet. I, however, am not. I ordered the eggs benedict with bacon on top. Granted eggs benedict is not a big dish in general, but usually the sides are pretty generous. In this particular case, I ordered it with hash browns and what lay on my plate was literally a small pile that equated to just five bites. I was mortified that my hash browns were so tiny. Potatoes are cheap people. In fairness, the dish also came with a small cup of fruit which helped fill the void in my growling stomach, but ultimately did not suffice.
Water was also an issue as I had to ask three times before they would bring me out a refill. My wife's coffee mug also sat empty throughout half of our brunch and it ultimately was never refilled.
Maybe I am just too used to the big American breakfast served at local establishments like Bucks, Stacks, and A Good Morning but I left the Village Pantry very hungry after my brunch. The food was good, but good does not equate to happy if the portions are just too tiny. -
Review from Tracy joy K.
San Jose, CA
A quick note before you read this review... I should have gotten breakfast food, I'm not sure why I didn't because I'm an all-day breakfast kind of girl! Also, this place is CASH ONLY!!!!
I went here for lunch and it is a really cute literally pantry-sized diner that is quaint and cute. When I went there were 2 cute elderly couples seated for lunch. I saw the sandwich on someone plate so I decided to order a Tuna Melt.
The price was alright, in downtown Los Altos you can't get super amazing deals. The Tuna Melt was a little dry for me and it wasn't cheesy enough.
The waitress that worked here was super nice and really sweet. Service was speedy though I did have to run to the ATM to get cash.
I want to try this place again, for breakfast! Overall for now, it's cute and satisfactory. -
Review from Victoria D.
San Diego, CA
This place was terrible. I don't write reviews like this unless the place undoubtedly earned it. Awful service all around from getting drink orders to getting the check. Eggs Benny was gross. Egg whites were runny. Regret ignoring our name on the wait list at Ricks Cafe to come here.
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Review from Scott W.
Danville, CA
They seem to try hard, and the food here is not bad. It is, though, a diner experience, not upscale. I ordered a plain sandwich and it was fine. I ordered a chocolate milkshake and it appeared to be milk+ice+chocolate sauce blended, rather than ice cream based.
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Review from Galp G.
Los Altos, CA
This place is great IF you treat it for what it is. It is NOT a "fancy" breakfast place and it IS in Los Altos and is expensive for what it is.
Now if you get over that, you'll find it's a solid breakfast place with good, consistent breakfast standards. The real attraction of is the patio (which is all we ever go to). It's a great place to go if you have kids or a dog. It's all about the setting here.
For weekend brunch, if it's sunny, this is our place. -
Review from Brad C.
San Jose, CA
Had an amazing birthday breakfast here (9/12) with my SAGF Michelle V. and I have to say, I'm in love with the place. Everything from the perfect portion sizes, to the cost, to the amazing down home feeling that you get when you sit here. The staff knows almost 99% of everyone that comes in on a first name basis... You just don't find that anymore, anywhere!
The food was delicious. I ordered the special Louisiana Sausage Scramble and it was really really good. The coffee was good. The only thing I have to mention is that the home fries weren't as crispy as I'd like them. I wish they were crispy all over, not just on one side or the other. But that one tiny negative doesn't change the fact that this place is 5 stars to me! =) -
Review from Yo U.
San Jose, CA
An absolute gem of a woman works the dining room. She's fabulous, no if, ands or buts about it.
The food here is decent straightforward diner fare. As this diner is located in Los Altos, however, its fare is vastly overpriced for what you get. If the prices were 50% lower, then the value proposition would be better. -
Review from deb n.
Palo Alto, CA
Went on at Sat. am at 10:30, the front was filled but the back dining was empty, a few were seated outside on the rear covered Patio. I loved the small, homey feel to the place and the staff was very friendly. We ordered eggs blackstone, spicy scramble with chorizo, OJ and one coffee. $27. Loved the meal, so much so, ate it so quickly, didn't take my usual pics. OJ isn't fresh squeezed but still hit the spot. Friend didn't notice the specials on 8.5x11 paper signs, they also have fresh squeezed grapefruit juice, lattes and cappucinos and waffles with blueberries. My eggs blackstone came with cottage fries and cut melon cubes. Around $9.
Even with the rain, the place was still well attended. You can tell, locals come here. Home home cooking then gourmet.
Bathroom is odd, only one for women and men and in a tiny closet/hallway near the rear dining area. Parking is easy with the lots all around. -
Review from Katharine A.
San Jose, CA
The good:
Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip pancakes.
Yummy eggs.
Friendly service...Julie rocks!
Old school counter and spin chairs
The bad, questionable and funny:
Cash only...not good in this day and age.
Mounds of imitation crabmeat in an omelette. Funny.
Restaurant spelled wrong on the marquis -
Review from BeBe C.
Palo Alto, CA
Probably the very best dog-ok patio in South Bay/Peninsula! Tables in the spacious patio are not too close to each other and therefore you don't need to worry about customers who don't like sitting too close to your pooches. Also, giant breeds such as Newfs, Great Danes, and Great Prys will not have a problem "fitting in." The owners don't just tolerate dogs; they welcome dogs. In fact, I was told that many dog-walkers patronize this place regularly. I'd give 10* (out of 5) to the ambience and dog-friendliness.
The food was ok--I had a traditional breakfast. The hashbrown was crispy and the Denver omelette was not bad. I probably would avoid the milkshake (yeah, I am a total pig--I had a shake for breakfast). So, I'd give the food 3.5* (out of 5) .
Overall, compared to Bill's in Willow Glen, the Village Pantry has more spacious dog-ok seating though the food at Bill's is surely better. Bear in mind, though, that Bill's serves the very best breakfast in the entire Bay Area (IMHO). That's a standard that's hard to beat.Listed in: Certified Dog-ok Eateries
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Review from Derrick L.
San Francisco, CA
I don't know what to make of the big void of interesting brunch places between Palo Alto and Los Gatos... There's Hobbees, which is okay, and then??? We just moved back from Washington DC where they take weekend brunch really seriously, and so it's a little disappointing there's not much around our parents'.
So I trusted Yelp to find a nice brunch and I went here with a small group that had a smattering of everything. I had the chocolate pancakes which I liked a lot. Pretty large 8' with surprisingly nice consistency across the width of the pancake. Had some satisfying hash browns. And, also some typical, uninteresting diner coffee. My friends' food looked fine.
If we lived closer I think we'd be regulars just because it feels so friendly and cozy and it's in the neat Los Altos downtown area. -
Review from Nicole T.
San Jose, CA
What a little gem! A few friends and I went on a hike up at Rancho and wanted brunch at a little place that would be a step up from Denny's. I can't believe I've lived here for so long and didn't know this place existed.
The restaurant is small and cozy with a quaint, country feel. The British gentleman who took our order was very sweet as was the rest of the wait staff. They gave great service and the only time they were slow was when we waited for our check. But we were happily chatting so it was fine.
The food also did not disappoint. Among our party we had corned beef hash, eggs, hashbrowns, blueberry pancakes (which actually had whole blueberries sandwiched in between), eggs benedict, and ham along with some OJ and coffee. Everything tasted so good! Hashbrowns were crunchy, corned beef wasn't too salty, and the pancakes were really tasty. And the coffee was also really delicious.
We plan on another hike this weekend so maybe we'll be visiting here again. -
Review from Heidi L.
Mountain View, CA
Run far away.
The food is not cheap, not good (my over medium eggs were raw), and the service is incompetent. If you have the nerve to ask why you don't have your meal 35' after you ordered it, they get nasty and suggest you go somewhere else 'if you're in a hurry'. -
Review from David M.
Stanford, CA
I went there because of the good rating on yelp, and I was more than disapointed!! I wonder if the owner changed recently...
We went for lunch a Tuesday.
I ordered a crab-salad. The "crab" was just a kind of very bad surimi, the lettuce and tomatoes were insipd and not very fresh, and the "Italian" topping was presented in a large and dirty bottle.
My wife ordered benedict eggs : industrial ham, old sauce and no bread.
And our "fresh grapefruit juic" had probably been done one or two days before. We paid $30.
Maybe we were not lucky, but it was a really bad experrience. -
Review from Michael S.
Mountain View, CA
Basic diner fare. Nothing special or memorable. Wished that I had gone back to Rick's instead. The owner is very nice, though.
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Review from Dave L.
Los Altos, CA
Good breakfast food.
Friendly, but slow service.
OK coffee.
Nuff said. -
Review from Jason R.
Mountain View, CA
Seriously now, how hard is it to do breakfast? Eggs, toast and hashbrowns are all pretty easy. Walk around with a pot of coffee and occasionally top off the cups. These things seem foreign to these guys.
Yikes!
We were sat right off the front dining area, on the way to the patio. You would guess that this would get us plenty of attention for table service...but keep guessing! One small cup of coffee was never refilled. I'm sorry, but the place says COFFEE SHOP right on the front of the building!
The promptness of service to supply what I anticipated as a tasty start to my day was nowhere to be found. Then the food arrived and I realized why they were reluctant to bring it out. Both my sister's and my meals didn't even attain a mediocre level for quality. Portions were small and nothing was really cooked well.
We ate here last summer, so I hope things have improved, but I'm not going to risk it. I really don't know what else to say. This was about the worst breakfast experience I have had. Hop in the car and head up the road to A Good Morning at San Antonio and El Camino or hop over to the Original Pancake House. You'll start your day much better off.
p.s. - No plastic? I thought this was the 21st century! I had to run down the block to the ATM just to take care of the bill. -
Review from Jasmine A.
Los Altos, CA
Since we were treated so poorly at a certain restaurant on California Avenue in Palo Alto tonight, I just have to give Julie and David 5 stars for being the nicest restaurant owners around... there's a reason we come here every weekend -- it's Julie, David, their stellar service and fresh food.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/17/2009
Old-fashioned, neighborhood hole in the wall with funky dated decor, good food, personable service.… Read more »
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5/17/2009
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Review from Dan M.
Sunnyvale, CA
My wife and I have come here twice in last three days. We wanted to make sure that it is consistently good, since we found the first time to be exactly what we were looking for in a breakfast restaurant. Giving a five star rating is rare for me, so I wanted to make sure they deserve it. And indeed it was just as good the second time.
We have been searching for the best in hash browns for some time now without much luck. Our search is now over. We like them crispy and both times they met our expectations. We had the corned beef hash and eggs both visits; this is the traditional style breakfast version but certainly our favorite. The poached eggs were cooked correctly as well, nice runny yolks.
This time we also tried the breakfast quesadilla, which was very good. You could tell it was made fresh. The service is prompt and friendly. They are attentive and quick. We leave with a smile on our face. We will definitely be back again. There is so much more to try, but knowing they have the basics down will keep us trying new things. -
Review from Stephen R.
San Diego, CA
Whenever I visit the South Bay I try to make it to the Village Pantry in Los Altos. The Monte Cristo sandwich with a cup of Julie's homemade Split Pea soup and a glass of Chablis is the perfect lunch! I also recommend the weekend breakfast specials - the blueberry crepes are to die for!!
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Review from Greg G.
This place is ok. The service I think is great. Very very very nice people come and greet you, and everyone comes to check to make sure you are enjoying everything.The food is so so. Like they have chirizo and eggs on the menu and its not really spicy. More oily than spice to it. The hash-browns though are good. They have flavor to them unlike bland hash-browns at other places. Nothing bad about this place though.
Also, if you are seated in the back, watch out. There are 2 black steps that you must go up. I almost busted my ass when I missed both of them. -
Review from Kay N.
San Francisco, CA
What a nice neighborhood breakfast/lunch place. The Asian woman who owns/runs Village Pantry is *really* really friendly. If you start going there a lot, she'll remember your name and what you ordered, and it'll start becoming your "usual."
A lot of older people come here because it's one of those little, laidback, hole-in-the-wall, coffee shop-type places where they can hang out, and also it's located in Los Altos (meaning there are a lot of elderly ppl who came here to retire I guess.)
I've gotten the huge home-made pancakes, bacon, eggs sunny-side up. It was pretty satisfying. The pancakes are substantial in size, and they're muy deliciosa.
I recommend this place if you're ever in Los Altos wanting cafe food. -
Review from Anna T.
Los Altos, CA
I was craving a croissant breakfast sandwich and after seeing good reviews on Yelp, I decided to give this place a try. The menu only includes lunch croissants, but they made a breakfast version for me, which was really nice of them. However, I was not impressed with the meal. My friend and I also ordered a grilled cheese (+onions, tomatoes, avo) and there was something so off in the flavor I couldn't take more than two bites.
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Review from Rose G.
Mountain View, CA
A homey little breakfast place in Downtown Los Altos that has the best service anyone could ask for! My sister and I usually come here for brunch. We call it Julie's place, she's the little Asian lady who runs it. July is THE sweetest, most vibrant person you could ever meet! Most of the customers are regulars, such as myself and my sister, so she knows us well. Even the cooks know us ha! July always welcomes us with a friendly greeting upon arrival and she usually knows our orders.
The food is VERY delicious! Tastes homemade, not artificial. It is CASH ONLY, but it's definitely worth it. -
Review from Yuan F.
Mountain View, CA
I enjoyed a great brunch yesterday at Village Pantry. The blueberry pancake is really good!
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Review from K P.
Los Altos, CA
This is the friendly neighborhood breakfast spot. My husband & I go here 1-2 times per month.
I like it because:
- friendly service
- lots of space outside for eating
- fairly quick service
- good service (get food quickly, coffee is refilled constantly)
- the HASH BROWNS ALWAYS ORDER THEM
- good breakfast food
- gives you tons of food - come hungry!
It doesn't have the greatest decor, but when you check out the details you notice that the place is filled with pictures, cards, and ideas for what to order. You can tell that the owners love the restaurant & their customers. -
Review from geoff c.
Mountain View, CA
Los Altos is our go to town for breakfast. The VP has the crispiest bacon and hash browns, hands down. This place is like slice of just baked Americana. Lots of homey touches and the food is home made down to the biscuits and gravy. The couple that owns it are very friendly and hardworking. They seem to have quite a clientele of regulars, because they seem to know everyone's name. Hopefully we will make it into the pantheon of regulars too. Delicious and charming. Check it out.
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Review from sooz l.
Castro Valley, CA
I really wish I could give the place 3 and a half but I do think it's a good place to eat. Here's my reasoning:
1. Cozy little hole in the wall feel. Seems like a couple runs it. Hubby in the back doing the cooking and wifey running around taking orders and being bright cheery hostess.
2. Locals come her on the regular. She knows some by name, most by face. She knew mine even thought I had been here a handful of times. Impressive.
3. Service is fast but it's usually the wifey and the daughter who do the serving here and since it's setup with a short bar and small tables scattered throughout the small diner-esque shop and small outdoor section in back, there really is a lot of running about to do.
4. Food is pretty good. I haven't been disappointed but nothing has really wowed me either. Tastes like home for some I suppose... cooked well but not exactly on point. I prefer things cooked perfectly. Seasoning is usually on point. Nothing is too salty or too bland. This is pretty important to me so I commend them for it. Lovely hash browns from thin sliced potatoes and pan fried. Coffee isn't great. Chocolate chip pancakes had the right amt of chips in them and were moist.
5. Cash only. Annoying but I guess I understand. Pricing is a tad pricier than what you'd expect from the diner-like menu offerings.
So you see, 3.5 is a tad more accurate but the atmosphere, the friendliness, I think is what keeps the regulars coming back. The food is pretty good to boot but nothing very fancy. You're paying for comfort here. -
Review from Jill H.
Sunnyvale, CA
Decent breakfast place. I like coming here for a very laid back and decent meal. The meals are average size, taste home cooked, and fairly cheap.
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Review from Tony L.
Foster City, CA
I only came here because the place around the corner was packed. But, it was better than I expected. Ok, you have to be really bad to screw up breakfast and they were pretty good. The French Toast was a little on the skinny side and the bacon was a little well done, otherwise, the coffee was really good and the service was excellent.
