This is one of those hole in the wall places (which I love) and went for the first time and loved it! The staff is very friendly and attentive. Food was so good. So if you're like me and like the "hole in the wall lovers" this is the place We had the Turkey sandwich and an als burger read more

Did anyone say massive portions? Get the nachos and get back to me. Definitely enough for three, four, maybe five to split? If you get it as an "appetizer" for the table, be ready to take a big portion of your main entree to go! Really not much to look at from the outside. It's an old Wendy's restaurant location / building and the Wendy's handles still greet you as you reach for the door. Inside, at least around noon, it's smoking busy. We arrived around 12:15pm on a Wednesday. There were two groups standing in front of us waiting for a table. Just walk in, get in line and hang on for a minute. All the tables were full but it was full of working men and women who don't have time for a 60 minute lunch. Tables were turning quickly and the staff is right on top of clearing, cleaning and reseating. For as busy as the place was, I was impressed with the promptness and attentiveness of the staff. We were there for less than 40 minutes and they checked up on us at least a half a dozen times. Cafe / classic diner / Mexican food and really good (and big) burgers as well. I ordered the double since it was my first time here - and now I know that a single will be more than enough next time. Cooked correctly and juicy. We also got the chicken enchiladas with rice and beans. The rice and beans were excellent but the chicken inside the enchilada was a little salty for us. Really would have had 5 stars except for the cleanliness of the bathrooms. The men's door (at least when I was there) didn't lock so...well, wait if you have to. But, honestly, if I'm hungry and in the area, I'll be back. Hope you get a table quickly, find something yummy on the menu and...enjoy!!! read more

See all

We came to Al's Cafe and WE LOVED IT! Such friendly & efficient service! We came in on a Sunday afternoon, knowing it might be packed and we were right BUT they greeted us and sat us within minutes! Our party was of 5 people so we thought our order would take long, we were wrong! Our food was ready within 10 minutes! Food was delicious and in BIG quantities! We all loved it! We are not from the area BUT we will definitely be coming back! Worth the 3 hour drive! read more

Al's Cafe - Club Sandwich - Mexican Near Me - Fresno, California

This is one of the best breakfast spots in Fresno. Don't let the outside appearance turn you away. Great food and great service

Al's Cafe is an "old school" diner that's been a landmark restaurant for many years in Fresno, CA and a favorite of Fresno locals. This fine restaurant is open every day of the week, and serves both American and Mexican comfort food. Al's Cafe has been at the current location since 2000, and is only a couple of miles away to famous Fresno landmarks as Chaffee Zoo and Roeding Park. Prior to moving to the current location, the restaurant operated for decades downtown, near Van Ness Ave and G Street. Al's Cafe is not posh or fancy, as it's a diner and has been a favorite of Fresno locals for decades. The floor is simple tile, but the large dining room is brightly lit, thanks to natural lighting from the many windows and the patio. Decor is simply, as the walls are decorated with photos and posters. The only thing that struck me as odd is that Al's doesn't have a counter... Like all diners, Al's Cafe features a order pick-up window, where the friendly wait staff pick up orders from the kitchen and deliver to tables. The window decorated with hundreds of photos that customers have posted over the 23 years the restaurant has been in the current location. You can also purchase a "Al's Cafe" tee shirt, as they had several for sale. The dining room is large and furnished with tables and chairs, as there aren't any booths in this no-nonsense dining room. Actually, the dining room is on the shabby side, but it's clean, comfortable and Al's serves some of the best food in town! What more could you ask for? From the"Breakfast Combinations" section of the menu, I went with "Chile Verde and Eggs." My choice of sides were "Al's potatoes" with refried beans, along with corn tortillas. Truly a breakfast of champions! The menu states, "We proudly serve the highest quality, best tasting Black Angus beef. We serve large fresh eggs fried in butter and cooked to order. Each combination includes: your choice of Al's potatoes, golden hash browns, beans and rice, or beans and potatoes. And your choice of buttered toast, English muffin, tortillas or biscuit and gravy." The choice of sides simply dazzled and amazed me, but in the end, I went for "Al's potatoes," refried beans and corn tortillas. The "Chile Verde" was simply delicious, as it was tender, seasoned, beef, cut to the size that you see at diners in Mexico, and cooked in chile verde sauce, so all flavors worked together. The beef and the sauce was simply delicious and tasty, and not at all hot, and made for a main breakfast entrees that I will remember for a long time. "Al's potatoes" were potatoes cut into bite-size chunks, parboiled, seasoned and deep fried to a slight golden brown on the outside, but white and tender inside. The potatoes were garnished with diced green chili pepper and coated with melted, gooey American cheese, which made them truly a taste sensation. The potatoes were simply wonderful to dip into the chile verde sauce, which I think was the whole idea. The refried beans were simply spectacular and tasted like the countless refried beans I've enjoyed during my trips to Mexico, in Mexican "loncherias," or diners. I suspect the beans were fried in lard, which is a great thing. The beans weren't fancy and they didn't exhibit a flashy presentation, garnished with cheese, as they were simply "earthy" and amazingly delicious. My two fried eggs were fried in butter, as per the menu, and arrived perfectly cooked, sunnyside up, just the way I ordered them. Along with my order, a small basket with three corn tortillas and a two cups of in-house-made hot sauce was brought to my table to finish my order. I'm a "foodie" and I love breakfast, and the "Chile Verde and Eggs" breakfast I enjoyed at Al's Cafe simply elevated breakfast to another level, as this was one of the most amazing breakfasts that I've enjoyed for a long time. The Mexican influence, combined with good ol' Central California home cookin' made for an amazing combination and a fusion of the best of Mexican and American "comfort food." Such an amazing breakfast! Comfort food, with a hearty dose of "Americana" is served at Al's Cafe, located on West Olive Ave in Fresno, CA. The food is delicious, the staff is friendly, and the dining is comfortable. For the best diner cuisine anywhere... check out Al's Cafe, located in Fresno, CA. Fresno locals have known for decades that Al's Cafe offers fine dining, so now the secret is out and all you have to do is to head over to Al's Cafe and enjoy some of the best dining Fresno has to offer. I enthusiastically post FIVE STARS! read more

See all

Been going for years. The shredded beef Machaca is my go to 95% of the time. But when I look at the menu when I want something else, it's all great. read more

We stopped by on Sunday around 10am, a nightmare time to go to breakfast if you don't want to wait 30 minutes or more. Al's Cafe has a lot of seating so we decided to give it a shot. They have a good amount of seating and a small covered patio outside (opposite side of the entrance). We totally lucked out because we were able to immediately sit and a waiting list started shortly after we arrived. This visit I ordered the Breakfast Omelet, opted for hash browns (so good here, generous portion) and biscuit and gravy. The biscuit was pillow soft! My omelet was also delicious, filled with bacon, sausage, potatoes (odd, I know, but works!), and cheese and covered with lots of savory red salsa. I would order this again and again. We wished we were more hungry because the pancakes looked sooo good! Service here was fabulous. Lots of friendly servers and staff. Food came out fast and hot. read more

See all

The food, the service, and the staff are all wonderful. Very accommodating staff. Had the tacos for lunch on more than one occasion. They're different each time. read more

We were really looking forward to trying Al's after seeing them on Dale Yurong's Dine and Dish. The service was exceptional and everyone was friendly. Unfortunately, the food left alot to be desired. I had the tacos and an enchilada. The taco shells were pre-made like Taco Bell's shells. The ground beef was flavorless and overcooked. My husband ordered the Huevos rancheros and was not happy with his order either. He didn't care for the flavor. Needless to say, we won't be going back. read more

Our waitress was very attentive and very friendly. My boyfriend ordered chilaquiles and he was a bit disappointed because the tortillas that were used were like chips, a bit too hard (we were hoping to get chilaquiles like the way we are used to). We also ordered pancakes and it was really delicious! We both loved the pancakes! read more

Al's Cafe - Pancake - Mexican Near Me - Fresno, California

See all

The Best around.. definitely order the breakfast potatoes.. Cocido OMG Delicious Spanish Omelette Fantastic Chorizo Burrito.. Damn near Perfection!! Service was great ..friendly easy to talk to ..shared vacation experiences read more

Food is always good. Sandy is the best. Very good and friendly. Food comes up fast but still tasty. They are always busy. And the prices are great!! read more

Super busy on the weekend but they still got us seated fast and they have nice servings. Love the home made chips on the nachos read more

Love this place!!! Two us us stopped in for lunch on a recent road trip. Pretty expansive menu, great service, reasonable prices, large portions and hearty food!! It's a diner and they are doing it right - service was perfect - grab and open spot and they will be on you! Food came out quick and hot! My partner enjoyed a large tostada, I had the sourdough burger - both delicious!! We could have easily split one for both of us. This could be a regular stop for us when we're travelling through the area. read more

The food here has an amazing!! Great taste, large portions, home cooking flavor for sure! Customer service is great, very nice and helpful from the time you come in the door no matter how busy they are! Don't judge a book by its cover people..a must try! read more

See all

If you are in central Fresno and don't know where to go to eat, or even what you want to eat, this is your place. Al's Cafe is an institution with faithful followers, and for good reason. I've been there a number of times over the years and eaten a variety of dishes. Most recently, I got country fried steak and eggs for lunch. (They serve breakfast all day.) If you want crispy potatoes, these are not the ones for you, but that's not a complaint because they are covered in cheese! They also have two different salsas to offer, one seemed tomato based and the other chile based. Both are delicious and deliver sufficient heat. Otherwise, I've had burritos, burgers, and so many other things. Everything has been delicious and everyone is always pleasant and treats you familiarly. I can't wait to go again soon. read more

Al's Cafe - Chile rellenos with rice and beans - Mexican Near Me - Fresno, California

Al's cafe is near Roeding Park. As long as I can remember Als is a great place to eat. The portions are huge and the food is delicious. The staff are always accomodating and friendly. Even though the weekends can be busy in the morning they are quick to get your group in. Its worth the wait. They used to be in down town Fresno over twenty or 30 years ago. So they know how to provide great service and create excellent breakfast and mexican food. Try it out. read more

See all

We have been going there for over 10 years. We get it that it can get busy as why we were patient. But others that got sat after us received their food before us and the waitress was kinda rude and we got cold potatoes and you can tell she got frustrated we never complain but they were really cold and we were given our tab before we even got all our food. Just never been there with such bad service. Will never go back. !! read more

Great food !!! And service ! Menudo was fantastic. It's just a little to crowed but the service made it all worth the wait.

Large plates, good food, good service. even the coffee was good. It's a great place to go on the weekend morning when you're still in your sweats, and u wanna have some good conversation over a good plate. read more

All three were great! They have great food and great service! They serve you very large portions. Waitresses are great always making sure if you need anything! The restaurant is always clean and has a great ambiance! read more

It's been a while, but we had a group of guys that did breakfast on Sundays. After trying multiple venues Al's was the first choice by far. Be hungry! Always busy. But never too long a wait. Great food. read more

Great food and fantastic service. They make you feel like you're family. I always look forward in having breakfast there.

The food was decent. Could have used a little more seasonings. The portions were a good size. Everyone was so nice. We had a great server. I would come back and try something else and see if I liked it more. I got the Philly chicken because it was on special for only 9. Also tried the biscuits and gravy which I do not recommend. I'll look through photos and reviews for a recommendation when I try again and I will update my review when I go! read more

Al's Cafe - Biscuits and gravy. - Mexican Near Me - Fresno, California

See all

Good food, big portions, friendly staff. Usually busy on the weekends but have never had to wait a long time.

(During Covid) 4- This is a great place. Please support local. Their food is so good and the staff is wonderful. Price is reasonable and they have so many items to choose from. I always get their breakfast items. They have an outdoor seating (tent like) area. They also have specials. My favorite thing is the chile verde dish. read more

See all

I had a very unusual experience. I come in there all the time. But this waitress decided to charge us for a beverage that we didn't order..So my friend was looking at both the tickets because.we paid separate.They were the same price but he ordered a water with no ice.plus .The menus had food all over it. and the table was dirty. Now I'll take it for granted they just got done with lunch when we came in at 2 o'clock.But when she wiped the table off, she didn't move any of the debris into her hand she sling it all over the place all over my friend all over my shirt. And she looked at us smiled. I'm like what the hell who the F you got working here. Prices are going up and service is going down .They better wake up.. if I go back, it'll be for pick up only. I've spent enough money in this place and I don't deserve to be treated like this.There are some staff there that are exception to this review. Next time, I'll just pick the waitress that I want when I pick the table.. I think that's the best way to resolve this on my end read more

My family and I have loved going to Al's Cafe for breakfast. Delicious Mexican and American food. The menu and service has always been great even when they are their most busy. Would absolutely recommend this little hole in the wall place. read more

It's kind of sad when the highlight of your meal were the jelly packets. First, service was excellent in our station, not so much for the two older men near the window, who had to get up 3x to get their waitress. But back to my table, We tried the tamales, which tasted as if it had a tomato based sauce, yuck, so much unflavored meat you couldn't taste the masa. Al's potatos were boiled and tossed in tomato sauce with big chunks of onions and bell peppers, yuck. Plates, we're plastic and lightweight, Everytime you tried to cut the chicken fried steak the plate would move with your knife. And when you order scrambled eggs it's best to scramble them in a bowl first, that's what makes eggs scrambled nobody wants ugly egg whites looking back at you, cooking 101. The place was busy but maybe it was their first (and last) time there as well. Wait, I tried the hash browns from my sister's plate and they were golden brown and delicious! To bad they don't go good with jelly packets. read more

I was impressed of all the people there to eat. Waitress Haley was very kind. The food was so very disappointing. I ordered the Al's special meat lovers omelette. There was NO asada or chorizo in my omelette as stated on the menu. I believe they put cut up wienies inside because it looked like it and tasted like it. My sister ordered the Chile verde omelette and when it was delivered, it was red sauce on pork. Very very misleading. Big, BIG disappointment for our first time here. read more

This is one of my favorite breakfast places because the food is delicious and the staff is super friendly and outgoing. It's a must eat restaurant. read more

Brought my boyfriend here for the first time for him to try out, but as we were eating we noticed two roaches crawling on the wall and one even almost crawled to our plates. We got grossed out and ended up not finishing our plates and still paid and left. read more

Completely forgot what this was called. I was too deep in eating this delicious meal. The meal seemed to be a little over cooked. Regardless the rest of the plate picked up the deliciousness. Service is AWESOME here. Love this place. I go here everytime I'm in town with family. See you at Al's! read more

Al's Cafe - Mexican Near Me - Fresno, California

Al's café was recommended by someone at the Fresno zoo. Not only was the food great, but our server, Sandy, was so personable and enjoyable that she really made our day! My friends and I will definitely be back again! read more

The food is decent, But the servers need to work on their personalities, working somewhere for a long time doesn't mean you can have a bad attitude but customers are looking for eateries that they feel like at home But I guess customer service is not on the menu at Al's read more

Great food fresh quick service. Traditional Mexican favorites. I am happy planning a return.

Service was great! But food just ok. Staff were friendly, positive, and buzzing all around. They were very busy but we found an open table and got our drinks right away. Good coffee. I probably should have ordered some Mexican food, but I went with an American breakfast (sausage, mushroom, and jack cheese omelet, hash browns, and biscuit & gravy). Offered mild or spicy salsa. The mild was good but also spicy! The 3 egg omelet was cooked a little too long (egg had a lot of brown spots) and had sliced cheese melted on top (why not top with more jack cheese?). Hash browns were crispy, as requested, but needed seasoning and actually tasted a little undercooked on the inside. Biscuit wasn't bad but the gravy needed more flavor and consistency was too thin. My husband ordered the right meal though. He got the chorizo (which had a definite kick to it) with potato and refried beans, and tortillas. He said everything was delicious and tasted so authentic, like someone's abuela was back there in the kitchen! Portions good for a reasonable price. Next time I go, I'll stick with the Mexican food! read more

Al's Cafe - a plate of food with hash browns - Mexican Near Me - Fresno, California

See all

breakfast omelet beans and hashbrowns biscuits and gravy water and lemon breakfast omelette read more

Al's Cafe - Mexican Near Me - Fresno, California

Their service was great and portions were very filling. Their omelette plate was yummy and their chillaquilles was great too! read more

Al's Cafe - Chillaquilles - Mexican Near Me - Fresno, California

Went here Saturday at 2:20pm and there doors were locked. But there signs shows there are open till 3pm. Also there neon open sign was on too. It looks like workers didn't want to take any more orders, which is rude. read more