Pulled in off 101 looking for a place to grab some food with the fam. First thing to know for travelers on Highway 101 - don't stop in Garberville. The main drag was lined with trimmigrants getting wasted. There were bottles and beer cans all over the sidewalk. I was extremely uncomfortable, especially when a homeless man started hitting his pipe right in front of my daughter. Kids were hungry, so we had to eat. There aren't a whole lot of choices on that stretch of 101, otherwise I would have just left. Hats not the Eel River Cafe's fault, but it doesn't really whet your appetite. At any rate the place was packed, and we had to wait for a table for 15 minutes. The wait staff weren't particularly helpful, and the food was so-so. My son got a six dollar pancake - it was just a pancake. Nothing special, no toppings, just a six dollar pancake. Not recommending a stop in Garberville. read more

Nice small town cafe, I really enjoyed my orange juice however my bacon was over cooked and in my hash browns came out as squares and they were kind of under cooked in the center I wished they would have broke the squares up to brown the insides because I found them to be soggy on the inside , but the service was very nice and friendly , my fiend I was with enjoyed all of his food sad I can't say the same though read more

Eel River Cafe - Menu - Cafes Near Me - Garberville, California

This place was recommended to us by a friend. We got there on a Thursday afternoon, and it was already near full. I sat at the bar. It looks like a throwback diner from the 1950s. Service is friendly and prompt. There's only a single, tiny restroom for both men and women. I had a cheeseburger with fries. The burger seemed average, not bad, but not great, and nothing unusual. The Fries are the skinny kind, a little crispy. My wife had a bowl of lentil soup, which she said was delicious, but also nothing out of the ordinary. I'm guessing this place is more of a breakfast favorite. But not much else to choose from in Garberville, and Eel River Cafe certainly delivers on small town charm. read more

Eel River Cafe - I'm posing with cheeseburger and fries. That's a bowl of lentil soup my wife is having. - Cafes Near Me - Garberville, California

Awesome little place. We had to wait 10 minutes because it's a smaller place, but it was worth it. The food and service was great and the atmosphere was perfect. read more

I would have given this a four star but the item I ordered was meh. I had the chicken apple sausage and was hoping for a bigger portion but the sausage was 3 pieces of tiny sausages. My eggs were overcooked as well. What I should have done was order the chicken friend steak like everyone else. The portion size was good. The biscuits and gravy were yummy. The service was okay but what can you expect when their is only one waitress taking orders. read more

Eel River Cafe - Chicken and apple sausage - Cafes Near Me - Garberville, California

We visited this restaurant on our way to Crescent city. What a great find. The food was fresh and staff was excellent. They made sure we felt at home and enjoyed the meal despite COVID restrictions. read more

I stopped here while in the area. I ordered the grilled chicken salad. It was absolutely delicious, I ate it up so quickly....forgot to take a picture. The vibe is small town, quaint, and kind of busy decoration wise. Seemed to be a hot spot as it was packed from moment we arrived, till we left. The apple juice wasn't fresh squeezed, which was surprising seeing that the whole town does everything organic, and fresh. However it was good, nice and cold. The service wasn't great hence why I took off a star. Would come back and try something else. read more

Eel River Cafe - Breakfast & few lunch offerings - Cafes Near Me - Garberville, California

Our family of 6 had various different breakfast items: omelette (ham/cheese) & (bacon, mushroom,and Swiss), biscuits and gravy, eggs and bacon, and eggs and sausage with hash browns along with coffee, hot coco, and water. The food wasn't bad, nor was it over the top delicious. It's standard breakfast food but great customer service. Coffee cups are kept full, and their hot coco comes with a refill. Restaurant was clean and busy when we walked in on a Monday. If we're in the area we would stop to eat here again. read more

Eel River Cafe - Breakfast 6 am - 2 pm - Cafes Near Me - Garberville, California

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The food was ok but the temperature in the restaurant was warm enough to be uncomfortable. They are not very family/kid friendly. They don't offer a kids menu and the drinks came without lids. It was just a matter of time for someone to spill and he did. We cleaned it up the best we could and had the pile of wet napkins on the end of the table for someone to take away. That never happened. Then when I have to take my kids to the restroom the only toilet was plugged. I was happy to leave the restaurant. read more

Servers were ok , food was very bland and overpriced.... choose elsewhere or wait until a bigger town and/or chain food. When you mess up our bland food please make own your mistake and rectify the situation. read more

When traveling in northern ca this is a great cafe with food that is filling. I got a mushroom sandwich that was perfect for a light afternoon snack. The staff is friendly and fun. read more

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The food is absolute shit everything is Sysco and they claim to have fresh squeezed orange juice when really it is just crystal orange juice. Everything was greasy and overcooked read more

I live neat Garberville and don't eat out much, but today I ate at the Eel River cafe. Not only the food was excellent but they did a very thorough job of protecting us from Covid.. plexiglass dividers between booths, hand saniziters, they wiped won the menus, seats and tables after every customer, kind and helpful staff. Well done! In this time of economic downturn it was wonderful to see it packed full of happy customers, too.. read more

4.33 stars for this place. I have found NO BETTER breakfast place in all of Walnut Creek or Pleasant Hill, I tell you! We shared a Huevos Rancheros, and it was the BEST I've ever had. I guess I should mention that it's also the first I've ever had, but that was some delish breakfast; I'm a lover of breakfasts, so I should know. No corned beef has on the menu, to my great and lasting sadness (though the Huevos Rancheros made up for a large part of my disappointment). We also shared an order of cod fish & chips -- very excellently fried so it was crisp and not-too-greasy. Everyone enjoyed their meals, and it wasn't too badly priced. Aside from maybe half a pancake, everyone's plate was pretty clean. Isn't that one sign of a good restaurant (well, it's either that or a sign that there wasn't enough food, and I'm sure it wasn't the second option)? CASH ONLY. What's with these cash only establishments?? Side note: across the street was a pot house. Excuse me, cannabis-dispensing establishment. I'm not sure if this is related or not, but this town and its inhabitants were all very friendly. Coincidence? Hmm. read more

Yum! The SO and I were traveling through Garberville on a road trip to the Avenue of the Giants, and frankly, Eel River Cafe was the only lunch diner that was open on New Years week so we went for it. We showed up around 11am, and just barely made the cut before having to wait in line. We kept it pretty simple -- I got toast, sunny side up eggs and a hashbrown with hot chocolate, and the SO got the same stuff plus the chicken sausage. Spot on diner food. Eggs are good, toast is appropriately slathered in butter, and the chicken sausage is great too. Really quirky place though -- the Eel River itself is gorgeous, but the theme of the restaurant is definitely cows lol. We sat at the counter in front of perhaps the most impressive display of cow collectibles I've seen in my entire life. Pretty neat. Very old school too -- they have an old ad display that rotates these metal license plate like advertisements, pretty cool. Price is very expensive though... two plates plus a hot chocolate and coffee came out to be almost $30 which is more than I expected for the middle, of no where, but maybe it's because it was the middle of nowhere that it was so expensive? Service is okay, but they get busy and over occupied. They were very friendly though, and it was nice chatting to our waiter. tldr; good diner food, definitely a solid option if you're in the area read more

Just came here with my family of 8. The food was great; Eggs Benedict and Bacon Cheeseburger were perfectly cooked, the coffee was strong. The service provided by Jennifer was prompt, polite and efficient. She was warm, genuinely friendly and very patient with our specific requests (cold milk to cool down my kids' hot chocolate and hot coffee for my Dad). She kindly refilled our water bottle when requested, and she did everything with a smile! It's not often that you come across this kind of service in a diner so I have to mention it. Thank you, Jennifer! read more

Small portions and big prices. The eggs had no flavor. The chicken fried steak was about the size of my hand. But hey, at least one 12 oz. can of soda was $3.00! Feeling overspent and underfed. read more

Great breakfast, super service, great taste and preparation, fast and clean. Just like what a great cafe used to be like. Don't stop anywhere else when you need breakfast. THIS IS THE PLACE. read more

I had an o.k. lunch here yesterday. The server did a pretty good job for being toasted out of her mind on the local crop. I ordered a burger with sauteed onions and my wife ordered an ortega burger. My burger had sauteed mushrooms and the wife got a plain veggie burger. They were both good so we ate them rather than start over and wait another 45 minutes. The atmosphere suits me just fine, the food was darn good and the vibe was Humbolt circa 1972, just the way I like it. read more

I spent a few days in Garberville recently and breakfasted at the Eel River Cafe (except on Monday, when it was closed, sadly). I went out of my way to eat there, which should tell you something. The Ritz it ain't, and doesn't try to be. The coffee's weak diner coffee. The food is just fine overall, and the woman behind the counter is terrific--efficient, friendly, and kind. Like pancakes? Eel River Cafe makes the best I've ever had, and I've eaten a LOT of pancakes. I don't know what they do to make them so light, but they're wonderful. Like bacon? They do it perfectly--thick-cut and very crisp. (I suspect they cook their bacon the way I do mine: on a rack in the oven.) They open at 6 a.m. They serve the best breakfast in Garberville. Give 'em a try. read more

The food here is wonderful! We stopped in our our way back home to Sacramento. Husband had the biscuits and gravy and hash browns. It was a huge plate of food and the biscuits were homemade, fluffy and filling. I had the patty melt with fries, and they make a note to tell you they fry with California Rice Oil. The taste is fresh, crisp and light. I love it. The locals....I didn't love. They are dirty, scroungy, and obvious tweakers. If you can stand it, then the food will quickly ease your mind. It is higher priced than expected. They don't take credit cards, but there's an ATM the next business over that charges an atm fee of $2.65.... read more

We had a combo of things both from their regular menu and from the raw bar at the back. The food was great---really good. I was especially impressed with the raw bar food. I had no idea what some of the meals from the wraps to the coconut pesto sandwich would taste like, but it was great. I normally like meat in my food---but I was really impressed with the quality and taste of the raw bar wrap and the coconut pesto sandwich. I also got a veggie drink, too, as I am trying to cut out the sugar intake. I normally really abhor veggie drinks---but this was good. I could drink that everyday! I don't know what was in it except it was green. Definitely a stopping place next time we drive through. The kids loved the soft-serve "ice cream" from the raw bar at the back. They thought it was Ice Cream---it was that good. I felt like I left having not only had a good meal, but a meal that was good for me. read more

Just had an impeccable breakfast here. I got the french toast combo & my pa got the huevos rancheros. Exceptional. Very friendly service. Super clean in there, too. Highly recommend to all in need of a quality breakfast experience. read more

A good place to stop for breakfast on the way to the Avenue of the Giants. The coffee is a little watery and the eggs are just OK, go for the pancakes and french toast, it's much better. Check out this old sign they have on the wall where each new card drops as the sign turns. They said it's from around 1940 or so. The sign out front is real old skool as well. I found a shot here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rutabegabunny/49815379/ read more

Great little gem in the wall. Loved their cow theme - very cute. Staff was attentive. We walked in and the entire room stared at us! Probably not the most comforting when you are trying somewhere out for the first time but overall a great place. Biscuits and gravy are the bomb dot com! read more

I liked: -The hundreds of cows on the bathroom's wall paper staring at me while I was sitting on the toilet. -The whole cow theme of the restaurant. -Plenty of seats available when we were there -We had the prettiest waitress who I developed a girl crush on. I didn't like: -For a small town restaurant, prices were on the high side. -Food took a while to get to our table given the place wasn't that busy. -Cash only. read more

One star goes for the cool neon signage of the chef flipping hotcakes. We read the reviews on Yelp, thought that the place might be good. Don't bother. One star is too good for the service level of this establishment. It was a disappointment. Exceptionally slow service. The Subway sandwich store across the street would have been an improvement. It took well over a half hour for our order of sandwiches during lunch hour on Monday, June 29th. The restaurant was moderately busy. We sat at the counter. How complicated is it to serve up a salad/1/2 deli sandwich combo and a big bird turkey melt? The Our waitstaff person barely spoke to us; I had to ask her what the ETA on the food was- she mumbled that the kitchen was backed up and scurried off. Wouldn't it have been helpful to give us more information? How about a refill on the ice tea and some acknowledgement on the wait time while the back of the house learns the haute cuisine requirements of making sandwiches and simple diner menu items? I watched another customer go to the kitchen and ask how how long it would take to get her food. When we finally received our food, the bread was stale on my sandwich. It wasn't worth bringing it up to the non-verbal server. My husband thought the portions seemed skimpy for the price, and 2.45 for a can of diet soda was not impressive. We just wanted to get on the road and get out of Garberville. read more

I've been to Eel River twice over the years of stopping along 101 for a good bite. I'd recommend it to folks looking for a decent diner. Eel River's a long diner with a couple of tables and a bar. I came in with a group of five folks most recently on a Sunday morning. We were seated immediately at the bar (I think a couple folks behind us had to wait). The menu's pretty standard diner fare, but the prices are reasonable and the food's good. On my most recent trip, I had a pair of delicious pancakes and a side of bacon. Nothing special going on in the pancakes, just big, fluffy, and perfectly-cooked. Throw in friendly service, and you really can't go wrong stopping here for a bite. read more

We saw this cafe on Yelp and checked it out. We loved it! It is quaint, down home and has a lot of character. Our server was Shirley who made our visit a memorable one. My husband was celebrating his birthday and his biscuits and gravy were served with a candle! The food was great and we highly recommend it. read more

Eel River Cafe - We loved it! Very quaint and down home. Our server was Shirley who made our visit a memorable one! - Cafes Near Me - Garberville, California

Meh. This is actually a 2.5 star review. It's tough in a small town, I get that. But this place is just... Meh. Let's start with the lukewarm greeting. At 10:45 on a Sunday morning, it's full but not overcrowded. My companion and I want chairs, but they only have booths (all full) or counter seating. The guy behind the counter mumbles something which we take as an invitation to sit at the counter. I head to the toilet, tucked behind the booths. The space to get into the door is about 18" wide. The door to the toilet is about 22" wide. Not ADA compliant? No worries, they installed a guardrail around the toilet. The room itself is bigger than expected, clean, and papered with a cow print. Back at my seat, we wait for many minutes. My companion says the counter guy asked him what he wanted to drink and walked away before he could respond. I order scrambled eggs with hash browns bacon and biscuit with gravy. Biscuit smells terrible with a flavor to match. Gravy is bland, but swimming with bacon chunks. Bacon is saltier than average, but crisp. Eggs and hashbrowns are good, but skimpy. In all, a forgettable experience. If there is another option for breakfast in town, go there. read more

Wow, something actually worth stopping in Garberville, CA for. This place has that actual old school diner feel. From the actual diner counters to the classic pictures of old town Garberville on the wall, you quickly get that kind of feeling when you sit down in Eel River Cafe. My local connection recommended the Chicken Fried Steak with Biscuits and it was excellent....actually one of the best chicken fried steaks I've ever had. The gravy wasn't overly salty and had good flavor, and the chicken fried steak was savory with a crisp fried batter. The biscuits were soft with a flaky crust and came with more gravy on the side, just in case the gravy pool on your plate wasn't enough. The coffee was just mediocre, but they kept it coming and after a few cups it was all the same to me. Our waitress was very helpful and kind, but didn't check back too often, so make sure you let her know everything you need before she disappears. Garberville, thanks for giving me a reason to stop by again! read more

We had no idea of where to eat and were on our way north. The woman behind the counter was nice and recommended the potato salad which was pretty good. Ate the turkey sandwich and chili burger which were not very memorable. Would probably try somewhere else next time. read more

This place rocks. I go here often if I want some good diner food. The place is homey and the service is fair considering how busy it always is. I'm never let down by their food. I highly recommend this to anyone on the area. read more

Eel River Cafe - Club sandwich minus the tomatoes.. - Cafes Near Me - Garberville, California

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I got the grilled chicken salad which was fresh, clean, and tasty, topped with perfect avocado. The fries were cooked perfectly: no grease and not too much salt. Its simple food but it worked. read more

Happy we stopped in for a late breakfast/lunch. My husband ordered breakfast which included a pancake which looked super good and he said he enjoyed every bite. I ordered the turkey sandwich with bacon, tomato and jack cheese grilled on sourdough with onion rings. The sandwich was so yummy! I packed half to eat later. Great service and delicious food, what more could you ask for? read more

I got the oatmeal. I wasn't expecting anything amazing I mean it's just oatmeal. But honestly it was the best oatmeal I've ever eaten! I asked for strawberries on the side which was just the icing on the cake. It came with brown sugar and milk to add in. My friends all got different things and they seemed to really enjoy them too. I totally recommend this place! read more

Eel River Cafe - Cafes Near Me - Garberville, California

I had a delicious lunch salad & not only was it very nutritious it was pleasing to the eye because of the very fresh ingredients! read more

Eel River Cafe - Delicious chicken salad! - Cafes Near Me - Garberville, California

Great lunch. Portions were flavorful and enormous. Service was prompt and good. Prices were acceptable after all read more

Eel River Cafe - Cafes Near Me - Garberville, California

Stopped here on a road trip from Oregon Coast to San Diego. They were just closing but the waitress let us in anyway. Everyone was so friendly! My drink of choice--iced tea...and it was fresh and good! No plastic-container taste like in many restaurants! We had the tuna melt and it was the best I have ever had! Grilled onions! Who would have thought. I recommend stopping at this cafe...the ambiance will take you back in time to the "good ole' days" and the warmth of the staff and the good food will warm your heart and fill your soul!! read more

Service makes all the difference in a dining experience. On our most recent visit, our server Chelsea made us feel welcome and at home, unlike our previous visit here. Her warm and sincere personality really shone. Chelsea was quick to service our breakfast and fill our coffee cups. Our breakfasts of chicken apple sausage and eggs was good. The hash browns could be crispier but the biscuit and gravy was tasty and ample! We look forward to seeing Chelsea again when next in town. read more