I can't believe this doesn't have a five star rating. It is the most amazing place. I've been multiple times and taken multiple people. I usually go after going to the Albany bulb with my dog. I have tried to try as many things as possible and nothing has disappointed. All the ingredients are so fresh and wonderful. I love the wheat bread that the sandwiches can come on. I've tried the cobbler, the pie, pizza, cookies, and bars, and the morning pastries. Everything has been absolutely delicious. I tried to try a few different things to take home each time I go. I love this place plan on going again on Sunday The staff is really really nice and helpful. read more

The people who works there is really nice and helpful people. The food my goodness terrible, tasteless, so oily, I haven't eaten any good food there. They need improvement, when we get hot days the place turns into a oven. read more

Cheese sticks are top notch! My auntie loves them. You have to call ahead 24 hrs because they will sell out quick. Detroit style pizza slices were hella good too. Tried the meat slices on the whim. Couldn't resist how they looked in the bakery display case. read more

This review is only for the lemon meringue pie for take out. When you cut into it it appears as though it's lacking in the lemon filling but it actually is okay. The meringue was pretty tall in comparison. A delicious dessert though. Certainly better quality and pricier than chain restaurants. read more

Fat Apple's Restaurant & Bakery - Lemon meringue pie - Bakeries Near Me - El Cerrito, California

Came for a weekend brunch recently. I learned that service is take a number to your table after ordering at the counter. One of the servers noted that I was grabbing a table in advance for my elderly MIL to sit while we ordered at the counter, so she told us she would take our order at the table -unnecessary but very considerate. She gave us plenty of time to peruse the menu, answered our questions and brought our drinks before taking our order. Everything is big. Iced tea...comically huge. Side of onion rings...giant. Order of pumpkin pancakes...2 plate-sized cakes. Consider sharing or taking things to-go. I still don't adore the menu options for my personal taste and preference (and would appreciate some avocado toast or veggie tofu scramble) but Fatapple's gets the job done. And if I'm looking for a solid cup of brewed coffee, delicious onion rings and ollaliberry pie for brunch, this is my chosen spot! And always bonus points for all the beauties in the bakery case. read more

Fat Apple's Restaurant & Bakery - Girl brunch - crispy onion rings and ollaliberry pie - Bakeries Near Me - El Cerrito, California

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It has been a while since we visited Fat Apple's. It was a favorite before the pandemic. The restaurant has returned to more of its normal self. Ordering is now done exclusively at the cashier. There are not many options, but I still love their coffee and pastries. Seeing some of the same staff brings back smiles. read more

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As always, the cuisine is EXCELLENT! Never had a bad meal here in forty years. Service is quick and covers needs. Ambiance is well lighted and big window with Lots of that lovely California light, wonderful sky! read more

Fat Apple's Restaurant & Bakery - Munched the great salmon before I thought to take a picture! LOL - Bakeries Near Me - El Cerrito, California

Stopped by with my high schooler for a mid week, early, breakfast. It had been quite a while since being at FA. Before the pandemic, for sure. I really liked the outdoor patio area, which was off the side of the parking lot. It was welcoming with planters and greenery, perfect to sit at when the weather is warmer. Walking in were the cases of bakery goods, all very tempting. The menus were on electronic boards above the counter, easy to read, but switched pages to display other menu items, which was a little annoying. There are regular menus at the register, thank God. We ordered French toast and a breakfast scramble and then went and found a table, in an open and naturally lit dining area. My daughter enjoyed her French toast and the scramble was loaded with ham, bacon, cheese and there were actually eggs in there, too! It came with home potatoes that were very tasty. It's a really nice local hang out for a meal and we'll be back with the rest of the family. Don't forget to get some bakery items before you leave. I did, and my husband was really happy about that. read more

Fat Apple's Restaurant & Bakery - Loaded breakfast scramble! Yummy. - Bakeries Near Me - El Cerrito, California

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This is one of the longtime staples of east bay and have been around for a while a family owned restaurant. They give back to the community. High quality foods, the prices are very reasonable, they have a very white variety of practice items available all day long and delicious pies and pastries as well. They offer holiday platters and sweets as well. They are also one known for their pies and for their home style meals. You can find people from the community here all the time just gathering and eating or drinking a hot cup of coffee. I've never sat in for dying in but we've ordered Out. Delicious to Troy Pizza and Hamburgers as well Ines at the counter is super nice and friendly read more

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Cream puffs are so good so 5 stars all around!. The ham and cheese sandwich is ok. Will be coming back to try different items.

I come here only for their pies but today, we had to wait for 15 minutes because our cashier forgot about us halfway getting our credit card and left us standing there. Several other cashiers came by asking us if we needed help. Finally, she came around and got us 3 slices of Ollieberry pie to go. I had a slice at home and one piece had ten times the amount of sugar than the rest of the slice so it seems they didn't really mix their filling very well before pouring it into the pie. That's sad because their pies used to be the best in the area and at the price of 36 dollars for an Ollieberry pie or about 8 dollars a slice, we really expect better service and better pies. I think their management and spirit has really gone down the drain. Maybe they should find new management or a new owner to resuscitate their image. They still get plenty of business but they shouldn't for this quality, price and poor service. read more

Fat Apples had never done me wrong! I've been coming here since the 90's! I'm a true fan of their pumpkin pancakes and all of their pastries! Their chicken apple sausage is always a no brainer. They have a huge array of choices for both breakfast and lunch- from quiche to pizza! Stop by to feel like your eating at a good friends kitchen with their mom cooking breakfast!! read more

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The place is super cute. Local eatery. The food is amazing and the service is stellar. We had the best waitress. All the staff is very professional and helpful. read more

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I admit that I haven't eaten at Fat Apples since the 90s. A lot changes! When did it stop being a full service restaurant instead of ordering at the counter? And when did the food become mediocre? And when did Fat Apples in Berkeley stop being a restaurant? I came over to the El Cerrito restaurant when I discovered I could only get baking items in Berkeley. That's ok! That's the one I used to frequent anyway. But their food is no longer epic. What happened to the German apple pancake with crème fraiche? I ended up with French toast. The apple chicken sausage was tasteless and the French toast was just made with plain white bread and I didn't see the option to have real maple syrup. But once I sat down, I couldn't really ask, because I'd already paid and tipped. I'm really disappointed! read more

My visit to Fat Apple's took place a couple of rainy Saturdays ago. Our group of 3 arrived around 9:30am and we got in line at the counter to place an order. The cashier was very nice to let us know we can all pay separately, but we need to have the same placard number so all the food can come out together. I ordered the Chile Verde with 2 eggs and black beans. This entree was very filling and so tasty. I mixed the Chile Verde with the eggs, nice flavoring in each bite. I also had a bite of the pumpkin pancakes, the pumpkin flavor was there and didn't taste too artificial. We ended up staying at the restaurant for 2+ hours. No one hurried us out and the wait staff came by regularly to refill coffee. Restrooms are located by the entrance. Tiny parking lot out front or street park. I enjoyed my first brunch experience with Fat Apple's, looking to coming back again soon. #12/2024 read more

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So this place is a great place to stop by. We went there after visiting the memorial for my parents. We were seated promptly by the hostess who managed to get all of our orders. The food was great and brought out in a trinket manner. The ambiance is a very relaxed neighborhood feel. It is not high end but not low-end either. Do not expect fast food here but a great welcoming and pleasantly-paced meal. I have found memories of coming here when I was younger and glad to have had the opportunity to bring my family and friends. If you are in the area, highly recommend. read more

Growing up my grandparents house was walking distance, but I hadn't been in years. We had a large party of 10. Every single person was pleased with their food, from the fish and chips, to the hamburgers, to the pot pie, to the hot dog, to the salads. Service was friendly and I love the fact that it still kind of looks like the grocery store where my grandparents shopped. The apricot and olallieberry pie was the best pie I have ever had. read more

Large building, small parking lot, easy to find at the end of Fairmount St in El Cerrito. Menu is simple. First time visiting today. Customers order + pay at the register. Paper menus are available right at the counter if the digital menu is difficult to see. There are display cases with refrigerated items "To Go" and bakery items. Once you order, you're given a number and you can sit at a table of your choice. Water + silverware is self serve. Food is brought out to you nice and hot. Everything we ate was delicious. We has lemonade & apple juice to drink. Staff was friendly, kind, patient & informative. Will definitely be returning as we would like to try the breakfast options. read more

The 1 tiny waffle with a little bit of Nutella and 1/3rd of a banana they served me for 17$ was not worth it, won't be coming back.

I go here after church with my friends it's cafeteria style and if you vibe with that quite pleasant

Love everything about this place! The food, location and people. The workers are the real reason we keep coming back. Every person that works there has the best hospitality. They're so nice! And make you feel so welcomed which I appreciate because good customer service is hard to find these days. I love their waffles and cheese puffs! Cheese puffs remind me of Porto's cheese rolls iykyk ;) Easy ordering (counter order then find a seat OR find a seat and scan a QR code to order) Street parking is pretty easy or a tiny lot if you're lucky read more

Baked goods were fresh. The breakfast menu was very small. I tried the carrot cake, cheese puff & chocolate chip cookies. All were delish. Fresh & moist. Service, they have their busy moments & when they do, you will be standing at the cash register & the employees will walk back & forth with no acknowledgment of your presence. When they were finally able to take my order, they seemed pretty nice. If you're looking for fresh baked goods & you're in the El Cerrito area, I recommend. read more

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Along with being an amazing bakery, Fat Apples has good food. The perfect place for brunch. I've always been a fan of their char burger. They always cook the Nieman Ranch burger to perfection and there's plenty of add ons from cheese, bacon, eggs, avocado etc. Also for some reason their fries are always extra crispy. And I ain't mad at that. For brunch their waffle special never disappoints with a nice buttery waffle, eggs (any style) and choice of meat. Make sure you grab a cheese puff before you leave. I feel like it's their signature pastry. Baked to perfection in a flaky turnover w/ cheese filling, topped with/ powdered sugar. read more

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Although it's the Berkeley location that I've been coming to for years I was in Albany so I stopped by here to get one of our all-time favorites the cheese puffs. I splurged and got some bread pudding also. Still the same consistent quality. read more

Fat Apple's Restaurant & Bakery - Cheese Puffs and bread pudding - Bakeries Near Me - El Cerrito, California

my first fat apples was at the original berkeley location. delicious burgers but what can youi say, I was still a pre-teen and would eat anything. Now in my 60's I just went back and had breakfast and coffee. wish i lived closer so I can go more often....... read more

First timer here. It was exactly what i was hoping for. Comfort food in a comfort setting. Attentive staff. I was in such a good mood I ended up buying cheese puffs for the whole table. read more

I have very fond memories of Fat Apple's during my teen years, especially the cheese puffs and Ollalieberry pie (with cheese). My family came here last Sunday for lunch and had a pretty big party - there were 9 of us. We were waiting in line to order before sitting down when a super friendly staff member directed us to sit down and she would wait on us. I can't even tell you how grateful we were for this extra service! It was going to take us forever to get everyone to figure out what they wanted to order (we had 3 teens with us). With some of the pressure off, we got everyone's orders in and settled in to enjoy the delicious food. Some got breakfast (pumpkin pancakes), some got lunch (an entire cheese pizza) and I got a BLTA with a side salad. Everyone was happy, including the picky eaters. Unfortunately no room for dessert, but next time I'm in town I will be picking up a dozen cheesepuffs for sure! read more

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food: 3 stars Service: 2.5 stars ambiance: 2.5 stars The restaurant, located in a quaint neighborhood, really doesn't do justice to the neighborhood or line up to the potential of what it could be. Walking in it feels like going to Dennys or Hop only you have to order at the counter and they serve beer. We ordered the Detroit style pizza for dine in. they had to confer with the Chef to see if it can be made despite it being early. They only offer two flavor choices: meat or vegetarian. We ordered the meat pizza. the employee brought it in a Togo box and we told him it was for dine in, his response was "You're going to eat all that?" We will take the rest home I said. The pizza itself was disappointing. It was dry and salty. They need to put more sauce on the pizza and offer moose variety - veggies to offset the salty meats. If you want good Detroit style pizza, Gilman Brewing Co. is the place to go. read more

I love Fat Apple's! The portions are great and the menu has so many options. It's tough to choose!! This time, I got the fried chicken sandwich since so many people love it, and I'd say it was a solid choice! It was a giant chicken breast with a nice batter-fried outside. I personally wanted a little more sauce, but that's just my preference. Maybe next time I'll ask for extra! I also got an iced latte, and it was creamy and sweet. My boyfriend got the pumpkin pancakes and they were delicious. Super spiced and cake-y. He enjoyed them! The service was excellent as always :) read more

The pies are still as good as advertised at Fat Apple's! Located on the corner of Fairmont and Colusa Avenues in El Cerrito, California. Fat Apple's has become a local institution for over five decades. Fat Apple's is a bakery, coffee shop and diner all rolled into one and it deserves all of the loyalty it had earned over the decades thanks to their signature pies and pastries made from scratch daily on site. As a resident of this small but quaint town, going to Fat Apple's especially for those at the nearby El Cerrito High School, would always be considered a special treat as they have been well-known for their shakes, waffles, sandwiches, and of course pot pies as much as their baked goods. What I love about this location of Fat Apple's is its overall look from the modernity of its interior, with its massive oven serving as a centerpiece of their open-kitchen dining room. What brought me to visit after many years away was the fact that "Pie Day" or 3/14 was fast approaching, and I always feel the good vibes come when you support local pie makers on Pie Day. So driving around the neighborhood I thought why not make a visit. Of course, even on a weekday morning, their parking lot was full, so it was street parking for me, which thankfully there was plenty to be had. Upon entry to Fat Apple's three massive glass cases greet you filled with everything from full savory and sweet pies, cookies, cupcakes, pastries, and most surprisingly boxed salads and full meals like spaghetti bolognese ready to be sold and taken home. They also have a number of menus being shown on flat panel television screens in which their various menus were shown so people could easily order takeout items, if they so chose to do so. Their menu is separated into categories including Waffle & Pancakes, Eggs & Potatoes, Coffee Bar in House, Cold Beverages in House, Craft Beer, Wines, Fountain Drinks, Side Orders, Pies, Pocket Pies, Cookies, Breakfast Pastries, Bake Shop Specials and their Soup of the Day. So there is a wide variety to choose from on any given day. Of course with Pie Day approaching, I had to order a slice of pie and a slice of their Chocolate Cream Pie seemed right up my alley, with its thin layer of deep dark chocolate coats the pie crust finished with dense chocolate cream and whipped cream mound on top. This came as advertised, as it had as much chocolate as we can fit into their pie pan. Since I was already here for a sweet slice of pie, I decided to order one of their savory pocket pies, as I saw their massive chicken pot pie entrée sitting in their glass case, so their Chicken Pot Pocket Pie caught my eye. With the exact same filling as their now legendary Pot Pie, this grab and go hand held pie was the perfect treat to dive right into, as I drove home, especially since they offer to toast it right there for you to enjoy. To complete my meal, to satiate my sweet tooth, I ordered a chocolate chip cookie. My total bill was $17.17 before gratuity was added in, which is in line with the prices of what many similar places are charging these days. What cannot be denied is that Fat Apple's remains a local favorite, thanks to them never skimping on the quality of their many food items and staff of people ready to serve at a moment's notice. I admire that with such an important day for business coming up with Pie Day fast approaching, they were ready to go with signage and a seemingly endless supply of pies ready to be sold on 3/14 and beyond. I now know where to go to get my pie fixation satisfied. May Fat Apple's still be thriving on Fairmont Avenue for another half century! read more

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I've been coming here for probably a quarter century! I used to eat here at least three times a week. It was fairly priced and the service was terrific. But then the pandemic came, and a lot has changed. I usually order an apple salad, which is still delicious. But the service aspect has radically changed. Now it feels like you have to work for your supper, waiting in line at the cash register. No one really comes to check on you as you eat, and you probably will have to go refill your water yourself. If you decide you want dessert, back up to rejoin the line. Tonight, even though I wanted some, it just didn't feel worth the effort. Several of my favorite food items have been discontinued as well. They used to make some of the best ginger cookies I'd ever eaten, but they discontinued those long ago. And they used to make shepherd's pie randomly, which was roll-your-eyes-into-the-back-of-your-head delicious, but they stopped making that as well. The old restaurant was always pretty packed with happy diners. Lots of older customers seemed to be there as often as I, but now, on a Wednesday night, this huge place has only a dozen diners or so. It really saddens me to watch this place seem to struggle with a return to what was. I cannot know the forces preventing them from returning to full service and the old food energy. Their other restaurant in Berkeley is now only take-out. I really miss the homey comfort I felt eating here. read more

Love this place!!! Great service and great food. Truly everything on the menu and bakery side is amazing. read more

Fat Apple's Restaurant & Bakery - Fish and chips - Bakeries Near Me - El Cerrito, California

Overall Fat Apple's is a solid spot - you order and pay before you sit down and they'll bring the food to you at the table. The menu isn't that big but has a solid selection - breakfast on one side and lunch on the other. For breakfast, we ordered a chilli verde egg dish and a banana waffle. Standard diner-like food. The atmosphere is laid back and is a good spot for a no frills meal. read more

Everything, including kind and excellent service Bev & Daniel(Nobel Laureate) McFadden read more

Greeted by helpful staff. Took our time deciding on what to drink; we had not planned to stop in. Enjoyed a peaceful cup of tea- one iced and one hot- with my partner. Clean spot. Delightful tempting menu: we WILL return for a meal I enjoyed watching staff interact with each other read more

Great service and and great food. The pumpkin pancakes are served year round and are freshly prepared so is everything else.

How can a breakfast restaurant not allow neighborhood professionals use the WiFi? I mean the restaurant isn't in rural Mississippi... It's 2025 and if a restaurant can't offer WiFi, I'd just assume go to one that does. It's literally free to offer it. I'd rather a restaurant not have a restroom. read more

Been coming here since 1986 I literally crave one items and one item only: waffle special! It's a thin crispy waffle with the best syrup (coke to find out it's Kirkland brand I think) anyhoo you get eggs abs a choice of meat (go for the chicken apple sausage). I like to add their breakfast potatoes in the side and I love their cafè au lait / coffee (Yes - they have oat milk) Their burger, pumpkin pancakes, & chicken and waffles are legit and don't forget their bakery items read more

What happened to my formerly, beloved Fat apples? Steep decline in food. Used to live down the block and went to fat apples about three times a week for eight years solid. Was the owner's name Hilda? We were in the neighborhood and decided to take out food to go and literally had to throw it away. It was so bad. I was looking forward to the pizza and it tasted like bad oil. One of the pastries was a former old Favorite the cheese stick. Its flavor was terrible and visually poorly made. One of the ladies at the counter who we had not seen over 20 years looked miserable. This is not just nostalgia. It really has changed for the worse. read more

Really kind and helpful service. You get a number and food is brought to your table. Food was fine. No problems and you can get a good bunch of desserts to go too. read more

Fat Apple's Restaurant & Bakery - Bratwurst with spaetzle and kraut - Bakeries Near Me - El Cerrito, California