Food was very Fresh & delicious! The design of the restaurant is adorable & the staff was super friendly. Definitely will be going back! read more

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Been wanting to try this new diner. How cute is this place. It's located in downtown San Mateo near the Cal-Train parking lot. It can be tough to find parking so plan ahead. I love the decor and the color scheme as well. Perfect place for brunch. My cousin and I went on Memorial weekend and we didn't have to wait since there was just two of us. Service was wonderful and super fast. I ordered The Junior which was 2 eggs, bacon or sausage, I had bacon and potatoes which I substituted for hash browns. The hash browns were super thin and crispy. Never had them like that before. A little oily for how thin they were but still good. They asked if I wanted an English muffin or sourdough toast and I opted for sourdough toast. We also had the orange and guava juice mimosa and a Diet Coke. Everything comes in its own bottle. Really cute. The tiny glass bottles of Diet Coke are $5 though which is a lot for a small drink with no refills. Overall, good place for brunch. I really want to try the lemon ricotta pancakes w blueberry compote and fried chicken on the side. That's what my neighbor at the table next to me had. Will I come back? Yes. read more

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Very disappointing experience. I ordered a Caesar Chicken Wrap with onion rings, and instead they brought me fries. On top of that, the food took forever. We waited about 30 minutes just to order, and then another 45 minutes for the food to arrive. When the food finally came, it was wrong, so I had to send it back. My family basically had to eat without me because they were almost done by the time everything was being fixed. In the end, I had to leave without eating. I honestly will not be coming back. Very poor service and an extremely frustrating experience. read more

I ordered the biscuits with gravy and a side of the eggs. The biscuits were dry little pucks and there wasn't enough gravy. I got that with a side of eggs over medium. One egg yolk came well done and the other yolk came over easy. These are stuck together so idk how that would even happen. Both disappointing. The lemon ricotta pancake though had an amazing citrusy flavor. Wish you got more blueberry compote and more mascarpone cream with it though. It reminded me of the blueberry pancakes from the now closed Canteen in SF; Canteen did this Vanilla Bean French Toast with Blueberry Sauce that had a dollop of whipped cream cheese on top. I get the restraints and ratios being possibly more tasteful or something... but if I'm eating brunch I was it really hearty. Otherwise I can just fry up some eggs at home. Service is friendly, but seems like they're still ironing out the kinks (was not easy to get their attention on my visit and you get the sense they're trying to find their flow). They just opened though. I would come back and try other dishes tho just bc the interior is super cute. read more

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If you haven't yet been, definitely stop by! Location is kind of hidden but if you're familiar with downtown San Mateo it's where Trags used to be! Such a cute diner vibe and the host was a sweetheart as well as (I'm assuming the owner or manager) didn't get a name since we were too busy chatting. Very welcoming staff though and very attentive! We ordered the avocado toast and the tuna melt which was surprisingly good and we were told it's not canned tuna but fresh tuna so definitely give it a try! The toast was also great and the bread wasn't hard to cut at all! The only thing different that could be done is to add maybe two eggs instead of one. We also ordered the lemon ricotta pancakes to share and wow- it tasted like a pound cake! It was so fluffy and decadent! Such a great brunch spot to visit. I heard they're also working on having dinner soon but for now their hours are 8am-2pm! read more

Johnny’s - Tuna melt - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Diner vibes Lemon Ricotta Pancakes: 5/5! One of the best pancakes I've had. The pancakes had a great lemon flavor and the berry compote and mascarpone cream were absolutely delicious. Perfect amount of sweetness. Would get this every time. My cousin Vinny: Great sandwich with the mortadella, burrata and pesto. The shoestring fries were nice and crispy. One thing that was noticeable is that it can get very loud inside, almost uncomfortably. If anyone from Johnny's is reading this, I would consider getting some sound dampeners. Overall, a great addition to downtown San Mateo! read more

Johnny’s - My Cousin Vinny - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Popped by for lunch on a weekday. New interior, bright decor, and friendly service. Food takes a while to come out but it was tasty for the most part. We ordered a side of fries that were disappointing. read more

It was a beautiful Tuesday morning. My partner and I had arrived to downtown San Mateo excited to try this new brunch spot. First off, the restaurant is stunning. It is a perfect retro recreation, but there are wonderful personal touches all around. The vibe alone I'd give a 10/10. But then, out came the food we ordered. We got the Brunch Mimosas (choice of orange or guava), the Chicken Caesar Wrap and the Shortrib Eggs Benny. The Mimosas had awesome fresh juice and they were served with a whole mini bottle of prosecco. The Chicken Caesar Wrap was a little too dilly for me, because dill is not a usual ingredient in caesar dressing, but it had great texture and crisp. The fries on the side were also really good. The Shortrib Eggs Benny was also a stand out. A touch on the oily side, but the flavor was killer and the dish was scrumptious. Overall, I loved everything about this place. From the food to the aesthetic everything was just amazing. I even love the little touches they do, such as using a Winnie the Pooh book for the checkbook. read more

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Had brunch here for my cousin's birthday. Didn't have to wait too long to be seated because we had a reservation, but there was a lot of people waiting, so I recommend making a reservation, especially if you have a large group like ours. Loved the vibes, definitely old school diner feels. Pretty small space, but clean. Short wait for our food. Servers were nice, they checked on us a bunch and refilled our waters whenever they saw we were running low. And the food was amazing! Everyone in our group were really happy with their food. I got the bruleed french toast and it was delicious! Not too sweet, but perfectly textured, and the strawberries were fresh. I personally didn't even use the syrup, it was sweet enough as is. Definitely would come back here read more

Johnny’s - Lemon ricotta pancakes - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Mateo, California

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The atmosphere is very friendly and very clean. The interior gives a vintage 1950s diner five there's wraparound booths with chairs and a diner counter. I feel like I was in the 50s when I walked into this place. The service is very friendly. I ordered biscuits and gravy along with a side of their short rib. My girlfriend ordered the Junior. All I can say is wow!!!! The biscuits and gravy phenomenal was so much flavor. Even their homestyle potatoes which my girlfriend got were divine. The short rib was also so juicy and moist. Ambience: 10/10 Food: 10/10 Service: 10/10 We can't wait to come back! The attention to detail is amazing!!! read more

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Was super stoked to come here. I understand its busy but we sat for an hour without anyone coming by to check on us. They checked with everyone else constantly. When we stopped a server to ask where our food was we got left over hasbrowns. The pancakes were OK and the cesar salad wrap my BF said was good. Probably won't come back. The waitess ignored us the enitre time and we had to ask the kitchen staff what happened and where our food went. Most likely once in a chance experience here but still wont return. EDIT: Please double check your receipt. Unfortunately we got charged $21 for the wrap when it clearly state $18 on the menu. Had to speak to the manager. Its a bit disappointing experience for a place we heard great reviews about. read more

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After what fees like AGES, Johnny's has finally opened in downtown San Mateo! The inside is super cute, with a dinner vibe, and everyone was really friendly. Plenty of counter space, but overall not a ton of tables - like maybe only 4 tables that can accommodate more than 4, 4 booth, and a bunch of two seaters that can probably be combined (most of them anyways) for larger groups. But definitely not the kind of place you'll be able to bring a huge crowd. Johnny's serves breakfast and brunch - it reminds me of a slightly upscale breakfast diner. Sort of like Snooze AM from San Diego. Since the first location is Half Moon Bay, they use Rosalind's bread - which is amazing if you're ever in the half moon bay/pacifica area. I got the garlic bread grilled cheese - it comes with three different types of cheeses and daaaamn. It is delicious. It also comes with tomato soup, which is nice but it's a little too sweet for my tastes. Tasty, but it reminds me of spaghetti-o's. The garlic bread though? Chefs kiss. And the feta makes it feel light and adds a nice saltiness while the other cheeses make it super cheesy for that nice cheese pull. Super excited to try everything else on the menu, especially since I was staring at all the food as it was coming out of the kitchen lol. Love that the receipts come in books. They have a QR code to pay if you don't have a card or were going to pay by apple pay, or you can pay by card with the wait staff. read more

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Great lively brunch or breakfast atmosphere on the weekend. Food came out super fast and was very high-quality. I would highly recommend this place for any family or friend gathering. read more

Johnny’s - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Mateo, California

We went to Johnny's for lunch. They are still in soft opening so still working some kinks out. It was a really nice atmosphere like an upscale diner. We had the Salmon and the burger. The burger was recommended by our server. The blackened Salmon was excellent and surprisingly fresh. I asked for the burger to be cooked medium rare and unfortunately it was medium well and dry. The fries with the burger were cold. The server replaced the fries with hot ones. In N Out can at least not overcook their burger but they don't charger $22 for it! The water glasses were small and we were constantly out of water. They either need larger glasses, leave a pitcher on the table or have service that is constantly filling water glasses. Other than the water issues the service was very pleasant. They close at 2pm and exactly at 2pm the bus boy came and removed the flower from our table!! Really?? Overall this will be a nice addition to downtown San Mateo and provide food diversity to the existing scene. It felt a bit overpriced for upscale diner food and they certainly have a lot of kinks to work out. read more

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We stopped here to try their food On Saturday lunch. Nice old fashion decor. Ordered and shared a French omelette that came with potatoes and 2 pieces of lettuce leaf. read more

Johnny’s - French omelette - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Mateo, California

What an incredible place , service is top notch food is amazing and the place is adorable , my first time there. 9am Saturday a good crowd but no wait which is nice read more

Johnny’s - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Mateo, California

Nice little Old school cafe with a hint of contemporary style, But the Foods Kind of in the light side & there service got to pick up a notch other then our waitress I didn't really feel welcoming in this joint My wife & I was standing in front with no body waiting but 2 front desk person just talking away for minutes read more

Johnny’s - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Had a delicious short rib Benedict. And had crème brûlée french toast for the table. The fresh whipped cream was delicious. The crispy potatoes served with the Benedict were perfect. read more

We were greeted right away by a very friendly employee. The restaurant is so clean and brightly decorated with checkered floors and yellow accents. The menu is breakfast and lunch. We had the lemon ricotta pancakes and they were delicious! Johnnys is a great addition to downtown San Mateo. I ordered a gift certificate for a friend for a future visit. I wish I had taken pictures to show how beautiful the food is served. Johnnys is very close to the Cal-Train parking lot and across from where Trags Market (closed) used to be. read more

The wait for two on a busy Saturday morning wasn't bad. It only took about 20 minutes. I had the chorizo scramble and he had the French omelette with a pancake on the side. Everything was delicious. The crispy red potatoes were a perfect side! The service was quick and friendly and the diner vibe was happy and fun. We will definitely go back. read more

This is my first time going and I think this is now my favorite breakfast place in San Mateo. The Lemon Ricotta pancakes were AMAZING. The inside of the restaurant is well designed and felt like a classic dinner with an elegant high end twist to it. I want to thank Riley for the amazing service. The way she took care of us needs to be acknowledged. Shoutout to her. read more

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Johnnie's is a great addition to downtown San Mateo. Beautiful decor and ambiance. Has an upscale diner vibe. We tried the Short Rib Eggs Benedict and Old Town Scramble and both dishes were delicious and flavorful. We will definitely return and try lunch next time. read more

Johnny’s - Short Rib Eggs Benedict and Old Town Scramble - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Mateo, California

The vibe is just so cool from the moment you walk in. The wait was a bit long on a Sunday at noon - San Mateo loves a new restaurant, but it was worth the wait. The service was warm and welcoming. Two of us got smash burgers which they liked well enough and the fries were good. One of us got the tuna melt, which we all tasted and LOVED. It was a cut above a normal tuna melt, made from fresh tuna confit - fresh tuna steaks, not the canned stuff. But let me tell you about MY dish, the Tweety Bird, It was brunch perfection. The excellent crispy potatoes, the smoky shiitake mushrooms (a delightful surprise), the perfectly poached eggs, the avocado, well-dressed greens, thinly sliced radishes, all on a base of quinoa. I felt virtuous, satisfied, and pampered. I'm not even a vegetarian or needing to eat gluten-free, but for those of you who are, you're in luck -someone put a lot of thought into this dish! We also shared the lemon ricotta pancakes. They were good, but would have been better with more fruit IMHO. We especially loved the mascarpone whipped cream. read more

Johnny’s - Tweety bird - YUM!! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Ricotta pancakes were good. It needed more compote. Eggs Benedict had almost hard boiled eggs on it. It was Sunday we were hungry. I would have sent them back otherwise. Servers were overwhelmed. Alex did a good job for all she was doing. read more

I'm a sucker for an old fashioned diner, the kinda place where, as she's slopping down a mug of coffee, the server calls me "honey." This is quite "old-fashioned" nor the honey bit. But it's bright, cheerful, vibrant and the menu is an upscaled version of classics, e.g. tuna melt. I had it and the sandwich itself was fantastic with fresh dill. The fries, I had them substitute "regular" fries for those awful shoestrings, which should be illegal. Their version of "regular" is much thinner than I thought they'd be thick cut. The biscuits, they assured me, are how the chef cooks them--but to me the tops are burned. Is it just a me problem?Maybe. Others seemed to be eating them without complaints. I've uploaded a photo--you be the judge. The lemon ricotta pancakes are awesome, if you like your pancakes to be a tad sweet. I was hoping they'd be more custardy and moist, which they're not. Their blistered potatoes are fantastic, crunchy on the outside and savory with just the perfect amount of salt. There are no reservations. We cooled our heels for 45 minutes outside and thankfully, there are benches outside. Once inside, we waited another 30 minutes for our food. They were slammed on a Saturday late morning/early afternoon. They're ironing the kinks and I'm sure they'll hit a home run soon. The customer service was overall very sweet and friendly, they're willing to make a lot of accommodations, e.g. food substitutions, which I love. Prices and portions are right. read more

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Met a friend here for breakfast and was informed that they had been open for a month as of today. Although located just on the edge of downtown, the area is quiet and street parking is pretty easy to find. I enjoyed the Junior breakfast with Johnny's potatoes, a tasty alternative to hashbrowns. We arrived just as they opened and were the first patrons of the day and found the staff smiling, friendly and attentive. My friend especially enjoyed the decor, music and the hot coffee. A suggestion IMHO: heat up the coffee mugs prior to pouring the first cup as the cold mug cools down the coffee almost immediately. It's another great breakfast spot to starting your day in downtown San Mateo. read more

it had good reviews. The food was delicious. I had the brisket eggs, Benedict and potatoes. The coffee was delicious. The service was great and I love the atmosphere of the diner from the 50s. Definitely be back.!!! read more

Johnny’s - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Mateo, California

The decor, the breakfast, so tasty and great service! Will be back!! 8-2 daily. San Mateo yes!

I really hate to leave a negative review because I truly like the location in Half Moon Bay. Unfortunately, my recent experience was disappointing. I waited over 30 mins to get my order taken & waited over 1 hour and never received the food I ordered, I only ordered pancakes. It wasn't busy when I first arrived, although it did pick up later (and this was on a weekday) But everyone around me did get their food. I eventually just had to leave. Even so, waiting that long was frustrating. I hope this was just an off day, a big waste of time on my day off, but will skip this location and stick to Half Moon Bay. read more

The avocado toast was awesome, and the fried potatoes were incredible. Really need to address the acoustics- we had to pretty much yell across the table to be heard. Awesome food and it would be perfect with some sound engineering. read more

We've been anticipating the opening of this spot for some time, and we finally got to try it. The charming decor is notable, with French cookbooks and volumes of Winnie-the-Pooh in the waiting area. Johnnys is already a popular place, with a fairly constant stream of people dropping in before noon. We had a comfortable booth, courtesy of the owner. Our server was friendly and pleasant, and never made us feel rushed. We enjoyed Salmon Benny, Short Rib Benny, and Bruleed French Toast, with a side of Chicken-Apple Sausage. Fresh squeezed OJ and free refill coffee completed our order. Delicious, and enough left over for another meal. And Winnie-the-Pooh books used to serve the check-- nice touch! We'll probably return for smaller, early breakfast-type occasions. Very great to have this gem within walking distance from home! read more

food service in ambience was amazing. Renee is also very amazing. I've been wanting a place like this in town the nostalgic, beautiful movie music that goes with the place is special. Enjoy a good way to start your day. read more

We've been HUGE fans of Johnnys in Half Moon Bay and are thrilled to be able to enjoy the food, service and ambiance in our home town. So excited to have a diner in San Mateo!! read more

Food was very well done. Service was fast and polite. The atmosphere was clean and well put together. We have eaten at the Half Moon Bay location and the high standard are kept. Great to have a new higher end breakfast spot in San Mateo. read more

Food is super good especially their ricotta pancake. The service was excellent and the restaurant is in a new beautiful building and nicely decorated. I cant wait to go back. read more

I have been here twice! The chicken Caesar wrap was delicious, but today I had the fried chicken sandwich and it was the best I've ever had. The ambiance is awesome and our server was very sweet! read more

Friendly staff, delicious food, very clean, cheerful decor. We brought grandkids and they enjoyed it too. Highly recommend the French omelette. read more

Johnnie's in San Mateo recently opened. I've already been there twice, once for breakfast and once for lunch. For lunch we had smash burgers with fries. Really good burger! Our family had breakfast and everyone enjoyed their orders. Highlights were, chicken & waffle; short rib eggs Benedict ; croque madame. Service & decor are great read more