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    Lil Joe’s

    4.1 (245 reviews)
    Open 7:00 am - 2:00 pm

    Lil Joe’s Photos

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    LIL JOE’S ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Divey
    Moderate noise
    Dogs allowed
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Lil Joe’s

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    Classic. Counter
    Lu L.

    A long time institution in Sacramento on Del Passo Blvd.Retro coffee shop with an old fashioned counter & booths. F Attentive waitress.. Owner was wry friendly. He came up to our table, introduced himself. & chatted awhile. Breakfast/lunch spot. Huge portions. We all had something different. Not overly wild about the meatloaf dish.Other dishes were better.

    Texas Toast. Like a chuck steak and crispy, caramelized onion Benedict, but on a thick cut toast instead of an English muffin.
    Steven H.

    Lil Joes is a local dive-diner that has been a Sacramento staple since 1953. It's in an area of town that has been "revitalizing" for 20 years and still isn't there quite yet. But don't let that stop you. We were there for Saturday breakfast on a day when house made hollandaise was the thing. THE PROS: Joes did a good job with the hollandaise. Creamy, lemony, smooth and not broken. They had old-school R&B on in the background, and an atmosphere which is quite neighborly - and that's a lot of Joes appeal. It's the kind of place where the owner, John, walks through the diner showing off the nectarine waffle he just made. If something is not right he personally fixes it. The service was excellent, and the coffee is good. THE CONS: I wouldn't call Lil Joes a place for foodies- so if you want upscale this is not the place. And if neighborhood "characters" aren't for you, than you will be out of luck here. BOTTOM LINE: Go on down and enjoy the dive-y ness. You won't leave hungry. You won't get sticker shock and you probably end up chatting with some nice folks. It's not a fancy place, it's the kind of place every home-town needs. Rating: 7/10

    Brunch menu
    Michael O.

    The ribeye was very juicy tender and seasoned well. We stopped by in the morning and it was not busy at all. They served us very quickly. The toast was butter and very delicious. I would definitely come back again. It was giving diner vibes. It was very filling and they also gave hash browns or potatoes. Only thing was the steak knife was dull. Would recommend bringing your own

    Bacon Pecan French Toast
    Sarah-Lorraine K.

    WHY WE WENT HERE: - brunch THE LOOK (FROM THE OUTSIDE): - located on the corner of Del Paso Blvd in between Calvados Ave and Oxford St THE LOOK (FROM THE INSIDE): - hole in the wall small diner vibes BREAKFAST + LUNCH MENUS WHAT WE ORDERED: - pancake with pecans and whipped cream - chili cheese fries with onions - bacon pecan French toast - steak fajita omelet with home fries (country potatoes) - garden omelet with hash browns - coffee - orange juice - hot chocolate THE TASTE: - the presentation of all the food was good, but unfortunately the taste didn't match (VERY plain and unseasoned) - the chili cheese fries had what we believe to be canned chili poured on top of fries with raw onions; anything fried is always good but this wasn't the best nor the worst we've ever had - bacon pecan French toast was very sweet and savory! a little bit too much bacon for my taste, but good overall! - hot chocolate I asked for no whipped cream, so I was given the Swiss Miss in a cup halfway filled up - initial server told my SO that they have fresh orange juice but it was giving carton/packaged juice - the coffee did its job for my mom but it was just OK CUSTOMER SERVICE: - a little slow to get menus and to order, but once we got attention from our 2nd server who took over for the initial one, she was very warm, welcoming, and attentive

    Marcelina M.

    Food was amazing, service was great. I had the turkey patty breakfast. Nice Cozy restaurant. Ambiance is good

    Rochelle S.

    This place is a gem and we should support local. Best toast, softest yummiest bread ever and that says a LOT. Their grits is perfect and customer service feels like home. Ambiance feels traditional diner and you will see nostalgia and photos from when it opened and I can always imagine the pride of the owner when it first opened. Parking can get hard, so come early. Love the free watermelon earlier. Let's protect this Sactown gem at all cost!

    Chilaquiles with green sauce and an egg.
    Linda L.

    Cute place. Came for breakfast on a Sunday and sat at the counter. With an up close view you can tell how well everyone works together. It was pretty busy but service was not slow. I had chilaquiles which were great. My husband had bacon, eggs, and potatoes. Our coffee cup was always full and we enjoyed the 70s music playing. Will definitely be back.

    Breakfast burger with bacon, hashbrowns, cheese, fries egg. The picture doesn't do it justice but the patty isn't insignificant

    The breakfast burger at Lil Joes is NOT to be trifled with!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I will die on this hill.

    Red chilaquiles with everything

    Cute little place with a great vibe. Was craving chilaquiles so popped in. They were decent but the steak was over done and a bit chewy (I kinda expected it and should've gone with chorizo or bacon on the side). I got red sauce which could use a bit more flavor or spice; and the chip to topping ratio was a bit off (way more saucy chips then toppings) but a generous portion. I enjoy the simplicity and local vibe. Service was good and quick. I love supporting local and I'll definitely be back to try something else.

    Chicken fried steak
    Mikayla M.

    I ordered the chicken fried steak and it was really good and you can tell they make it themselves. It's a nice diner with good service. Looks old school inside and outside but in a good way. I'll be back to try more menu items in the future but I would also order the chicken fried steak again.

    Biscuits and gravy. I like it.
    Luv H.

    The place is such a cute little diner. It's nothing fancy but brings back the simplicity of what a classic diner used to be. The food was great, although my chicken steak was quite tough, but it had good flavor. Hopefully, they can improve the recipe because chicken steak is an iconic breakfast item, and it's unfortunate it wasn't that good. The waiter and staff were nice and friendly. At one point, someone--possibly the owner--talked to us while we were reminiscing about the old days of Lil Joe. They even have a picture of him hanging up in the diner. He seemed like a very nice guy. Our hospitality team loved it, and we appreciated the prices. Just because it's in the Heights, don't let that stop you from giving this place a try!

    Wally C.

    A Great Diner...go back in time and enjoy real stick to your ribs food. Real coffee that will bring back memories. Biscuits and gravy and the gravy is hot. They also are very nice and to seniors and their ailments.

    Biscuits and gravy
    Kristen P.

    Ever since I went to Shift for coffee and grilled cheese, I've been planning to go to Lil Joe's next door. If you love an old time-y diner that's a hole in the wall but makes an excellent breakfast, this is it. Our waitress was so friendly and attentive. The food came out fast and hot. The coffee was freshly brewed. There are so many options for a basic breakfast, including spam! I definitely recommend the chilaquiles, breakfast burrito and biscuits with gravy. They were all amazing! Right before we left we were offered a bite to try of a dessert waffle that was egg nog and nutmeg and just a bit of heaven. I really give this 4.75. There were a couple of repairs needed in our booth but who cares when the food is that good? Also parking is easy and Lil Joe's is easy to find.

    Breakfast menu

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    Such great service, everyone was very attentive! The food was goood and came out quick. We'll definitely be back.

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    John F.

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    1 year ago

    The food is delicious. The service is amazing way better than any other breakfast place around.

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    Page 1 of 7

    Ask the Community - Lil Joe’s

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    Went on a Saturday for brunch with three other people and when I asked the wait time, the host took…read moreawhile to seat us, even though I said we were ok with outside. At the end, we ended up seating outside and all the time wasted could have been to help other people. Our server was friendly, but since we were outside she would take awhile to come outside. The meatloaf was a big plate and my husband could not finish it. He did say it was a bit salty. The shrimp and grits were great (would recommend). My son's chicken tenders were great as well and looked homemade and not like it came from a frozen bag. There is paid parking around the area. It was a 60 degree day but with jackets on, the weather felt amazing. When we had stepped into the restaurant it had felt too stuffy, so I am glad we got to seat outside.

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    Old Soul

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    AMAZING!!! I'm a barista and I really love to go to coffee shops and get know other Baristas. Also…read moreto have a place where I'm not working and enjoy the ambiance. Old Soul at 1716 L is like home to me. It's the place I always want to be when I'm not living the craziest life possible. I'm OBSESSED with their kieche and as annoying as I'm sure it is I always have to ask if mushrooms are in it because of allergies. Not one staff member ever makes me feel bad about asking. Want to give a couple shout outs to the stellar team if I don't mention your name your still so great! Reese, probably one of (the coolest humans you'll ever meet) remembered me from my second entrance in the building and always makes the best coffee. They go above and beyond in customer service asking about my acting and hobbies. Always pleasant and working hard. Tiff is an absolute gem and has gone above and beyond by remaking my order when it was accidentally taken by the wrong customer immediately. She is kind and welcoming at every visit. Overall I don't have a lot of places I feel comfortable being. Old Soul is one of them and has a special place in my heart. Thanks for always making me feel seen, serving amazing food, and helping me stay alive with a great coffee no matter what the drink or season.

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    They roast their own beans.  Amazing coffee shop: a hidden gem.  Photo by Monterey Films LLC
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    White cheddar bacon scone
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    Zebra Club

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    I finally stopped into Zebra Club at 9:30am on a Saturday to catch up with a big group of people…read more The bar was already hopping, and it looked like there was a previous group hanging out after watching early morning sports on the TVs. I ordered a Guinness and we moved to the back area as our group grew too large to have at the small front tables. They have breakfast and lunch available and had an impressive menu for what I thought was just a bar. We asked our server what she recommended and she said the waffle fries and French toast are great. While we passed on the French Toast (this time- I'm more of a savory breakfast person) we did get waffle fries ($7) and their Zebra Special ($15.50) that comes with two eggs, meat (ham, bacon or sausage), hash browns, and choice of toast. We paid a little extra to get a biscuit with gravy instead of toast. We also ordered jello shots for the group and it was very fun having morning jello shots with breakfast. They have a lot of televisions here and seem to serve as a watch party destination for a lot of sports fans. They also have an outdoor area, which is great for groups, but we also noticed that the small of people smoking wafted into the inner dining area from outside which was a drawback for me. The staff here was so nice and attentive and we had so much fun with our group here. Would highly recommend checking them out.

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    Tower Cafe

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    My experience at Tower Cafe was awesome. I went by myself. My waitress was nice, she didnt bother…read moreme much, which i understand because it was packed. I got the Madame Cristo and Moroccan Fruit with Greek Yogurt. My beverage selection was a Iced Matcha and water but then I saw that some people were ordering a Dolce Latte and it looked appetizing, so I ordered that too and it was really good. My total came up to 57 dollars and some change. Oh and I started my Moroccan Fruit with Greek Yogurt first and realized I didnt take a picture. So I stopped, fixed it up and snap one for all to see...lol. I love the vibe in there, it definitely gives off Hippie Vibes but thats expected in Sacramento. As I was waiting for my food, I was people-watching (like usual) and I saw a staff give food to a homeless man. I thought that was very beautiful. A little kindness goes a long way...you know. You have the choice of outside seating or indoors. The outside seating area is beautiful, there's a water fountain nearby with some benches for people to sit and hang out. And the area has some nice shade. Which is awesome because I cannot imagine people wanting to sit in the sun and eat. I see some reviews on here stating that it is impossible to order anything from their menu because the selections were too much. Or the variety of food selections on the menu was too much. Well..I say that they are wrong. Their menu caters to Hispanic and American food. YES, they have burgers on the menu. Yes, they have enchiladas and Salads and Soups if you dont feel like eating anything heavy, they have a lighter selection for you as well. And for my VEGANS out there...Tower Cafe also has some great selections for you as well. Please understand if you can't figure what you want to eat, honey its not the menu's fault. Thank You Toodles

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    Lil Joe’s - diners - Updated June 2026

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