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    Lou’s Cafe

    4.4 (129 reviews)
    Closed 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
    Updated 2 weeks ago

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    Italian Special
    Bianca S.

    Good bite. Passed my tiny hand test. Toasted, not over toasted that was a plus. We ordered to go but they have some tables for indoor lunchin'. Staff were welcoming and moved quickly. I appreciate a clean deli.

    Tuna Melt (no jalapeno)
    Denise Z.

    this is a popular low-key sandwich spot serving giant sandwiches at a reasonable price! i came around lunchtime on a weekday and it was pretty packed. it seems more suited to takeout or ordering online for pickup, as it can take a second to order in person since they're really busy! they definitely do their best, but just don't be surprised if there's a wait. it was also fairly warm inside the store, so i don't think i'd stay to sit and eat. i had the tuna melt, which was really delicious. it was saucy, cheesy, and balanced with a ton of fresh veggies, all on a pillowy soft roll. i wish there was a bit more tuna, but i tend to like a high ratio of filling to bread in my sandwiches. i really loved the quality of the bread and the refreshing crunch of the veggies. overall solid pick for a quick lunch or grab & go meal! i'll be back to try their other sandwiches!

    Veggie Sandwich with added turkey
    Tasha H.

    Great sandwiches and fast service. I love sandwiches with lots of veg so the veggie sandwich with added turkey was perfect for me. Lots of tastes and textures going on and not too much of any one thing. There's definitely a kick from the jalapeno sauce as well! Loved that the sandwich is toasted nice and crisp and the red onion is cut super thin. My only feedback is the bread is almost too much. It makes the sandwich really tall and it just feels like the ratio of bread to filling is slightly off.

    Ami-Cado Sandwich
    Roman N.

    Low-key quality sandwich spot in San Carlos. Stopped in here for lunch with a friend today and was surprised at how broad the menu was; I've walked by multiple times and always thought the place didn't look like much, but looks can be deceiving. I ordered the Ami-Cado, which came with pastrami, salami, avocado, Lou's special sauce, and your usually sandwich fixings. It came on a noticeably shiny piece of sourdough bread. The saltiness of the pastrami worked well with the sweetness of Lou's special sauce, and the lettuce, tomatoes, and pickles kept the sandwich from being overly salty. The sourdough bread had that satisfy crisp that only sourdough can have. It didn't look like a big sandwich, but the Ami-Cado satisfied my hunger. And the price point was awesome: around $12.50 before tax. If you want a good simple sandwich, Lou's is the spot. A little higher than Ike's in quality, I'd say.

    Faraz M.

    A great sandwich place, in my personal opinion, is rated by the quality of the meat, the bread, and the sauce that makes them unique. Not all places have all three of these boxes checked off and Lou's has 2/3. They have your standard deli meat, which wasn't a surprise. But their ratio of meat and the neatness in stacking makes a difference here. Each bite gets a nice balance of flavors and it's consistent as you progress. The French roll when toasted is so soft, chewy, light, and crunchy all at the same time. It holds the sandwich contents well and it absorbs their sauce nicely. Sometimes I order the sourdough instead for a little extra crunch but they have good bread regardless. Lou's special sauce is a little on the spicer side but it gives a nice zing to the sandwich as well. I wouldn't say that Lou's sandwiches are groundbreaking, but it's the one of the most consistent sandwich places I've been to. Also, I ordered the vegilicious once and it was indeed delicious.

    Risky Bizness Sandwich
    Lauren B.

    Ordered through grubhub. Food: Sandwich hit the spot. A lot of flavors but was good. Had a little heat from the pepperoncini. Wish there was more crab. Greek salad was good too. A lot of toppings VS lettuce ratio. Can't complain about that. I didn't get any updates about my order. It showed that they never accepted and the order came 10 min past the window. Other than that, food was good.

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    10 days ago

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    2 months ago

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    8 days ago

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    3 months ago

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    11 months ago

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    4 months ago

    Exceptionally crafted sandwiches with great service. Bread is perfectly fresh. Great selection of chips to pair with your sandwich.

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    10 months ago

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    8 months ago

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    3 years ago

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    1 year ago

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    2 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    11 months ago

    Love their quick service. Clean space, lots of options, great food, best sandwiches in town!!

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    1 year ago

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    2 years ago

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    8 months ago

    I used to really like this place until I got some bad meat (grey salami) I won't be back as that was a major red flag as to quality control.

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    1 year ago

    Delicious and very hot and flavorful southwestern omelette sammie. Wish I lived closer.

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    2 years ago

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    10 months ago

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    8 months ago

    Great sandwiches and very friendly staff always love going here my personal favorite is the Romas club

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    9 months ago

    Yummy sandwich, fast service, fairly priced. We enjoyed this spot on the go. Thank you.

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    2 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Favorite sandwich spot in San Carlos. I regularly order is the breakfast sandwich and Roma's Club ‍

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    Page 1 of 4

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    The Breakfast Club - Pancake Midtown Trio

    The Breakfast Club

    3.8(185 reviews)
    3.5 mi
    $$

    Daniel provided outstanding service. I had called ahead to pay for my wife and mother-in-law's meal…read morebecause I couldn't make it. I know that's not a typical request, but Daniel handled everything smoothly and made the process incredibly easy. My wife also shared that she had a wonderful experience. Daniel was attentive to her food allergies and showed extra care toward our baby, which meant a lot to our family. The level of service Daniel provided, both in accommodating my unusual request and in taking such great care of my wife and baby, was truly appreciated. Thank you for going above and beyond!

    The Breakfast Club @ San Mateo location has a nice ambience with a spacious setup and both indoor…read moreand outdoor seating. The atmosphere is lively, although the music can be quite loud. Unfortunately, the service was disappointing. After we were seated, no one came back to take our order or even offer water for about 15-20 minutes. When I eventually gave the server feedback about the long wait, the response came across as somewhat rude and dismissive rather than apologetic. The food itself was average--nothing particularly memorable--and one of the items we ordered was completely missed. Overall, the place has a good setting and potential, but the service, food quality and attention to customers need significant improvement. For a breakfast/brunch restaurant in a great location, I would expect much better hospitality and order accuracy.

    Photos
    The Breakfast Club - Inside

    Inside

    The Breakfast Club - Pancake Trio!

    Pancake Trio!

    The Breakfast Club

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    Farm House - Mussels in white wine sauce. Fresh, perfect size, elegant flavors.

    Farm House

    4.0(657 reviews)
    1.5 mi
    $$$

    Farm House is located near my place so my partner and I went over for a nice brunch one weekend…read more I do love how it looks on the outside with vines covering the building. It is tucked away in Belmont, behind one of the busier plazas. Our waiter was nice but there was someone else, a hostess I think? That was waiting for us to order and she kinda rolled her eyes when we needed more time, and that made me a little uncomfy. The place wasn't busy yet either! There were only about 4-5 tables being served. I got an iced latte and usually I don't love iced lattes on their own without some sort of flavor, but their coffee is very good quality so it was delicious. I had a breakfast skillet that had steak, tater tots, mushrooms, and poached egg. Very hearty and yummy. My partner got a liege waffle which I had never heard of. Its denser, kind of like the difference between a croissant and kouign amann. Baked brie was fantastic and that roasted garlic really upped the flavor and quality. I do wish they gave more bread though. We had a lot more brie and roasted garlic leftover with no bread to scoop it up. We took the rest home :) All in all a great place, just a bit too pricey for me to come regularly

    Food was very fresh, and the portions were generous - two dishes were enough for two. We ordered…read morethe Pear & Walnut Salad and the Baked Brie, and both were packed with flavor. The restaurant was kind enough to split the salad and brought it in 2 plates. The baked brie was hands down my favorite, and the combination of fresh pears and caramelized walnuts was also so good. The restaurant has a cozy, rustic cabin feel that makes it a great date night spot. They even bring out a candle for the table in the evening, which adds a nice touch. The staff were warm, attentive, and very polite throughout our meal. The restroom was clean, and finding street parking right outside was easy enough. It was surprisingly quiet on a weekday evening, though I have a feeling it's much busier on weekends. Overall, if you're looking for fresh, flavorful food with lots of healthy options in a cozy setting, I'd definitely recommend giving this place a try

    Photos
    Farm House - Ambiance and view from where we were sitting

    Ambiance and view from where we were sitting

    Farm House - Burrata with Honey and Berries

    Burrata with Honey and Berries

    Farm House - Beautiful setting outdoors

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    Beautiful setting outdoors

    Brothers Cafe - banana foster

    Brothers Cafe

    4.3(279 reviews)
    4.5 mi
    $$

    My mother-in-law lives walking distance from the Brothers Cafe so it is extremely convenient for…read moreour family. I have been there a few times over the years and it is always quick, fresh food, that is great for breakfast or lunch. This visit we arrived around 12:30 pm and placed our order at the counter found seating for 3 of us. I was feeling particularly well with an update stomach so I only order their pancakes. They offer fruit including strawberries, powder sugar and whip cream. My wife ordered a tuna melt and fries with an Arnold Palmer. My mother-in-law ordered a latte, hauevos rancho with a scrambled egg. She raved about the latte! My 3 pancakes were huge! And it all look and tasted great. The Brothers Cafe cashier/ordered take was friendly and professional. I did note the chicken & waffles on the menu and saw several oders pass by me. I saw one C&W that looks delicious and authentic having spent a decade in Louisiana, Tennessee, Florida, Virginia and Maryland..yum! It a little off the beaten path on West Hillsdale at HWY 92 in San Mateo. But we'll worth the effort especially with their outdoor patio being renovated..Enjoy!

    Nice brunch option in a plaza with lots of parking. Feels casual, but not hole in the wall, so your…read morefancy friends will feel fine here even if it's not a trendy, line out the door Instagrammable place. It is a very bright and comfortable neighborhood space. Features all your diner standards. Order at the counter and then the food will be brought to your table. I ordered chicken and waffles - it featured four pieces of juicy chicken atop a golden waffle, and I had plenty of leftovers to enjoy later.

    Photos
    Brothers Cafe - Menu board inside

    Menu board inside

    Brothers Cafe - Waffle and Chicken & Waffle

    Waffle and Chicken & Waffle

    Brothers Cafe - Santorini

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    Santorini

    Mints & Honey - Waffle Sampler

    Mints & Honey

    4.3(994 reviews)
    0.6 mi
    $$

    I stopped by Mints and Honey on a Friday for lunch and had a great experience. We were able to find…read morestreet parking nearby, and since there is no dedicated lot, it was nice that we did not have to pay. As soon as we walked in, we were warmly greeted and seated. The host was very friendly and explained that once we were ready to order, we could head to the register in the back. After placing our order for a group of four, our drinks arrived within just a few minutes. They looked exactly like the menu descriptions and tasted just as good. The food was fresh, hot, and clearly made with quality ingredients. We all especially loved the tomato soup. We also ordered a waffle to share as an appetizer, and it came topped with large, beautiful strawberries that tasted amazing. The portion size was generous. I ordered the Fresh Mozzarella sandwich on ciabatta bread and asked for it toasted, and it was phenomenal. I did not have very high expectations since this was a quick, last minute choice and we did not even check reviews beforehand, but I am so glad we gave it a try. The inside of the restaurant has a cute and colorful vibe, and everything felt clean and well kept. I will definitely be coming back to try more items on the menu

    SO CLOSE TO A 5***** review had an employee not been so passive aggressive when bringing is the…read morelast in our order. The food and drinks 5 ***** for this type of brunchie place. My first time here but my girlfriend who was visiting from Texas has eaten here recently while flying through to see her brother. This place very close to SFO airport so a great place to have breakfast Brunch or Lunch before picking up or dropping off at SFO as only 12 to 15 min based on traffic. THE FOOD: Cortado 10/10, Ice Tea 9/10 Flat White 8/10 (from Australian in our foursome) Hot Chocolate 9/10 Mixed salad Amazing. Soft boiled eggs perfectly cooked and balsamic on point. They have great sourdough served with delicious jam. We also had the prosciutto fig and goat cheese which was 10/10 and our friend from Texas enjoyed her GF Sammie. Husband had the Tuna Melt which he said 9/10 only because of the bread, he said 10 if he's had it on the acme sourdough ;-) Next time... The Place: Great location with lots of parking but not this past Sunday as huge event in town but in general loads of street and lot parking near by. Quaint seating inside and outside seating on both sides of this corner location. You order inside and seating is first come first serve so I imagine depending on the time of day it could be hard for any groups over 4 Employee Interaction: Super until the last person we interacted with. You order inside and they bring stuff out as made which is just the nature of busy brunch place. For example we had food come out in staggered spurts which is what you expect so as a example our friend who ordered first (10 min before us ) got her fig Sammie first but we got half our drinks first. Our food was staggered over a 15 min period also very expected at this type of brunch place. The problem came when the lady would brought the last food item the GF item and she said hey are we missing anything and I said yes my cortado and friend who ordered 10 min before we did so half and hour ago said she never got her hot coco. She was Super polite and brought them pretty quickly . We said thanks for finding them for us and she lectured us on how busy they are etc etc and were like WHOA THERE we did not complain although my friend could have as he drink came after she had eaten and 30 min after she ordered and yet we never complained. My complaint is with this staff members attitude, and I "assume" it came from dealing with folks expecting the food or drinks to all come out at same time and thats not how these types of places work. WE GET THAT and again it would have been a 5 had we not been lectured after thanking her for hunting down our drinks ;-) Will I be back SURE the food was great

    Photos
    Mints & Honey - Beautiful and romantic setting. IG@loveplaypeace

    Beautiful and romantic setting. IG@loveplaypeace

    Mints & Honey - Tomato & Ricotta

    Tomato & Ricotta

    Mints & Honey - Tuna salad

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    Tuna salad

    La Casa De Los Huevos - pancakes

    La Casa De Los Huevos

    3.9(114 reviews)
    5.0 mi
    Locally owned & operated
    Family-owned & operated

    Holy crap this place is awesome. So many unique offerings! Me and my girlfriend had all the…read morethings we could on our first visit and all were excellent. I gotta come back for all the breakfast plates! Btw, OYSTERS!

    I brought two friends here because I had been before and remembered the customer service being…read moregreat and the food being decent. I completely understand that there was a wait since it was a busy day--we waited about 25 minutes, which seemed reasonable. What disappointed me was what happened next. Another family walked in after us, and it appeared they knew one of the employees. She greeted them by saying, "Véngase, consuegro, los voy a sentar arriba," and they were seated immediately while we continued waiting another 15-20 minutes before finally being seated. Once we sat down, it took another 15 minutes before anyone came to take our order. Our food arrived, and I asked for a coffee. Unfortunately, no one checked on our table afterward. The server was constantly running up and down the stairs, and although I tried several times to get her attention because I wanted a refill, I never had the chance. We eventually had to leave without it. The food was okay, but the service made us feel overlooked. I don't mind waiting when a restaurant is busy, but I do expect customers to be treated fairly, regardless of whether they know someone who works there.

    Photos
    La Casa De Los Huevos - Pulpo and more Mexican Seafood / Mariscos

    Pulpo and more Mexican Seafood / Mariscos

    La Casa De Los Huevos
    La Casa De Los Huevos

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    Molly Os - Western Burger, a savory delight that's sure to satisfy your cravings. We proudly offer a selection of delicious meatless burgers

    Molly Os

    4.5(124 reviews)
    0.4 mi
    $$

    I don't know why it took us so long to visit Molly O's. Probably cuz we don't drink much, we…read morehaven't really thought to walk in here but I can confirm this place is great for non-drinkers too! We came for lunch and was super impressed. The space is beautiful with free, easy street parking in the area. The vibe is casual and friendly. The food is reasonably priced and good. The two of us shared a shepherds pie and a fish & chip. The shepherds pie was flavorful and comforting. The fish tasted fresh and the beer batter was delicious. Even the fries were extra yummy; it probably has something to do with the light batter and freshness of the ingredients. Aside from Guinness on tap, they've got lots of delicious drinks too. The owner, Oliver, had taken our order. He was friendly and down-to-earth; we enjoyed chatting with him. He shared the restaurant is named after his grandma, Molly, who stops by from time to time too. It's a sister restaurant to his parent's place Fiddler's Green in Millbrae, which has been opened for 35 years. We'll definitely be back!

    Nice Irish pub downtown San Carlos. Many tempting items to choose from…read more I got the regular fish and chips with 3 Fillets steak. Fries cold slaw and I also got a Diet Coke Service here is wonderful They have upstairs and downstairs dining. I sat downstairs Food was delicious. There is street parking and a parking lot down the street

    Photos
    Molly Os - Pull up a stool and let the good times flow at our lively bar - where every drink tells a story!

    Pull up a stool and let the good times flow at our lively bar - where every drink tells a story!

    Molly Os - Our mouthwatering Irish Nachos - a crowd-pleasing favorite!

    Our mouthwatering Irish Nachos - a crowd-pleasing favorite!

    Molly Os - Guinness on tap!

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    Guinness on tap!

    Lou’s Cafe - sandwiches - Updated September 2026

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