I can't believe I haven't eaten here before! We got the avocado omelette with potatoes, a huuuge heaping portion of their mini pancakes, as well as the Swedish breakfast. For as fresh as the food was; it was super impressive how quickly everything was brought out. The only reason I put 4 stars and not 5, it's an older place, it's not like it was dirty at all - but you can tell it hasn't been remodeled or retouched in some time. But with that, it's a super cozy aesthetic, teacups and tea kettles galore! The staff was so nice and checked on us multiple times, brought out anything we asked for. Definitely will be back, $47 for 3 of us, and we left really full! read more

Been going here since I was a kid. They have the BEST crepes. They are now open. Came here today. Service was awesome. Staff was very friendly and went above and beyond. 10/10! read more

Wowzers, best breakfast in Alemeda and mango sausage rocks the house. Wiyh a great place to eat after mass or anything at all read more

See all

This is by far my favorite breakfast place in the Bay Area! The vibe is amazing, it feels like you are at home with family every single time you visit. You won't get service as good as this in any other restaurant. My personal favorite here is the Swedish pancakes, never had anything like them and they are what keeps me coming back every time read more

The new "Marti's Place" is not the Marti's I remember. In case you didn't know, the restaurant went under new management in August 2023. My husband and I decided to give it a try this past weekend. Our table was directly in front of the flatware and coffee cup station-very noisy and constantly having to move forward so I wouldn't get bumped. My BLT was served on cold dry toast with no mayonnaise and the 1 slice of tomato was not ripe. A very small cup of coffee cost $3.50, granted free refills but the waitress only came by one time to refill. The only positive is that the french fries were hot and crispy. My husband had french toast and the waitress actually asked him if he wanted syrup after serving it without. Every other restaurant I've ever gone to assumes people put syrup on their french toast and bring it to the table without asking. $40 for 3 pieces of french toast, 1 BLT w/fries and 2 very small cups of coffee. read more

I met the owners John and Noreen while they were in southern Spain for a military unit reunion when I still lived in Spain - they had told me about their breakfast /lunch place in the East Bay but of course, I was in Spain and soon after, was in Oregon. Now living in the City, I have tried to get to their place for months but wasn't able to till today, and while the wait was delayed, the visit was well worth it! It was easy to find with GPS (!!) and there was ample street parking on a quiet but busy street. It's been what, three years since I'd seen any of them so I didn't know what to expect. Of course, my tee-shirt sporting my favorite phrase "I'd rather be in Spain" doesn't hide any of my feelings about leaving SF next year... I saw her smile when she read my shirt message as I walked in with my sister and family friend, and we ordered in Marti's Place which was filled at 9am Saturday morning! Big roomy uni-sex but only restroom in the back dining room to wash up after a drive, and considering the number of people there, our orders came within ten minutes. It gave me time to look around, seeing lots of things that make a place cozy and welcoming people: little piggy ceramics on the shelf, along with a lot of other cute items. A wall filled with pictures, and a vase of fresh flowers (ACHooOoo) on the counter. I had the sensation, along with everyone in my party, that we were transported briefly to a small tiny mid-western town instead of being across the bay from SF. The food was good-portioned and very tasty! I sampled my friend's pancake and it was very moist as was my french toast, with a warm syrup available on the table. This might not be the greatest place, nor the biggest, nor the fastest, but if I were to want food that is tasty at a normal non-inflated price, then I'll come here! For three orders that consisted of one plate of ham, eggs and potatoes, a plate of a stack of two pancakes, and lastly my order of french toast with two sausage links, along with two cups of tea (supplied with teapot) for under $26 is a miracle in the SF I have grown to "know" during the past two years! I know many places in the City and elsewhere that will eat your wallet for over that just for ONE plate of whatever! What a great deal Marti's Place offers their guests!!! Granted, they do NOT take credit cards - CASH only - and I think that makes sense as it rises their expenses... come on, go on by and tell Noreen and John that Tony sent you!! ;-) Their hours are Tuesday through Friday 7am to 2pm and Saturday & Sunday 8am to 2pm. Take a break ~ they are closed Mondays read more

See all

Lovely cute spot. Staff was so kind and sweet. Food was amazing. Def will be coming back every weekend :)

I've been to Marti's Place about 2 times so far and I love it. It's so adorable on the inside and there's so much to look at! My favorite thing about the place is that there's mugs everywhere and you get your own unique mug. For me the food was satisfactory. Marti's is like a typical breakfast/brunch restaurant, but the difference is that it gives you so many nostalgic feels. They also have Swedish pancakes with jam! I never had it until I went to Marti's. It sorta taste like sweet crepes, kinda plain... but matches well with the side of fruit. This place is cash only! They have an ATM inside, but it wasn't working when we were there so bring extra! Anyway, think place is cute. You should check it out. read more

Marti's Place - Super adorbs - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Alameda, California

See all

Other than the creepy decor and old people bringing their even older parents--great! Pancakes with whipped cream and strawberries. Short stack (down from 3), but they charged the same price :( read more

I forget that I'm a vegan only at Marti's where the Scandinavian pancakes are to die for. I'll get a little fresh fruit salad with it...very nice. I can't say I've eaten anything else here though they have many selections. The focus is on fresh ingredients for the waffles and omelets but they tend to be kind of pricey. My partner who drinks coffee says there's is not so good. But it's such a sweet little place -- my favorite breakfast place in Alameda. read more

One of the best breakfast spots in town with my all time favorite Swedish Pancakes with lingonberries. My go to dish is the Hungry Swede, which comes with the Swedish Pancakes (which are so delicious they satisfy all of my tastebuds), Eggs and Either Bacon or Sausage. Noreen is extremely friendly and has a wonderful staff, who's customer service is unmatched. I'll keep coming back to this fine establishment and they have been fulfilling my cravings for years. read more

This place is amazing. Ordered the Denver omelette and the Swedish pancakes. They were amazing. Then there was the coffee. Either I was craving coffee, or this was the best drip coffee I've had, but I put as much as they would pour me. The service was prompt, and the staff was responsive. I will absolutely come back here on my next trip to the island. read more

Omg. Where have I been??? I have been a resident of Alameda for the past 25 years and if it weren't for their curbside seating (in response to social distancing) I still would have not noticed them on Encinal Ave! We had their veggie omlette special and ONE OF THE BEST GRILLED CRAB SANDWICHES this side of Milbrae and Half Moon Bay!!! Never would I have imagined I could find the perfect dungenous crab sandwich right here in my own backyard so-to-speak! We are hooked and will definitely be returning soon! read more

Marti's Place was a small diner, which had decorated with memobilia and plaques all over the walls. The place looked small, but there was another room if you wanted more space. It was nice. The lighting was ok. The furniture was ok; seemed a little old and uncomfortable. But it was one of those quick and eat places, I felt like. Ordered the Marti scramble(9.50). There was home fries, which were small cubes - burnt and dried small portion. The scrambled eggs with ham and cheddar cheese on top were a little overcooked. The small pieces of ham was too dry. Think the place liked their food well cooked; no one will get sick off of their food. The swede pancakes were good. They looked like crepes, and they tasted like crepes, which weren't too bad. They were interesting. The coffee was decent and offered refills often. And the service was pretty good. They frequently came by and asked if we needed anything. There were some concerns. Like Blue Dot, there was only street parking. The food was a little pricey for the average sized portions. The omelets egg options pricey as well. Rating Food: 3 Price: 3 Ambience: 3 Service: 3 Overall: 3 I like this place, and I would come back. Plus, it is only a block away from home. read more

Very quaint, sweet and homey diner - but we were still hungry after we left. There was a huge difference between the pre-cooked bacon and the freshly ordered bacon...size and texture, hubby's fresh bacon was more like 1 of the pre-cooked ones - when we asked about it, there was no reason offered. Hubby and daughter both ordered "The Hungry Swede"...they left just as hungry afterwards. Swedish pancakes were just crepes, the lingonberry was more strawberry in flavor and tiny portion to boot. My french toast were not anything out of the ordinary, so they were decent and I, too, was left famished. For the prices, we should have stuck w/what we know, but we are always looking for new things. Service was attentive by the 2 brothers - they are very shy, but trying to please everyone. Lots of older and local folks there, not really trendy. read more

Martis was the sole phrase said everytime anyone in the family wanted to eat early, warm and comforting food. Throughout my life ive came to this place, early as a kid just for the bacon, throughout middleschool to get early breakfast(they open at 7 on weekdays and 8 on weekends.) Nowadays my mom still gets the swedish pancakes(comes with boysenberry sauce), with a cup of fruit(changes by season). I get the Martis scram which is a scram of cheese bacon eggs onions mushrooms tomatoes and home style potatoes. The Owner, whom name i don't want to write because i don't know how its spelt will 9/10 times be in the place and taking your order personally. The only bad thing I've heard about this place is about the cash only. That's how this place was when it opened up, that's how it'll aways be. This place spent years perfecting what mattered: food. And they did very well on that. ps they nailed the atmosphere, basically everything they nailed. Thinking of coming here? Don't, just come. end note: sugar cookies are the perfect take away dessert when youre finished with your meal. read more

See all

My husband and I came here for breakfast today (Sunday after Thanksgiving) - the place was almost full but no wait times - yay! My husband ordered the crab sandwich and it was the best he's ever had, even above & beyond San Francisco joints. It was loaded with really tasty crab (of course I had a bite!). I ordered a mushroom omelette and added tomato, cheddar, and sausage. It was a flavor bomb! The omelette was cooked to perfection. The mushrooms had so much flavor. The home fries were really well seasoned too. On top of the great food, the servers were really friendly and accommodating. I can see why this beats out every other breakfast place in Alameda. We will be back again and again! read more

Marti's Place - Mushroom omelette and home fries - DROOL! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Alameda, California

Great cozy place! Food, people all are wonderful - thank you!

Marti's is the best! Everything I've had is amazing (I especially love the Swedish pancakes and French toast) and the service is unbeatable - friendly and attentive. Great place for kids, too. read more

Meh nothing special. They're friendly and efficient but the food is average at best. A touch pricey for the quality and quantity. I had the number 1 breakfast and the Swedish pancakes were not very good. The waffle was way better. Coffee was watered down. We love to support local businesses but gotta rate them as they are. read more

Great service, great food and prices. I'm surprised I have t been here before, definitely coming back. You should come and try the blintzes.... delicious read more

Marti's Place - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Alameda, California

Service, Food, and Prices are awesome! I love the Swedish Pancakes! My go to place now.

My friend and I just had breakfast....two omelette, a couple cups of coffee and juice...$55!!!! Last time we come here... read more

Marti's Place - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Alameda, California

I've been wanting to go to Marti's for a while, and I think I walked in with high expectations, but I'm sorry to say that I walked away kind of disappointed. First off, the atmosphere for this place is great. The collector's fruit labels on the wall, the old and kitschy coffee mugs on every table... I can see and I like the charm of Marti's. However, the food didn't live up to all the glorious reviews. I ordered the Swedish Continental, and my girlfriend ordered the Hungry Swede. The eggs, bacon and fresh fresh fruit cup were standard. However, the swedish pancakes, the focal point of the menu.were a bit disappointing. They were dense, starchy, soggy, not very warm, and swimming in a pool of coagulating melted butter. All in all a charming place, service was fantastic, but didn't find the food to be any better than Alameda's other breakfast joints. read more

Can people smell Yelpers? Does Yelp have a smell? Maybe I'm just intimidating. Golly gee swell. I could tell by my ceramic blue coffee mug that they were expecting me. It read: "Me Boss. You Not." My kinda place! But for some reason, I felt they suspected I might review the place. Well, yes ma'am! I was hungry, so bring on the grub! I stopped in for a late Sunday breakfast or I guess brunch if you wanna be proper. This place really does feel a bit like a secret spot those "in the now" make a point to drive the extra mile to wait for a table. Fortunately, I think I just beat that crowd and was seated within a couple minutes. I literally beat them. Based on previous reviews, I had to try the Swedish pancakes. I ordered the combo #2 that includes 3 Swedish pancakes w/ a tiny cup of lingonberry jam, a small bowl of fresh fruit and I had to add an order of the home fries on the side. I brought a paper to pass the time while I waited for my order and I certainly didn't feel rushed the entire time I was there. My trusty mug was promptly filled with coffee (with plentiful offers to refill thereafter) and the bowl of fruit was first to arrive; then the pancakes, followed by the potatoes. The pancakes really are crepe-like in form and texture with an overall moist and buttery taste--however they had no compelling flavor of their own; they were built for the lingonberry jam. I can see why some people might complain the serving is too small but it worked for me...I alternated between the jam and the fresh fruit as toppings and both complimented well. The potatoes were crispy on the outside and lightly seasoned, not greasy. Good amount of food for the quality and money. The servers were attentive and more than helpful when you can flag them down. More than likely they're busy running everywhere bringing out orders or preparing tables for the next wave of hungry diners. I was only compelled to finish my meal when I noticed couples waiting patiently for a table shooting glances my way. But hey! Me boss. You not! (as I raise my mug in their direction). I gotta disagree with Diane S...I'm half-Italian and I was full! I actually couldn't finish. Am I half the man I used to be? Hmm...unlikely. My mug said it all...I think it grunted in farewell as I left. read more

I can't complain. I needed breakfast, and breakfast I got. With several smiles. And a fresh pot of coffee, with real cream. No complaints... Ok, one. My "Hungry Swede" breakfast left a bit to be desired. The bacon was deep fried, which seems great but i think it'd been drying out for a really long time. It was hard and dry. Like, no juice at all. It looked like dog treats. I'm not saying it was, but like...that is what dog treats look like! It was so dry I sort of coughed/choked on it a bit. It needs some help. Scrambled eggs were good, but the Swedish pancakes were lukewarm, bordering on cold, and a little rubbery...served with a teensy side of pre-jammed lignonberry gel. Not very impressive for nearly $10. My sister-in-law obviously is more in the know (she comes here often!) and got a super mean looking skillet of basically what looked like breakfast potato nachos. They looked VERY good. I'd go for that next time and skip the Swedish stuff. I like the mismatched cups and nostalgic feel. I'll def give it a go another time when I am back in Alameda. *Old school diner. *Cash only. read more

Marti's is so cute. It's the quintessential mom and pop Alameda restaurant...no frills, friendly, and in an old non-air conditioned building. I didn't go during breakfast rush hour, so I didn't have the long wait experience that so quickly diminishes star power here on Yelp. Noreen and the cutest little tween boy served my friend and me. The food was decent but the presentation was lacking. The Swedish pancakes were served in these long, blanch color strips that reminded me of a tannery for some reason...forgive my ignorance if this is normal, but I distinctly remember them being round and brown when we made them in my kindergarten class. I enjoyed my eggs, but the, "old folks" coffee was just plain nasty....walk directly across the street to Blue Dot if you need your caffeine fix. Marti...I know you retired, but I'm giving you a solid 3 stars! Cash only folks! read more

FOOD: not that spectacular. The pancakes were good. The potatoes and eggs tasted like the old pan they were cooked on. That metal aftertaste was pretty strong. ATMOSPHERE: Perfect. One room is for adults the other for families. LOVE THIS. This is how a restaurant should be. It was a nice quiet breakfast and this is why it got a three from me. read more

I'm a big fan of diners, brunch, and Alameda, so I was excited to check out Marti's Place. Doing a quick pre-dining-scan on Yelp, I noticed Brendan R.'s review that says, "request no butter on any of the items." I was like, "For the love of Paula Deen, what's wrong with this guy? No butter?? He must be one of those healthy people." Then I went to Marti's and realized they must own stock in the butter industry, because holy moly was there a lot of butter on everything, especially the Swedish pancakes and the toast (possibly those were the only dishes where I could actually see the butter -- I'm sure it was in everything). My Mexican omelet (speaking of Paula Deen) came stuffed with Fritos , cheese, and copious amounts of sour cream. No joke. All the food was definitely tasty, and the service was great, but if I were to go back, I'd make sure to pull a Sally Albright and order everything "on the side." read more

Marti's is quaint and is definitely Alameda. Marti's entrees costs more then Ole's and Jim's and you would expect the food to be a couple notches above. In some cases they do. They do a really good job with their pancakes and waffles. Fluffy and cooked to perfection. Probably 90% of the time I order poached eggs and these were poached a little to hard for my taste. I think they should be soft and slightly mushy. I'm not sure what brand of coffee they serve but I'm glad they offer an English Breakfast tea. The waiter must have been new because our table did not have silverware, no condiments and What happened to the water? Proper training. So service could be improved on. In terms of the decor I like the fact that they had Jason Kidd paraphernalia on the walls. He is from Alameda, St. Joe's Pilots. Local boy does good. read more

I'm a foodie by heart and picky. This place is just an amazing place to eat down to earth. Come on down get comfy and eat the best pancakes in the island. read more

We really were looking forward to finding another gem on Alameda. This was NOT what we found. Usually a line and small wait means good things, I shoulda known this was not the place for us when they can't even get the wait list right. They called us in, only to shoo us out again, without apology, because they skipped two other parties before us on the list. I decided on a simple easy breakfast of 2 eggs and bacon with homefried potatoes and English muffin. My hubby had the same with ham. Now I am not a Must-Eat-Right-Away type of customer, but 20+ minutes for eggs and potatoes is WAY too long! The food is a bit over priced for the fare that was being delivered on the plates. Eggs were tasteless which makes me think they are very low quality. Potatoes were burnt and a couple were so hard they almost split a tooth, also were pretty flavorless. I spit them out and piled them up on the side of the plate. And why are the plates so small? Is it so it looks like there is more food? My eggs were nearly hanging off the edge and the potatoes scattered themselves across the table as the plate were set down. Not a real loss as it turns out. Coffee was readily available for refills but very watery. The only time we saw our scowling waitress, was when she took our order, the rest of the staff were nice enough to pick up where she was slacking and were very nice. Also the only reason we still tipped 20%, I hope she shares tips with them. We left uncomfortable, unwelcome and unsatisfied. Next time we pass this way we will try the Blue Dot Cafe across the street. I advise all to do the same, this place is not worth your time or money! read more

A sunny Saturday is such a lovely day to try a new eatery like Marti's Place and on one such halcyon morning I gave it a go. Well, I was pleasantly surprised. Having read some of the reviews here, I got the impression of a somewhat cramped place with long lines and variable service. Sometimes places become victims of their own success, I suppose, because my experience was the opposite. I found a fairly spacious place with good food and unhurried but attentive service and a lovely, quaint design--tasteful, well-spaced furnishings with interesting prints and bric-a-brac on the walls. There were customers but no crowds or lines--might be for Sunday brunch. I had a succulent, perfectly prepared salmon omelette with dill sauce and crisp sour dough toast, then lingered over the thick, delicious coffee with a good book. I'll be back. read more

I have been coming to Marti's Place since I was a little girl -- since before Noreen (who waits tables & works the register every single day) bought the place; and I have never once been disappointed. Perfectly CRISPY bacon, delicious eggs, superb freshly squeezed OJ, delicate and satisfyingly buttery Swedish pancakes. And don't miss out on the lunch!! They make an incredible grilled crab sandwich and a bacon & avocado grilled sandwich -- each fried up in plenty of butter until the bread is that perfect balance of crunchy-chewy, and served with a scoop of the most appealing potato salad I've ever met (bursting with the scent of fresh dill). I remember on really special days my Mom would take me out to breakfast at Marti's before school. It was our time to connect and slow down... and the hearty breakfast would make my whole day a lot sunnier. read more

First time here. Very cute place. All the coffee mugs are different. And the walls are decorated with family pics and old fashioned "stuff" lol. The staff are great. The cook even came out and ask me if I need anything else with my order. I will def come back again. Cash only tho. read more

Marti's Place - Grilled tuna and cheese with potato salad. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Alameda, California

marti's place is a small diner decorated with memobilia and plaques all over the walls. samplings marti scramble(9.50) . -home fries, small cubes, seemingly burnt and/or dried small portion -scrambled eggs with ham, and cheddar cheese on top. small pieces of ham, some too dry. average. -coffee(1.50)blah generic coffee -wheat toast/jam: ok service: ok, got coffee refills. leftovers -street parking -pricey entrees, average sized portions -omlettes, egg options pricey, -lunch options mostly sandwiches -can easily overhear kitchen gossip if one habla espanol -quasi home feeling, (walls covered with everthing) cramp seating? -reviews say swede pancakes good. but i no like pancakes. read more

Now, this is another great breakfast place, but really different than Ole's. I love the swedish pancakes and wish they would give me more loganberries to spread on them. Seating is limited, but it is very nice feel. Most of the times it is pretty intimate and quiet, but twice I have had the bawling child but you can't blame the restaurant for that! Cash only. Parking is usually not a problem. read more

Marti's Place is definitely cute and we were ready to love it, the food we had unfortunately really wasn't very good and the prices were a bit high for the quality. $10.50 for the "Mexican Omelet" which was basically a thin layer of eggs surrounding huge globs of sour cream, pre-made (packaged supermarket style) guacamole and Fritos. Yep...when they mentioned corn chips in the description I was thinking along the lines of chilaquiles, not a bag of Fritos thrown in my omelet. The small side of home fries was tasty and the toast was fine. Hey, it's toast with butter. $4.95 for a short stack of pancakes. No biggie, except when my wife said yes to the strawberries on her short stack the price went up to $11.50 for a short stack with strawberries on top (a $6.50 markup to add strawberries??). My wife said the pancakes were ok, but the strawberries tasted like onions. "Like they had been stored next to something else and took on it's flavor" is how she described it. $2.50 for a can of Coke $3.50 for a side of bacon. It was good bacon, so no complaints. Throw in a cup of coffee and our bill came out to over $30 for not a lot of food. No matter, we wouldn't have wanted a larger amount of food that we wouldn't want to eat anyway. Service was friendly, but we were never checked on again after receiving our food. If you've grown up eating here I can see why you would be attached to the place. The staff's heart seemed in the right place, but overall the food didn't seem fresh or all that flavorful. Maybe we just ordered the wrong things, but considering the wealth of better diners in the immediate Alameda area, I doubt we'll be back. read more

Love the swedish pancakes here. The atmosphere is dicey and the staff is so very lovely. It's the ultimate in family owned, non- chain eating. read more

It was pouring down rain and the place across the street was packed, so I suggested we try Marti's. I live around the corner so I've been here a few times. Every time I walk away vowing never, ever to eat there again. I ordered the Marti's Scramble: Bacon, Eggs, Tomato and Onion "scrambled" and topped with cheese - served with homefries and toast. The eggs had not been properly whisked because there were huge chunks of egg white. Also it appeared to have been cooked in the microwave. The cheese was chewy and weird on the edges...unmelted in the middle. The potatoes were bland and dry. I took a few bites and decided no more. My date ordered the Strawberry Blintzes and they were topped with what looked like canned or frozen strawberries. We both had coffee - bad coffee. I had an orange juice. For this - our bill was $37.00?? We both agreed Denny's would have been a better idea. The wait staff could tell I didn't like my food (they asked me if it was "ok" at least 4 times). But what could I say? "You Sir, have managed to make the simplest of breakfast orders disgusting and inedible." or "Young Lady, all of the yummy breakfasts being eaten right now are laughing at this one behind its back." No. I just mumbled that it was fine and silently promised myself "never again". read more