This is hidden gem in a small shopping plaza. Had the Chicken Sausage Omelette with crepe. Also tried the soup and sandwich combo with tuna sandwich and clam chowder. The egg in the melette was so fluffy and yummy. Good smooth texture with slight milky taste. There were plenty of Aidell's sweet chicken sausage slices and fresh chunks of sweet tomatoes folded in the omelette. I chose the potatoes and crepe as side. Potatoes were perfectly cooked, slightly crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside; we'll seasoned. One of the best side of breakfast potatoes I've had. These potatoes were not an afterthought filler because they were tasty. They made the meal even better. The best part of this combo was the crepe. It actually reminded me of Swedish pancakes complete with lingonberry butter. Soooo yummy!!! The crepe had a hint of buttermilk flavor so not they typical sweet crepe. Went really well with the sweet lingonberry butter. The clam chowder was good. Not too clammy tasting and not shy on the cream. The tuna sandwich was not fishy. It had light dressing with celery as notable ingredients. Bread was toasted. Very good size sandwich. Staff were nice. Food came out quickly. There seems to be regular customers from the conversationsnaroind the dining room. Good value for the quality, taste and portions. The dining room gives an old diner vibe which explains when we found out they've been around for 20 years. Simple decor. Love this place and will definitely recommend. read more

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Service was good. They greeted us within a few minutes. The pancakes were standard. Nothing special. The crepe was a different thickness than I'm used to. In the middle of a crepe and a pancake. It tasted eggy like a Dutch baby. The lingonberry butter was tangy but whipped. The corn beef hash seems like it comes from a can. In Connecticut there's a diner with fresh corn beef hash which I prefer. My omelette was meh. It lacked salt and flavor but I got a lot of cheese. I wish the veggies were mixed in not just on the top. Hashbrowns were crispy and good. No notes besides salt read more

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One of the top breakfast spots I have been to. The service was top tier, our server checked in with us multiple times. Our food was delicious, had plenty of flavor. We shared the pancakes and added chocolate chips as well. The restaurant is spacious, I would highly recommend trying it out! read more

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Friendly neighborhood cafe. Simple menu, standard fair, clean and hot fresh food. Friendly servers and the clientele seems to be regulars, which is a very good sign. read more

Service was excellent! Sophia was our waitress who was working by herself! She was great! The food was good! read more

Today I ordered the steak omelette with black beans and sourdough bread which was pretty good. It does need some spice but otherwise it was tasty. read more

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I always get worried when the restaurant is empty. We haven't been to Neil's in about a year. The service was good maybe because it was hardly anybody in there. I ordered scrambled eggs and got over easy but I've learned not to send stuff back. The crêpes were delicious with lingonberry sauce. The waitress was very nice and pleasant. We are on a fixed income since we're retired. They used to have a senior menu, but I didn't see it there FYI place is still very clean little pricey, but maybe that's the sign of the times. read more

Neal's Coffee Shop - Scrambled eggs and home fries not - American Near Me - San Mateo, California

Neal's , nice local eatery they have another location in Burlingame. It's not high end but it's worth a stop. The service is friendly and the do leave you alone a bit so you can enjoy your meal and conversations without being overly interrupted or pushed out especially if you come on a Saturday. The siting area is dated but if you enjoy small cafe food with laid back waitstaff then Neals in San Mateo and Burlingame is a place to check out. read more

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Our new go-to breakfast place. Continues to bring the smiles. Love the staff, always so happy and attentive. Cozy natural light and lots of table options, outdoor included. Good variety on the menu. And highly recommend those black beans, so tasty, and you can order a side of them with any menu item. read more

Neal's Coffee Shop - 2 eggs over medium, hashbrowns and sausage links. Tasty goodness! - American Near Me - San Mateo, California

Greasy comfort food. Loud customers at nearby tables is quite common. Bad spot for mobile. A haven for retirees or those hoping to retire. read more

Neal's Coffee Shop - American Near Me - San Mateo, California

This the best classic all American diner that has endless options! Stopped in here after the farmers market, there was plenty of seating, the staff was warm and welcoming and kept our coffee cups full. The food was delicious and hit the spot. Not greasy, perfects sized portions and can we mention that you can get a Swedish pancake instead of toast or a regular pancake?!? That's a Saturday breakfast win in my book!!! We will be back again, plus I love this shopping center and have been to Neal's other location. Doesn't disappoint. We got to sit outside and it was refreshing. read more

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Classic diner feel. Took me back in time as a kid when my grandparents would take me to coffee shop diners, with older friendly staff and huge menus ranging from breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Service was quick and water was refilled throughout my meal. Pay up at front register. Left satisfied and will come again! Pollo Loco Omelette w/ Avocado - 5/5 - Standard omelette simply made by the book with fresh ingredients. Chicken pieces were thick and cheese was melted. I also really enjoyed their hashbrowns, having a nice light salted taste with crispy (but not burnt) exterior and the potato maintained shape and structure in the middle. Came with a side of carbs - bread, pancakes, English muffin, etc. An overall generous plate! read more

Big menu with lots of items to choose from. Classic breakfast diner staples. Hubs ordered the gyro w/ fries and I ordered the steak and eggs with hashbrowns and pancakes. Good sized portions and satisfying meal. The waitress was very friendly. read more

Neal's Coffee Shop - Beef Gyro Sand - American Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Located near Hillsborough in the Crystal Springs Village Shopping Center, this is the perennial diner. The ambiance inside looks for all the world like the result of combining a Hobee's, Zim's, and a 1990s Taco Bell. Unique, for sure! The menu is definitely the "something-for-everyone" kind. Because of this, I usually like to venture off in this menu as opposed to my usual practice of sticking with a particular favorite. As I usually like to get here when they first open, it takes a little while to get served. No worries, though. Once things get rolling, things move along fairly quickly. What's nice about this particular Neals is that it's in a shopping center with a massive Safeway supermarket that's also open early, so I can eat and shop (or vice versa). Now that I'm writing about this place, I'm gonna have to make another visit in the near future to try out more stuff! read more

I love this place. June may initially come across as a little abrupt, but you will eventually discover that she is a sweetheart. Isn't this exactly what you expect from an American diner? And the food is great, too! read more

i've gone a couple times for hot chocolate and chili. Basically I went there to catch up with a couple friends, one of them recommended the place. Service is amazing, it makes you feel like you've known the staff there forever. They are very warm I also like the old school setting of this place. read more

Either location, you can't go wrong. Family atmosphere, amazing food. Great portions. Wonderful prices.

Ordered via Doordash. The Chicken Parmesan is pictured with spaghetti, but does not come with it??? It only came with the sides chosen, but there is no pasta to select so I assumed it would come with spaghetti too since that is what was advertised. I ordered mashed potatoes and corn as my sides and the potatoes were covered in brown gravy, which I hate. There is no mention of gravy on the menu. The Swedish Crepes were missing the lingonberry butter. Instead we got plain, dry crepes. Nowhere does it mention that a pickle is included with the sandwiches, but there was a pickle leaking juice on the Monte Cristo, which was extremely saugy. The only thing that saves them is the portions were large and the chicken was tender. With such a large menu and variety of items I had hoped to be coming often, but after this I probably won't be back. read more

Neal's Coffee Shop - Swedish crepes missing lingonberry butter - American Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Let's start with the positives. Ample parking as it's located in a shopping center. You can order breakfast all day, any day. Wait staff are friendly. Better quality food than Denny's and IHOP but that doesn't say much. I ordered corn beef hash (which was from a can sadly) with eggs, country potatoes and pancakes. The pancakes were average and the potatoes were disappointing. The plate took twenty minutes despite the fact there were only two other tables being waited on whom had received their food before I even ordered. This was my first visit and I won't be back. I also wouldn't recommend to friends. read more

The food was really good and I was surprised for a coffee shop that the food was tasty and great portions. We were here visiting family in Belmont from SoCal. Aside from the food being good , our server, Sonya, provided stellar service. She was attentive, caring and just overall such a pleasant personality. You can't help but smile when she asking if you need anything. Servers like Sonya are what bring the customer to the establishment. I hope she's valued because she's truly a gem. On my next trip up this way from SoCal, I will for sure be back to this coffee shop. Thank you, Sonya for an amazing visit! read more

i've continued to endorse this friendly mom and pop cafe in san mateo, more recently b/c i started working in san mateo and this is super close to work! it's easy to come here and grab takeout (my norm these days since i don't have much time). my usual go-to item is the omelette, but today i decided to try their breakfast burrito. since i'm vegetarian, i requested the burrito without meat, and i also skipped the potatoes, since i'm not a fan of potatoes inside a burrito, and also requested egg whites only. so i have my own custom made burrito, with egg whites, onions, peppers, and swiss cheese. it might sound weird, but i think my favourite part was the flour tortilla! i think they grilled it or something, b/c it was warm and a little crispy and flaky, adding just the right texture to my already delicious blend of eggs, cheese and veggies. i tried to eat my burrito slowly, to savor every bite! for my side, i chose the black beans with onions, which is my favourite side option...most breakfast/diner joints don't offer black beans, so i really love that neal's offers this. as usual, tasty, filling, and was just the thing to fill me up today! read more

This little family-owned restaurant is a hidden gem. Locals and visitors alike enjoy the All American fare made to order and served with a smile. Prices are reasonable and the service is fantastic! Enjoy! read more

Our family has come to this spot for many years. Like others mentioned staff is nice and great to have convos and it's family friendly. Today we went after 2'years of not going and was disappointed we were automatically charged with a 20% gratuity based on grand total for 4 people. While we're typically generous with tipping this was a turn off. I questioned the charge as most places will do that for 6 people or more. They said the do it regardless of the party size. I said I'll keep that in mind and likely not come back. They reversed the charge and we tipped. Tipping culture is getting out of hand. This place is way too casual and not all that good to be charging tip as such and upfront. Unless it's a large party let people tip how the wish and most importantly can afford. We won't be going back. Not any time soon at least. Bummer Food was less than average. Overcooked. And they cut the strawberries with an onion knife and it tasted bad read more

Hadn't been here in years so stopped for lunch today. Food was "excellent diner" quality but the entire time I was there, one woman on the staff was loudly swearing and complaining about her spouse, her live life, the other employees etc. Maybe she intended it to funny but ????? Who needs that while trying to enjoy their lunch? No thanks! read more

Got some pretty comfy diner food today from this little cafe in the back of San Mateo. For a cold, rainy afternoon a little clam chowder and grilled sammie would do perfectly. I stumbled upon Neal's, placed an order via GrubHub and patiently waited. Everything arrived nicely packaged and as scheduled. I ordered the Shrimp Melt sammie with the side selection of Clam Chowder and a Meatloaf sammie with bacon on marbled rye with side selection of mashed potatoes for my friend. Everything was good, diner/coffee shop cuisine. I anticipated the shrimps to be regular sized on the Shrimp Melt but they loaded up the little bay shrimpies so that made up for the misrepresentation the grilled sammich was shown as on the menu. It was a good grilled sammie. The chowder is thick and creamy, pretty decent. My friend enjoyed the Meatloaf sammie. They have a huge menu ranging from breakfast entrees and morning favorites to lunch salads, sammiches and burgers, and on into the evening dinner entrees; it's extensive! Lots of side options to add-on or accompany your meal. They also accommodate low cal items and vegetarian/vegan entrees, too. Next time I would like to personally visit to get the full experience. Other Yelpers in the reviews like Neal's, too. I will definitely return, give this little coffee shop a try! read more

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Quick service and yummy food!!! The breakfast is really a plus with their crepe & special creme on the side‼

The San Mateo Neal's is great. Food is very good, service is great and it has a nice atmosphere. The Burlingame Neal's is good but at Lunchtime gets very crowded. Staff is friendly food is good. read more

One of the best brunch food spots out there. My go to if I feel like treating myself or friends/family. What's better than the food? The service. Amazing staff make you feel at home and like you were eating straight out of your dining room. Must try. read more

Great little place tucked away in the back of the shopping center. Good food, good service. If you're looking for an old fashioned coffee shop, this is it. read more

Good, solid food. Nothing bad. Nothing amazingly great. Just a good quick meal that will leave you satisfied. Good service and lots of parking. read more

Neal's Coffee Shop - Choc Pancakes - American Near Me - San Mateo, California

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I usually stay close to El Camino Real when I go out to breakfast, but today I returned to Neal's in San Mateo (closer to Hwy 92). I have not visited Neal's in a while, however, it's good to know they continue to serve consistently very good breakfast dishes. I ordinarily go straight to the omelet selections, however, an offering on Neal's specialty menu caught my eye... smoke salmon scrambled. I thought... why not? I'm glad I ordered this delectable egg specialty. The eggs were tender, and the flavorful salmon blended well with the cream cheese filling... the fresh chopped green onion added a little zing to the scramble. The country potatoes were a tad overcooked. I will try the hash browns next time. The wait staff was friendly and attentive. Neal's primary interior feature is its large open dining area. It's a calming place to get away from some very busy locals doing their daily shopping nearby. Neal's Coffee Shop is worth the trip; I will not wait too long before going back. read more

Neal's Coffee Shop - American Near Me - San Mateo, California

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If you're looking for a nice neighborhood 'coffee shop' to bring the family/friends for a classic eggs and pancake breakfast/brunch this is the place! The food is good, the atmosphere is casual and welcoming and in a nice mini shopping center location steps away from a Starbucks read more

Excellent food, good service, friendly environment. We loved the omelettes with the home fries and pancakes. We'll be back.

The food was really filling. Taste was alright, pretty general. Nothing stood out much but it wasn't bad. Pretty decent. Even with two people, we couldnt finish and had to get to go. The lady serving us was really nice and friendly. read more

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We ordered door dash from them. The croissant breakfast sandwich arrived hot and was delicious. I would order from them again! Nice and fresh. Big portion! read more

Cozy little diner that we actually were able to sit and enjoy a meal in and not just for take out. This new COVID has a ton of my favorite restos limited to take out only! No dining in! Yikes.. Super casual, mom and pop style diner. Turkey Burger with Potato salad - 4/5 Shrimp Fettuccine - 4/5 Clam Chowder - 4/5 Banana Nutella Crepe - 4/5 read more

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We recently found this cool restaurant. The service is great. Super friendly staff. They make you feel welcomed and at home. Food is great too. We enjoy coming here with the family. read more

Great place for some good home style eats and friendly service. Alex is so sweet and attentive she welcomes you with a big smile and her kindness is incredible. Really enjoy the nice service and quick bites. It's my go to for breakfast meets, a cup of soup, grilled cheese sandwiches, or their shrimp melt. read more

Neal's Coffee Shop - American Near Me - San Mateo, California

The food was delicious. Service was excellent. The server was very nice and pleasant. We went for dinner and I had a pastrami sandwich on rye with potatoe salad. Both were delicious. Nice little place to eat. Bathrooms and dining area very clean. We always see this place but our first time here. We would come back. read more

The "cream" that they serve on every single table is not actually cream or half and half, even though the waiter said it was! It's some sort of acme non-dairy powder that they mix with oil and water to create a "creamer". It's the kind of cutting corners that is really disappointing. My love ordered chicken and waffles and both items were hard and burnt to a crisp even though it was their specialty. I don't see how this place will last, except for large portions and reasonable prices. But the quality of the food is average at best and dried out/inedible at worst. .So many great breakfast places like Alana's in Burlingame to go to. I wouldn't waste my time here. Clearly I'm still mad about them lying about the "creamer". read more