Ugh, Rockridge... you ruined my Sunday hangover brunch, which honestly takes work considering I would have eaten almost anything and been happy. THE WAIT: We got there at 11:30am and stuck our 3-top on the waiting list. Though we were next in line, we watched four groups get seated ahead of us. When I asked the manager what the deal was, he said, "Oh yeah, see we seated a six, a two, and a four. There hasn't been an opening for three." "Unless you have triangular tables," I replied, "I'm pretty sure we would have fit at any of those tables." After 35 minutes we were seated. We ordered two appetizers (some cheesy home fries deal and wild blueberry coffee cake), and asked that they come out first. We then ordered migas, eggs benedict, and challah french toast. THE MEAL: After another half-hour, everything came out simultaneously (this is about 70 minutes after we arrived). The cheesy home fries were AWFUL, essentially a side of cold potatoes and cheese for $6. Sara's "migas" were a mess of dry scrambled eggs over Santitas corn chips (on TOP of them, like nachos). My eggs benedict was equally awful, as the english muffin was soaking wet with the runoff of their "salsa," which was actually about half a pound of pico de gallo. Chefs of Oakland, take note: PICO AND SALSA ARE NOT INTERCHANGEABLE. On the positive, the blueberry coffee cake was good, as was Kate's challah french toast. In the end, though, we spent $60 bucks on a shitty breakfast, a least half of which went home in boxes for a roommate of less discerning taste. Oh, and the service sucked, if that's not bad enough. read more

What am I doing on a Sunday morning at 11:35am? Why am I writing a Yelp review at this time and not out? Because my cousin is upstairs sleeping in my loft. We had a looooooooong night and someone is still recovering. Not me. I'm antsy. Ready to get out of my house and eat something, like the challah french toast at Rockridge Cafe. Came here the other day with friends after our venture to the Thai Temple ended with a locked gate and an empty temple. Where were the monks? We were hungry. We brainstormed good brunch spots in the East Bay and decided, "We need to try something new." So we drove to Rockridge, parked the car, and looked for a huddle of people outside any food joint. And there was Rockridge Cafe. The line moves quick and you're seated relatively promptly after scribbling your name on the list. The lone, non-Asian friend (who likes to make the racial distinction...not me, I'm color-blind) got the hamburger with cheddar and mushrooms. Good burger and curly fries. The rest of us got breakfast food. Corned beef hash is homemade and ono. The pumpkin waffles on cinnamon was fair. My challa french toast with one egg over medium with two strips of crispy (but not too crispy) bacon was exceptional. My stomach is rumbling as I write this review. I'm eating about 3 pounds of cherries right now and that ain't doing the trick. Plus, after too many cherries, your mouth tastes bitter. I need to make some more noise and wake my damn cousin up. I'm freakin' hungry! read more

Pumpkin Waffle with cinnamon butter--my new favorite waffle--EVAR! I'm going to have to return for their notorious corned beef hash. I tried to order it today, but it turns out they only serve it on weekends. This was my second attempt, and I learned that if you come later than 10-11am, you probably will not get a lick of it. It must be that good... Summary: -Corned beef hash served only on weekends -Corned beef hash sold out before noon -Corned beef hash, that good! -No take out orders on weekends Update to come after the corned beef hash experience at Rockridge Cafe. read more

Rockridge Cafe has always been the go-to spot for old fashioned breakfast food. Here are some of my favorites: 1. Ricotta Pancakes. I don't know how they make, but last time I checked Ricotta was a cheese...and yes, it's heavenly! 2. Their variations of eggs benedicts are pretty well done, and superb hollandaise. 3. Greek Omelette. Yumz. 4. Coffee. Many breakfast places screw this up and serve you rebrewed coffee that looks like black tea. Rockridge Cafe brews it fresh and dark. read more

I guess the reason it took so long to get our food is they were busy hard boiling the eggs on our Benedict? BOOOOO. (To clarify, the yolk in an Eggs Benedict should be runny. We did not ask for our yolk to be hard boiled. Thank You. ) read more

We were a party of 7 and they quickly made room on a busy Saturday morning for brunch. The food was amazing and the quality was far above your typical "cafe". We ordered: 1. the ricotta pancakes with warm citrus sauce. The bacon was PERFECTLY COOKED crispy and my egg was perfectly poached. Is it just me or does that never happen? 2.Brussel sprout and bacon hash. PHENOM and it came with a hefty amount of perfectly ripe avocado 3. Carnitas tacos. They were authentic and came with a spicy red salsa on the side that I wish I took home. The flavor of the tacos was awesome. The coffee was also good and strong!! We will be coming back! read more

LOVE Rockridge!! My usual favorite is the Ricotta Pancakes with the citrus zest. My new favorite is the Rockridge Breakfast - eggs scrambled with home fries, cheese, and peppers. The coffee is great diner coffee and the service is friendly, casual and personal. read more

Ha psych! But really, I have a complaint, and would like to inform the manager or owner in charge. Old school, so if this is even on your radar, get ahold of me at 4155713711. If that happens, I will re-review and keep the rating. Thanks A concerned cook read more

as soon as you walk in, you'll see a sign to your left stating that there will be no to-go orders on the weekends. i've never been here on the weekend but i can only imagine how insanely crazy busy this place gets. the ricotta pancakes are wonderful...yes, you heard me, WONDERFUL!!! stick to the breakfast here...the lunch isn't that great. the service is...interesting...but my coffee mug was never left empty so a big plus for that. i'm going to keep coming back until i finish every item on the left side of the breakfast menu...with a 1/2 stack of ricotta pancakes of course. YUM!!! read more

First time having breakfast here. Service was great~!! I had an omelette with home fries and portion size was A LOT - enough to share with two. Very tasty. My partner had the pumpkin waffle...i love the spices BUT for some reason, it was soggy? and wasn't crispy like how i had hoped it would be... Pricing was fair...for two including tips, we ended at $30. Oh...must try the coffee cake when its fresh off the oven...it's realllly goOooOod! read more

Not a bad wait for a Saturday morning. Above average coffee for a diner. The corned beef hash was pretty good, but the California omelet was watery and flavorless. Given the choice I would go to La Note or Chester's Bayview but those are on other sides of town. If I did return, I would stick with more simply executed basics such as eggs, toast, and hash browns. read more

After dropping my car at Stauder Automotive, I stopped by the Rickridge Cafe, suggested by Jim Stauder, and had a stout breakfast which was a California Omelet with green onions, mushrooms, tomatoes, avocado & jack cheese and sourdough toast washed down with a nice glass of freshly squeezed orange juice since they did not have my favorite type of 'refreshment' stand with something with a bit more of authority read more

I rolled in 15 mins before closing and the staff was still friendly. The ricotta pancakes are the lightest I've ever had! The short stack was too short! Eggs benedict my go-to breakfast meal was average. Eggs under poached; hollandaise from a mix or can. Thank g-d the pancakes make up for it. read more

Came here for brunch during the weekend, short wait (for 2). I ordered the (vegan) tofu scramble deal, good size portion, it was not bad...and not good. read more

The wait for Sunday brunch was not too long- maybe 5 minutes when we got there at around 11:30. The mocha I got was amazing! For $4ish, I got a tall glass of mocha. I got the Benedict with Prosciutto, which was a bit salty for my taste. The bf got a western scramble, which he said was also a little bit salty but it had a lot of stuff in it. Neither came with any sides, a huge bummer. The pricing is reasonable though and we walked out happy. read more

I've been a patron of the Rockridge Cafe for quite some time; and was introduced to it when we lived in Oakland for a year...and always come for breakfast when we are back to visit. I love the Chilaquiles - its huge but so good!! The lattes are also delicious and big - so prepare to be in a food coma when you walk out! Priced well for brunch as well and sometimes the wait can be long but will go relatively quickly. read more

I love this place. I came here with my dad one morning and sat at the counter. I ordered the ricotta pancakes (really good but not quite as fluffy as I'd imagine them to be...) and it was great. Hit the spot. read more

This place is old style coffee shop but one coffee charge $3.35 so expansive coffee taste terrible read more

All sugared up after a recent East-Bay Cupcake crawl/quest, we decided to give the Rockridge Cafe a try for lunch/protein before heading home. We did not choose poorly. I had the special ciabatta provolone & bacon cheeseburger. It was amazing! It was flavourful, the provolone was on the good side of generously gooey, and the ciabatta, lightly toasted. I was shocked, this was a 5 star burger folks!! Mademoiselle had a very yummy chili (I tasted it!) and a good looking club sammich .. So I'm not sure about all these swooping statement from grumpy folks about "diner beyond its prime", but I was very happy here and sure as hell will be back! Go Rockridge! 4 Stars! read more

Please note that this review is for Lunch Only...I've no idea about their breakfasts. My BLT was completely average...in fact, I could've made a better one at home. Mario's burger...also average. That knocks us down to 3 stars. Minus another star for all the kids running around. Me no likey that ruckus. read more

It's ok. There aren't a lot of breakfast places on this side of college Ave that serve hot food like eggs and sausage. We found this place to be overpriced for what you get. $10 omelet does not come with home fries, which you can get for 2 bucks. My husband got scrambled eggs and chicken sausage, which did come with home fries. The home fries were bland and undercooked. I hate crunchy potatoes! There was already a slight wait at 9:30 am on Sunday. The coffee cake and ricotta hotcakes looked very good, but my husband is on low carb diet, so . . . The restaurant has a nice, friendly vibe. Service was good. This place is nothing special. I am willing to give it another try, but I'm not sure when it will be. Piedmont Cafe in our neighborhood is much closer, cheaper, more value for the money (home fries included or get it swapped for fruits). Warning for those wanting take-outs: I saw a sign that says "No Take-Out on Weekends". ?!? read more

My sugar mamma (yes, you read that right) brought me here for breakfast cause we were hungry and needed sustenance to help her move a bunch of furniture. Actually, I arrived late and their packing was done so all I did was mention I was hungry. We came here and she had their avocado quesadilla, which despite the little pepper icon on the menu was not spicy at all - and quite cheesy with a mound of salsa on top. At my recommendation she ordered the sauteed spinach, and that was downright yummy. I had the corned beef hash with two poached eggs and it came with a blueberry muffin. In retrospect I should have exercised some caution at such a meal but I was tired, and the coffee hadn't fully set in by the time my meal came. The muffin was a tad dry in the bottom, but the dome (the top) was tasty and sweet. The hash was lighter and less crispy than I am used to, but it went well with the eggs. I can't remember the last time I had poached eggs (maybe never?) but they were a pleasant change from the standard scrambled variety. Service was quick if not too friendly and all the waitresses are all of the cute, slightly punk rocker girl subset. And you can have plenty of people watching in this fun Rockridge neighborhood. read more

I really want to like Rockridge cafe, I really do. The kids artwork framed in the front is so cute, the staff are super nice and attentive. The menu is unique, I mean how many places can say they serve challa french toast? But, I can't help but feel like the two times I've been here, my meal has been, well, a little bland for my tastes. If your tastes are more on the classic, milder side, I feel you will definitely find a home at Rockridge Cafe, it's just not my cup o' tea. read more

The coffee is good, orange juice is fresh and not one thing I have eaten here has failed to deliver. While almost everything is good, I would especially recommend the Italian sausage scramble. It's a little bit pricey, but with the quality and portions, it is worth the money you will spend. The only reason why I am not fatter is probably because this place opens too late for me to eat breakfast here regularly and that's probably the only reason why this place doesn't five stars. read more

In search of a late breakfast spot on College we happened to discover Rockridge Cafe. The place was pretty busy for a Thursday morning. We were greeted upon walking in the door and without any wait we were shown to our table. I was feeling like a hot cocoa and what a treat, it came in a pint glass. Not one a mug that was half full of whipped cream and no cocoa. The menu is simple and offers a lot of great choices. But this morning I went with the poached eggs and corned beef hash. Mind you this was no ordinary canned off the shelf hash. This was an in-house homemade version filled with chunks of love. I'd like to come back to explore the menu a little more read more

Rockridge Cafe - eggs, bacon, sausage, home fries & an english muffin - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Oakland, California

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My review might fly in the face of most of these other reviews but I've been coming to this place with my mom for 7 years for Sunday brunch. There was definitely a steady consistency in both service and dish execution that made coming here an easy decision. But this consistency has stopped (rather abruptly). Our last meal just sucked. Over cooked food and just straight up unpleasantness from the hostess. This place just needs to eat a fat slice of humble pie. The food here sucks ass! From now on, I'm going to the perfect trifecta of choices: Rick & Ann's, Aunt Mary's Café or Doyle Street Cafe. Check mate bitches. Kiss this 25% tipper good bye. Good luck with life. read more

I've dined here a few occasions now for an impromptu breakfast and both instances have been solid dining experiences. Portions are huge. I ordered the Rockridge Scramble this morning and despite being very hungry after a yoga class my fork never touched the surface of the plate. Veggies were cooked perfectly, but their egg dishes could benefit from a bit of seasoning. Helpful hint, they offer scones in addition to the standard toast. And the freshly made from scratch apricot is off the charts. Lots of bits of apricot. Service is also really friendly! read more

Let me start by saying that our waitress seemed a bit overwhelmed, forget a few things a few times but in the end she was very accommodating...hence, the 5 stars. My first time here and everything on the menu looked really good. I opted for a side of corned beef hash with 1 poached egg and a single ricotta pancake. Oh and s side of hollandaise! Hash was good but a little too spicy for me, hollandaise was perfect. We were seated immediately and in a corner by the window... Also perfect. Definitely hope to get back here. And you should, too! read more

Yep, good food and an ok price to match. My b/f and I rocked up, hung over and desperately in need of a cure. Had to wait maybe 5 mins for a table. I had the pancakes and ordered strawberries as an addition. Boytoy had a BBQ chicken sandwich with fries. Both were really tasty and well sized. Its simple food but good. Had a chocolate milkshake each- most expensive item we had at $5 each but worth it. It was a meal in itself. All up with tip I think it was $30. We'll be going back there. read more

MMM mmm goood!! The ricotta pancakes has got me hooked! The ricotta gives it a very different but GOOD taste to these little clouds.. MM... i want them now... fresh orange juice, you can't go wrong with that.. the ham and cheese croissant sandwich and the eggs benedict were good, but they won't be the thing that'll bring me back.. it's all about the ricotta pancakes... =) mmm..... read more

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Our order consisted of: 1. Build my own egg white omelet with avocado, green onions, spinach, and basil- side of wheat toast. 2. Side of Cottage cheese with cantaloupe. The omelet wasn't anything extraordinary, but it was pretty good for takeout breakfast. The cantaloupe was very fresh and ripe so that was definitely major points because I wasn't so sure about that. I would go back, but I would probably order the pancakes or french toast dishes instead of the egg dishes. I have been there before and had ordered a salmon dish and had the same issue. However, I may just be an egg snob and I feel like I could just make it better at home. read more

Given the mass of hungry people that come here every lunch hour, you'd think this place must be a solid 5 stars, heaven on earth, "omg best pancakes" ever. That's not the impression I walked away with, on both times I've been here, but I haven't tried everything here - not that I can, given my reduced-meat diet. First off, the prices here are a bit criminal. A simple glass of OJ is $3.75, pre-tip. "Oh it must be a big glass", I thought. Nope, just a 12-oz glass of pulpless OJ, supposedly fresh-squeezed. My first trip involved some salmon salad whose name I forget, which was okay... but the salmon was quite salty. Today, I had the Ric Special - two ricotta pancakes, bacon, and an egg (hey, I said "reduced" meat diet, not "meatless"). The idea of making pancakes out of a whey cheese sounds novel and worth trying, and I do recommend trying it, only because others might appreciate ricotta more than I could. I found the pancakes flat, mushy, and tasteless; the only taste I picked up was from the slightly burn exteriors. Bacon and egg were decent (I swear, if a diner messes up eggs, that's a sure sign of trouble *coughMel'scough*). Nice interior, can get noisy and crowded. Service was nothing to rave or rant about. The prices make me hesitate to visit again, but I might some day when I feel like chowing down some french toast, which I heard are very good. read more

Came here for brunch with my hungry boyfriend. We were immediately sat at the counter. I enjoyed watching the kitchen; seemed like they have a good flow. I had the cornedbeefhash while the mister had the fennel pancakes and a side of bacon. We washed everything down with grapefruit mimosas and coffee. Yummy! Very satisfying grubs. Fast and friendly service. Thank you read more

This place is horrible, we waited 15 mins to be seated and there were seats available. We finally got seated and we waited another 15 mins for someone to get our drink order while the two tables next to us got their drinks right away. We looked at the menu and our waiter never came to see if we were done. Later he looked at me and gave me a look like "oh I forgot you were here" and he took our order with a nasty attitude. Then we waited and waited and waited and the people at the two tables next to us got their food before us when we got there first. We ordered the same thing. I don't want to say it was based on racism but it was based on racism. I guess we should've not talked in Spanish when we were there. We got up and walked out. And we let them know they had bad service. So if your Hispanic and you want to go eat there good luck!! read more

I visited Rockridge Cafe for my very first time this past weekend and I'll definitely be back. It was a nice change from the ususal place we go to -- Rolling Dunes in Oakland. My BF and I were worried to be waiting in line for a long time because of Father's Day, however, we were easily seated at the counter which we didn't mind. I had the Citrus Ricotta Pancakes w/ egg and bacon strips. I absolutely melted once those pancakes touched my lips. They remineded me of swedish pancakes with the citrus syrup. I was absolutely happy with my selection. My boyfriend had their Proscuitto Eggs Benedict. He's always on the search for the best benedict, unfortunately they didn't live up to his expectations. He thought they tasted too much like tabasco. I had a bite, and agree it was a tad vinegary...possibly from the poached egg? I can't wait to try the other breakfast combos! read more

Mmmmm good! This place is tasty! Two of us went, we shared an open omelette. I think it was called the Peasant's Omelette; it was the best omelette I have ever eaten, ever! We also had the Ricotta Pancakes, I am not a huge pancake fan but I will order these again. The only complaint I have is that it's busy, but you have to expect that when you like a place that serves such good food. The service was good, the staff was friendly, the cost reasonable and now I want some pancakes! read more

A solid breakfast choice. The service was attentive, the food was pretty good and there was no wait. In their defense, we had breakfast food, so it's not really easy to knock it out of the park with bacon and eggs. But a solid performance with nothing overcooked or undercooked, so that's about all you can ask. I'd go back if I happened to be in the area, but I wouldn't make a special trip. read more

This has become one of my favorite places to eat breakfast in the Berkeley area (besides Rick + Ann's). It's a cute little place on College, close enough to campus to take the bus, yet far enough from campus to be in a more familial setting. Although everyone's been raving about the Ricotta pancakes, I personally wasn't that impressed... but! That doesn't mean that the other Rockridge Cafe specialties aren't good! My favorites would have to be: 3. The waffles with rhubarb compote are good - the waffle was normal, but the compote IS fresh and delicious. 2. The banana filled challah french toast is.. OH MY GOD. GOOD. 1. Omelet with (goat?) cheese + basil.. was a perfect balance of creamyness and herbs, it was soo good. This is probably one of the things that's stopping me from being vegan! ahah~ read more

I am a fan of Rockridge Cafe. Over the two years that I lived in the Rockridge area, I went to Rockridge Cafe for breakfast countless times. I also love Rick and Ann's, but the wait there is often ridiculous, so if I wasn't in the mood to wait, we'd often go to Rockridge Cafe instead, since the wait is much more manageable. Reasonable prices and generous portions, yessirree. I particularly like the ricotta pancakes. read more

Cute place, but i wasn't impressed. eggs benedict.... I think it was 9.50.... that's what I got... and all that I got... oh sorry... and a single wedge of orange as well. but it wasn't that good.... very citrusy or lemony hollandaise...which also leads into something else... I get a flimsy fork and a butter knife on a small plate(again.. only big enough for 2 halves of an english muffin and a orange wedge...... The problem is that cutting an english muffin with a butter knife is no easy task... which means I press harder on the fork to hold the muffin AND plate in place, which results in the fork bending.. annoying Not a great experience.... not somewhere that I think i'll go back to... sure... the pancakes weren't bad. read more