Loved the food and great service, what's more to ask for!! It's a old diner kind of a place, but was clean and the outside has some colorful tables. The staff was friendly as we walked the hostess checked out vaccination cards and suggested we pick a table. As we sat down, water was served with the menus. The waitress came to get the food order and was served in a decent time. We ordered the College avenue and avocado tacos everything was super yummy!! As we finished up, one of the waiters - an older man was walking by and just cleaned up the plates did not care that it wasn't his table and got us the check right away. read more

I've been coming here with my family for over 35 years. My go to is the Ric special - ricotta pancakes with an egg and meat on the side. It's so satisfying! Many of the wait staff have been there for over 20 years and are friendly and efficient. Highly recommend it as a casual spot for breakfast or lunch. read more

Good food, decent service. I think prices are okay for this area. They charged $1.40 to add jalepenos to my omelette yet I got no toast. I felt more like it was a trade but that's my only complaint. $35 for breakfast. Service was a little slow for a Monday morning in my opinion. I had to flag down my waiter for a second cappuccino and he never once checked on my food quality. Still, good food and decent service. And it's on college Ave, which is a fun, walkable area. I'll be back! PS. They make an amazing spinach, goat chz, bacon omelette And the cappuccino was one of the best I've had at local diners in my travels! read more

Rockridge Cafe - Breakfast omelette, side of bacon, add fruit and cappuccino. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Oakland, California

Memorable corned beef hash is an art...really it is. And it ain't my mama's that I have a hankering for, it's my other Oedipal love, Mary Kitchen. As far as I'm concerned, Mary Kitchen Corned Beef Hash is the gold standard by which all other corned beef hash must be compared. It's an irrefutable fact like the Ten Commandments or the Bill of Rights or Victoria Principal's Principal Secret. It's that red tin can of congealed salted meat and potato bits that my mom used to squeeze out and slice. She must have liked the uniformity of the look because she did the same thing at Thanksgiving with a can of Ocean Spray Cranberry Sauce. Alas, when I got older, I just scooped it out into a frying pan full of Wesson Oil and guarded myself with a splatter screen that I ordered off a Ronco commercial. Hey, you plop a sunny-side up egg on top, and mmmm...that's home cookin' to me. I had been coming to the Rockridge for years, though not so much lately since I live in SF now. But I had some time before my haircut, so I thought I'd saddle up to a little table for two and have me their $8.75 Corned Beef Hash, Rockridge Style! With the specter of Mary Kitchen in my deep memory bank, I tasted it. Pretty good but not the standard bearer. I guess what makes it "Rockridge Style!" are the bits of onion and jalapeno pepper mixed with the corned beef and potatoes. I expected more like the shreds of real corned beef that places like the Stanford Court put in their hash. They simply pulverized the corned beef to something close to a hearty mash. It came with two poached eggs and a huge blueberry muffin. Service was friendly, but I have to say, rather infrequent. I'm not sure why since it was not terribly crowded on Saturday morning. Regardless, I'll come back. It's clean, and the portions are good-sized. The coffee is piping hot when you can get someone's attention to get a refill. But since I have to cross a bridge to get there, I may have to stock up on the Mary Kitchen and hope my arteries don't clog too much before my next visit. FOOD - 4 stars...good, not great corned beef hash...but the rest of the fixins are truly appetizing, too AMBIANCE - 4 stars...clean and enough space to read a Sunday paper comfortably SERVICE - 3 stars...bit too leisurely for me...was thinking of sending up a flare to get the check TOTAL - 4 stars...for now...and I do their other dishes are worthwhile ...I'll be back..been coming for 20 years read more

How have I lived in Oakland all this time and never been here 'til now...? Rockridge Cafe is not your average diner. It's got a classic, old school vibe - booths with comfy seats, and a countertop with bar stools - you know the kind, the red ones that swivel so you can twirl around. The art on the walls is made by locals, and it adds to the restaurant's homey feel. More importantly - MOST importantly - the food is delicious. Our group brunch included a California omelette with avocado, green onions, mushrooms, tomatoes & jack cheese; fresh fruit (melon, strawberries, blueberries, pineapple); bottomless coffee; an Alaskan Scramble with smoked salmon, tomatoes & green onions; and a Rockridge breakfast for $9.75 - two eggs with cheese, green pepper, onions, toast, and home fries (crunchy, but not too crunchy - my favorite potatoes perfectly done). The service was excellent from start to finish, and we luxuriated in our post-brunch coma, sipping coffee and talking, for a good long while after we finished eating. We all left feeling fat and happy - which is EXACTLY what a good brunch should be. My only sadness: why must they close at 3pm? I'm desperate to have their pancakes for dinner!! read more

Can't get enough, can't get enough. can't get enough of their pancake stuff! Specifically the ricotta pancakes - oh my! With real maple syrup - oh my! Apologies to George T., but seriously, they are to Oh My for! Rich, super moist, decadently tasty, go ahead and smear some butter on them as well - I mean, you just threw your delicate carb balance out for at least two weeks, so top them off with a little bit of the yellow gold. I like them with a side of their thick cut bacon. Oh lord it's a downward spiral, but worth every single craven calorie. The other items on the menu are PDG as well, I especially like the house made corn beef hash, and the breakfast carnitas thingy can't remember what it's called but it's killer. You'll recognize it on their specials menu. But those pancakes, whoa whoa whoa hey hey hey.... read more

Sad to say, I cannot recommend this place. We were actually told an untruth to our faces ( 2 of us in our party of 3 have lovely guys who squeeze fresh OJ for our pleasure); our server told us the orange juice is fresh-squeezed. !!! Oh Pinnochio.. The trouble really started there. With barely a handful of customers the other morning, befuddled why our carb-laden order of croissant French toast, ricotta pancakes, and cornmeal waffle took so long. Semifreddis croissant was bastardized. A no-go....not appetizing or appealing. My stack was alright tasting, but no distinct ricotta flavor. Of the 3 dishes, mine looked the most appealing. And that sad, pathetic cornmeal waffle. No lift to it, no crunch with delicate play of light air beneath. No nothing. People, think polar opposite to chef Tanya's delectable cornmeal waffle of Brown Sugar Kitchen. I am sorry to report that I will not be returning. At $15 a pop for each person, including tip, who pays that kind of coin for sub-par easy fare? So looking forward to trying a new breakfast joint too---gotta stick with my staples. read more

Delicious ricotta pancakes! As described: it's like biting into a cloud. I liked the sidewalk seating and the service was great. The avocado BLT is double layered and exactly what I was craving. read more

Rockridge Cafe is a lovely neighborhood cafe. We came here for a late lunch. He had the "Wich of the week"-- a chicken breast panini with bell peppers and mozzarella. He also ordered fries and ice tea. All of which looked good. I had their egg breakfast (two poached eggs, an apricot scone, and house fries). I was surprised at the presentation. The house fries were not oily but perfectly crispy and not too salty. There were slices of oranges everywhere and that made the plate quite pretty. I normally buy my scones from Cheeseboard whose scones are the best that I've ever had but surprisingly, the Rockridge scone was lighter and fruitier. With tip, I spent about 23 dollars on our lunch. The music was too loud but on a sunny Sunday-- it was a memorable and tasty lunch. All because we got lost going to Piedmont and stumbled into Rockridge Cafe. A truly serendipitous encounter. read more

So I really hoped that Rockridge Cafe would step up and make their food better, but it's still so meh. The place has been here forever and I used to go often. Service is great as usual. The place is comfy, but the food is just meh. Plus it's pretty pricey for what you get. I really think they need help with the presentation. Just placing the item by itself on a plate just doesn't cut it, especially if the food isn't extraordinary. Come on Rockridge, you can do better. read more

Rockridge Cafe - Smoked salmon - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Oakland, California

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Great ricotta pancakes, and friendly service, plus they're really nice to kids. The kiddie challah french toast is a big hit with my 2-year-old. I would have given them 4 stars but for the fact that they charge $2.25 for a cup of coffee. ?!?! read more

This place was bustling on a Saturday afternoon. We sat at the bar and was able to watch them cook, which was nice. We spotted our french toast sitting out for a while, just waiting for its partner the corned beef hash which was getting pounded out by the chef. Challah French Toast: I wanted to get the Croissant French Toast which I heard good things about, but they were out of croissants. Maybe next time! The Challah French Toast had a lot of custard that was clearly visible and consists of 6 generous slices. It is a little bland with just butter; maple syrup is a must. Corned Beef Hash: You know how they joke about poached eggs turning into hard boiled eggs? Both of the yolks were hard-boiled essentially while being a little gooey in the center, but definitely not enough to ooze out when you cut into them. The hash was fairly light with thinly diced potatoes. It came with your choice of side: Scone, Toast, or Muffin. I opted for Coffee Cake for an additional $1.25 because it was enticing me from the pan that was placed strategically in front of me. It was alright, but the scone looked pretty good. It took us forever to flag down the waitress to get our orders and to get our food, but I really loved the ambience of the place. It was like an old-school cafe that you would find in a small town with a bit of a diner vibe. With decent prices, too. read more

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Was wandering around the Rockridge neighborhood and decided to stop here for brunch. So glad we did. I got a tofu scramble and my friend got a sort of egg nacho type dish. Portions were large and tasty. Server was polite and friendly. Would definitely come back. read more

Well I'll never eat here again. I ordered half a breakfast because all were large fancy meals, just eggs, bacon and avocado with coffee for me. The waiter asked if I wanted the rest of the breakfast items, I said no thanks, he said easy enough. I was then given a very small portion of eggs, just 3 pieces of burnt, dry, bacon and half an avacado. It was barely acceptable untill I was given the bill. Big fancy breakfasts were $17, for my measly plate they charged me $27. I said something is wrong, he said he had to charge me all separate side orders and became hostle and rude claiming he had no choice. He could have told me my breakfast cost would nearly double and provide an option, but no. Not telling is same as lying. So gotta say what kills a good business is cheap shots like this. Service great, food poor, and cost outrageous and dishonest. Just keep on walking and pass this place up. Next! read more

One one thing to look out here for is the price and the portion sizes of your meals. The pictures other people post of their meals are pretty deceiving and I came here really anticipating more but ended up leaving disappointed. Omelettes only come with toast, no hash browns or home fries. For a bacon, avocado, cheese omelette with toast ended up costing $13.80. Waffles come only by themselves and are super thin and cost $8.50. My poor hubby left still feeling hungry, as well as me. The entire total for two people + coffee = $35.86. With 15% tax that's a whopping $42.00. I'm sorry but this is waaaaaaay to expensive for a two person breakfast for medium quality food. Again, as I always say, Homemade Cafe will forever be my breakfast joint. They do it right in every way. read more

Rockridge Cafe - $13.80 for a cheese, avocado, and bacon omelette that is only served with toast - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Oakland, California

Let's just say having brunch there this past Saturday was not how what we wanted to start our weekend. Had we been there before, we would have definitely walked swiftly past. After a long drive from Campbell to check out the neighbourhood and walking past a few restaurants there were still close at 11:30am, we were glad to come upon the cafe packed with patrons. I ordered an egg blackstone and my partner ordered a California omelette. Mine was OK and decent. However, when the omelette came, it was the most anemic looking omelette we had ever seen. It looked like it just came out of the microwave. It was not hot and there was no sign of any grease or cooked on a stove top. Once we stabbed into the omelette, the dish was drenched in liquid from the vegetable. We are glad that we skipped the home fries. We saw them on the way out. They look just as anemic as our omelette. read more

I have never in my life had such a flavorless meal, including hospital food. Unseasoned eggs in the breakfast burrito. Unseasoned potatoes. Even the ranchero sauce, my one hope for flavor, just tasted like the sad memory of a canned tomato. $18! read more

solid brunch place in the neighborhood. good service, 5-6 different tables outside available for dine in or take out is available. the breakfast burrito and challah french toast were our favorite - will be back again! read more

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We've been coming here for maybe a decade. The coffee used to be the worst part of coming here (it was "meh" at best) but recently the coffee has gotten a lot better! Pros: * Service is always friendly & quick. * They have awesome rotating artwork up from local artists. * Food is delicious & fresh (my personal favorite is chorizo migas ) * Wait time is almost always quick * outdoor seating on the sidewalk (when it's nice out) * cute dogs seem to go by on the sidewalk constantly! Cons: * they don't offer biscuits & gravy read more

Ordered the eggs Benedict and was disappointed. The hollandaise sauce was very watery which made my muffin soggy. House potatoes were very oily and not well seasoned. Overall the food was unappetizing. Customer service was great and friendly. Want to love this place because the ambience is lovely. Fine place for a coffee but that's it. read more

I so want to adore Rockridge Cafe. I ordered delivery, so I'm sure I would have had a better experience in person, but the issues I came across were on the restaurant side of the equation. I ordered three things: a hot chocolate, a side 9f home fries, and their ricotta pancakes. All three had potential, but a common thread was that things just weren't given enough time before heading out the door. Parts of everything were tossed in the compost. The hot chocolate was fine - cold, even when the travel time was taken into account, but the bigger issue was that it seemed like it hadn't been stirred together. A lot of powdery liquid at the bottom and not much chocolate flavor at the top. The size was generous, however, and it scratched the hot chocolate itch despite its flaws. The home fries were tasty - they have a bit of flavor from their seasonings but wouldn't overpower or clash with a main entree. Unfortunately, they were barely cooked. Smaller bits were as expected, but there was a fair bit of crunch from the larger, very pale pieces. Ricotta cakes were also tasty, but also undercooked. There was a significant color difference between sides of each cake, so it seems like they were either flipped too soon or rushed after flipping. Either way, the middles were still raw. All in all, there is potential. This is a chaotic time and they were tried in a less forgiving format. I will definitely try them again, but will avoid delivery and likely avoid busier times (like Saturday mornings) in hopes that the issues with cooking times were due to the kitchen rushing to meet demand and are not a trend. read more

Definitely one of the more affordable dining options in Rockridge. We came during for a Saturday lunch. No wait, but the restaurant was pretty busy. I really liked that they showcased local art on the walls on the cafe. Menu items consisted of your average brunch/lunch diner food. Breakfast, sandwiches, salads, soups and burgers. I shared the rhubarb waffle and a salmon omelette with my friend. Rhubarb corn meal waffle was ok. It was my first time having rhubarb and I found it very sweet with the sauce. The sauce also made the waffle really soggy when it was served so it wasn't that good. The parts of the waffle that were good was untouched by the rhubarb sauce. I really liked the cornmeal waffle though. Lots of texture. Should have asked for the rhubarb on the side. Salmon omelette was on the bland side. Good portion of salmon though, but it needed ketchup to kick it up a notch. Kind of disappointing. Although, it did come with a apricot scone on the side, which was quite delicious! Lots of apricot and the scone was served warm so it was nice and soft. The service was decent, but the lady that took our drinks at first was a little rude when asking if we wanted any drinks. Kind of snippy. Ok food at a decent price. read more

Rockridge Cafe - Rhubarb waffle - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Oakland, California

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This place was aiite. It's just a diner, and nothing special really. I came here with a friend for brunch on a Saturday before labor day, and there was a really short wait. If I had to wait a long time, I don't think it would have been worth it. I ordered some of the ricotta cakes - pancakes made with ricotta cheese. It was a nice change from normal pancakes, but I don't think I would have noticed if they didnt say anything on the menu. Food is okay, but nothing to really write home about. It's diner/breakfast food. What else do you want? read more

YUM! Thats what I thought when I saw the menu and my plate of food or should I say plates of food?? I ordered the french toast kids portion which was so generous in size. I ordered the 2 eggs with home fries and chicken sausage and it came with a huge piece of coffee cake! OMG! I was in heaven! Everything was so good. The eggs were so generously sized that I couldn't even finish my plate. The only reason this place doesn't get five stars is because the home fries weren't all that great but come on, this is near a perfect place! The wait on an early Sunday afternoon was minimal and the wait staff was great. Parking is hard though, so carpool if you can! I will definitely return! read more

Cool brunch place in the Rockridge area. If you like ricotta pancakes definitely check it out. The Sunday brunch wait was super long though and the service was even slower than that. But, it's Sunday. Everything should be slower on a Sunday. You're relaxing, so are the people who are working on that day. read more

This place has yet to fail me. It's a lot of food for a decent price. It's relatively nice inside, and has a good feeling to it. I like coming here with out of towners or just to have a brunch date. Who knew potatoes mixed INTO your eggs could be so damn good-even better if you get it with salsa. Sometimes there's a wait, as with most of the breakfast places (doesn't take too long in my experience though). Also, there's free street parking which is always exciting. My only complaint is one time we were there around closing time and as we were eating (along with another table or two in there) they started cleaning and putting chairs up on the table. Trust me, I understand wanting to get home and get people out of the place, but that was a bit much. We ended up rushing and eventually packing it to go instead of enjoying our time. read more

Another disappointing brunch in this area. Decided to go rogue and order a pulled pork sandwich at 9am (hey, it was on the breakfast menu!). Regretted the decision with the first bite- too much sauce of some sort (tomato?), not enough pork. Unfortunately (fortunately?), my second bite included a long blond hair. Now, it's not the worst thing in the world, since I assume most people wash their hair, so I wasn't super upset and this isn't the reason for the 2 star rating.I did send it back and use the opportunity to try something else. Wasn't a fan of the Alaskan scramble. I guess the cream cheese was mixed it with the egg, which made the consistency watery and unappealing. My friends' food didn't look that great either and one of them barely ate his dish. I wouldn't come back, unless I literally just wanted a simple fried egg or something read more

Great fun place for brunch. Diverse and appealing menu, great sound, nice waiter, yummy breakfast sandwich. Bacon was a nice texture. Honey mustard from the Gods. read more

Service was very slow no sense of urgency could be the style of restaurant. Staff was very friendly. cornbeef hash little to no cornbeef not a good over all flavor the eggs where cooked perfectly.The other 3 in my group all had similar feelings about there food .Sour dough toast had little flavor for being in the bay. Probably won't be back don't let that stop you from giving this place a try was busy so some people must have good experiences. read more

Service with a smile!! The food was a good portion and delicious. Clean, relaxing environment. I would definitely revisit if I made it this way again . read more

Rockridge Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Oakland, California

The Rockridge Cafe is hands down my favorite place for brunch in the Bay Area and I eat here several times a month. The food is simple but delicious, the servers are friendly and extremely fast for how busy they tend to be, and the whole place makes you feel warm, cozy, welcome, and at home. Every friend I have brought here has thanked me as well as returned later. Best of all? My mom has been going here since before I was born, and I've been going for most of my life. We both tend to order the same thing- Eggs Benedict with Prosciutto- and this place really feels like it's part of a long standing family tradition. read more

Service can be a little slow, but the pulled pork BBQ sandwich was worth the wait. The pancakes are good, not great what makes them is the syrup. read more

Not good. Food is super bland and you pay a ridiculous amount of money for a tiny little portion. Don't waste your money. Just go to Crepevine (half a block away) for much better breakfast at much more reasonable prices. read more

Summary based on several visits over years: --consistently good food --service ok when busy --ok prices --parking not great Locally popular. read more

This place is the definition of family friendly. Wonderful staff, reasonable prices. I really do enjoy a good ol' diner every once in a time. And I really appreciate they are being environmentally friendly with the crayons (instead of individually pack) and compostable straws. read more

Rockridge Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Oakland, California

I'm pleased to report that the bad smell is definitely gone. If you've been staying away because of the cheesy vomity smell that used to pervade the air, come back; it's been dealt with. This is now a great, light, airy place, perfect for breakfast. We got here about 10:30 on Sunday morning and were seated right away. When we left at 11:30 there was a sizeable crowd waiting, so either we hit a sweet spot or you just have to get here by 10:30. I ordered the Ricotta Citrus special. The Ricotta Pancakes were moist and tender and the combination of syrup and citrus sauce was deliciously tangy on my tongue. My wife loved her eggs benedict with prosciutto. A note about good service: my bacon arrived not as extra crisp as I like. So often in restaurants when the food needs fixing the waitress snatches away your whole plate leaving you to look at a bare table with rumbling stomach while everyone else eats, then ten minutes later brings it back with your one item fixed and everything else cold. Our waitress instead got a little plate, took just the bacon and 30 seconds later brought it back crisped up just the right amount. The food is as good as it's always been and now the environment is great too. I see no reason not to give this place five stars. read more

I've been brunching it up in the East Bay a lot lately. Friend wanted to meet in her hood so I hoped on the Bart train and headed out to Rockridge. There are slim pickings for brunch spots on College Ave. so we decided in the Rockridge Cafe. We were seated outside which was fine for a nice Saturday morning. Since it was my first time eating there, I looked on yelp for recs and the Challah French Toast was highly rated. I decided on a half order which was 2 slices ($7.95)...plenty for a filling bfast. For those with a large appetite, they have full orders with 3 slices. Friend went with one of the omelet specials which came with toast. Our food came out in a reasonable amount of time. I thought the french toast was fine but nothing out of the ordinary. To their credit, it did have a nice hint of cinnamon. Friend's omelet was a huge portion but she barely touched it and didn't take it home leading me to believe that it wasn't good. From the looks of it, the eggs were overcooked and rubbery. Our waiter was personable but a bit scatter brained. We'd repeatedly ask him for things like refilling our coffees. Once he came by and brought us a take out box when we wanted refills for water. The two star rating also encompasses the ambiance. Inside the cafe, it was quite depressing. The floors were dirty and the place was just dingy. There are no decorations at all. A small cafe with blank walls and only tables and chairs in sight. I'm glad we sat outside. The unisex restrooms were unclean and reminded me of being in a dirty high school restroom with graffiti on the walls and scratched up mirrors. Overall, food was mediocre; service so-so and setting needs lots of improvement. Location is great though....close to Rockridge Bart Station, easy metered street parking or free parking in residential cross streets if you are lucky. read more

Rockridge Cafe - Challah french toast half order - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Oakland, California

Went to this neighborhood place for the second time in 30 years . I was pretty disappointed in a couple things . First , I ordered an omelette with jack cheese , mushrooms and something else . Called a California omelet . Funny that I almost always think that almost every restaurant oversalts things, but this omelet was under seasoned in the salt dept. and I have to say "ho hum" in the taste dept. For me to salt food at a restaurant is almost really never . The home fries were salted enough but dry as if they were sitting out for quite some time . Also, where was the onion , the garlic , the red peppers and other things to liven up the potatoes ? All I could see was ...... potatoes . Wow. The low point was the potatoes . Coffee was fine as was the wait staff . They are friendly maybe partly to soften the blow about the mediocre and uninspired fare about to follow . Won't be back soon . Too bad , because I can easily walk here . So total for mediocre meal ..... 20.00 and a tip . I can do better than this ..... read more

This is a great neighborhood diner with 2 rooms and outdoor seating. The main dining room has a diner feel to it while the 2nd smaller room has bar seating looking into the open kitchen and tables next to the window. An added plus for having wifi available for guests. I ordered the Famous Ricotta special that included 2 ricotta pancakes perfectly cooked, 2 sausage links (or bacon), and an egg. I also had a small orange juice. Definitely a greasy spoon food location. The server was really attentive and nice and the food was served fast! read more

Rockridge Cafe - Famous Ricotta Special in window room looking into open kitchen. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Oakland, California

The service was fast and they serve standard diner fare. We had the Reuben sandwich and curley fries. They were tastey. We had a chocolate shake and it was sverage. We thought it was a little pricey. Two sandwiches, two coffees, and one zhake were about $46 plus tip. read more

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