I originally went out looking for a sausage, egg, and cheese sandwich and Googled "good breakfast…read morenear me." This spot came up, and although my wife and I have driven past it many times, we've never stopped in. Today, I decided to finally give it a try. After looking through the Google photos, I changed my mind and ordered a breakfast plate instead of a sandwich. Parking was a little challenging. I arrived around 11:00 a.m. and had to circle the block a few times before finding a spot directly in front of the diner. When I walked in, I wasn't sure whether I should seat myself or wait to be seated. All of the waitresses appeared busy, so I stood near the entrance. Once she was available, Marianna greeted me. Initially, I wasn't a fan of being asked whether I was picking up food rather than whether I was dining in or taking out, but I quickly realized they may be accustomed to regular customers who already know the process. Since it was my first visit, I explained that I wasn't sure if I should seat myself. Personally, I think a sign near the entrance would be helpful for first-time guests. Since I was dining alone, I chose a seat at the counter and ordered the Sugar Plum Special with cheese grits and sourdough toast. While waiting for my food, I noticed something that concerned me. The staff did not appear to be wearing gloves, and I observed food being handled after touching various surfaces, including condiments, plates, glasses, and trash areas. While I understand that food service relies heavily on proper handwashing practices, I personally felt uncomfortable watching bread being handled directly by hand. I requested that my toast be handled with a utensil instead, and my request was accommodated without issue. When my food arrived, my eggs were cooked exactly as requested--scrambled hard--and the bacon was perfectly crispy. The bacon was a little saltier than I personally prefer, but that's more about my taste than the preparation. Overall, both items were flavorful. Now, let's talk about the grits. I come from a strong Southern background, and we take our grits seriously. The presentation was fantastic. The butter melting on top and the cheese looked absolutely perfect. Unfortunately, the texture wasn't there on the first serving. The grits were noticeably gritty and undercooked. After a couple of bites, I sent them back and requested they be cooked a bit longer. One of the waitresses explained that customers typically need to request the grits "well done." That was surprising to me because I've always believed grits should naturally be cooked until smooth and creamy. In my opinion, that's how they're meant to be served. Thankfully, the second batch was much better. While they still could have been stirred a bit more, the texture improved significantly and was much closer to what I expected. I also want to recognize Marianna for her excellent service. She was accommodating, attentive, and handled my concerns professionally throughout the meal. Overall, I would return. The restaurant has a warm, family-oriented atmosphere and an old-school diner feel that is becoming harder to find these days. It reminded me of the kind of place you'd visit after church on a Sunday morning or somewhere you'd go with your grandparents for a comforting home-cooked meal. While there were a few areas that could be improved, the welcoming environment and friendly service left a positive impression on me.

This place is a real deal diner with good food , friendly and efficient servers and the best…read morecountry potatoes.

The Friends Cafe is one of the student run class business at the BRIDGE program, a program for…read moreIndividuals with disabilities ages 18-22. The Friends Cafe mimics real life working conditions for students. They use a square POS system like many cafes do. Students take the orders, make the drinks and serve them. They have a nice seating area where you can sit and relax and enjoy your drink, and a homemade brookie. I would suggest coming right around 9 or around 10:30 or later to avoid the rush.

Mountain Grounds feels like a warm hug. The staff makes you feel like you are family. The drinks…read moreare creative and comforting (try the orange mocha during the holidays!). And the baked treats! My goodness! Have you ever had a warm almond croissant? A lemon bar as big as your hand? Everything they make is amazing! Mountain Grounds are artists and we are so very lucky to have them here in Martinez. Treat yourself!

One of the frustrations of Yelp stars is when you have a place with both great and not so ideal…read more At this hole-in-the-wall, the coffee is great. Black coffee pour over was like heaven on earth. Freshly roasted. The veggie omelet was also very good. It's served in a paper cup and isn't very big. Piping hot and good. Seating is limited and outdoors. It's on a busy road so not too relaxing. Kind of a bummer. There are no prices on the menu. First place I've ever been to like that. They just tell you what you owe. (We think a cup of coffee is about $5. Worth it) Anyway definitely go if you're in the area. PS the employees were super friendly on our three visits.

Umm... Please go here and support this business!…read more Came here on a Monday morning and it wasn't crowded at all. I was seated right away and they came to take my order and make recommendations quickly. It wasn't long before you could smell the food coming to your table. The food was presented nicely and you can smell everything on your plate. The sweetness of the waffles and french toast, the flavoring from the chorizo. You eat with your nose here first! The food was fudging delicious! So good, and I am not a person to usually finish breakfast when I go out to eat! I ate everything and pretty much licked my plate clean! Everything was cooked to perfection and the staff was extremely nice on top of that!! They are amazing! So good and so delicious. Check them out if you are in the area! This is also a great place for families, they have coloring pages and crayons for the young ones!

Heard about this place on the Gram! First time visiting and it did not disappoint! The only…read morepotential downside was finding parking. We lucked out and found good parking, but I can see if it's busy downtown-parking will be challenging. Downtown Martinez sure has changed and looks good! We sat in a booth in the corner with a ripped leather bench, but I believe that is due to the many patrons this place has-great wear & tear. Seating & dining is adequate; a homey feel. The staff acknowledged us when we first got there. We went Thursday afternoon and while it was not packed, there were a lot of people in and out of the restaurant. There were also regulars there. The ambience was good! There were many options on the menu to choose from. Portions were good and hearty. Service was fast! The food was delicious and very filling! We ordered funnel cake fries to go! Couldn't pass that up! This is a wonderful brunch spot! We definitely will be back again!

They have an item called a Cronut (sp?) it is SO yummy! If you like croissants & sugar…read moredonuts....you will love this item too. I also had a chocolate cake donut. The cake part is very good, nice and moist. The chocolate icing....I'm not sure about, maybe my taste buds were off that day, but it seemed more like a glaze than icing, but still good.

Was talking about Chick's and just had to come by for breakfast. Huevos Rancheros and the Concord…read moreScramble were ordered, The Huevos were pretty unique - a bit chorizo was in the base. The scramble was great as well. This place has a huge menu and they do a great job on so many fronts. Of course you can still pick up some donuts up front (always solid), but you would be missing out if you did not stop in for a meal.

Zombie's are quickly becoming a favorite lunch/midday go-to meal. This shop has very nice staff,…read morealways smiling and helpful. The shop is clean, the drinks are cold and the Zombies are HOT and delicious. The Brisket Zombie is the best imo, but my son loves the Pizza Zombie also. Thank you for great service and the tasty break, 10/10!

Here's everything we have tried at this little shop: 1)…read moreOriginal zombie-plain cheese= 9/10really yummy. Think of it as a pocket of melty cheesy, hot pocket. It's like taking the best part of nachos, encasing in a soft pocket of burger buns. 2) The ham and cheese= 10/10, a big comforting hug wrapped up in a soft pocket of baked dough. 3) Brisket = 7/10- a little on the sweet side for my taste. 4) Breakfast zombie = 10/10. Round sausage patty, smoked bacon, egg, and melty gooey cheese. What better way to start the morning??? 5) Pepperoni pocket = 10/10. It's like a hot pocket, but with better ingredients. 6) Hot links = 9/10. Straightforward, hot links and cheese. What's not to love? 7) Cheeseburger = 10/10. It has pickles and little pieces of diced onions. Tastes like a McD's cheeseburger, wrapped up in a soft pocket. I'd definitely pack up a dozen of these for picnic or road trip. They travel extremely well. I think for a house party--I'd pick up a few dozen of these instead of pizza. They taste better, stay warmer longer, and there's a nice variety.

It's been my go-to donut shop for the last few years. They are very reliable and deliver a…read moreconsistent product. I'm a big fan of their yeast donut, cake donut, French donut as well as the croissants. Both my kids love the donut holes. Never had a breakfast sandwich or even tried the coffee so I don't have an opinion on that. The driveway to get into their parking lot is a bit narrow so be careful getting in and out as Alhambra can be a busy and fast road.

Decided to head to Dutch Bros in Martinez off Alhambra Ave and spotted a Doughnut place. It…read morereminded me a lot of the doughnut spot I go to in Pinole. When I went it was not busy, they had a pretty good selection of doughnuts and they serve breakfast sandwiches and smoothies. They are nice people and greet you when you come in. It is a small place you can sit and have your food or coffee or take it to go. It's a nice mom and pop place that are open 5-1p and I support that.

i wish i tried sunrise bagels sooner i got the avocado veggie bagel and it's so delicious. it's so…read morefilling and huge! all of the veggies are so fresh and the bagel too. the vietnamese iced coffee is authentic and it's absolutely perfect with the sweetness and coffee strength. it got me very caffeinated for a busy work day. ^_^ this place is very vegetarian and vegan friendly which i really appreciate! the vegan bagel has hummus instead of cream cheese. their menu is HUGE and there's so much to choose from. next time i def want to try one of their pizza bagels. their latte prices are so good! all their prices are very fair and portions are big! 100% will be coming back to try more!

Be mindful: the $1.99/bagel and $11.99/half dozen is only for bagels without cheese. With cheese…read moreeach bagel will cost 50cents more: this adds up. It would be good if this was written somewhere on the menu. Also addition atm or credit card, as a customer you pay 50centa more for bank fee: this was written at the checkout counter. The bagels are fresh and tasty. The roll/sandwiches are freshly made and tasted really good. I got the Mexicano in a Roll and it was pure deliciousness. Will try the Vietnamese coffee next time. Parking can be difficult if close by. If you park a little further away in the same parking lot: there are more spots. Nice clean store with a few tables to be sat at. Most people buy take outs. The line was long but moved very fast. You order in the first line, when they call your order number you pay at the checkout counter. Very efficient system.