The girlies and I came here on a Wednesday morning after a class and I loved it! It's a really cute diner vibe, we were seated right away. I perused the pictures prior to coming (like most Yelp Elite lol) and was hoping to order the oxtail and grits but it was not on the menu. However I was super pleased with my Irish breakfast! The blood sausage, sausage, and corned beef tongue were tasty and cooked well. I'm also glad we shared the biscuits (with both jam and gravy), biscuits were soft and buttery. My Bloody Mary was strong with the right amount of spice. The staff were attentive and sweet. Can't wait to come back, hoping the the oxtail grits make a comeback! P.S. Street parking wasn't too bad, metered. read more

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Wow wow wow not enough good things to say! The food was amazing! I was so impressed with the quality of the ingredients! I thought I did not like dates but the dates I had with the fruit plate were a delight to my taste buds! Same goes for the blood orange and grapefruit! Sequoia has a small town diner vibe with the excellent service to go with it! Can't wait to go again! read more

Sequoia Diner - Fruit plate - Diners Near Me - Oakland, California

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Yummy Sunday brunch! We got there right after 10:30am and were on the waiting list for a party of 3 for about a 35-45 minutes before being seated. They'll call your name so you want to be close by. The vibe is like a cute diner with a mix of tables/booths and small bar. Their menu rotates/changes but there are constant items. They definitely have specials so good to ask! They serve breakfast all day and also have lunch items available starting at 10 or 10:30am (mostly more sandwich/salads). Food review: *Pecan sticky bun - rate 5/5 - not large but perfect amount of sweetness and stickiness *Banana cream tart - 2/5 - server recommended and this was not on the menu. The crust was pretty thick, and there was the smallest sliver/layer of banana with the rest just being whip cream; disappointing *American breakfast - 5/5 - classic dish, great portion, your choice of eggs and bread (or saw you could order a biscuit), crispy potato hash, and definitely suggest adding a side of meat *Pork & grits - 4/5 - the mushrooms were delicious and a lot of hearty grits; wish there was more pork overall but dish was flavorful *Fish toast - 2/5 - our friend who ordered this said they wish they got something else *Vanilla bean latte - 5/5 - delicious, smooth and not too sweet! Got mine with oat milk; the cold brew and Irish coffee were also good per my friends Service: friendly and quick! Just didn't refill waters but we didn't flag anyone down Price: $$ on the pricier side for a breakfast/brunch meal. A 19% service fee is included + 1% dining for justice fee, so basically tip is included; nice you can pay via QR code/Apple pay Overall good experience and if in the Laurel area would stop by again! read more

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Don't mind the line out the door! It's worth the wait! This place is my husband and I go to spot for breakfast. Serve breakfast and lunch after 10am. Cocktails are amazing. They have gluten free and vegan options as well! Cute little diner with friendly and fast moving staff! Chicken and waffles on Sunday and I have yet to have the sticky bun so get there early!!! read more

Sequoia Diner - Diners Near Me - Oakland, California

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Giving 2 stars because the food itself was yummy and the people working there were nice. But the restaurant's infrastructure needs significant improvement. First, they really need to hire people to handle takeout orders. We had to wait ages for our takeout order to get ready, and based on the other reviews, this is a common issue. We ordered iced coffees as well, which could've at least been brought to us sooner. When we got the bill, we realized there's a surprise 19% to go fee, which was outlandish. I thought we're doing restaurants a favor when we order takeout? Sequoia Diner must really not want people to order takeout, though, I guess. We ordered the breakfast sandwich + potatoes, and didn't realize the potatoes would come on the side. They can easily clarify this in the menu. Additionally, after ordering, we realized we had the option to get our sandwich on a biscuit or sourdough, according to the menu. But we weren't asked what kind of bread we wanted, and automatically got biscuits instead. Lastly, after all this waiting, we finally got our takeout order, got in the car and started driving, only to discover there were no utensils or napkins included. I thought it's a given for restaurants to include these items, or at least ask the customer if they want them. This lack of attention to detail after a long wait was particularly frustrating. We had to turn the car around, and I had to play frogger and run across the street to ask the restaurant for these items. Nice! read more

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We came to eat after some family business. Niece suggested since it's in their neighborhood . We came at lunch and it was very busy. Wait was about 20 min. No photos because we are all hungry!! I got the American Breakfast, Niece got the beef hash , my wife got the Country Breakfast and I forget the other. All the food was really good plus the coffee and the Irish Coffee were excellent . Have to make a return trip to try more. Two items of note ... 1. There is a 19% surcharge added and 1% for... "the community "??? It's automatic :-( 2. Service .. since they are really busy getting the servers attention can be difficult read more

Food is good and the proximity to my house is hard to pass up but the service is always very slow. And they need to work on their order accuracy for takeout. I've had my order incorrect multiple times. They'll make substitutionsto your order without notifying you after you have paid for your order a certain way as well. My order today I asked for one thing apparently they were out of didn't reach out about it and just subbed else that I did not want extra of. read more

We've been to this diner many times and always enjoy. Red flannel hash: the second best in the Bay that I've found. Adding bacon gives nice smoke and texture. It was too salty on the most recent visit but still quite edible. This dish is available VEGAN or vegetarian or, as I did, with meat Bread products here are all excellent. Country breakfast is hearty with plenty of sausage in the gravy and sausage in the biscuit. Pickled onion in the greens is a nice touch. Hash browns: plus for homemade but wish it was crispier. 8:30 on Sunday morning 2022 there are still a few seats, even for parties of 5 Bathroom grade B+. One gender neutral single serve. Industrial chabot chic vibe. Pretty clean. They used to have free tampons but it was empty last visit. read more

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I wanted to come and update this review from a year ago. I was finally able to bring my boyfriend here (after the two aforementioned tries where they were randomly closed). We came on a Saturday, just shy of 9am and were able to get a table. It took a couple of minutes before we placed our order: a breakfast sandwich, breakfast plate, pecan sticky bun, latte and cappuccino. And then we waited. I kid you not, we sat there for 30 minutes before the waitress brought out the cappuccino and promised my latte was on its way. Another few minutes later and it finally arrived. I'm guessing they were understaffed... but how hard would it have been to bring out the sticky bun that likely just needed heating? Then we would have had something to munch on. And 30 minutes for coffee drinks seems egregious. The sticky bun came a couple minutes after the coffee and the food soon followed as well. The sticky bun was good, and the food was good (though I still stand by how pricey the breakfast sandwich is for the fact that it's literally a small breakfast sandwich with zero sides), but the wait time is crazy. At the end of the day, our breakfast was $84 with the service charge and that feels insane to me. Just feels overpriced these days and the lack of service doesn't make me want to come back. read more

A solid breakfast spot! I think breakfast is the hardest meal to satisfy my palate so sequoia kudos to you!

After many years of wanting to come here, but being deterred by the long weekend wait, I made it here on a Monday morning! My husband, baby, and I enjoyed an early breakfast right when they opened, which was perfect because we could get right in. The diner is exactly what you expect when you picture a diner, with tables, booths and a quintessential counter with bar stools. We got the No. 1 breakfast sandwich, seasonal summer squash and goat cheese omelet with cooked tomatoes on top, and their huckleberry butter topped waffle. Everything was delicious! I make omelets a lot at home but I loved theirs, it was served with an arugula salad, crispy hash browns and a biscuit with butter and strawberry jam! The whole platter was delicious, my only critique was my biscuit was a little over cooked. The breakfast sandwich had cheese, bacon, egg, avocado and spicy aioli all served on a biscuit, it was also very flavorful and tasty though it may have been easier to eat on sourdough bread which was also an option, the topping were so highly stacked on the biscuit it was a little hard to eat. Finally our waffle was so light and fluffy, and the huckleberry butter packed a punch of flavor that was great! One final thing that put it over the edge for me was the house made hot sauces on each table, to me, brunch is not complete without hot sauce so I loved having the different options! They may have taken the spot of my new favorite brunch spot in Oakland! read more

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Biscuits are to die for! Breakfast sandwich is our go to. Show up a bit early if you do not want to wait. If not an early riser, definitely worth the wait. read more

Adorable little diner with upscale, creative offerings. We met some friends here for brunch and were able to share a few of their house baked goods save for their sold out huckleberry scone. The biscuit was buttery and flaky and to die for, the pecan sticky bun was soft and airy and not overly sweet, and lastly the chocolate chip cookie had the perfect amount of big chocolate chunks and a nice sprinkle of sea salt. Among the table we had the chilaquiles rojos (guajillo salsa, pinto beans, cotija cheese with avocado, fresh tortilla chips & 2 scrambled eggs), goat cheese and leek omelette with castelventrano olives, fried chicken and waffle and I had the duck and pork belly hash. Everyone was very happy with their meals and my hash in particular, which came with two eggs, toast and pickled onions, was amazing. There's usually a bit of a wait and be careful parking under trees on the street... there were these funky berries or something that splorted all over my car. It did need a wash but ya know. Be prepared to show proof of vaccination (as of Jan 2022) and note the included service charge on the check. We will be back I'm sure... read more

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I took an out-of-town guest to show off this great diner. They delivered. And trust us, it's worth the wait!

You can't go wrong here. You can taste the high quality ingredients they use. Favorite go-to is going to be the red flannel hash and sticky bun. It's like a great homemade breakfast without having to go to the farmers market to get the ingredients first! read more

I have a hot and cold review. This is my first time here, and my fault, I ordered the egg sandwich. The plain one with a chicken sausage. Super. Greasy. Yikes. I was really bummed. My girlfriend ordered the Chilaquiles, and by contrast, they were amazing. I would come back just for that. Pass on the coffee. Be aware that they automatically add 20% to everything ordered. New to me. I'll be back. read more

Sequoia Diner - Diners Near Me - Oakland, California

I had brunch here before headed to a local hike. There was a wait but the food was delicious. I will come back again. It's small but cute.

Food is good quality. Prices are already very expensive and 20pct fee is added to orders (both in person and to go orders have the added fee) read more

Always a great experience when visiting! Food never disappoints! I've had the pork hash and this time tried the duck grits. PHENOMENAL!!! The baked goods are always a delight as well! I've tried the strawberry cornmeal scone (my fave!!), brown butter chocolate chip cookie, and the sticky bun. Every one is 5/5 !!! Service is fantastic. You feel like it's a family joint and the staff are warm, helpful, and attentive. Smallish diner vibes, but a good amount of seating and tables, and counter seats as well. A definite neighborhood gem, and we love coming here!!! read more

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We had a wonderful Father's Day breakfast here. The wait was about 30-45 minutes long but I think that was just because of the holiday. The food here was fantastic! I had a Duck Hash that was amazing. A lavender latte that was really good. I was very impressed. Fruitvale natives know that this used to be Full House Cafe and I think this is a definite improvement on the old place. The atmosphere is fun and lively and the decor is great. Service staff here are friendly and seem like they're having fun and working (a good sign for any business). We will definitely be coming back! read more

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Great neighborhood joint and feels very homey with few booth seatings and a bar counters. It also has a small bar (interesting) as the cafe mainly serves breakfast food. It also serves alcohol. It's alway 5pm somewhere. Anyway, the sandwich was so delicious and so filling. Each bite, its sweet, savoy, tangy and cheesy. Loaded up with tons of meat, pickles, cheese in between two pieces of grilled breads. It served with a salad and hash. And we killed 1/2 of their speciality hot sauce. Perfect combo. read more

Sequoia Diner - Diners Near Me - Oakland, California

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A quiet Friday morning in February. The seats were hard and cold, the walls bare with jarring acoustics. Eggs, hash browns, bacon were very good, although served on an amusingly tiny plate. Biscuit meh, coffee cold and refills involved waiting with mugs in hand at the counter to be recognized, only to be told someone would be by the table soon. read more

I've vacillated for a few months about whether or not to leave an honest yet low review for a local spot. I really want our local businesses to thrive, but after our last weekend visit to Sequoia Diner, my family and I will NEVER EVER return. I refuse to give my hard earned money to pedantic people who encourage bullying and rude behavior. I'm kind of heartbroken over it, truthfully. I THINK the food was tasty but I didn't enjoy it due to the bitter taste in my mouth after poor, poor service for our little party of 3 (including our teenager who has since been spreading the word about our experience). We showed up not super late in the morning, around 9:30, expecting a long wait, which is typical for Sequoia on a weekend. The brown-haired hostess told is that the wait was 45 minutes, so we decided to go for a walk to kill time. We returned 35 minutes later, at which point I checked in with the hostess who told us that we were close to being seated. After I saw her seat several other parties, I asked again, and she said we were next (it seemed she forgot about us? Or maybe she did it on purpose but I wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt). This was now 1 hour later. THEN, she took in a party of 2 who had JUST arrived and sat them at the counter. I asked the hostess why she kept passing us over, especially for the couple who had just arrived when there were 3 spots available at the counter, which we would have happily taken if she had asked us for a preference at all (she never did). She looked at me with disdain and told me that the couple had been really pushy and rude, so she decided to seat them first to get them off her back. Seriously, she said those words to me through hooded eyes. So I asked her if that actually made any sense given that I had been as polite and understanding as possible during these entire exchanges. She looked at me with dead fish eyes or like she was the one with the right to have a terrible attitude. My son really wanted to abort the whole Sequoia mission at that point, but a couple of moments later, the hostess said they had a table ready. She continued looking disdainful so I asked her if she would rather we leave-- she seemed bothered by my presence at that point. She said, "no, it's fine. You can stay." Such a gross attitude with not even a bit of humility, humanity, or any level of self awareness. Once we sat, our server proceeded to be passive aggressive and talked to us in clipped sentences. I was going out of my way to be kind and respectful, but my husband and son were just done with the whole experience. My husband was trying to make the best of it. When we left (after being forced to leave a 20% gratuity for the worst service we'd had in many many years), my husband was like, "I guess the server was nice (?) -- sort of, I GUESS -- after you went so far out of your way to compliment him. Yeah, I'm never coming back here." My son added, "Thank God! I wanted to leave a long time ago. We could have gone across the street and picked up a quiche and toast from the cheesecake place across the street!" Super disappointing. No wonder bullies keep winning. read more

Very disappointed this time. Ordered poached eggs with American Breakfast: they were hard. Seemed to take forever to get attention of servers to correct it. By the time it was corrected breakfast was cold. My dining companion had ordered "over medium" : it was "over hard." It seems that they are using a different oil to fry their hash browns: yuck. I ordered "bottomless coffee from menu, but difficult getting servers' attention for a cuppa. Service was abysmal. Used to love this cafe: not anymore read more

They sticky bun brought us here. They ran out as were being seater. Will be back to try it. Food was good.

Being a Sequoia Diner regular after living in the neighbourhood when it first opened, it saddens me to note its decline. This was a cute spot I'd recommend to locals and out-of-towners alike, but not again after a couple of recent poor experiences. The long lines on weekends are to be expected with a place that gets raved about like this, but it feels like Sequoia's overall culture has shifted and not for the better. Service is all over the place now--both times I've been recently I've been sat before other customers only to see them being served way sooner. For example, after waiting for an hour outside, by the time we sat down an entire table next to us had finished eating and paying but they didn't leave for another 30 minutes, which was how long it took to order our food, be served, and eat, taking up space from customers outside (they also had kids literally screeching and running around, but that's on them rather than the diner). Meanwhile, couples were sat at booths while smaller tables and the bar were free. This disorganisation is no doubt causing delays to those waiting to eat. As for the food, well mine (see photo) was forgotten by the server so our party ate out of sync. No mention of a discount or free coffee or anything, not even an acknowledgement. I hate naming and shaming but the white male server with long curly hair tied in a bun with a big beard was so antisocial serving us that it's like he's being inconvenienced as he glares at you placing your order. My other half noticed that his personal hygiene wasn't so great either. All of this adds up to somewhat spoiling the experience and thus the food itself. Gone are the days when Sequoia the (former?) owner or staff would chitchat with regulars, setting a warm tone, but it now seems they are just getting their jobs done with little enjoyment or engagement. The 20% added onto the bill before tips is kind of rubbish too, especially considering how terrible the service now seems. Won't be back. read more

Sequoia Diner - Plant-based breakfast - Diners Near Me - Oakland, California

I have always wanted to try this place because I heard good things about it. The service took a little time to take my order. Once I got my food, it was good. About what you would expect from breakfast. Parking in this area is a little hard. read more

Sequoia Diner - Sausage, Bacon and Eggs with a Biscuit - Diners Near Me - Oakland, California

I don't get the accolades at all. It's just food. Maybe some freshness element but are we really at a time where making stuff in house warrants praise even if it's blah? The chilliquiles were boring...a bunch of ingredients presented deconstructed so basically chips with sauce and eggs, side of beans, side of avocado. The biscuit was a biscuit. Not memorable at all. The only brunch I'll eat is Plow in sf, or this place in Shasta tirade made a eggs Benedict with a local mushroom sauce. Nuts. This though, food for the sake of food. No need to brag about homemade xyz when the end result is forgettable. read more

Sequoia has been a popular breakfast and lunch destination for a while. The food is excellent. Some of the servers have been worked there since it open. I love the feel of the place, but the only cost seems to be a bit out of control. $40.00 for breakfast is a bit much for me. read more

Best waffles ever and customer service was excellent. We will definitely come back. The beef hash was excellent as well.

The food is divine but.... They have a mandatory 18% gratuity. WHICH IS FINE. But I shit you not, I did not add additional gratuity and one of the wait staff said "oh he came back" when I went thru the door read more

Food was decent. However, I do not agree with undisclosed 19% fees that just appear on the final bill for a take out.

I'm writing this review as we cross the one hour mark waiting for our food. We have been told the backup is due to the kitchen taking both to go and eat in orders. This business model is not working. Hire more help, or go to some in only or take out only. The food has been good in the past but we won't be coming back. read more

Was in town 4/15/23 and found this place. It was only 3 of us and wanted to grab breakfast. My chai latte took awhile to arrive & the food arrived 20 mins later. Food wasn't bad but I was surprised they added 20% gratuity for 3. The service wasn't that great. I waited for my chai latte just as long as my food. Cute place inside but a bit disappointed in the service and then to add on a gratuity that I didn't think was justified. I wouldn't have a problem if the service was worth it but definitely wasn't. read more

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Sooo good! Had an awesome avocado toast with a fresh salad. Yummy lavender latte. Highly recommend - fresh take on breakfast classics

I finally made in to dine in person. I was meeting a friend for lunch on my work break. I got there first. There were a couple people a head of me and they got acknowledged and shortly after seated. It was not busy and about 4 or 5 tables available. So I waited for the gentleman or woman to acknowledge. He didn't seem interested and she was busy. It must have been about 5 minutes to wait and I was ready to walk out, when my friend showed up. We still waited a few minutes to even get acknowledged. I know place are understaff, but at least acknowledge you'll be with the person shortly. The young lady helped us and told us to take a seat. Once she was able, she came over and attended to us. Order the waffle with blueberry butter and a side of chicken sausage patty. My friend wanted to order an omlette with a couple extra items and our server was very helpful. The food came out fairly quickly. Food good. However, never got checked on offered extra coffee. She was one doing all the work. Male server saw us pull out our cards, but we didn't have the bill yet. I was on my lunch break. He didn't really seem like he wanted to be there. We were unimpressed by the service all around. I will continue to patronized because I like the food, but I think it will be pick up only for me. read more

Ordered to go and Emiliano told us that gratuity was mandatory after charging over $8 for miscellaneous fees. The food and service is not good enough to justify 20% charges! The worst part is being lied to by Emiliano because the gratuity screen indicated a choice. Gratuity should be based on service and ordering to-go literally requires minimal service. The irony is that it literally took an hour for the order to be ready following the forced gratuity. It's almost funny because I got to criticize my friend the entire time for wasting his money on cold food from a rude worker. read more

Sequoia Diner - Mandatory fees - Diners Near Me - Oakland, California

Saw it on Check Please! and decided to try it out. Got there before 8am on a Saturday and got seated as soon as they opened. However, only ~5 parties were seated-all others had to wait outside in the cold (staff shortage?). Started with the BEST warm pecan sticky bun, matcha latte & coffee. Waited a while for our food but it was worth the wait! Corned beef hash was delicious, waffle was so good-crispy and soft and 2 orders of their amazing housemade bacon. Ordered 2 more pecan buns and a brown butter cookie to go. Will be back to try other items! read more

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Last day of our trip to the bay, and we needed to get breakfast, but we couldn't wait too long as we had a flight later. I called and was told there was no current wait time. So my family and I zoomed over just before it got jam-packed. A cute small spot with an airy, light atmosphere and friendly staff. I checked the menu before we arrived, and there was something for everyone on the menu. I ordered the plant-based breakfast with pinto beans, avocado, carrot sticks, collards, spinach, and my favorite, potatoes. When looking at the picture, you would think, "That's it?" but it was flavorful and filling. My niece ordered a waffle, which she described as fluffyyyy. After a recommendation, my mom ordered the No. 1 Breakfast Sandwich; however, she said it was good but would order something different next time. I also enjoyed their freshly squeezed blood orange juice. Definitely, a good spot found on Yelp! read more

Sequoia Diner - Plant based breakfast (pinto beans, carrot shreds, avocado, spinach, mushrooms, potatoes, collards) - Diners Near Me - Oakland, California

I have lived in the Laurel for 20 years and have always seen a line out the door since Sequoia Diner opened and always told myself that I would try it one day. Well, after so many years and so many pass by later, I finally gave it a try with my husband. We walked in around 11ish, so not a lot of people but diner was fully seated with folks with a couple of empty tables waiting to be cleaned. There was one gentleman who was there while we waited to be seated. We stood there for about 5-7 minutes waiting for someone to acknowledge us and not sure how long the gentleman who was there waited but obviously long enough for him to just take it upon himself to just seat himself at the counter. Another couple of minutes later, we were asked how many along with a couple of other people who came in. They cleaned the table and sat us. Our waitress was just expressionless and not too friendly but whatever, we ordered the food. My husband had the omelette with bacon that came with hash brown potatoes and some arugula salad while I had the country breakfast which was the biscuits with gravy, eggs and hash brown. The food was really good and fresh so that was great. However, I had to keep asking for water because our server never really checked on us. It's a nice bustling diner, and seen the other servers interact and they were on point with friendliness. Personally, if I spend money anywhere, we are looking for a fully great customer experience which I found a bit lacking. Then the check arrived with a 20% service charge. Frankly, I didn't feel the service was all that but did enjoy the quality of the food. My husband questioned it from another server who was just so sweet, friendly and gracious and explained that it was a way to help out the front and supporting back service workers as well as for the homeless. We enjoyed talking to her and were able to walk away feeling better about that service charge. Overall, food was fantastic but service wasn't what I was expecting. I would go back for the food and perhaps, the next time, I will have a better dining experience. read more