We were hungry and looking for a local mom and pop place to eat so I jumped on Yelp and found this place on the map. I found this place and we had like 40 minutes to get there before they closed. As we started to drive there we were wondering if the GPS was taking us on a wild ride because we ended up driving on some rural roads and thought, there's no way there's a restaurant back here but a few minutes later we arrived to a cute rustic looking caboose looking café. The interior was authentic and rustic and even smelled like real food being cooked on a griddle smell. Our waitress came right over and welcomed us to sit wherever we want to. Their menu was homemade country filled items. I ordered the Club Sandwich which was their daily special and I went with their potatoe salad which is something I don't like to order because it's one of those items that I'm never really sure if its going to be homemade or store bought. My husband went with the cheeseburger and fries. It didn't take long for our meal to arrive. I loved how the plates didn't match, just like at home lol, and the potato salad was homemade and it was good. My Club Sandwich was good and the vegetables were California fresh. My husband said his cheeseburger was cooked right and tasted like it was cooked on a seasoned grill. I definitely know if when we are back in the area, we definitely will be coming back to this little spot. read more

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Come on Thursday for The Chicken Fried Steak Special! Twenty Bucks will cover the main dish, lots of papas, 2 eggs your way, coffee, and a decent gratuity. Not bad for a stationary railroad car in La Colonia, without a conductor pulling the hand break, because some tonto in a car or truck decided to race under the crossing rails! Clean restrooms! Friendly service! The ownership has changed, but the cool cook has been there for several years! Oscar, the server and more, will always make you feel welcome and make sure that everything is perfect! read more

The Red Wagon Cafe - Inside the converted dining car! Countryside Dining! - Comfort Food Near Me - Shafter, California

I've been going to the Red Wagon about 18 yrs now Mark even longer. The food has always been phenomenal. I usually get the ham steak but since Thanksgiving was just two days ago I decided to go to one of my all time favorites chili verde. Its tricky getting chili verde in restaurants because it's either way too spicy or the opposite no flavor at all. But here it's perfect. Just the right amount of spice. I don't know how they do they it. But it's perfect. They also offer two salsas. The red salsa is a smoky flavor with some heat. Then green has a settle hint heat that hits just at the right time. It's a perfect note of tastes in your mouth. Mark got chorizo and eggs. That's his go to. He cleaned his plate which is a good sign. The service is quick and friendly. Our waitress was full fun facts about the trolly car as Mark told her he was going to make a short video for his YouTube channel. The inside is very small the largest table only sits 6. The inside is decorated very nicely. This place is a little out of the way for us Bakersfield folks but trust me the drive is worth it for some delicious food. read more

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Real food and Real people doing life! I love the charm of this place and ordered a simple cheeseburger and fries! Oscar served it with casual ease and a smile! A local hung out and gave me 20 minutes of great conversation! This place is exactly what it needs to be, the food is good and the coach is irresistible! read more

The Red Wagon Cafe - Comfort Food Near Me - Shafter, California

AWESOME customer service, friendly people with everyone that walks in. Very peaceful place to enjoy breakfast in the city. Definitely worth a try if you're a big breakfast person:) read more

First and Foremost Jessica was/is an absolute excellent server. Glad we found this place about 5-6 miles or 10 minutes from the house.. Yes Please!! The food Chicken fried steak, large pancake , ribeye steak and French toast meal with hashbrowns and 2 eggs over medium... The chicken fried steak had a crispy exterior, complemented by tender meat, and a very rich gravy to compliment, creating a delightful contrast in textures. The large pancake was fluffy (thicccc) and satisfying, with a perfect balance of sweetness before you even added the syrup. The ribeye steak was cooked to perfection, juicy and flavorful, though the meat was a lower quality than most other breakfast business I've been to it was still very good. . The French toast was a delightful mix of softness and crunch, eggs cooked perfectly and hashbrowns extra crispy like we like em. I don't eat pancakes/waffles but twice a month this may be my new pancake place ... Anyhoo show up to this gem of a place with great signs all over the inside that remind you of a country diner out in the Virginia or North Carolina about 10:30 or later to miss the crowd and the wait.. Til we meet again... read more

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What an excellent experience inside the cozy boxcar! The service was superb. The waitress was super friendly and provided great hospitality. The food was served piping hot and so tasty! read more

The red wagon is one of those places that's been around forever but because of its location it's over looked. It's situated off 7th Standard and Enos Ln heading towards Shafter. In the past I would go for lunch and their Hamburgers are excellent. This time I went for breakfast and I have to say it was pretty darn good. I had the biscuit's and gravy with hash browns and bacon which was okay. I'd give the B&G about a 8/10 and the hash browns and bacon about a 7/10. The B&G lacked a bit of seasoning for my taste but was good and the Hash browns needed to be a cooked just a tad bit longer along with bacon but that just might be a personel preference. I have to say the star of the show was the chicken fried steak it was cooked to perfection and was seasoned perfectly, definitely a 10 outta 10. As for the service , it was excellent ambiance as well. The inside is pretty small there are no big tables but could sit a big family utilizing two tables I suppose. I will definitely be returning and getting the CFS breakfast this time around. read more

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Amazing service, the food was amazing, I recommend you to buy the depot. But the best part of the meal was how calm and relaxed it was.

Great food & real sausage gravy & biscuits! It's a small train caboose I believe. It's not necessarily handicap accessible if in a WC.

I found a gem in shafter ca, I had one of the best breakfasts I've had in a long time here! The biscuits + bacon and gravy were delicious, warm, fluffy biscuits,flavorful gravy that had just the right amount of seasoning. You can really tell they take pride in their food. read more

Amazing food, flavorful and fresh. Service is friendly and quick, perfect. Wagon is small but doesn't feel as small as it is. Cozy and bright, loved it! Best biscuits I've ever had! read more

The Red Wagon Cafe - Louis Breakfast - Comfort Food Near Me - Shafter, California

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Meaning to stop by this location for sometime. I'm glad I did. A nice box car cafe. A big menu. I got the biscuits and gravy breakfast. Hit the spot. read more

The Red Wagon Cafe - Biscuits and gravy - Comfort Food Near Me - Shafter, California

Really enjoyed the food, unique ambiance and service at this one of a kind breakfast and lunch restaurant and of course the many friendly locals who dine here. Also many thanks to server, Oscar and chef, Miguel for their spot on service and delicious breakfast! read more

The Red Wagon Cafe - GREAT restaurant and a memorable experience! - Comfort Food Near Me - Shafter, California

It's the most adorable little place you've ever seen. I walked in and I actually felt like I was on a train for a minute. It's something you have to be there to experience. Service was fast and personable, staff is very friendly. I tried the chorizo burrito and it was very tasty. They've got a little fridge out and visible and it's the cutest thing. If you can make the drive, I can't recommend this place enough. read more

This place used to be worth a drive out into the middle of nowhere. Sadly, the magic is gone and the food is very hot-hum.

There is a lot of delicious food in that tiny wagon Biscuits and gravy are a must have and the chicken fried steak was scrumptious.

What a find! Four of us stopped for breakfast. Biscuits and gravy are some of the best we'd ever had. Biscuits are flakey and very flavorful. The sausage gravy is standout. Quality sausage in a flavorful white gravy. Chorizo and egg scramble was huge! This is an excellent chorizo, quality pork and nicely spiced. It is a spicy seasoning mix which I like. The country potatoes were tender and moist inside. Good onions and peppers gave extra flavor. Rig City coffee, a special roast for Red Wagon, was a hit with us all. Excellent coffee. On a busy day you may need to wait outside. Do it. Red Wagon is not to be missed! read more

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Small hometown vibe I really like it. Everything just has a good flavor to homemade versus Denny's where it feels like everything's packaged

I had only been to the red wagon once in my life and that was so many years ago. I had been wanting to go and try it out ever since new owners took over. My sister took me to breakfast for my birthday. Upon arrival we were greeted right away and seated quickly. Everything looked clean. It is a small restaurant, but there is a cute charm to it. It makes you feel at home. The staff was very friendly and welcoming. We ordered the Denver omelette with country potatoes, sourdough toast, a pancake, and biscuits and gravy. We wanted to taste a little bit of everything. Our order came out fast and fresh. Everything tasted amazing! The portions are big so you could share if you wanted to. The potatoes were my fav! If you're ever in Shafter please go check out this cute place! read more

The Red Wagon Cafe - Denver omelette with country potatoes - Comfort Food Near Me - Shafter, California

Wonderful Environment! Great Food! Friendly Service! This family-owned restaurant, has innovative surprises, like farm-fresh cherries, homemade clam chowder, and Grandma's green salsa. read more

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Great breakfast place with excellent traditional American fair and awesome Mexican favorites like Barbacoa!!! Very friendly staff who are very proud of their work read more

Ive seen this restaurant on yelp many times and I finally made it here. Its a railroad box car converted to a restaurant. I counted 6-7 tables so sitting will be a problem for big parties. Its small inside but that shouldn't deter you from enjoying the food. The menu is small but they do have specials written a whit board. It seems you can order whatever you want thats not on the menu. I got the chili verde Omelet and the pork was seasoned just right, not spicy and some good size chunks. The country potatoes were very good. From what i saw, soon as the food is ready it comes out to you. So be careful because its hot and it will burn your mouth. If you want to try there chicken fried steak, come early cause i heard they run out fast. I'm glad i made it and i will be back to try there monster pancake. They accept C.C Enjoy!! read more

The Red Wagon Cafe - Chili Verde Omelet with country potatoes - Comfort Food Near Me - Shafter, California

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Food was good. Got the chicken fried steak meal and it was good. The waitress was really nice and I'd be coming back for sure.

Tiny lil place, friendly fast and fresh!!! Glad there was room for us, went with my family and they all liked it!

Get there for one of the best home cooked meals around. You might have to wait for a table but you will be rewarded with a great meal extra friendly staff and a real good relaxing experience that's hard to find. I can't recommend a better place to eat. This is it. ! read more

Best food ever Great staff Loved the music!!! I Give this place 10 stars not five The food came out fast Coffee Delicious Food like I cook at home read more

The service was on top of all of our needs and was friendly. Our breakfast was delicious everything was served hot and fresh and fast and as for the ambiance it made me feel like I was in a movie! read more

Since moving from Orange County to Shafter for a work project this has been our go to spot! The food and service are great! Our production crew use this for catering. I hope to find more gems like this while we do our filming! read more

Only getting a 4 stars because they forgot to give me. My order of biscuit gravy, which is fire. Matt and JJ the owners are so helpful and knowledgeable. They go that extra mile for their guest. This place is by far the best spot for breakfast. read more

The food is delicious, I enjoy their breakfast and coffee. It's a tiny place but great customer service read more

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We were looking for a breakfast place on our roadtrip through California and stumbled upon the Red Wagon Cafe. It's literally a Cafe in a Red Wagon and reminded us of the old Wild West. Very cool, classic inside with incredibly friendly staff and owner. The cook makes everything from scratch and it is delicious. We had the "Build-your-breakfast" and the French toast. We can highly recommend this place. read more

The Red Wagon Cafe - The Red Wagon Cafe outside - Comfort Food Near Me - Shafter, California

This restaurant had my review removed. The waitress and food is horrible. the Red Wagon has bad service no butter on toast. Plastic forks dirty tables and waitresses that ignore you. The food was icky. Here's a picture. What I find amazing is they had my review removed and said it was the wrong place read more

The Red Wagon Cafe - Red wagon food - Comfort Food Near Me - Shafter, California

Amazing food - A staple in Shafter and if you have never been you will never forget the experience of eating in a old box car for Breakfast or lunch read more

The Red Wagon Cafe - Breakfast menu - Comfort Food Near Me - Shafter, California

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The food was very good, Biscuit and gravy was very large. They really knew how to cook eggs over medium, so yolk would run and the whites would not. Bacon and hash browns very good. read more

Food Is good, pancakes are huge. You definitely want to have the red wagon experience if you visit Shafter! read more

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Such a cute spot with the friendliest staff. Get the pancake. You won't be disappointed! read more

The Red Wagon Cafe - Biggest Pancake - Comfort Food Near Me - Shafter, California

Small but mighty. We really enjoyed our first breakfast at Red Wagon. Things to keep in mind: The space is small Portion large Location is in the country (did we like it that way.) Owner was present and kind. It was a warm, friendly, family atmosphere. We'll definitely need to go back for lunch. read more

The Red Wagon Cafe - Comfort Food Near Me - Shafter, California

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Great food service and quality Always like to do go when I have a chance for breakfast Highly recommended read more

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I had time to kill before seeing a client in the am, so I Yelped and found Red Wagon. RW is located a few miles North of Seven Standard on Beech in Shafter (just North of Bake-O). If I am not mistaken, this place specializes in biscuits & gravy as a side for breakfast, and chicken fried steak for lunch. I ordered eggs, sausage patty & hash browns ($7.25), and you receive your choice of side: Naturally, I chose the biscuits and gravy. The portion and quality was excellent for the price. The sausage was nicely seasoned, the hash browns crispy, and the eggs over easy as requested. The biscuits & gravy were very good, and the gravy had crumbled sausage the way I like it. The gravy also had a nice amount of pepper: 5 Stars. The ambiance is very quaint and the place is literally a red wagon on the side of the road. RW is closed Sun & Mon that adds to its quaintness: 5 Stars. The only downside to the meal was it took 25 min to receive my food. Although the place was full, it is so tiny there were maybe 12 people present. Lastly, the biscuits and gravy came well before the rest of the food: 4 Stars for the waitress, 2 Stars on the kitchen. I would definitely come back and try the CFS, but I will make sure I don't have any time constraints. Food is served at a very leisurely pace. read more

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