Um, licked my plate? My daughters plate...my sons...snuck food off the plates at the rest of the table. Yeah- it's that good. We were stopping here first then going to the beach as it is closed when we usually come home. We ate and then looked at each other and decided that we should head to the beach and quickly turn around to come again! Little bit of a fly problem this time of year, but we were so anxious to savor every bite that swatting flies was low on the list of priorities. Beautiful burgers, fried chicken, succulent crab chowder and apparently a smoked salmon Benedict on special we were NOT told about! So fresh, so local, so good! read more

I went here for breakfast last week and was not very impressed. I got the Chicken Fried Steak and the meat was so chewy, I couldn't cut into it with my knife, and I wasn't even offered a steak knife with my STEAK. My grandmother and I shared the chicken fried steak and it was a very small portion even for one person. And the cost of this dish was over $20! The steak just looked like a breaded burger. The hashbrowns were not good, even extra crispy. I would rather eat the frozen hashbrowns. My grandpa ordered the omelete and was not impressed either. Our food was brought to us cold and no one ever came back to our table to check on us. I asked for a second slice of bread and it took over 5 minutes to get there, how long does toasting a piece of bread take? Everything wasn't terrible though, I must admit. The lemonade was very good and fresh also the tomato soup was prepared well. The environment was nice and so were the employees, but the food was just not as good as expected after reading all the fantastic reviews. I wouldn't say it was terrible, but it was no better than below adverage and I would not go back. read more

Waaaaaay to Expensive and just not that great. Bacon and eggs 17 bucks, are you kidding me! I travel a lot and hotel restaurants and always the most expensive - They never hit $17 for Bacon and Eggs. $14 omelet. Okay now about the food. Bacon was thick. I love bacon but there is such a thing as too thick. This was so thick that I had to chew and chew. I was like eating a piece of ham more than bacon. Flavor lacked as well. Eggs were good, hash browns were not good, not crispy at all yet had burn marks on them. I had a biscuit as a toast option - Terrible, it was a flat square brick. I ordered a side of gravy, and that actually was very good, the omelet was average at best. So, food and price both hard to swallow. It's a cute roadside café catching people sightseeing along hwy 1 headed to the coast. Outside seating when the weather is nice. Service was good. Overall, given the average food at a ridiculously high prices we will not go back. read more

Sadly we came here on a recommendation from a local. Very BAD call! The service was terrible, they had three tables in the entire place and we had ask three times for almost everything. When on the third time I asked for butter the waitresses response was "oh, yeah sorry, we're really slammed"! Really slammed...with three tables? So terrible service has been established lets get to the food. My omelet was decent, my "home made" gluten free bread was awful! Toasted on a grill, and only one side. If any celiacs are reading this you know that you have to toast the crap out of the bread to make it into toast. Potatoes were yummy but my boyfriends chicken fried steak was yuck! Bland, soggy, flavorless. They offer bloody Mary's on their menu but have no supplies on hand to make them. The table next to us had to wait a half an hour for their drinks. The final straw was asking for a coffee refill multiple times only to have the owner bring us our check and say that the coffee was brewing. Really? Oh, I forgot to mention that the kid at the table next to us puked all over the place and instead of bringing the poor guy napkins or, SOMETHING to help the OWNER simply said "oh yeah, don't worry about it, my kid pukes all the time". Absolutely disgusting! Don't waste your time, money, or gag reflex at this spot. read more

great fresh food, we were on a road trip and stopped here as recommended by a local and were so happy we did

One of the best diners I've eaten. The veggie sandwich was so full of fresh ingredients, simply was one of the best I've had. Small and quiet town, great people and an awesome experience read more

I stopped here on my trip from LA to Portland and I have never been this happy about a diner. I got coffee, french toast with whipped cream and raspberries, scrambled eggs, and the cook threw in some fried-up greens for free! Everything was unbelievably fresh and delicious. The whipped cream looked like it had just come out of the cow an hour ago. The staff were very friendly to me while I was sitting at the counter and when they found out I was going to Portland, the waitress gave me some recommendations on where to eat when I got there (all the recommendations turned out to be amazing). Combined with the gorgeous scenery in Valley Ford, this place turned out to be the highlight of my road trip. Highly recommend. read more

this place is wonderful--the ingredients are fresh and the employees are friendly and attentive. I only wish I could come here more!

My husband and I thought this would be a great ending to our trip to the coast last week based on most of the reviews. Not so much. As we walked in, we were told to sit where we'd like by the cook. No problem there. Once we sat down I started to notice the high fly count. There were so many flies in this place for such small quarters! We both ordered coffee yet it took about 20 minutes to get it. I ordered the waffles and my husband ordered fried eggs, bacon and hash browns. My waffle was delivered luke warm, at best, ice cold butter topped with ice cold whipping cream and straight out of the refrigerator, ice cold syrup. Had the waffle been hot, it probably wouldn't have been a problem but trying to choke down a cold waffle is not what I want to eat first thing in the morning! My husbands hash browns and bacon were burnt and his eggs were just slightly cooked. Ok, undercooked. We couldn't get out of there fast enough! All this for $35! I don't know if they had someone call in sick or all new staff but I'll never return. read more

Cute restaurant, beautiful warm Autunm day. No a/c inside and full of flies. After seating, had to wait 15minutes for service, then another 25 minutes for food. The "hostess" was not friendly, maybe not cut out to deal with public. VERY SLOW service. While the food was ok, somewhat expensive, the "service" insures we will never return. I don't recommend Estero Cafe. read more

Nice coffee and upscale diner on the way toward the coast. We had been driving for a long time and found this place by sheer luck and that was god-sent. Very cozy, and friendly that puts a smile on your face. The menu has a lot of the usual breakfast items milkshakes etc and very kid friendly. In addition, It has a lot of great ideas and the right concepts like omelet with crab cakes etc to make this a gourmet breakfast place. Crab cakes very fresh. Unfortunately in general this place falls a little flat on the execution of the dishes for the price you pay. All in all still worthwhile place to stop over. read more

Took 15 minutes to get our water then 30 more minutes to get our BLT's. None came to see if we needed anything else the whole entire time we were there which, mind you, was 45 minutes before we got our food. It wasn't that busy. I would have been happy had our server cared at all and let us know the kitchen was backed up or whatever. Not once in the entire hour that we sat there did anyone come back to check on us. The BLTs were okay. Fries were great. Won't be going back there. read more

We are locals and have wanted to try the Estero Cafe for quite some time. After today's experience, we won't be back. As some others have noted, the service here can be bad at times. That was the case today. First, it took quite awhile for our wait person to come over to our table, even though there were open tables. Then she did not tell us that they were out of chicken fried steak, which of course is what I had decided to order. She did not offer to refill our coffee, even after standing next to our table while dropping off a check and looking at our empty coffee cups (and then refilling a cup of coffee for another patron). After we asked for refills, she never brought a refill for my wife's cup of decaf. Her attitude was not overtly unfriendly, but it definitely seemed like she was just going through the motions. The prices here are not inexpensive, which is understandable given the owners local sourcing of all ingredients. But there are a lot of places in West County that source locally, charge in the same price range or a little less, and offer friendly, good service. We left a small tip and wrote a long note on the back of our receipt detailing the problems we experienced. We hope the owners read what we wrote and take it in the constructive spirit in which it was written. We want our local businesses to succeed. read more

Wow! I had the Roasted Garlic Ranch Burger. I dare say this is the most delicious burger I have ever had!

Horrible place doesn't even come close to describing this place. There was milk spilled on the floor by our table there were 1 million flies all over the place and just for starters they charge you four dollars extra for egg whites. I ordered chicken fried steak for breakfast and when I tried to cut it it was so tough that my fork bent in Half. The gravy was so bland it was awful. My wife had the omelette and it also was the most bland omelette she has ever tasted. The hashbrowns had either spinach or parsley in them. They only carry two kinds of bread white or whole wheat. My chicken fried steak was $18. The service was awful. Customers at other tables also had a go to the counter to get things that the servers didn't bring them like toast silverware and water. Our server went and sat down by the counter in the middle of our meal.I would rather eat at McDonald's then to go to this place again. I do not recommend it. It is a large waste of money and you will feel terrible when you leave. Do not go here. read more

Stopped by at the Estero Café on our way north over the New Years weekend. The Eggs Benedict were the best we have EVER had--fresh hollandaise, local ham, delicious eggs cooked to order on a delightful English muffin. Will definitely go back again. read more

I was riding on a bike camping tour with my very hungry 14 year old son and we stopped here for brunch---wow! Samantha was super friendly and warm, and the food was out of this world. Homemade deeply delicious strawberry jam, garden fresh tomatoes, oyster mushrooms, farm fresh eggs, sprouted wheat toast--everything was amazing. oh, and the hash browns (which i usually skip) were the best i've ever had.... read more

We finally made it out to Estero Cafe. Lots of flies when we were there. We sat in the middle table and I feel like we were a bit ignored. We sat there awhile before someone stopped by. People that sat down after us had ordered. My husband had the breakfast burrito and enjoyed it but said next time he'd ask for less or no sauce on top. Way too much. He wasn't a fan of the super strong coffee and tiny cups. Bottomless coffee was great though. I had an omelet with spinach cheese and bacon, hash browns and sourdough. The bread with their homemade jam was so so good and the hash browns were crispy and delicious! The omelet was not so good. The bacon seemed more like cut up ham and not cooked enough and the egg inside had a grey color, very unappetizing. Nobody ever asked if our good was ok. They do have the best cookies though!! We got some of the last ones. They were gone when we left. The prices are high. We spent over $50 for breakfast. I guess I would say we'll try them again, maybe for lunch. A little disappointing since I'd wanted to visit for so long. read more

Great and tasty home cooked food! I eat here 3to4 times a week. I have seen it all at the cafe from rude and entitiled customers to people who have there nose turned up before they even walk in the door.With one cook and a determined owner this place works. The food is worth the wait and the beautiful surroundings in this small town make it an enjoyable experience.And, if you want fast and tasteless food go to Mcdonalds . read more

Fantastic food! Excellent omelette! Healthy and not greasy and delicious! Sweet gal that waited in is. Coffee to die for! Will be back!

Truly delicious breakfast menu. Huevos Rancheros rock. Everything appears to be sourced locally too. Stop there.

This is one of the few places that still makes food by request. That being said the menu is small and you have to realize its nearly 30 minutes from town and is really located in a slower, country setting, that well, you can't always get what you want. The food is prepared in a small kitchen, which basically consists of a small flat top grill and a small commercial range behind the counter. There is one cook, sometimes a prep cook, and not a large wait staff. It's quaint, small town, really a nice place to relax. They serve some classic comfort food, classic dinner and old healthy dishes like lentil soup. When I went I had chicken fried steak with country biscuits and hash browns. Very good. The gravy was homemade with sausage from a local ranch, as well as the steak was local. That's the best part. Its all locally farmed meat and dairy. I am a country fried/chicken fried steak fanatic. I have threatened to not eat at diners that don't serve it or have crappy gravy. Not the case here. The biscuits were small, but deliciously crafted from whole wheat flour. The gravy was a little runny, but the bits of yummy sausage more than made up for it. The hash browns were made from scratch, and the steak was left over prime rib from the night before. Believe me, there is nothing more you could possibly want in a breakfast fried steak. Fresh cut is not the business. That's not how this dish was intended. The decor is, well you have to see it to understand. But is antique. probably all from a garage or estate sale and nothing matches. Thank God it doesn't. read more

This little spot is amazing. You should support them because the food is healthy delicious amazing and well-priced. Even my orange juice was to die for. It's the little things that make the difference and this place has them. read more

This quaint little diner is worth stopping for. I was in town from TX, and hungry for lunch. I chose the roast beef sandwich and it really hit the spot. The bun was toasted, the meat was was tender and savory, and the sauce was homemade, not something poured out of a bottle. When you eat here, save room for desert. One of the owners is an amazing pastry chef. I had a piece of blackberry pie that she made using berries that she had picked herself. It was absolutely scrumptious! I will definitely be going back if I am anywhere near that place in the future. read more

A cozy little place with delicious food. My friend and I shared the house made tuna melt and bacon, blue cheese burger with mushrooms! WOW! Very friendly staff with fast service. We will definitely return to try some of the other offerings. A great place to stop at while meandering through the countryside. Good food at reasonable prices. read more

Great farm to table brunch menu! Try the Sonoma Omelette, Albacore Tuna Melt, Pulled Port Sandwich, Breakfast Salad... all my favorites. Samantha and Ryan have made the restaurant a showplace for local artists like myself. Great vibes and excellent food. read more

Great place that I came upon by accident with two friends. Really high quality ingredients served by competent and very nice people. The breakfast burrito is great. If I can find it again will definitely return. Great value for money. read more

Casual, comfortable, friendly, local products, and great food, all the things you want when relaxing and enjoying the day. Its quaint roadside location adds a bit of special diner ambiance and makes it seem like an old fashioned "roadhouse" experience. We were very luck and the weather was outstanding so we enjoyed the outside seating. I can't wait to travel through Valley Ford and stop again. read more

The Estero Cafe is EPIC!!! Ryan and Samantha (the owners) are not only lovely and enthusiastic, but truly passionate about providing insanely delicious, local, farm to table meals!! Now I will talk about the breakfast salad, it is one of the best things that's ever happened to me! The words breakfast and salad don't necessarily go together, but the first time I ordered one it changed my freaking life! Seriously! The flavor crystals and amazing delicious mouth explosions that happen with every single bite of every single meal served at the Estero café never cease to amaze me! I'm a local girl born and raised and even though we live in the middle of wine country with some of the most amazing food around, it can sometimes be hard to get a taste of everything together , But at the Estero café it all comes together! Whether you want homemade biscuits and gravy with some fresh biscuits made from scratch, the delicious breakfast salad, fresh insanely amazing omelette stuffed with local cheeses and mushrooms , Or a big fat juicy burger made with fresh meat from just down the road you can get what you need as well as delicious local organic coffee and tea! If you're eating at the Estero café, you are winning in life ... plain and simple read more

I might have gone with 3 stars if I hadn't heard such great things about this place. It all started out good. All of the staff were extremely friendly, we were quickly seated and had menus, water and mimosas in no time. The food wasn't as quick coming out, but it wasn't an overly long wait and their patio is a nice place to sit. One of us ordered a mushroom, avocado and swiss omelet and the other went with the "special" crab benedict. The omelet wasn't that big - I usually don't order them in restaurants because they're so huge, but this was on the skimpy side. And, there wasn't actually any avocado in the omelet, just three slices fanned across the top, so more accurately an omelet garnished with avocado. Can hashbrowns be both burnt and underdone? They can, and they were. The crab eggs benedict was a little odd, and disappointing only because someone had told me how great it was. Usually crab B has lump crabmeat or sometimes crab cakes. In this case, it was "crab salad". Yes: cold, mayo based and with chopped onions and celery which is how it should be in a salad or sandwich, but an odd combo when paired with eggs and hollandaise. The hollandaise was a pretty color but was unexpectedly flavorless. The English muffin could have been toasted a little more, since while it had good flavor it lacked any crunch at all. The eggs themselves were everything they were cracked up to be (sorry, couldn't resist). They're advertised as being fresh and local and there were excellent. So while it wasn't a bad breakfast at all, I've definitely had better. They get 2 stars instead of 3 since for the price, it should have been better. $70 for breakfast? I would expect that in the City, or if we were paying for an ocean view or if we were just getting a routine rip-off at the Marriot, but this is a café in Valley Ford. The biggest surprise was that the crab (salad) benedict was $24!!! It's worth noting that the menu does not state the price for eggs benedict at all. It says something like "ask your server what our special benedict is". The server definitely told us what the special benedict was, but never mentioned price. I probably wouldn't have ordered a $24 breakfast. That seems pretty excessive. Most places in the Petaluma area charge $12-14 for eggs benedict. I honestly can't see paying more for eggs and English muffins. At $14 I probably wouldn't have ordered this dish again (it wasn't the greatest) but $24 really put me off returning to the Estero Café at all. Which is too bad, we're in the area often and I'd heard good things. read more

Living in Bodega Bay and driving by the Estero Café for years without stopping, I am now aware of what I was missing! It has become my favorite breakfast and lunch spot. I meet friends there every chance I get, and I am never disappointed. The food is excellent. Always. The staff is friendly and go out of their way to make the meal exactly as desired. Always. read more

Overpriced with indifferent service. Better off going to the deli in the Valley Ford Market next door.

My favorite place to stop for breakfast on our way home from camping. Local, fresh and always delicious! I had the breakfast salad which sounds strange but was amazing. My husband had a bacon and sausage omelette that he loved. I highly recommend giving this place a try if you are in the area. read more

We came into Valley Ford after 3 hours of motorcycle riding, and found ourselves starving, and staring across the highway at a small little cafe. We took a gamble on this tiny location, and we were charmed by the very friendly (if imperfect) service, and filled by the decent, tasty food. If you are searching for the Perfect Culinary Experience, this will not be The Place for at least another year (they have been open for just 1 year); but, if you want a locally produced, reasonably delicious meal, this is a good bet. We will be back someday! read more

The Estero Cafe is open on Wednesday nights for dinner and you need to stop in and enjoy a great meal . We had a surprisingly fine meal there last evening, The salmon chowder was delicious. I had Meatball pasta and my wife a specially made tuna salad. Our only problem was we didn't have enough appetite to order more entrees so we could rave even more. We plan to visit there often and hope they will open on more evenings. read more

Stopped by on our way home from vacation. Wanted a good breakfast. Looked this place up on Yelp. Had pretty good ratings. We found them to have some of the best breakfast we have had in years! All locally sourced and was out of this world fantastic!!! We give it 5 stars but would give it more if we could! Diffinitely a great place for a really down home cooked meal!!! read more

Me and my father, both of us local sonoma co. were done with a days work in bodega bay. we stopped by the cafe in the center of town. right where cristos running fence ran. we noticed the closed sign as we approached the door and turned back toward the car. the lady/ owner came out and said come on in. we did not want to be a bother. she insisted. "our grill is already off, though i can serve you anything else, come in it is ok." we sat down and were brought menus with a smile. served from a really cool drink menu. alternative to soda thing. very nice kind of a fruity tea. i had a club, dad the BLT. both good served with light crispy fries. not five star but this is valley ford ok. looking at the menu boards the breakfast has great choices. a small town cafe that offers service with a smile, good food and a clean and comfortable atmosphere. we will return during normal hours. casual and friendly. read more