Average food, average service, the WORST bloody mary ever and the manager wouldn't know customer service if it hit her in face. They made me pay for the bloody mary after I took a sip and sent it back right away. They got my 12 dollars but lost my business for life. Plenty of really good options in Murphy's instead of this place. Dont waste your time and money. read more

It was almost 4:00 on a weekday. Between a tasting at Hatcher across the street, & dinner reservations at Sarafina's, it was time for coffee. I've had Grounds on my list for awhile, but somehow was under the impression it was just a cafe. Scoping the scene out front, making sure they weren't about to close (like Aria down the street, which closes at 4:00), a server was bussing a table & asked "Did you want to come in? We're not serving food until 5:00, but you can still get coffee..." Thinking she must be referring to standard cafe fare like soup & sandwiches, I told her that was no problem, since we only wanted coffee. Imagine my surprise when I opened the door & saw that it's a full service restaurant. And a nice one, at that. Casually elegant, Grounds looks like the classic little restaurant. The light walls juxtaposition w dark wood. It's warm & intimate. Lots of windows, & great light. There's even a patio. The counter at front is tiny, but exactly what we needed. Our gracious server made us cappuccinos, & then went on w prepping for dinner. We were the only customers, in the entire restaurant, they were between lunch & dinner, & we only ordered cappuccinos. Yet we were welcomed without hesitation, & no one minded in the least. That says a lot about a place. The cappuccinos were great, service was great, & I can say that the food looked & smelled great. I witnessed the chef (presumably) bring out an entree for a staff member. I think it was the rib eye. Whatever the case, it was food stylist perfection. I'm having dinner here next time I'm in Murphys. Or breakfast. Or lunch... 4 stars. read more

See all

We had a good lunch at Grounds today! Tasty food, friendly (but slow) service, and a welcoming, family-friendly atmosphere. We came here on a Saturday afternoon on a holiday weekend (4th of July) with a party of 7 (4 adults and 3 small children), and were greeted by a friendly and accommodating staff. We were given a spacious table in the back, as well as 2 high chairs and a booster seat, which we appreciated. I enjoyed my chicken mozzarella sandwich, which was served with greens. My husband thought his burger was decent, but they made it medium well, while he had requested it medium, which was disappointing. We ordered a side of grilled chicken and a side of avocado for my 14 month old, which was a perfect choice. We were glad to have the ability to order these as sides, and my daughter quite enjoyed them (the chicken was tender and moist). The restaurant got quite packed soon after we arrived, and unfortunately, as a result, the service was quite slow. It took a while for them to take our orders, and after that, it took a while for our food to arrive. The staff was both apologetic and friendly, which we appreciated. The space is modern and attractive, and the back patio looked lovely (though we ate indoors). I was disappointed they did not have baby changing tables in either bathroom. Overall, we had a nice lunch here, and were glad we came! read more

We going through this area and wanted to try something new. This place is fabulous!! Food is delicious, service was great---we had breakfast. The French toast was amazing. They even have kids size French toast. Will definitely plan to go back and try lunch or dinner there. read more

The maple syrup at this place gave me and all my friends stomach problems. I threw up at around 2 am after having they're French toast. The service is also quite slow. read more

Breakfast was delicious, super tasty. Service was apathetic. My tip, order everything you want at once.

I'm updating my last review and again it was a great lunch outside in a perfectly sunny spot ...and I ordered the BLT on sourdough, with salad and blue cheese dressing....winning combination and ended lunch with the chocolate peanut butter torte....perfect ending to a perfect lunch...Kyle, was our server and he was super busy yet attentive and made sure everything was up to par....always fun to eat here! GO! read more

Went here on the first night of our girls trip and it was delicious. My friend had the filet and it looked amazing. I got the fried chicken and it was tender and crispy. It's served with mashed potatoes and a creamy gravy that was good. Carrots seem to come with most dishes which I was worried about but they were good- well seasoned, not mushy. Got to say that this place had amazing cocktails. Have a couple basil lemon drops and loved the ambiance, food and service. Great spot. Will be back. read more

We stopped at this restaurant for dinner since my friend who has a cabin in the nearby area highly recommended it. We called to make reservation and were told that they are not taking reservations as customers are now first-come-first-served with the limited tables that they have outdoor and indoor. We opted for outdoor seating since we had our dog with us and didn't have to wait for a table when we arrived at around 5:30pm. We ordered 2 appetizers to share and my husband ordered the clam chowder as well. Both the calamari and the Brussel sprouts were delicious, and I loved the clam chowder which was very chunky and not too salty for my taste. I ordered the elk medallion as my main course which was excellent! I was initially worried that it might be too gamy for me but wanted to try something that I wouldn't typically get at home, so I was very pleased that it was nicely prepared with some creamy mashed potatoes and heirloom carrots. My husband ordered the chicken special that was not on the menu, and neither of us was impressed by that dish even though it wasn't bad. My friend ordered the ribeye steak and he asked to have vegetables instead of mashed potatoes since he is on a low-carbs diet, and the restaurant accommodated his request by giving him some brussel sprouts instead. His girlfriend ordered a salad topped with chicken, and she seemed to enjoy that very much. Overall we had a nice meal and were happy to patronize another good restaurant that is working very hard to stay in business. We were happy to see many others who were out and about enjoying wine tasting and eating at restaurants to help support the local businesses that have been hard hit by the unreasonable shutdown. The bottom line is, if Nancy Pelosi could go get her hair done inside a salon without her mask on and big businesses like Costco and Home Depot could stay open all this time, why should restaurants, hair and nail salons, beaches, parks, and other small businesses continue to be shut down? We need to go patronize and support businesses in our community that have been badly impacted by the politically-driven prolonged shutdown in California. read more

Always a solid stop. Great breakfast. Full bar. Friendly staff. You can't go wrong here.

Delicious breakfast and super hospitable. Thank you Eric for sharing your knowledge of Calaveras County which helped us plan our day trip. read more

Grounds Restaurant - Breakfast at Grounds - New American Near Me - Murphys, California

I've been eating at Grounds for many years, not as much lately. Breaks my heart that they've let the food go downhill. It has amazing ambience, very nice people working there, and a great menu--not too many items, but a variety of foods that met a variety of food preferences for vegetarians and meat lovers. Unfortunately, the food ain't great. I beg you, Grounds--get simple again, and turn out some wonderful food. You don't need to try to be fancy (I mean, it's Murphy's, for gawds sake. We have low expectations.) Just be delish. If you need to remember what delicious tastes like, just walk down the street to Rob's Place. read more

We were celebrating with family from Canada. They were very impressed with the excellent service and food. Great ambiance and staff. read more

See all

Don't be deceived by the low-key name... This little spot, crammed on Main street in Murphy's is as boughie as Murphy's can come. I scanned, more like opened and looked at the star rating, then closed the app after seeing a 4 star rating and ravings about the food. Not ONE person mentioned that it was so damn boughie and slightly expensive. The non-descript front does not justify what's going on behind the walkway. Once you walk in you notice a small barista station to the left & almost fine dining table setting. Upon seeing the pre-set wine classes and white linen, I knew we weren't in for a average spot on Main Street. As you walk back further you realize this place is huge and seems much more upscale than we'd been lead to believe (by a family friend and my Yelp presumptions). We chose to sit outside due to the nice weather, and the fact that we were all in workout clothes because we just came from zip lining & rock wall climbing for 2+ hours. Not really the type of activities you do before you come to a nice place to eat, our bad! The patio was a nice setting, although they share it with one other restaurant. Apparently walking about 10 feet away constitutes smoking is prohibited. This overly tan, leathery looking man would do this every 20 minutes or so, while his little yuppie dog would run around the tables and yelp (haha) here and there! I guess the boughie's get to do what they want around here, despite others in the five foot vicinity. The service was great, but there weren't that many people here because it was an early dinner on a Sunday night. Seeing the menu was another awakening that we were in boughie-ville. However, we asked for a kid menu for the lovebug and it had more "bar/pub" food, which we could all order from, if we chose too. Of course my 12 year old cousin orders the filet mignon, $27 deep. Three people ordered the filet mignon, an order of the Cioppino, an order of the tilapia, and I ordered the special for the night - Salmon Caesar salad. Although their price point is high, this touristy spot, pumps out savory food. The Caesar has great taste and wasn't overbearing, although I was digging for crouton gold, but only found a few :( The salmon was placed right on top, it was good...it even tasted okay the next day! All of their food was fresh and tasty. I also ordered the bruchetta for the table, which was like a mix and match of flavors. It came with a hefty helping of buttered, toasted baguette slices, pesto sauce, sun dried tomato oil/sauce, and garlic oil, greens, and plenty of slices of fresh mozzarella. It was like a new app every time you made a new creation. It was a huge helping for the price...an app that I would recommend parties of three or larger order. Grounds isn't a price point that would make anyone smile. The food was good, but not that good. Although we were expecting something completely different, the flavors and service were great. The price is NOT baller-on-a-budget, but sometimes when with family, it doesn't matter (cause Pop's is footing the bill). A hint of sun stroke makes it easy to not comprehend what you are about to spend on an over-priced meal! We got touristed! read more

Grounds Restaurant - Special: Cod - New American Near Me - Murphys, California

See all

This restaurant has fantastic wait staff, and a classy lively atmosphere. The food is delicious we are especially fans of the appetizers.

Excellent service and food. The best breakfast in Murphys. The Spanish omelette is perfect for a couple to split. I wish they served breakfast on Sundays until noon. read more

im a local gal and decided to take my best friend out for a celebratory meal in Murphys. Based upon the reviews, we ended up at Grounds. it was a breakfast/brunch type meal SpanishOmelet for her and Burrito for me. She had a Bloody Mary in a 10oz drink glass and I had an Americano.. Now Im probably a bit critical of the restaurant business because of my experience in food service and dont get me wrong, the meal was fine and service was ok, but the bill was a big shock! not only was the food highly priced, Eggs and veggies and cheese pretty much, but we asked for a side of salsa and were upcharged almost 2.00 more for a teaspoon of homemade salsa. It cost 54.08 before tip. Total with tip 64.08. The meal was average and not a great deal of food. The burrito was about the size of Jack in the Box Breakfast Burrito except there was no Meat ordered. Ordinary Breakfast with an inflated price. Fair warning! read more

Poached eggs, sausage and potato pancakes for breakfast. Restaurant was very clean and the service was excellent. The food was perfectly cooked and extremely delicious. Seemed to be the only restaurant open for breakfast on a Monday morning but one that will certainly be revisited. read more

Grounds Restaurant - Only place open for breakfast in Murphys on a Monday morning. - New American Near Me - Murphys, California

Pretty dope spot. Good food. menu needs a couple more options in my opinion. You got a few choices on Main Street, not a lot so options are needed. read more

Stopped in for lunch today. Happy they were able to be open and still operating. We were seated out front along the road, was nice to sit in the sun as it was a bit chilly. Had the vegetarian burrito and it was fabulous. My wife had the salad with chicken, it was okay but a bit dull, needed something to add a little zing of flavor. Staff was okay but seemed to just be going through the motions, not very upbeat. All in all it filled us up, but will probably try somewhere else the next time we are in town. read more

Their website says no reservations are needed because they have adequate staff - true! We were seated right away. Service was attentive although it was very busy during peak Sunday brunch. It took a while to get our food as would be expected at a nice breakfast spot at 11a on Sunday, but our coffee and water were topped off and we could see the kitchen cranking nonstop. We had their pesto eggs with tomatoes, French toast, and coffee. Food was tasty, thoughtful, and reasonably priced. Special shout out to the hostess and food runner who jumped in when needed on a few occasions to do whatever they could to help. Our only suggestion is to better clean the tables between sittings. read more

I like fountain Sprites! We got free refills and one for the road. The food was delicious and fast! Lunch came in five minutes. Smells like Murphys in a good way. Waiter was also the nicest I've had in months. read more

Came here just once with my family bigger party, we sat outside. Both inside and outside are very nice, kind of an upscale diner feel, but spacious and definitely nicely setup for breakfast and lunch which seems to be their specialty. The menu is safe as my dad said, a good amount of sandwich, soups, salads and 1 burger. Simple enough. We all had sandwiches. My dad ordered the soup it was a homemade chicken soup it was very good. Between the nice patio, the friendly staff and solid kitchen it deserves it's 4 shiny stars. Right in the very heart of (*nice to visit) Murphys. read more

Grounds Restaurant - Greek sandwich chicken added - New American Near Me - Murphys, California

Great dinner and great service. For a venue in Murphy's the price and food was well worth the visit. Plus they are dog friendly!

Great food. I'm on keto and they did the burger in a lettuce what and swapped the fries for a salad. Very filling and hit the spot.

Was in Murphy's this weekend and tried this place. It was fantastic! Couldn't complain about a thing. Food was excellent and the drinks were fantastic. You could actually taste the liquor! Kids burrito.... Lol. It was huge. We will definitely be back. It was super busy and we could see why!! read more

Food and service is always excellent here. The staff is very knowledgeable of the food they offer. They always do their best to accommodate any size party. The whole experience was so great that we came back for breakfast the following day and the service was just as good. You must stop here during your Murphys visit. You will not be disappointed. I love that you can also see the cooks, so give them a quick thank you and tell them how great their food was! ​ read more

Over the years, I've been to Grounds a few times. The whole family ate here for breakfast (well, Brunch to be honest) on New Years Eve. Service is always very nice, and the food is tasty. This is a good place to visit in Murphy's. I think that there remains a little room for improvement in the food. Some of our food was fantastic, some could use a bit more work in terms of flavor balance and making sure to not overcook (e.g. a little dry, maybe a little bland). Overall, still a good place to come, and they will work on food allergies. This is big, and didn't work out perfectly; but, they do seem to care. The staff helps fill the void a bit, and I think overall worth a visit! read more

We shared the Gnocchi with creamy pesto sauce. It was delicious! The sauce was perfect, not overly rich. As vegetarians we appreciated finding such a good meal. Also the staff were very attentive and seemed to work really well with each other. read more

There is no question why this place is always busy! Delicious food, creative specials, and an excellent craft cocktail menu make this the perfect place for a romantic dinner or fun night out with friends. read more

Grounds is our go to! We went out late tonight for dinner, we went to two other places but they turned us around. Walked into Grounds and they said their kitchen just closed but the server went to see if they could squeeze one more table in. They got us in! That's service. Caring for your community too. We've gone here too many times to count and the food and service is ALWAYS go read more

Fun place, good food, full bar, and good service! Great walking street with many shops and wine tastings. Great day trip!

Great breakfast- outdoor seating and dogs are allowed. The eggs Benedict are amazing and add the Bloody Mary- yummy . Must have is a potato pancake. read more

Grounds Restaurant - Bloody Mary with our pup in the background - New American Near Me - Murphys, California

Breakfast was wonderful! We ordered omelettes and a latte (pictured). This was by far one of the best omelettes I have ever had! 10/10 recommend. The service was friendly and professional. We will absolutely be back! read more

Grounds Restaurant - BYO Omelette, hash browns, sour dough bread and a latte - New American Near Me - Murphys, California

Excellent and consistent. The staff is very friendly and the food is delicious. It's one of my go to restaurants when I'm in Murhpys. I highly recommend them if you want tasty, healthy food and excellent service. read more

Yelpers got this one right! Great Breakfast! The place has an open and inviting atmosphere. Staff are friendly and attentive. Seating options inside and outside on a patio. We decided on the breakfast burrito. This is very large! We decided to share it. The kitchen even split it for us! We added the chicken, very tasty and filling. We also got the build your own omelet. It was full of the items we asked for. They also kept my coffee cup full...it is a high pet peeve of mine that I only get one cup, but no worries here they are on it! Overall a great place to get a meal to start your day. read more

See all

I have to give props to a place that serves REAL jam in a small crock, and cream for your coffee in a small pitcher, at your table. And every breakfast place needs to add the option of potato pancakes with the usual hash browns and home fries. Excellent meals, excellent coffee that kept coming! My wife loved the Belgian waffle with REAL maple and berry syrup (one of each) also served in pitchers at the table. I had a full linguisa link and eggs, and the aforementioned potato pancake, and great wheat bread for that jam on the table. I can't imagine what happens to all the single serving cream/creamer, lousy "Knotts Berry" jelly and marmalade and crappy syrup cups served at all other diners...Gov, that needs to be the next thing you ban... Go for the real deal here! read more

Came for breakfast and it was delicious!!! Their hash browns were the best ones I have ever had, I would go back and just order those even. Very cute and good service as well, just make sure you get there early if you don't want a wait. read more

So we've always come here for breakfast, which is always amazing. But this afternoon we were looking a full bar and a light snack. Who knew we would find it at Grounds!! To be honest we've been a little disappointed with the service at various restaurants in the area. But, Grounds has redeemed our faith in good service! Our bartender Dan was absolutely amazing and so refreshingly friendly and accommodating. All of the staff there seemed to really enjoy their jobs. And the drinks were on point! read more

We ate at Grounds twice during our recent trip to Murphys; the first time, for dinner, we ended up at Grounds after ultra-rude treatment at V Bistro (see review for details). When we arrived at Grounds, we were seated promptly and were given bread and water. Our server, Dan, was so personable and hospitable! We had a great time chatting with him and exchanged hugs when we left. My husband had cioppino and loved it. I had the elk medallions with prawns, which came with the most delicious, buttery mashed potatoes. We visited again for lunch the next day with another couple. I don't remember what everyone else had, but I had the BLAT without the T and it was excellent. If you're in Murphy's and looking for a good meal with wonderful service, try Grounds, and ask for Dan. read more