Second time trying to write this review since the algorithm won't allow it to post with degrading comments about our beloved governor and his hand in destroying restaurants during the unnecessary "the vid" hysteria. Dropped in here while my car was getting worked on.  Not sure why the less than stellar reviews 'cause I thought it was great. Also for a restaurant to be open this long is an achievement especially after what occured needlessly. I had the Spinach and Artichoke Frittata on a bed of potatoes and greens off of the Spring Specials menu. In my opinion this needs to be on the daily menu. I love a good fritatta and this was probably the best I can remember as far back as I can recall. It was packed with spinach and artichokes and just enough egg and cheeses to hold the whole thing together. Very filling. The dried tomato pesto on top was a very nice touch. Coffee was great and service perfect. Even though there is a  self serve coffee and water refill station staff continually came by to fill coffee and water and just check on me. They also have beer and wine and for the ladies....Momos!!!!! There is a parklet on Dwight as well as seating against the building. Next time I need to wait for my car or find myself hungry in Berkeley I'm coming here. And great music. Side note: Originally opened in 1979 and sold to Collin in 2011 who used to be a customer growing up in the area and actually worked here before owning it and still runs daily operations. So the story goes. read more

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breakfast food ok - did not finish meal - potatoes overcooked, eggs overcooked as if it was left on the pan biscuits dry service bad - very slow, uneven - everything takes forever ambience good read more

I had chicken strips and fries. The fries were good. I felt bad for the gal because her manager was insisting that she ask for full price. Chicken strips dry. Do not order the chili dog. I won't even begin to tell that story. I won't be back. I was there for lunch and flies were flying around. Our waitress did mention they were new to lunch. I am not a complainer but this was just wrong. I was so excited to try them. I ended up paying $28 for dinner. $7 to this place and the rest to Nations burgers. Gas money, time no bueno read more

Homemade Cafe - Chicken strips mostly bread with a shred of dry chicken - American Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Mixed experience. I love the large menu. I had the frittatta which was just ok. On a bed of lettuce (that i didn't want to eat due to that parasite in bagged lettuce, not HC's fault). So was overpriced. But the worst was I got a cinnamon roll to go and it was so undercooked it was mostly just dough! Had to throw it out. :( read more

It was a delightful experience, the food tasted very good, the bacon and eggs tasted super good. Will definitely be returning.

Ok if you like French toast or waffles I would like to recommend a staple for the two. Perfectly cocked French toast not overcooked nor undercooked with a pinch of cinnamon and butter. Beautifully made eggs over easy country fried potatoes and chicken apple sausage. This is the perfect breakfast for champions. This place has been here for years and the food still stands tall and great tasting. Great service and atmosphere is so friendly. Love this place read more

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They charge an automatic 20% on tip regardless of party size. Not too crowded, but definitely has a lot of business. It was a very homey vibe in here, felt comfortable. I ordered the coffee cake because the waitress said the daily special was sour cream and I was intrigued! Perfectly sweet, crumbly (but not too crumbly) and the pecan flavor really compliments the whole cake. Really enjoyed it! I ordered the Sausage and Fennel Hash, it was good. I thought there were fries on the side but there wasn't any. The eggs were cooked very interestingly. I ordered over medium and only one of the two eggs were over medium, the other was completely cooked. Same thing happened to the eggs in the corned beef hash. I liked that I didn't feel too stuffed and heavy after the meal! read more

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If you want classic diner food in south berkeley this is the spot!!! Extensive menu with some awesome specials as well! :) For an Omlette it was surprisingly delicious and well done! Their homemade jams and salsas were absolutely delicious!!! read more

Homemade Cafe - B, G, & J Omelet - American Near Me - Berkeley, California

Just amazing. I'm really happy they are back! Ordered their Denver omelette with grits, cinnamon roll biscuits and coffee cake. My family and I love this place. read more

My mom and I try restaurants and, on a whim, decided to try Homemade Cafe. (This was back before they obtained their liquor license; I was disappointed because mimosas were on the menu but not yet available.) Our server was super friendly and knowledgably about the menu. The chef even came out to our table to ensure our meals were to our standards. The dining area is a little tight for me but that creates an intimate vibe. makes the place feel a little like a family setting. The home fries are delish! Their pancakes are so thick and fluffy! The biscuits remind me of my grandmother's. I ordered the biscuits and gravy; my portion was HUGE; I ended up taking the rest home. My mom also enjoyed her meal. She ordered the two-egg breakfast and instead of toast, she requested a pancake. read more

Overall, it was a disappointing and dissatisfying experience but it was mostly on the cooks. The service overall was ok, we were seated relatively quickly on a late Saturday morning and were helped quickly. After the food was delivered, no one checked in on us again. The food looked good and I so wanted it to be good. This place has been on my watchlist for a few months and we finally got an opportunity to try it out. Unfortunately, it did not go the distance. My hash was a bit oily and had a bunch of burnt bits in it. Not just black bits, but black, hard, crunchy bits of carbon. The eggs were well cooked, and the turkey seemed juicy enough so that helped. The fried chicken and biscuits were overall disappointing as well. The gravy and egg were quite good and flavorful. The biscuit, their signature item, was doughy and raw in the middle while also being extremely hard on the bottom. The fried chicken was fine but it was a whole chicken breast (not filleted, or pounded thin, etc) and bland. We decided not to get the biscuit beignets afterwards. I'm really bummed because I like neighborhood cafes and will forgive a lot but we won't be returning, especially after the mandatory 20% service fee. read more

Homemade Cafe - Hard carbon bits in the hash. - American Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Matzo Ball soup horrible the omelet raw eggs inside , more like guacamole no flavor , bacon not cooked , out of rye toast . Came with friend who said delicious but we must have caught them in a bad day both of us left our meals we complained they said oh but never offered to order something else . Then had nerve to say just so you know there's an automatic 20% tip. Yikes! read more

We ordered BABE and breakfast biscuit (egg, gravy on top of biscuit). Both were delicious. They made their own strawberry jam, which was super fresh and not too sweet. I mixed it with iced tea and cream to make an Asian style boba milk tea. read more

Homemade Cafe - Breakfast Biscuit - American Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Family favorite sit-down breakfast place. I'm so happy that Homemade Cafe was able to reopen - I nearly had a heart attack upon hearing the news of it closing a while back! The new setup still has the vibes of the cafe years ago: homey and cozy. I love the paintings on the walls as always. They have top-tier pancakes that you can't get anywhere else, and the staff are all very friendly. This place feels like a home to me. read more

We really wanted to like the new Homemade Cafe, especially since we frequented the previous spot and hoped to support the relaunch. The food itself was decent--my Fried Chicken Brunch Sandwich and my husband's Biscuits & Gravy Breakfast were fine. But the overall experience was uncomfortable. When we arrived, the server seemed overwhelmed and flustered. We ordered two double cappuccinos that came out half full (see photos). When we politely flagged it, the owner brought over a pitcher of frothy milk to top them off--not ideal. What really made the experience unpleasant was the tension among staff. The server raised her voice at the owner at the register (we were sitting just a few feet away) and continued to be audibly irate in the kitchen. The whole vibe felt tense and hostile. I understand growing pains with new management and staffing challenges, but this just didn't feel like a welcoming or professional environment. Sadly, we won't be back--but I do hope this feedback is helpful as they continue to work things out. read more

Homemade Cafe - Double cappuccinos arrived half full. - American Near Me - Berkeley, California

Burger raw. Ceasar salad haphazardly torn butter lettuce w stale croutons. Returned it next day to gentleman who seemed quite irritated with me. Won't bother to go back. They probably lost maybe $500 of my business in a year. read more

Everyone was very friendly, welcoming and checked on our table throughout our meal. Food was delicious! Great flavor and quality ingredients. Lots of sunlight and local art. Had a sighting of the local turkeys taking a morning stroll. read more

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What happened to the home fries Homemade was known for? Pest? Swimming in grease, disgusting flavor, inedible. Eggs? Came in a bath of water (WHY??). Potatoes? "Jack and cheddar cheeses mixed in", um, no; a distasteful lump of unmelted cheese at the bottom. Cut so small and burned so badly they didn't even taste of potato. Never again! read more

We ate outside near the heat lamp. Service was great. Prices were decent albeit the automatic 20% "Homemade Fees". Paying for the meal was easy. Scan a QR code and pay with your phone. The food gave us diarrhea. We ordered chicken and waffles and French toast with sausage patties and scrambled eggs. read more

Love this place! Excellent food. I love their home fries - crispy and seasoned so well. Pancakes are delicious too. Lastly, I recommend Colin's homemade hot sauce, it's killer! read more

quick service and seating! we sat outside on a saturday morning for a group of 6. i had french toast and it was more than filling. beautifully presented and good toast read more

Homemade Cafe - BLT Sandwich, French Toast, Chai Latte, Pancakes - American Near Me - Berkeley, California

I'm not reviewing their food. I didn't get that far. A couple of weeks ago I wanted to check the cafe out. I was with my dog, but noticed there was a parklet outside with tables set for service. There weren't any customers outside, so I wasn't sure if they were serving in that area at the time. Because I wanted to be respectful and not bring my dog into the cafe, I stood at the entrance and waited to make eye contact with the server who was at the cash register. When he looked up, I pointed to myself and my dog, then pointed outside to where the tables were. He looked down and it took a while before he came over to me with two menus. I smiled and said, "Thanks, I only need one" and pointed toward my dog. He then said in a very sarcastic and loud voice, "I DON'T UNDERSTAND GESTURING!" I was taken aback. My "gestures" were akin to universal signs. Nothing complicated about it. And then I felt really angry at his insensitive and sarcastic response. I have family members who are Deaf and I'm hard of hearing. What if a Deaf potential customer tried to use "gestures" to communicate?! I tossed the menus, turned around, and left the cafe. I called within ten minutes and asked to speak to the manager who wasn't available. I asked for a return call and the staff on the phone asked me what it was about. She apologized half-heartedly and then strongly defended the server and his conduct. She said he couldn't know you were hearing impaired (as if that was relevant.) I told her I wanted a return call from the manager to address the need for servers to be less insensitive. Since I never got a return call, I decided to leave this review of the unacceptable attitude from the server. I won't be dining in a place that can't appropriately train servers to be respectful to all customers. read more

I went on a Monday late morning and I ordered the corned beef and hash. They told me about a special that was similar to it so I ordered that and it was a really good. It was nice and crispy. The eggs were good as well. I got sunnyside up. Coffee was nice and strong and hot. My waitress was friendly and then there was a guy that came later to check on how was I doing with my food. He had a nice smile. I couldn't tip what I wanted because they add on some kind of gratuity but no big deal. read more

Homemade Cafe - Corned beef hash special - American Near Me - Berkeley, California

Homemade Cafe was simply the best! They are now closed down. The service was great and the ambiance was always pleasant, as I've frequented this establishment since I was a kid-- literally for over 30 years. Now they're gone. So sad. Hopefully they pop up again somewhere else. Wishing them luck. The pic attached is one of the good ol' faithful meals: ranch rancheros. read more

Homemade Cafe - Huevos Rancheros! - American Near Me - Berkeley, California

Under cooked pork sausage and undercooked mushy French toast. I told waiter about it and said I was leaving and she did asked to remake it, but I said no thank you and that I would just leave as it's a red flag. She then looked at me weirdly and gave me a a long okay like I was the one in the wrong. Undercooked pork is a health risk and undercooked French toast is nasty, if you can't get that right then why would I stay. Also water cup had food on it and bathroom smelled heavily of mold. read more

Homemade Cafe - Under cooked French toast and pork sausage - American Near Me - Berkeley, California

Absolute top tier resturant. So sweet and kind, food is delicious. Got a grilled pimento cheese w tomato jam on rye and it was amazing. Food came fast and hot. Also love their everybody eats program, so good for feeding their local community! read more

Homemade Cafe - Everybody eats flyer - American Near Me - Berkeley, California

Finally had a chance to visit after their reopening. Highly recommend the brunch salad. Incredible flavor. Coffee is still nice and strong.

I had the fried chicken and an egg on top of a waffle. The food looks great but I really like to eat the waffle alone. It drives me crazy when there is an automatic tip. I always tip but don't like to be told how much. Just pay your employees what they deserve and adjust your price. It feels like a scam. read more

This place is a core part of the Berkeley community, serving hearty food while caring about the hungry and paying their staff a fair wage. The coffee cake varieties are top notch (sweet, moist, a perfect does of cinnamon, and a crumbly top) and pairs well with the bold coffee that is brewed. The omelettes are thick and full of flavor. The hash browns have the right balance between being soft and crisply fried. The down-home neighborhood atmosphere is welcoming (which is great, since I live in the area.) We are so blessed it's back in business! read more

The food was great and definitely home style cooking. Coming back here again to try many of the other options available. read more

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We had brunch at the Homemade Cafe on Sunday, June 22. The place was moderately busy, and we had to wait about 20 minutes for a table outside. The makeshift outdoor seating area is well protected from sun and wind, but traffic noise from the street (cars zipping by at 30MPH just feet away) was always there. In our party of six, we ordered a fried chicken sandwich, seasonal frittata, Leo's Scramble, corned beef hash, a short stack of blueberry pancakes, and bacon & eggs with toast. We also ordered some of their biscuit beignets - more on those in a bit. The wait for the food wasn't too long, and gave us time to yak at the table amongst ourselves. We did have to ask for water twice, but they were prompt about refills once we got it. Often when you have a party of six, one person ends up waiting and waiting for their food after everybody else has been served, but not at the Homemade Cafe. Everything came out at the same time. Well, nearly everything. As I sat and appraised all the different meals around the table, I wanted a bite or two of every single one of them other than the bacon & eggs. I mean, I can make bacon and eggs at home! The pancakes were thick and fluffy and studded with blueberries. The corned beef hash was overloaded with corned beef. The frittata was blanketed with homemade pesto, the fried chicken thigh in the sandwich was thick and crispy, and the Leo's scramble was so rich it practically requires a nap afterward. As we were finishing our meals and the bill came, we asked about the beignets. We noticed that they were not on the bill, and it turns out they did not make it onto the order ticket, either. Not to worry, though. Within a few minutes, we had our order of beignets as a dessert, and on the house, to boot. For the quantity and quality of the food, the menu prices are more than fair. That's not the end of the story, though. At the Homemade Cafe, they pay their staff a living wage, so tipping is not part of the deal. They also provide free meals to anyone in need, subsidized by donations. Food and fairness. Care for the employees as well as the community. We will definitely be back. read more

What a waste of money, time, and hearty appetite The esthetics were not pleasant. The service was mediocre at best, and the food was horrible and warm. Had the corn beef hash, which was more like corn beef crumbs with green peppers and onion. My partner had waffles and bacon..the bacon was perfection! Waffles were not hot!! The butter didn't even melt...Flies were in abundance and the ketchup bottles were crusty as well as the homeless man who appeared to be a fixture in the establishment. The original restaurant was light years better! One star was better than than no star at all! read more

I went here this week for lunch - had breakfast here for lunch. I really enjoyed the food - it was truly delicious food. I had eggs, sausage, potatoes and coffee cake (which I took to go) and my friend had omelette and greens and cannot remember. The food is good here. My only issue is that for two people - it was over $60.00 for breakfast and that the tip was an auto gratuity. I am used to auto gratuity on large parties not on small parties (there were 2 of us). I am glad I was informed of their policy because I would have also tipped as I am a tipper too. So I am having feelings about - the cost and the gratuity. Not sure how I feel. I am not sure I will go back again at those prices - it seems like everything is an upcharge on their menu so the price is not really the price. 3 stars for decent food. read more

Expensive for my tastes, but I give the food 7/10 for flavors. Breakfast is thr way to go

Great Jewish spot with good food and cheap prices. Service was quick and waiter was patient and considerate with my order. read more

Homemade Cafe - Bagels on strings?! Epic - American Near Me - Berkeley, California

Run down ambiance, friendly servers. Poor value - pad $30 after tax rtc. For the 'breakfast combo' which came to two small peices of French toast, three pieces of bacon and one egg. Frameo and their menu is weird because it would've been cheaper for me to order things à la carte than to order the combo. That's not how combos are supposed to work on menus! This used to be a reliable go-to good home-cooked breakfast spot but at these price-to- food ratio I won't be going back anytime soon. I get it cost of ingredients have gone up, but not by that much and things like bread (as in French toast) are relatively cheap. read more

Biscuits were hard. Difficult to cut with a knife. Corned beef in hash was fine. Corned beef in the benedict was tough and difficult to cut with a knife. Service was good - friendly & cheerful. The cooking and menu isn't as good as before they reopened. read more

Sadly the former charm of the 1st owners is gone. The food is good but... We went when it was not crowded (no line) on a Sunday. Our order took 50 minutes, and both our orders were wrong. The waiter had verbally confirmed the orders so wrong was not a mere case of misheard. Everyone was nice about it. They gave us free coffee. However it still cost $43 for 2 wrong orders that took too long in a room that lacks any real charm. Mural is gone, booths are gone, bathroom air is super moldy (I'm allergic), bathroom soap is the most intensely perfumed anti-bacterial soap (stays with you). All of it in pieces no biggy but in total added up to a frustrating experience. I don't go out to eat often so when I do, I'd like it to be pleasant. I remember at the old place, the wait was always a bit long but the cool wait staff and trippy counterculture ambiance made it a nice experience. I am glad to see an old small business come back after Covid but I may not return. read more

I was very disappointed from this place. The table and floor was dirty and sticky. They served burned cold potato, flat French toast made out of the cheapest bread. Their lavender latte was just fine. I don't think we are coming back. read more

Among the top Berkeley places for breakfast. Very good classic bfast foods, diverse offerings, lots of creative dishes. Fried chicken brunch sandwich is one of the latter that's worth trying. Nice places to sit both inside and outside read more