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Lil Joe’s

4.1 (252 reviews)
Closed • 6:00 am - 2:00 pm

About Lil Joe’s

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LIL JOE’S ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Divey
Moderate noise
Dogs allowed
Good for kids

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Recommended Reviews - Lil Joe’s

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Green chilaquiles w chorizo
Jasmin S.

Very cozy and family friendly diner. Service was amazing very friendly and attentive. Food was pretty good. Our favorite dish was definitely the chilaquiles! They were packed with flavor and held the crunch.

Fruit bowl
Emily R.

They make the best steak salad! All the food and staff are amazing. There are so many different vegetables in the salad, and all the fruit is fresh.

Classic. Counter
Lu L.

A long time institution in Sacramento on Del Passo Blvd.Retro coffee shop with an old fashioned counter & booths. F Attentive waitress.. Owner was wry friendly. He came up to our table, introduced himself. & chatted awhile. Breakfast/lunch spot. Huge portions. We all had something different. Not overly wild about the meatloaf dish.Other dishes were better.

Philly cheesesteak
Mike L.

Open for breakfast and lunch, this is a classic old school coffee shop/diner serving delicious comfort food. Waitress was friendly and efficient. John the owner cruises the room chatting up customers making all feel welcome. Lots of regular customers. The Philly cheesesteak was piping hot, tender and delicious. Fries done perfectly. Also had the meatloaf...which was good, but I think hit its prime about an hour earlier. Mashed potatoes were tasty. Spanish medallions topped with chorizo and egg with hash browns was the special today. Unique and delicious. Hash browns were traditional and perfect. Lil Joes is an institution in Old North Sac...it deserves its great reputation with delicious, simple food and fast friendly service.

My Brunch! I love breakfast  Sausage Pattie, eggs French toast & great potatoes
Gina S.

I was taking a quick walk and headed to another place to grab something to eat and out of the corner of my eye saw Lil Joes so happy I went in. I'll be back

Texas Toast. Like a chuck steak and crispy, caramelized onion Benedict, but on a thick cut toast instead of an English muffin.
Steven H.

Lil Joes is a local dive-diner that has been a Sacramento staple since 1953. It's in an area of town that has been "revitalizing" for 20 years and still isn't there quite yet. But don't let that stop you. We were there for Saturday breakfast on a day when house made hollandaise was the thing. THE PROS: Joes did a good job with the hollandaise. Creamy, lemony, smooth and not broken. They had old-school R&B on in the background, and an atmosphere which is quite neighborly - and that's a lot of Joes appeal. It's the kind of place where the owner, John, walks through the diner showing off the nectarine waffle he just made. If something is not right he personally fixes it. The service was excellent, and the coffee is good. THE CONS: I wouldn't call Lil Joes a place for foodies- so if you want upscale this is not the place. And if neighborhood "characters" aren't for you, than you will be out of luck here. BOTTOM LINE: Go on down and enjoy the dive-y ness. You won't leave hungry. You won't get sticker shock and you probably end up chatting with some nice folks. It's not a fancy place, it's the kind of place every home-town needs. Rating: 7/10

Pic of restaurant front

Never been to a diner with a bouncer. Guess because of the area. Drama was already starting when we sat. It's 8:30 am lol. Worst coffee. Service was fast. 1 coffee top off. Terrible coffee. But there is a great coffee shop next door. Kinda smell bad but the gallon of fabulouso helped. Just like a group home. The cook did that shit tho!!! Food was great. Very old school. Like the type that would say "whites only on the door" . 5 star for the food. 1 star for the smell.

Brunch menu
Michael O.

The ribeye was very juicy tender and seasoned well. We stopped by in the morning and it was not busy at all. They served us very quickly. The toast was butter and very delicious. I would definitely come back again. It was giving diner vibes. It was very filling and they also gave hash browns or potatoes. Only thing was the steak knife was dull. Would recommend bringing your own

Bacon Pecan French Toast
Sarah-Lorraine K.

WHY WE WENT HERE: - brunch THE LOOK (FROM THE OUTSIDE): - located on the corner of Del Paso Blvd in between Calvados Ave and Oxford St THE LOOK (FROM THE INSIDE): - hole in the wall small diner vibes BREAKFAST + LUNCH MENUS WHAT WE ORDERED: - pancake with pecans and whipped cream - chili cheese fries with onions - bacon pecan French toast - steak fajita omelet with home fries (country potatoes) - garden omelet with hash browns - coffee - orange juice - hot chocolate THE TASTE: - the presentation of all the food was good, but unfortunately the taste didn't match (VERY plain and unseasoned) - the chili cheese fries had what we believe to be canned chili poured on top of fries with raw onions; anything fried is always good but this wasn't the best nor the worst we've ever had - bacon pecan French toast was very sweet and savory! a little bit too much bacon for my taste, but good overall! - hot chocolate I asked for no whipped cream, so I was given the Swiss Miss in a cup halfway filled up - initial server told my SO that they have fresh orange juice but it was giving carton/packaged juice - the coffee did its job for my mom but it was just OK CUSTOMER SERVICE: - a little slow to get menus and to order, but once we got attention from our 2nd server who took over for the initial one, she was very warm, welcoming, and attentive

Red chilaquiles with everything
Ashley L.

Cute little place with a great vibe. Was craving chilaquiles so popped in. They were decent but the steak was over done and a bit chewy (I kinda expected it and should've gone with chorizo or bacon on the side). I got red sauce which could use a bit more flavor or spice; and the chip to topping ratio was a bit off (way more saucy chips then toppings) but a generous portion. I enjoy the simplicity and local vibe. Service was good and quick. I love supporting local and I'll definitely be back to try something else.

Marcelina M.

Food was amazing, service was great. I had the turkey patty breakfast. Nice Cozy restaurant. Ambiance is good

Rochelle S.

This place is a gem and we should support local. Best toast, softest yummiest bread ever and that says a LOT. Their grits is perfect and customer service feels like home. Ambiance feels traditional diner and you will see nostalgia and photos from when it opened and I can always imagine the pride of the owner when it first opened. Parking can get hard, so come early. Love the free watermelon earlier. Let's protect this Sactown gem at all cost!

Chilaquiles with green sauce and an egg.
Linda L.

Cute place. Came for breakfast on a Sunday and sat at the counter. With an up close view you can tell how well everyone works together. It was pretty busy but service was not slow. I had chilaquiles which were great. My husband had bacon, eggs, and potatoes. Our coffee cup was always full and we enjoyed the 70s music playing. Will definitely be back.

Breakfast burger with bacon, hashbrowns, cheese, fries egg. The picture doesn't do it justice but the patty isn't insignificant

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1 month ago

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2 months ago

Chicken fried steak, terrible chewy not cooked. Hashbrowns looked undercooked nothing like a raw potato.

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8 months ago

Such great service, everyone was very attentive! The food was goood and came out quick. We'll definitely be back.

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Ask the Community - Lil Joe’s

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4.4(545 reviews)
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I honestly can't stop thinking about their crème brûlée French toast and chicken fried steak! Love…read moreme some good diner breakfast!! I need some again ASAP. I have yet to try their lunch or dinner. Great service. Servers are super helpful and friendly. Plenty of parking as they have their own lot. Their building is hard to miss. Ambiance is very out of this world :)

We're from Lodi and were only in Sacramento for a doctor's appointment, but ROC & SOL Diner just…read moregave us a reason to stop here every single time we're in the area. Probably some of the best hash browns I've ever had. I ordered the steak and eggs, and even for your average American breakfast steak, this thing was DELICIOUS. It didn't taste frozen or cheap it tasted fresh, was cooked perfectly, and was just pure deliciousness. Raul was our server and was awesome. Super attentive, friendly, and made sure we were taken care of the entire time. Somebody needs to give Raul a raise and while you're at it, give the chef one too because whoever is back there cooking clearly knows what the hell they're doing. Excuse the picture I got way too excited and started destroying the food before I remembered I wanted to leave a review. Halfway through breakfast I thought, "Damn, I should probably take a picture of this." I'll do better next time, because there WILL definitely be a next time. Highly recommend ROC & SOL Diner. Phenomenal food, great service, and absolutely worth the stop.

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The Morning Fork - Corned beef hash

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Came back with the whole family this time. We sat in the table side of the restaurant. Note, if you…read morelove music, you can't hear it on this side of the restaurant very well. 1. Maple Sage Fried Chicken. My favorite! The chicken is uniquely textured and the sweet sage flavor really makes it stand out. As a person who is actually not a big breakfast food fan, I think this dish has the right balance of breakfast hashbrowns, toast, and eggs mixed with "regular food," the chicken. 2. The strawberries and cream stuffed French toast was pretty good. One of my daughters had this dish and enjoyed it. 3. The house pancakes. My wife thought she has had much better classic pancakes at Orphan and Sunnyside, but they were decent. Probably would not get again. Great service as always. Thanks, guys, for a great start to a day of farmers market venturing (right next door).

Ordered the country fried steak and it was the worst country fried steak ive had, no exaggeration…read more It was flaky, the meat was tough, and the meat came out of the fried part. Did not finish it. The eggs were the highlight which isnt a reach. My fiance ordered the tomato and eggs and there was too much garlic in it where it was overpowering. Came here 4/5 years ago and the portions were huge and the food was great, seems like they have fallen off since then.

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I haven't been back here in quite a while, so I decided to stop in for breakfast again. Just as…read moregood. You know you're getting older, when they put the senior menu on top of the regular menu. The regular menu has a huge number of choices, and the senior menu, 55 and older, also has a good number of choices. The usual breakfast choices are on the menu, but then there is also a good amount of good, old-fashioned, stick to your ribs, southern comfort food. I decided to go for the snapper and eggs. I was going to order the fried grits again, because they are so good, but she mentioned fried green tomatoes??? OMG, *YES,PLEASE!!!* The food comes quickly, and even for a "senior portion", they were very generous with the food. The eggs were perfectly over easy, the yolk dripping down into my food just like I love it. The snapper and the tomatoes were breaded in cornmeal. The cornmeal, seasoned well,, played along with the food wonderfully. The snapper was. Tender and flaky, with an amazing remoulade, that had just a tiny bit of a "kick" to it. I absolutely loved the fried green tomatoes, just a bit more tangy than sweet. The last time I had fried green tomatoes was 10 years ago, at Mary Mac's tea room in Atlanta. Mary's is an Atlanta institution, having been around since the mid 40s. These fried green tomatoes I had today were just as good, if not better. For this amazing meal, on the senior menu, it was only $20 out the door, including tip. Amazing food at amazing prices, this is why this place is so popular here in Sacramento. I will be back again soon. Thanks.

I loooooove this place! The pace is always a little slow, but the service is super efficient. It…read moremay not be the most modern spot, but honestly, none of that matters when the food is THAT good! There are so many options on the menu that you might get a little lost trying to decide, but there's literally something for everyone. There's plenty of seating, BUT if you're planning to visit on a weekend, come early! This place gets PACKED and fills up FAST! I ordered the French toast combo, and I enjoyed every single bite. Nice portions, hot food, and warm, friendly staff. I mean, what more could you ask for on a Sunday morning?! Definitely a spot I'll keep coming back to!

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Stagecoach Restaurant - Fried wings

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Jim Dennys

Jim Dennys

4.2(97 reviews)
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Today was the final day for Jim Denny's and Sacramento showed up. They opened at 11am and there was…read morealready a line out the door. Not only was their regular team there working as hard as they could but other local chefs, bartenders, and friends came to help feed the community one more time. Unfortunately, I arrived right after 2pm and joined the line only to find out about fifteen minutes later that the had completely sold out of food. The owner N'Gina gave a beautiful speech and the restaurant started clearing out of regular diners. I stayed to give my thanks and was blown away by the community and love that came through. They were still serving drinks and you could see how much love there was for N'Gina and this amazing business. So many people came through just to say thank you and wish her luck on her future endeavours. I found a spot at the bar and hung out for a couple hours talking to other chefs, business owners, and customers and everyone was not ready to say goodbye to this amazing establishment and the incredible food N'Gina brought to the restaurant. Their team ended up giving me a bowl of their staff dinner- fries, mac and cheese and pulled pork and I was so thankful for one last taste of this amazing restaurant before they closed for good.

Another one crossed off my foodie bucket list! I've been meaning to visit Jim Denny's for a while…read morenow, and ever since South closed (RIP), I knew I had to make my way over once I heard the iconic Mrs. N'Gina Guyton had taken over this beloved Sacramento spot. I'm such a fan of her food! My boyfriend and I stopped by on a Sunday afternoon about an hour before closing, and to our surprise, the owner herself took our order -- such a treat! I ordered the shrimp po' boy with a side of fried cauliflower, while he got the double patty cheeseburger with mac & cheese. We also tried their house-made lemonade and an Arnold Palmer. Here's how everything rated: * Shrimp Po' Boy: 3.75/5 * Double Cheeseburger: 3.5/5 * Mac & Cheese: 4.5/5 * Fried Cauliflower: 3.5/5 The shrimp had a great crust, and that romesco sauce with the buttery fried cauliflower was seriously addictive. The burger had a nice kick thanks to the hot link tucked inside, and the mac & cheese? So creamy and cheesy--definitely a standout. The lemonade leaned more tart than sweet, and the Arnold Palmer was refreshingly solid. Service was fast, friendly, and efficient. I loved that they kept the classic diner booths, vintage signs, and old-school decor--it all added to the charm, especially with the throwback jams playing in the background. Already planning my return to try the catfish sandwich, honey butter cornbread, and hopefully get my hands on one of their desserts next time--they were all sold out by the time we arrived! So you can tell how popular these items are, yum!

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Hands down, one of the best restaurants we have ever been to! From the moment we walked in, the…read morevibe was incredible. The upbeat music kept the atmosphere fun, positive, and energetic, and you could truly feel the love that goes into this place. The owner was absolutely amazing, so friendly, welcoming, and genuinely engaged with every customer. You don't see that kind of personal connection everywhere, and it made the experience even more special. And the FOOD! The Oreo pancakes, banana French toast, and stuffed hash browns were absolutely incredible. These are not your typical breakfast options, they are unique, delicious, and definitely worth trying! This place is truly a hidden gem that everyone needs to experience. The owner's story is captivating, and hearing it made us appreciate the restaurant and the heart behind it even more. We cannot wait to go back! If you haven't been here yet, GO. This place is a MUST!

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Toasted Rooster Cafe - Breakfast burrito

Toasted Rooster Cafe

4.3(983 reviews)
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We had a great brunch at Toasted Rooster Cafe last week. I can't believe it's taken me so long to…read moretry it out. The parking lot was packed, but we got lucky and found a spot. We were quickly seated on the patio. Great service and great food. The mimosas were so yummy and my burger was delicious. We'll definitely be back. Mimosa flight  Fearless Rooster: 50% pork chorizo and 50% ground beef patty, topped with cheese, green chile aioli, and fried egg on a hamburger bun.

Love love love this place!!!!!!…read more I love the vibes and positive energy because it makes such a difference on a Sunday late morning when I'm dragging. We've been 5 times so I feel comfy making this review. From. Scratch. The oldest and most important cooking technique in my book and they make everything in house. I cannot tell you how happy that makes me but also. It takes time. They don't have a microwave so you gotta practice patience. They have pretty good coffee. Not amazing but it's definitely enjoyable and that's enough for me. Eggs Benny was cooked to perfection and the yolky goodness was absolutely amazing. That's such a simple dish and a lot of places can't hang but this spot makes a great poached egg. Love it!!! They serve tator tots!!! It reminds me of being a kid every time I see a tot and these are delish. The service is exceptional. They bust their ass all day long and I am super grateful for y'all.

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Four Sisters Cafe - Man cakes it has bacon and sausage inside

Four Sisters Cafe

4.5(2.8k reviews)
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I finally got around to trying this establishment out for the first...and second time within a span…read moreof (2) weeks. Both times were around 11-12PM. I arrived a tad bit earlier due to reading a lot of past reviews. Yes, this place does get packed (even on weekdays). My first visit was on a Friday (11AM) and I was lucky and we were able to be seated in the patio area. 2nd visit we arrived closer to 12PM on a Saturday and we did have to wait at least 10-15 minutes to be seated. I observed plenty of seating and everything was well maintained. Decor-wise I didn't observe anything that stood out, but nothing was distracting so that's a plus. Both occasions, the servers were absolutely friendly and attentive. The server came back often to refill for water and coffee which was appreciated. As for the food - Both times I ordered the spice up your day omelette. The first time was that good so...I just wanted to make sure it wasn't a one time deal. Yum! Very large portion as well - I gladly took leftovers home both times. Both times, those who went with me also loved their food. It's official. Another go-to spot I'll be headed to when craving breakfast. Thanks!

This is that kind of restaurant where all the waitresses are really beautiful. Sorry guys. The same…read moredoes not go for the men who work there. It seems like a dependable and standard brunch place. But that's not a bad thing. You can count on a pretty decent omelette for a smallish town. I chose the veggie omelette with potatoes and a biscuit. Unique twist: the veg omelette has garlic and sprouts. But you can customize it. The potatoes were However the biscuit seemed over worked. Delicious butter and jam served with the biscuit made everything better. Again, the potatoes were exceptional. Some were crispy. All were par cooked. Seasoning was perfect. I did have to douse the omelette in pepper and hot sauce. My only regret: Failing to ask for a to-go cup for my $5.50 fresh squeezed orange juice.

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Four Sisters Cafe - Inside restaurant - Cute signs

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$16.50 Mango Stuffed French Toast was $11 in 2018

Lil Joe’s - diners - Updated October 2026

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