So glad we found this sweet spot in Rio Dell. We had a simple lunch, splitting a cheese quesadilla…read morewith grilled chicken and it was excellent! Authentic and fresh.

Stopped looking for a quick lunch after leaving The Avenue of the Giants. Place doesn't look…read moregreat but the food was really tasty.

One of those places where the owner is there and knows everybody. Was there for breakfast and had a…read more'granola cake' which was news to me. It was delicious, and I still don't understand it. I make oat cakes and they are dense, this was fluffy ... but not saggy. Excellent. Beware of portions. My son's chicken fried stake was gigantic.

Great locals breakfast place, just out of the way off School Street. Stopped in recently for a bite…read moreearly one morning while in town. This little eatery was busy, an old school feel inside there's not a lot of tables here, and seating is both inside and out. Friendly staff, was kind and helpful. Our server who is also the owner, dropped off a couple menus on her pass through and returned with two cups of coffee on her way back. After looking over the menu, I opted for the Ambers Breakfast Tots. Tater tots loaded, with cheese, gravy, an over medium egg plus one added and bacon crumbled all over. This is a seriously good breakfast. Filling and hearty, that hit to spot for me. 4 Stars a solid choice for breakfast 01181

As far as vibe goes, Redwood Cafe nails it. You walk in and it immediately feels warm and homey…read more Let me start by saying, the service was 5 star. Attentive without being overly so, nailed our orders of four w one custom burger. Just great. The menu has a solid mix of breakfast and lunch items. My wife doesn't do breakfast and I love breakfast so it is the perfect menu for us. My mom and I love benedicts and they have four to choose from. My wife went custom burger. Mother in law - toasted english muffin w sausage. Mom had the California Bene and loved itI had the Florentine Bene - mine was not as good. The dish needed bigger tomatoes and one of my poached eggs was hammered. To be fair, benedicts are a tough dish but I make them all the time so it's doable. I would think omelettes or more traditional breakfasts would be better choices. My wife's burger was solid and again, the overall experience was excellent.

Food is absolutely delicious! Waitress amazing and very attentive. Our family was very satisfied…read more The restaurant is rustic in decor and very family friendly. We will definitely dine there again! P.S. Garlic fries are fabulous! Enjoy!

The burgers are amazing with prompt and friendly service. The peach and blackberry shakes are the…read morebest.

The service was brusque, the menu simple, the town forgotten by time, the building ramshackle, and…read morethe terms cash only. But the burger was great and the value insane. Just off 101 in the mill town of Rio Dell is DJ's and I'd stop by any time when needing lunch I this area.

We were traveling for a graduation and we found this breakfast spot kind of on accident. The food…read morewas so great that we came back the next day. I enjoyed the country scramble so much. They also have several great cocktails and a gourmet coffee bar. I loved it! Locally sourced ingredients and grass fed beef. The biscuits were obviously made from scratch. I'm sorry I didn't grab a pic... I should have, but I couldn't wait to dig in. Also, I should mention that the staff was kind and helpful. Very welcoming. Highly recommend.

Found this on Yelp and yes it was a good find. Service was outstanding and the food excellent…read more The locals were also friendly which was cool. I only wish I had more room in my stomach as I'd like to have tried some of the 'mess' dishes. Next time.... Well worth the stop.

Come hungry (or/and bring friends) - the portions are enormous. Every time my food arrives, I feel…read morelike I should have asked for the kids menu. The omelets are excellent, with generous portions of filling in every bite. They come with a mountain of breakfast potatoes and toast (there are options). I can't decide whether I like the iced tea or coffee better so I get both. I doordash from Pepper's so often they're practically my private chef.

The food here is always hot, great portions, and good. The people who work here are friendly and…read morethey work hard to bring great service. I also like the ambience with the deco decor to just all around visiting time for our families while we eat. We love it here.

My wife, son and I came here for breakfast while in town. We were looking for places that felt…read more"small town" and boy this place hit the spot. Classic breakfast diner joint, friendly staff, great food, what appeared to be a few regulars at the counter enjoying some food before the day began. We loved it. Our food came out and was spot on. Good portions, strong coffee. We left with full stomachs and smiles. Our waitress even gave my son a balloon on our way out. If we ever pass through town again, we'll for sure eat here again!

Papa Joe's, Ferndale, CA…read more Some places earn their reputation not by chasing trends but by simply refusing to change. Papa Joe's in Ferndale is exactly that kind of place. It has been a fixture in this town for over 35 years, and if you walk in expecting avocado toast and oat milk lattes, you are in the wrong building. What you will find is honest, unapologetic diner food cooked by someone who actually knows what they are doing, served in a room full of deer heads, dairy association flags, and enough history to fill a book. The story behind the place is worth knowing. Papa Joe's was opened by Joe Alexandre, who came to Humboldt from the Azores at age 12 and went on to build Alexandre Family Farm into one of the most respected dairy operations in the region. When Joe retired, he and some colkegues bought this spot and described it as a daycare center for retired dairyman, a place where the old guard could gather, play cards, and hold court. Joe has since passed, but the building is still owned by his wife & partners, the spirit of the place is completely intact, and the same waitstaff that has been there for years is still holding it down. The kitchen is now in the hands of a classically trained chef who previously cooked at Curly's and Ridgetop Cafe in Fernbridge. That pedigree shows up on the plate. The omelets are the move here. You pick one meat and two vegetables, choose your cheese, and decide between home fries or hash browns, then pick your toast. I go sourdough and hash browns every time without thinking about it. It is straightforward at Joes, perfectly executed greasy spoon cooking, the kind that does not need to explain itself. The hash browns come out shredded and crisped up just right, the omelet is fluffy and generous, and the whole plate delivers exactly what it promises. They never used to have biscuits and gravy on the menu, but this chef makes them fresh every day now, and they are the best biscuits and gravy in southern Humboldt County. Full stop. Thick sausage gravy, proper biscuits, stick to your ribs, and completely worth every calorie. The vibe in here is unlike anything else in the county. On the walls you will find deer mounts, flags from the Mexican, Portuguese, and Humboldt dairy associations, and artwork that has been hanging in the same spot for decades. They have freshened things up just a touch, but the soul of the place is exactly where Joe left it. The menus were recently redone and they tell his story, which is a genuinely good read while you wait for your food. They also now accept credit cards, which is a welcome change from the cash only days that caught more than a few people off guard over the years. A couple of things worth knowing before you go. This is not the spot for low carb substitutions, side salads, or specialty coffee drinks. You get black coffee, or you doctor it up yourself at the table with the cream and sugar that's already sitting there. The menu is focused and traditional, and that is intentional. They also do lunch, with solid options including a French dip and a good egg salad sandwich, and clam chowder on Fridays that I have not tried yet but fully intend to. If you are someone who needs a lot of options or wants a modified order, this may not be your place. If you want real food cooked well in a room full of history by people who care about keeping a tradition alive, there is nowhere better. Papa Joe's is a four star spot in the best possible way. It is not trying to be five stars, and it does not need to be. It does what it does better than almost anywhere else in the county, and that counts for a lot. Ferndale is worth the drive on its own, and stopping here while you are in town is non-negotiable.

We were visiting Ferndale for the weekend and found this place by chance. A small "hole in the…read morewall" burger stand. The woman working the stand was fantastic, the kind of service I seem to find most in small towns. She was short staffed that day and gave us a heads up that she was gonna make sure our order came out hot, but it would be a slightly longer wait than normal. We had no problem waiting a bit and the food was delish. I don't live in Ferndale, but if I did, I'd for sure be a regular! Thanks guys, you run a great burger stand!

Always delicious burgers, a big variety of styles and sauces. Casual outdoor seating. Friendly…read moreowner that grew up in Ferndale.

Hit the spot perfectly, busy but still quick to get my food, good service, solid option for…read morebreakfast

Amazing food for both lunch, breakfast and late night! I love this place and have since I started…read morecoming back in 2013. I returned for a visit up north and this time I had to write a glowing review! The service is wonderful the ambiance is classic diner thats not too dated and they have fresh pie and baked goods that are amazing!

Solid place to hit up while in the Fortuna area. We came in for dinner and had a reservation, and…read morewe were seated promptly. I'd highly recommend a reservation for those busy nights during the busy times of the year. The seating area wasn't the largest, so I'd try to make sure you have a place waiting for you. It's good for the small town it's in. Compared to other steakhouse I've been to, it's not bad for a small town. I'd probably lean toward this being a Fortuna 5, but big city 4. The service of the staff is the real star of the show. From the moment we walked in, they were amazing. The appetizers were pretty forgettable, but appreciated. The ravioli in tomato sauce were alright. Salads were ok. Our bread was just a little burnt/overloaded. The main, which people come here for, was good. I asked mine for rare, and it hit. It was solid. The Mac and cheese side that came with it was just alright. Good time was had and service was spectacular, even with the long delays that evening. I'll give them another shot next time, and I hope they fix the issues they were apologetic about (wait times).

We made a reservation for a Saturday night, and were seated right away. The restaurant is divided…read moreinto two, a general dinning and a bar area so the noise levels are different. Unfortunately, there was a delayed wait time in between our meals being delivered, but staff was nice and friendly. There had been some situation in the kitchen that was causing the delays, and you could tell the waitresses were very apologetic for the issues it had caused. While the food was delayed, when we did the food was good in flavor and portions were very good. I think the garlic mashed potatoes were my favorite out of it all. We'll come again to give them another try, maybe for the happy hour since they looked to have good deals for that as well.