Came to Norman's Grill for Easter brunch and ordered the veggie omelet. I really liked it, the amount of cheese was perfect and it had a good cheese pull. My family comes here pretty often and they always talk about how much they love the service. Everyone was friendly and attentive, and it has that consistent neighborhood spot feel. The only downside is the pricing, it's definitely gone up a lot recently. With eggs being more expensive in general, still $20 for an omelet feels a bit steep. That being said, the food is still good and reliable. It's one of those places you keep coming back to even with the price increase. read more

Norman's Grill - Veggie Omelette - Diners Near Me - Castro Valley, California

Love this comfy family vibe place. The staff is attentive even when the place is packed out.

We came here on a Saturday morning and the place had a steady stream of customers. We would say that this place is on the pricier places for breakfast around here and that the Yelp prices are not current. The staff here are friendly and it is clear that there are dedicated and consistent customers since folks seem to know each other here. We ordered the Belgian waffle combo with bacon, a latte, and the huevos rancheros. The Belgian waffle, bacon, and eggs were all very standard and there was nothing special to that dish. The huevos rancheros was a bit disappointing because of the advertised "homemade salsa" that came with it. Instead of it being homemade fresh salsa, the salsa was like diced tomatoes from a can with some onions thrown it. That was a huge disappointment for me. Additionally, the rice had little flavor to it. Overall, the food was basic, but the prices were a bit higher for the quality of food that we received. We would not be in a rush to come back for breakfast, but the lunch fare looks pretty good. But the diner is a cute one -- there are old records hanging throughout the restaurant and there's also a big patio, though it faces a very busy street. read more

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Great service, friendly but not over-attentive. I like to eat my breakfast in peace sometimes. Loved the eggs benedict. Really good hollindaise, and I appreciated that they gave me a little extra on the side without charging me. Also tried their biscuits and gravy and was very happy with that as well. I appreciate that they serve breakfast later than JP's next door. I love breakfast, but not getting up early :) read more

It's a 3 .. why? The price. The price for the product makes it a 3. We spent $70 on 1 Belgium plain waffle, 1/2 order biscuits and gravy (amazing), and senior ham and cheese omelette. Husband had coffee, son had a mocha ($8.50 HIGHWAY ROBBERY), and we also had an Orange juice again $8.50. Service was great, food is mid for the price, and im just literally shocked at the price increases everywhere but the price of drinks alone here is ridiculous. read more

Old school, no frills restaurant serving your classic American food. Orders: Chicken & Waffles $18 Crispy golden fried chicken & a fluffy waffle is a typical dish to order. Country Fried Steak Plate $19 Love how vegetables & a side is included with this country fried steak. San Francisco Burger $13 On a crisp buttered sourdough bread with grilled onions & Swiss cheese,the hamburger had no flavor so I had to rely on ketchup for flavor. A nice local breakfast spot that has fast service. read more

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We had The Princess with us and wanted lunch. As we were driving down the street, I pulled into Norman's. Plenty of parking and outdoor seating is just what we needed. I grabbed a table and she went inside to grab menus. She was told that someone would be with us shortly. We waited quite few minutes before menus and set-ups were brought out. We ordered drinks and our server asked if we'd like a bowl of water for The Princess. Yes, please. I never stepped into the restaurant so I have no idea how busy it was inside, but the parking lot was not full, so I take that as a clue. Every now and then, I get a craving for Fish but not Chips. I asked and was offered Potato Salad as a substitute. Yes, I know that they're still potatoes, but preference is preference. She ordered Spaghetti and was very happy with her order. I'm knocking one star this visit because the service wasn't as we've become accustomed to here. read more

Norman's Grill - 8/24 Bobbie's Spaghetti - Diners Near Me - Castro Valley, California

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Traditional American breakfast fare - this is the place. Although I have been here several times, it didn't dawn on me that if I didn't know any better I would be in a Midwest diner. On this occasion I haven been craving for hot open face turkey sandwich. Believe it or not, this dish is rare only traditional diners or hot brau. The plating made the quantity of food small. A thick slice of bread topped with three good slices of turkey smothered with gravy along with smashed potatoes also smothered with gravy and a helping of cranberry jelly. The gravy helped. This dish reminded me of the infrequency I have it, no disrespect to this establishment. It was fine and satisfied my craving. I will be back for other breakfast fare. The service was fine and friendly. read more

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Great prices, great food. Norman's serves up some classic breakfast and lunch items with something for everyone on the menu. My favorites are the French Toast and the BLT. The French Toast is light and fluffy and I love that you can order a smaller portion for those days when I am not as hungry. They also have pretty good French fries. The people that work here are friendly and the vibe is fun. This is a great place to go to start your day off with some comfort food and good conversation. read more

I had been before, and had a pretty good breakfast. So, I decided to go back. We like supporting small local businesses when possible. Our experience probably was our last. The service was definitely better than the food, which was just ok. Everybody smiled and seemed friendly and helpful. The wait was short. When our food came, we weren't impressed. My omelette was flat. I'm used to them being fluffy and thicker. But, nonetheless, it was cooked as I ordered. The potatoes didn't have onions or bell peppers in them. My wife's breakfast and daughter's hamburger was similar .... Not bad. Just not wonderful and flavorful. The last thing was the price for the food. Without the tip, it was about $72 for 3 people. That's pricey for breakfast. I may go back by myself to give them another shot. read more

if you are preparing for a colonoscopy, I highly recommend Norman's in Castro Valley still feeling super nauseous. Been spending all afternoon on the toilet. their food works better than MiraLAX or go lightly go to Norman's have a burger and your sister will be flushed out if you want or not. read more

Group of us went today. All different orders. All of us got sick. Terrible experience. Second time. No more Normans for me! Service was ok read more

Stopped in on Sunday before Cal State commencement. Greeted and immediately seated. Nostalgic diner with LP vinyl records and album covers on the walls. Service was great even with a steady stream of customers. Ordered a low carb Benedict and pastrami sandwich. The sandwich bottom bread was too soggy to hold the sandwich. read more

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Solid breakfast. I haven't been here in years and I was very pleased with my breakfast this morning. No frills just what you see (or read on the menu) is what you get. 4 pieces of French toast served with scrambled eggs and bacon. Everything tasted good and I had no complaints! Definitely left satisfied and happy with my meal and I will be coming back! read more

Norman's Grill - French Toast Combo - Diners Near Me - Castro Valley, California

Staff here are super friendly and attentive. We got the two egg breakfast plate and a grilled cheese plate and that was probably one of the best grilled cheeses I've had in a while. The bread is perfectly buttered and I think they put an extra slice of buttered bread in the middle? WOW 10/10. Only knocking off a star because the prices are a little on the expensive side for what you're getting. read more

So once we came in on a Sunday morning, we got seated outside and ordered build your own omelette But the prices are on the expensive side but overall, it's a nice American style restaurant. read more

Norman's Grill - The menu - Diners Near Me - Castro Valley, California

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Great food great atmosphere and fair price. The only problem is the big mouth host was making a lot of incendiary political comments which were not appreciated. I hope he will learn his lesson and stick to business. Nobody deserves to have to listen to idiotic political bs. read more

The food is really bad. Probably the worst restaurant in Castro Valley for me. The best part about my sandwich was the lettuce. That is how bad it was. The avocado was oxidized. The chicken was burnt. The bread was stale. My friends also could not finish their meals. I soldiered on and regret it. It has a lot of old school decorations which is nice, I guess. Service took more than it should have. I'm trying to be nice but it wasn't good. This is an old school place that has lost all quality and is only here for legacy points. read more

I don't know why, but today was my worst experience here. The female server was rude and repeatedly talked over me every time I asked a question. I understand she was trying to anticipate my order, but I had specific requests: liver and onions with no mashed potatoes, no veggies, and a rare steak with sunny-side-up eggs. When I asked what oil the food was cooked in, she replied that it was canola oil. I then asked if it was possible to have the kitchen cook my order in butter instead, and she said yes. After taking my order, she came back and informed me that the steak was broiled without oil. I quickly asked about the liver, but before I could even say "onions," she interrupted with, "I say broiled," her exact words. When she brought out the food, both she and I noticed the mashed potatoes and veggies on the plate. She snatched the plate away, scraped off the potatoes, and brought it back to me. It was obvious they had been scraped off because remnants of the potatoes were still on the dish. I pushed the soggy veggies to the side, and then she brought out my steak with two over-easy eggs instead of sunny-side-up. I was looking forward to the steak because it's usually decent here. However, when I sliced into it, it wasn't rare. I flagged her down and showed her the pieces I had cut, pointing out that it wasn't rare. She rolled her eyes and took the steak back to the kitchen. Shortly after, a male server came out with the same steak, now with an additional slice in the middle, and said, "This is rare because it's bloody," while touching the steak with his fingers. In my head, I thought, "Sorry, but there's not a single drop of myoglobin there." He then proceeded to tell me, "If we cook it any rarer, you'll get sick." I replied, "Sir, I want my steak rare." He walked away, and the server brought out a new steak in less than two minutes. It was cold and had char marks on it. I didn't care too much at that point, but at least it was rare, so I ate it. I miss the old server. I don't understand why I'm told how to order my food and then lectured about how I should like my steak. It feels like they don't care anymore. How can you treat a paying customer like this? read more

Met up with a group of guys for breakfast after our Saturday morning men's meeting. They told me to meet them at Norman's Grill in Castro Valley. This place is nostalgic ambience taking me back to to the 70's. I asked the guys what they recommended and they told me everything is good. Therefore I went with a classic Denver omelette with hash browns and sourdough toast. It was perfect. Service was great too. They accommodated separate checks which is appreciated. read more

Norman's Grill - Orange Juice - Diners Near Me - Castro Valley, California

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Not a pleasant experience, waiters were rude, not helpful , spend your money elsewhere

Came in couple Sundays ago, 9:15 am. Plenty of tables to choose from, no Sunday morning crush. I asked for water no ice- came full of ice. Husband ordered crispy waffle , I ordered avacado toast- with eggs scrambled on whole wheat. My avo toast came when my husband had eaten half his waffle - which came how he asked. Mine contained sliced avocados, not seasoned and mashed. Even the waitress noticed it was wrong. Sent it back. Second try came with unseasoned mashed Avacado on sour dough. Sent it back. By this time I was really upset. Husband was done with his waffle, I've had nothing.Been to Norman's many times, had no problems. Had been there few weeks earlier and my friend had the avo toast- totally different than mine- she had two slices of toast, mine was one. I quickly chose an egg, whole wheat toast and country potato plate. Eggs good, potatoes were just boiled potatoes with no country fried crust. Sorry Norman's it was a complete strike out. 3 stars are for the crispy waffle. read more

Admittedly I have an affection for Norman's, so I'll clarify. This is not a fancy place. This is your neighborhood diner. The decor is kitsch. The fare is straight forward. The burger wasn't gorgeous or involving any exotic ingredients. It tasted great and hit the spot. The service was earnest, and the vibe is relaxed and familiar. Your hip cousin from the East Coast, well, they might not be impressed. Great aunt Ethel, she'll love it. read more

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Nice little spot you might miss if you are not looking hard enough. Walked in and were told to sit wherever. Once sat utensils and menus came immediately drinks shortly (I mean less than a minute) after. We were able to place the kids meals quickly while we took our time looking at the menu. The place was clean but vintage. So many fun signs to look at as well as records. Once ordered our kid's food came out and my husbands meal as well. We probably waited 10 mins at most. Mine was a few minutes after and we dug in. At first it looked like smaller portions than I've seen before but quickly realized it was more than enough. I do feel the food needed a bit more seasoning. Kids fries didn't have salt and my white gravy was a bit bland. All and all I would come back if in the area for the prices and the QUICK service. read more

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Service was slow! AND they were not that busy. 2nd time here and I remember why I hadn't been back cause the service. Food was ok, your traditional breakfast place. Next time the waitress should wear less perfume! Sitting inside you could smell it over the food. I prefer to smell my food! read more

The food here is really really bad, definitely a place to is only meant for breakfast but even then I wouldn't even trust the breakfast due to the lunch food being so horrible. I got a New York steak for $30 thinking it'll be a decent size but instead I was brought a small portion of what could've been on a New York steak. The steak was unseasoned, the vegetables were wet and had a freezer burnt taste as if they just came out of the microwave , the mash potatoes weren't even good either. I took one literal slice and bite out of my steak and had to send it back, thankfully they took it off with ease but even my husband's plate was mediocre. Service wise, it was cool the first table we sat at was dirty but I can't even be mad at the only busser at that restaurant running around trying to get everything clean while there are 6 waitresses kinda doing nothing and a horrible chef in the back. I think the busser and the cook should switch positions cause the busser looks like he'd be able to make a better meal than what was served. Other than all of that the ambiance was like dusty mothballs. I wouldn't recommend coming here. read more

Norman's Grill - Unseasoned New York steak $30 dollars - Diners Near Me - Castro Valley, California

Came here on Mother's Day, let me tell you this spot from just walking in I felt all the good vibes!! Didn't have reservations but we were all seated right away! The waiters were very nice and informative for myself and bf since it was our first time there. Decided to take out his mother and grandma for a special treat! They were the ones who suggested this place and man I was not disappointed at all!! Couldn't remember what they got but I got the French toast combo and my bf got the 2x2 combo. The food was soooo delicious the French toast was super fluffy and flavorful!! I didn't really like the ham it tasted a little weird for me for some reason. My bf's food was soo delicious too his pancakes were perfect to the tea!! Super fluffy and just made perfectly!! Definitely would have to say I will be returning here for another round! read more

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Driving by this cute town and decided to stop by at Normans for a breakfast burrito. I ordered the chorizo burrito, which was amazing. The potatoes, eggs, and chorizo were the perfect combination. This is not a fancy place, but it's super busy and the food looked delicious!! The fact there was no empty table says a lot about the food. There is enough parking. The staff was friendly and hard working. No pictures - ate the burrito fast! read more

Local diner on the boulevard that looks like it's been there forever. The regulars were greeted by name and staff was friendly. I was feeling like breakfast for lunch and the hash browns reminded me of my mom's, bacon good, eggs cooked perfectly and the waitress gave me a side of yummy berry jam for my pancakes. The Hubbs wasn't very hungry and ordered piggies in a blanket which was a fairly large amount of food with 3 pancakes and sausages. The in-laws got a hamburger and chicken strips with fries which looked like frozen Sysco food. They were happy with their food but I was glad I had ordered breakfast. Ordered a side of fruit for the babes and she loved it, fruit was very fresh. read more

Norman's Grill - Piggies in a Pigs In Blankets - Diners Near Me - Castro Valley, California

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Came here with the fam. Actually, went to Denica's first but the line was wrapped around the corner and we were hangry. So we came to Norman's. When we got to Normans we were seated right away. Ordered our drinks and then our food. Ordered French toast combo, California Omelette, make your own omelette, fish and fruits, and a half order of gravy and biscuits. Everything was delicious. Nothing was bland or dry. Will be coming back for my next brunch! read more

Norman's Grill - California Omlette - Diners Near Me - Castro Valley, California

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This is a good dinner to get an American breakfast. Nothing special but the atmosphere is good and it doesn't feel like your typical mainstream Denny's. Prices are average for the area. Food was ok but better than a regular dinner. read more

Your typical local diner - nothing more, nothing less. I didn't come here having high expectations - we only decided to come here since we were hiking at Lake Chabot and there are not many food options around. After a long hike, I'm glad we chose a spot nearby. They had outdoor seating which was nice and something we were looking for. The french fries & hashbrown sides were very oily but crispy. The eggs benedict was just okay; I wished they had more non-bacon options. Also tried the philly cheesesteak which was not bad but the bread was a bit burnt. read more

Norman's Grill - Classic benedict - Diners Near Me - Castro Valley, California

I ordered simple eggs, sausage and toast with coffee. Great little local diner - quick service, good breakfast food, will be back.

Best family vibe breakfast restaurant in Castro valley. They have great customer service and have great food as well.

This place was a great surprise . I now have to make this part of my usual stops when I travel from San Francisco to LA. Totally stopped by on accident but I really loved the old diner feel. Service was on point not only did they great us when we walked in we were promptly seated and our server came to introduce herself . Our order was taken quickly and before we could blink we had coffee in hand . The food was delicious and served hot not like other places. As soon as it came out it was walked over . I highly recommend this place. . Great good great service and extremely clean ! read more

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Very unassuming little diner. They are a serving up delicious breakfast items like an Irish Benedict, which my hubby had. I had the chorizo breakfast burrito. Both great choices and we were not disappointed. The corned beef hash was tender and flavorful. The combination of chorizo, cheese, egg and potatoes inside a soft flour tortilla was spot on. The food is great, the staff is very nice and friendly. The kicker is the atmosphere ....it is decorated with old vinyl record covers and tin signs. It gives you alot to look at and converse about. We really enjoyed our meal here and are excited to come back. Highly recommend! read more

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Pigs in a blanket! Need I say more? So yummy. Definitely a must try. And the servers are always friendly and check up on you despite being busy. read more

Norman's Grill - Pigs in a blanket! - Diners Near Me - Castro Valley, California

After driving this place for years we decided to see what it was all about. The reviews seemed worth going to and seeing what the constant activity was about, but overall I was not underwelmed. The three of us had breakfast. Two poached egg and one Belgian waffle dishes of which at the beginning I have to say most of the items plated seemed to have been pre-cooked for the sake of speed. The hash browns I had were obviously bagged shredded or shredded potatoes that sat in water for a bit because the outside that was lightly browned did not hide the fact that the inside was mush. My salmon bits under the poached eggs was over cooked and is not a recommendation. Another noted point was the odd tasting salt on the table. I have never used more then 3 shakes of salt on anything but I found myself tasting the salt from my hand and figuring out I used about 10 shakes ofaomething that tasted like sodium free or lite salt. Something I would have not ever asked for. By now you can tell that my experience was not worth my returning but I probably would have because of the old time decore, local restaurant feeling that has a mixed age and ethnicity, mellow vibe to it. What will stop me from returning was the unapologetic act of having my partner splashed with hot a coffee refill. She jerked her hand back so quick after a tall pour splashed coffee onto her forearm rubbing it off with her other hand as to not to make a sceen, but I saw it. I left a 10% tip and a bold printed explanation that "the bus boy splashed coffee on her" and on my way out our waitress said "Have a good day" and my response was that "I left a note on the receipt you should read". Looking directly at me she responded with the same response as if she could care less as to what it had to say. I choose to not make a manager issue but rather just not go there again nor recommend it to anyone. read more

Norman's Grill - A place to go and have hot coffee splashed on your arm from the bus boy - Diners Near Me - Castro Valley, California

They accommodated our large group (kid's soccer team) and handled all the orders perfectly. No frills spot with freshly squeezed orange juice and plenty of breakfast options. Food was solid, it was exactly what I expected and it got the job done. Service was super attentive and accommodating. read more

Norman's offers a pretty standard brunch menu. Nothing fancy, nothing exceptional, but overall, tasty. It's kind of a greasy spoon, and I will say the consistency is something to be desired. I used to visit often but find that I appreciate other brunch spots a bit more. Their Irish Benny is pretty tasty, and their omelettes have always seemed to deliver. I think it's also telling that they tend to be fairly busy most weekends, so they obviously have some good flavors going on. But it's also just pretty standard. Nothing out of this world. I do love visiting though and reading the kitschy signs around the restaurant. It makes you feel like you're at a ma & pa shop out in the country. Sadly, I didn't get to experience Norman's much before ownership changed, and while I never had issues with current staff/ownership, I can tell the heyday of Norman's seems to be in the past. read more