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    Redwood Cafe

    4.1 (148 reviews)
    ModerateSandwiches, Cafes, Greek
    Closed 6:00 am - 3:00 pm

    Redwood Cafe Photos

    REDWOOD CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Good for kids
    Outdoor seating

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    Dijon mustard chicken sandwich with fries
    Walter B.

    Walt from Walt's Adventures here in San Rafael, California. Today, I am dining in the Redwood Cafe. This cafe has both indoor and outdoor seating and served both breakfast and lunch. The most redeeming aspect of my visit was the quality exhibited in all of the aspects of the eatery. This appeared to be a family owned establishment who served fresh, well prepared meals, who treated all of their guests as family members, and who did not go out of their way to say farewell to their guests but, instead, stated their "see you next time" naturally. It is always a pleasure to find a natural, old time cafe that treasures their guests and creations of their meals. The Redwood Cafe is one that I will treasure for they have and continue to do things the caring way.

    Organic coffee!
    Kay O.

    When I was looking for a coffee shop this place came up and it wasn't exactly what I had anticipated. A very very 1950s style of a diner with a lot of really great smelling home-cooked meals inside. Everything seem to have pork or some sort of meat, which my stomach can't handle and looked a little too greasy for me, but the pastries looked good and it seemed like everybody got their breakfast sandwiches to go, but there were some customers sitting and they had corn beef hash that looked delicious! There were also another set of customers with French toast and pancakes, which also looked delicious. I was actually looking for a gluten-free item at a red whale café, so I couldn't eat any of these delicious looking pastries. Instead, I ended up getting a large organic breakfast blend coffee and that was only three dollars. Pretty good considering it was organic, and at least a 20 ounce cup!! This restaurant also had a handful of drinks in the back as well as ice cream bars you could buy like in the old-fashioned freezer style. Lol very throwback to the 50s and 60s style of diner. Especially their menu board. Lol I think they should turn it into a retro joint and change the name. Hee. Along with their old-fashioned theme and menu board, they had a number of Greek items on a white expo board. I wanted to take a picture, but the line chef was watching me and they could tell I wasn't a regular. Lol so I felt a little shy. Hee. The coffee was a little stronger than I had anticipated, but it was still good. The gentleman who was at the register was very helpful and actually apologize for not having any gluten-free items. As I went out to my car to see what happened to the directions I realized around the corner was the place I was trying to go, The red whale café. Not this one, The Redwood café. Lol oops! See what happens when it rains?! But at least I found another little diner spot for breakfast! Hee

    Chicken teriyaki sandwich special & patty melt with added avocado
    Marina ..

    Hidden gem!! New to the neighborhood and so happy to have tried this spot. Friendly service and the food was 10/10.

    Breakfast at Redwood Cafe with the Chron...sporting green and 49ers trounce Eagles. Perfect morning.
    Russ I.

    THE no-nonsense last stop for great breakfast/lunch headed north in 101 out of San Rafael. They take cards/ApplePay. There're outdoor picnic tables and sometimes fog so it'sinside you go - but hey it's steps away from the Bay. Breakfast is tasty and large and they serve you at one of the clean tables in the tidy big dining room. It's right off the freeway at Lucas Valley Rd. Informal and friendly. The menu is basic - good basic breakfast, good coffee.

    Menu
    HOLLY P.

    Had an excellent Reuben sandwich today with fries. I asked for light sauce and got just that. Perfect. Very lean pastrami.

    Greek salad: 4 stars, very yummy

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    4 months ago

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    2 months ago

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    5 months ago

    I've never gone wrong here and the Avolemono soup is over the top! Casual, and comfortable the staff are always friendly too.

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    2 years ago

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    6 months ago

    Great food and friendly service. Love the all day breakfast options. Service is fast and the food is served hot. Portions are very generous.

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    1 year ago

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    2 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Go for the Greek food. It's great, especially the spanakopita. A good BEC in the a.m.

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    6 years ago

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Excellent breakfast and Vietnamese coffee. We had the breakfast sandwich and the burrito...both delicious. Will be back for sure.

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    4 years ago

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    5 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Great salad called Metro with chicken; I highly recommend it! Also the extra crispy hash browns are Amazing!

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    3 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Classic cafe ! Affordable prices, good food, family owned! Support local! I always get the gyro! It's pretty goooooood!

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    3 years ago

    The best breakfast burrito I've ever had. Made me wish I was in town more often to try more things.

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    Nick the Greek

    Nick the Greek

    3.4
    (59 reviews)
    5.1 mi

    I recently tried Nick the Greek and it was such a solid spot for a fresh, flavorful meal…read more I ordered the Mediterranean bowl with beef, and my friend got the lamb pita, both were really yummy. The bowl had a great mix of fresh ingredients, from crisp veggies to perfectly seasoned grains and sauces that tied everything together so well. The beef itself was super tender and cooked perfectly, which really stood out. My friend's lamb pita was just as good it was juicy, flavorful, and wrapped up with all the right toppings. We both kept saying how it reminded us of Cava in SoCal--it's honestly a pretty close dupe, which I loved. The only reason I'm giving it a 4/5 is because I wish there was a bit more meat in the portions. That said, the quality definitely made up for it since everything was so well-prepared and satisfying. Overall, it's a great go-to spot if you're craving something fresh, filling, and full of flavor. I'd definitely come back!

    Nick the Greek is good when you're in a hurry for take out. It's not quite fast food, but…read moreclose-ish. I most recently ordered the Tahini Crunch Salad, a Veggie Pita, and fries. Both items were good, although not really authentic tasting. If you just keep in mind that it's fast greek vs authentic all day slow cooked greek, then you're better off with any expectations. Of the two employees I interacted with, the young man was nice and helpful, and the woman was hurried and annoyed with me for asking where utensils and napkins were.

    Photos
    Entrance wall
    Entrance wall
    Nick the Greek
    Nick the Greek

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    Kokkari Estiatorio

    Kokkari Estiatorio

    4.4
    (5.6k reviews)
    17.0 mi
    $$$$

    Visiting Kokkari Estiatorio had been on my restaurant bucket list for years, and when it was my…read moreturn to choose a spot for our celebratory team lunch, no one was opposed to dining at Kokkari Estiatorio. I booked our table about a month in advance, which turned out to be the right move because the restaurant was bustling during the lunch hour. To start, we ordered four small plates to share among our party of four: meatballs, saganaki, spanakotiropita, and a pair of dips (melitzanosolata and favasalata) with pita. Everything was excellent, and our spread was inclusive of a wide variety of flavors and textures: salty, creamy, acidic, sweet, crunchy. The meatballs and the dips are definitely a must-order and are ideal for sharing. The spanakotiropita were larger and more filling than expected, so if I were to order those again, I'd dial it back and stick with small plates rather than a full-sized entree. The saganaki was a showstopper; it is served sizzling and crackling on a cast iron dish and had a nice salty flavor that allowed the cheese to be served on its own. For my main dish, I ordered the braised goat - which is not something I'd typically order because goat meat is usually tough - but I was intrigued how it was prepared as a stew. The dish almost reminded me of a Moroccan tagine - the goat was braised to peak tenderness and bathed in a slightly fruity and well-spiced sauce; dotted with pieces of melted feta; and served on top of a bed of baked orzo, which was served fresh-from-the oven in a mini cast iron dish. I was so full after our meal that I had to walk it off for a few blocks, but I cannot wait for our next special occasion so we can come back and celebrate with another feast at Kokkari Estiatorio.

    I was so happy to return here after like 12 years! I love their lamb chops, salads, desserts and…read moreappetizers. Yes, it's a somewhat expensive dining experience but you are paying for top notch service and great quality food. I am not talking about these cheap midnight specials in Las Vegas. This is type of food where you take your time eating to savor your food to taste the silky texture of the meat or let the sauce soak into the octopus appetizer to soften it and tastes good. I would have ordered a salad but with the health scare of salads recall made me hesitant to order any, although the specials sounded great! You can still cannot go wrong as every dish was great experience and great execution. Love the melted cheeses in appetizer and custard in dessert with pistachio ice cream! The meats really shined as we asked for medium rare and both steak and lamb chops cooked perfectly. Would I go back? , oh yeah and splurge on this place for sure. It just felt special to me. That flourless cake by kitchen I was debating should I take the whole thing and run? lol Restroom is a maze I do must say as you take an elevator one level down.

    Photos
    Inside with roasting lamb in the back
    Inside with roasting lamb in the back
    Grilled sea bass, deboned with head and tail removed
    Grilled sea bass, deboned with head and tail removed
    Kotopoulo Souvlaki/Chicken Souvlaki

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    Kotopoulo Souvlaki/Chicken Souvlaki
    Elia

    Elia

    4.3
    (766 reviews)
    43.8 mi
    $$$

    We held a special birthday lunch celebration for almost 90 people and had a wonderful experience…read more Massoud and the entire staff was excellent to work with. We did a full inside restaurant buyout and had the option to select several appetizers, two salads and four entrees from the menu. Of all the places I researched, this was the only one that was willing to do a full sit down meal (as opposed to a buffet). The restaurant is very pretty (and photogenic) and there was plenty of space for our guests to mingle before the food service began. The food was outstanding as were the desserts. We couldn't have been more pleased with how our party turned out. I highly recommend Elia if you are looking for an excellent meal or party venue.

    Came here to celebrate a friend's birthday. Any Party of 6+ adds 20% gratuity…read more The restaurant was very nice and clean, got like an ocean vibe with the decor. Love how open the restaurant is with windows and natural lighting. The food was alright and pretty expensive. We individually ordered, but shared like family style including appetizers. We tried the Saganaki $17.00+ Skillet-fried flaming kefalothiri cheese, brandy, lemon? It was okay. To me, it just tasted like cheese topping from a slice of pizza. It was cool to see it being lit on fire though. I did like the fried calamari, that was delicious especially with the sauce. I ordered the mushroom and spinach omelette $19. It came with potatoes and fruit like watermelon. It was decent, I mean it's an omelette so what can I say, lol. The serving size was perfect to share. Our server was good. The woman who helped us clean our plates and refilled our water was very attentive as well. The bathrooms were clean, two stalls. Parking is available in the back or on the street.

    Photos
    Dining Area
    Dining Area
    Greek yogurt cheesecake
    Greek yogurt cheesecake
    Poached Pear

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    Poached Pear

    Redwood Cafe - sandwiches - Updated August 2026

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