Review rewrite: Our waiter was very pleasant, the service was great, and the food was amazing. I know this place has some negative reviews, but I'd definitely give it a chance. The waiters who helped us were professional and attentive, and our food arrived quickly. Everything we ordered tasted really good. It's actually one of my teenage son's favorite places to eat, and he's pretty picky about where he likes to go -- so that says a lot! Jose and Keith were great !! read more

I can confirm like other diners have stated, the food is just ok. The front staff is very friendly and attentive. I ordered an omelet $18 and found it odd that the cheese was not melted, just sitting on some avocado. Our waiter forgot my toast but brought it out when asked. There were no flavors that stuck out to me, it was just food. Country potatoes were probably the best thing I had although they could have been slightly crunchy and that would have made them better. The restaurant did get busy but by the time my party of 2 left, the parking lot was empty. That is not a good sign on a Sunday morning at 10:30 am in my opinion....... As for the owner, the vibe was a little off but I did not witness any altercations or anything rude. Would I come back? Probably not, there are plenty of delicious small business breakfast spots in the surrounding area. read more

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Customer service was good but food was terrible. I never thought I would criticize the food service being too fast, but it was not cooked well and had very little flavor. I had the apple chicken sausage scramble and the presentation looked unappetizing, the onions were not cooked, and the flavor overall was bland. However, the homestyle potatoes were good. My spouse got the waffle and it tasted like the ones you get at a cheap hotel breakfast buffet with no flavor and smuckers syrup on the side. Very disappointing. The server was really nice and offered to send the food back to be more cooked but since both meals were such a disappointment we didn't feel like cooking it more or exchanging would improve the food experience. Hopefully it was just an off day from the chef since other reviews were more positive but I wouldn't go back. read more

We had a negative experience at Sara's Kitchen this morning. Problem #1. My partner ordered an entree and asked for a side of corn. The server brought his dish with a side of mixed vegetables instead. My partner informed the server that his side was incorrect. The server told my partner that they didn't have any corn and simply decided to substitute his side for corn without informing my partner of the absence and discussing substitute options. Problem #2. The pancakes that another member of our party arrived to the table cold. The pancakes were inedible. Problem #3. Staff forgot to bring a side of toast for another member of our party who is of older age. The server was notified and brought out cold slices of toast that my grandmother could not eat due to the toast being hard from being out for so long. Problem #4. I ordered a side of corned beef hash that was completely forgot until the female owner was told about the situation. The owner apologized and quickly brings out a double portion of the beef hash supposedly. I take a bite and it is completely cold without any flavor at all! My partner tends to eat low sodium/salt free foods and even for himself it was bad. The potatoes in the hash were cold and a bit raw in the center. Problem #5. The attitude of the business owner was completely rude to us without any given reason. We spoke to her in a calm demeanor. I informed her of what went wrong with the toast, pancakes, and my beef corner hash. She asked us in a rude tone what she wanted us to do about it. She asked if she should remake the food or what. I politely told her no since we have to go to a church. The owner mocks me by saying God Bless before walking away. She comes back to the table to tell us that the only dish she will comp is the corned beef hash since it was a side. She refused to comp the meal that included the pancakes and toast due to these two items being 'free' since they are part of the meal. Problem #6. My family member asked the busboy for to go boxes. When asked how many, she told the busboy staff 3 boxes to which the female owner overheard. She immediately grabs the plate of cold pancakes that my family member considered taking back home and said that, "This is to give to the animals," before walking away. Everyone in our party had problems with our meals. We felt disrespected by the business owner and cheated. After coming to this restaurant for over a decade, we have decided to say never again! We don't appreciate being spoken to rudely and how the restaurant owner handled our issues. --------- This is in response to the owner's message that was a left as a compliment to me that states, "If you didn't like the food why ask for box to take home ." I clearly never said that we did not like the pancakes that you rudely took away from our table without asking us at all. The pancakes arrived cold to the point that butter could not melt over them. Which means that the pancakes were sitting out ready to get picked up for who knows how long before the pancakes cooled down. Yet, you still had the audacity to charge us full price for the meal with the pancakes - yet not give us the opportunity to take home something that we paid for. Who does this? Well, besides you of course. read more

Sara's Kitchen - This is the owner's response to my 1 star review regarding the quality of the food and her rude attitude towards us. - American Near Me - Santa Clara, California

Bad food, bad service (the waiter kept interrupting us and touching my girlfriend), and I got food poisoning. I have no idea why this place has such good reviews. read more

Definitely a family established restaurant, the usuals go to this place & you can feel the love as soon as you walk in, get seated & placing your order. Everyone that works here, is super friendly. Located in the corner of a semi-busy street, depending on what time you go, but they have plenty of parking, again depending on how busy they get. There's plenty to choose from on the menu, whatever it is your craving, this place will have what you are looking for. If your in the area & unsure of what your looking for, why not stop in & enjoy a dish or two? read more

Sara's Kitchen - Short stack pancakes - American Near Me - Santa Clara, California

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Been coming here since 2001 and starting my 25th year. Another great breakfast. Custom scramble with ham and cheddar along with a side of hash browns. read more

Sara's Kitchen - Custom scramble with ham and cheddar with side of hashbrowns. - American Near Me - Santa Clara, California

The omelette i ordered was ok the potatoes and fruit tasted a little old been going there for years this is the first time this has happened

Place is trash stay away. Quality of food has gone down the gutter. Owner is out of sync with reality.

We have been coming here since college. It's always a solid breakfast option. There are so many tasty options for breakfast we always struggle to decide. Today we tried the Philly Cheesesteak for the first time, since the menu says they are famous for them. It was yummy but honestly the filling to bread ratio was a bit sad and it was nothing remarkable so we probably won't get it again. We also got the country fried steak and eggs, which were yummy but again, have had better elsewhere. The pancake that came with it was delicious, light and fluffy inside with the perfect flavorful browning on the outside. Sara's is really good at scrambles and omelettes so we will be sticking to those in the future. The service as always is great and was very pleased to get coffee while we waited for a table. Love the nostalgia of the little cafe diner atmosphere and the lovely nature of the owner. read more

Sara's Kitchen - Breakfast Menu - American Near Me - Santa Clara, California

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It was our first time here and we would not return. There was a lady talking on the phone very loudly and I didn't even know if she was a guest or worked there. She went up to the table next to us and was very loud she must've known the guest and again I still couldn't tell if she was a guest herself or if she worked there. My pancakes were raw in the center, I asked for extra crispy hashbrowns and I got my bacon extra crispy, which is not what I wanted. When we went up to pay, it was the same lady and she didn't even look us in the eye. I wanted to ask her about the bill since the waiter said he would remove my pancakes, but she was not even paying attention to us and because the food wasn't great we just wanted to go. I have always wanted to try Sara's Kitchen and it was a disappointment. read more

Breakfast at a nice cozy diner was a very good experience for Saturday morning. I enjoyed the non-stop coffee and Denver omelette with hash brown and a pancake. The waitperson was kind and helpful. We stayed long after we finished eating but never felt rushed (we made sure no one was waiting). Will eat here again when in the area! read more

Sara's Kitchen - Denver Omelette! - American Near Me - Santa Clara, California

Sad to say I don't have a picture of our food or the place but we were looking for a quiet little breakfast spot and Sarah's was perfect! Simple breakfast and coffee, toast jam and eggs Mmmm Mmmm sooo good Friendly Great service! Smiling faces :) Will be back when I'm in San Jose again! Thank you for being so kind! read more

Such a nostalgic spot. It's super cute, and the employees are incredibly welcoming. From the outside, it looks small, but there's actually plenty of seating inside. The menu has so many great options, it's almost hard to choose just one. The wait for food isn't long at all, and everything tastes like a comforting, home cooked meal. Parking on site is limited, but there's plenty of street parking nearby, so it's not a big issue. Definitely worth a visit! read more

The ambience wasn't the most welcoming and the hostess was a bit intimidating but the food was okay... not sure if my family will be back there read more

I stopped in randomly this morning and got a couple breakfast burritos to go. I was immediately impressed by how friendly everyone was and the speed of service. The chef whips up the food so fast! And it's delicious!!! I went with bacon and sausage with the works. Their burritos have avocado and sour cream, plus a bit of hash browns. Salsa is served on the side, which I appreciated. Perfect amount of everything for great balance. They put on a good amount of avocado and the potato is just the right amount. I hate going places where the burritos feel like all potato, no protein. Highly recommend. I'll be back for sure! read more

We came to this spot as part of a regular get together with friends, and our friend chose it because it is her birthday month. First, the table service was attentive and friendly. We got multiple coffee and water refills, and our food came out relatively quickly. The restaurant was smallish and a typical diner/cafe. My wife and I shared the "hangover" breakfast, which had 2 eggs, bacon, sausage, hashbrowns and a short stack. The savory items were tasty, and they had a variety of sauces. The pancakes could have used a bit more flavor, though, and the syrup was mostly high fructose corn syrup. We also shared the biscuits and gravy. As a native Texan, I consider myself to be an experienced B&G reviewer, and I often order it as a benchmark in a restaurant that's new to me. This order was not bad, but did not meet my B&G ideal. The serving size was good, with two biscuits. However, the biscuits were a little tough, and the gravy was a little thin and less flavorful than I cherish. My wife and another friend (who also ordered a gravy item) agreed with me. At the end of the meal, we went up to the counter to pay. The cashier interrupted my multiple efforts to explain how we wanted to pay. As a result, we were unable to treat our friend to her birthday meal. This was especially confusing because we were the only ones in line to pay at the time and there didn't seem to be a need to rush us. If a friend wanted to return here, I would consider it. But it wouldn't be my first choice. read more

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Our waiter was amazing, very attentive and helpful. The owner a different story, extremely aggressive and unprofessional. Worst experience ever. I highly do not recommend this establishment unless you would like average food and the owner cussing you out for asking to turn the light on. read more

This place has its personality. Their Swiss mushroom burger blew In & out burger out of water. It is what a burger from an east coast local burger place should taste like. In west coast it is dominant by chain and loved by people who never had a real burger before. Come to try and find out yourself. read more

Arrived 15 minutes before posted closing time today and found the door locked even though there were diners and staff inside who clearly saw us. An elderly couple arrived a few minutes after us and also found the doors locked. You could have just explained to us you were closing soon and not seating any more customers despite your posted business hours, but instead chose to lock the doors and ignore us. read more

Amazing! Absolutely amazing food, amazing service, just amazing! I was in heaven with my mushroom cheesesteak omelet. The hashbrowns cooked to breakfast. The server was extremely nice. I went with my mom and service dog. He made my service dog feel welcomed and special. We got our food quick, and the server was amazing. Overall an amazing service! read more

Basic diner breakfast. Yummy if you are looking for basic diner breakfast. Service was fast and excellent. My mom ordered the Eggs Florentine and it came with thick (too thick?) canadian bacon under the eggs. I had french toast and a half order was huge. We will be back. read more

Recently there have been some issues that were not handled professionally or responsibly regarding soapy tasting coffee and eggshells in the poached eggs. I realize that accidents can happen even with the best intentions, but Sara's responses in both cases have been rude and accusatory. With the coffee, she said that nobody else complains. With the eggshells in the poached eggs, she said that we're "high class" and should "go somewhere else, go to Mission Cafe" . Her responses are very dismissive and defensive. She holds grudges and has a very bad attitude in general. I won't be going again. It's too bad because I used to go often. That said, the waitstaff were good. They were polite and responsive, especially, Jose and Keith. read more

We had a terrible experience this morning. My one year old was quietly observing and playing with a plastic vase with old faux flowers that have seen better days at our table while we were waiting for our food. The owner came by and grabbed it out of his hand, and he burst into tears. If she were to have asked me to take it from him, it wouldn't have been a problem at all and I would have apologized. I understand they probably have kids that are destructive with such things all the time, but a stranger snatching something out of your kid's hands without asking or interacting with the parents is uncalled for and rude. Never returning. read more

This is definitely a neighborhood institution. Little mom-and-pop diner spot that looks to have been in business forever. Loved the corned beef hash. Didn't love that the fruit cup was simultaneously half frozen and contained not very fresh pieces (not fresh to the point that they tasted funny). I'd come here again. Would not get fruit tho. read more

Sara's Kitchen - Corned beef hash - American Near Me - Santa Clara, California

My husband and my family had this experience for this sunny Sunday The owner half greeted him Told himto sit anywhere, so I did she started laughing at him he sat at a table for four. (She did know he had others joining me or ask) When he paid heasked "why did you laughed at me". I told yoi to sit anywhere over there and you sat somewhere else , no you said sit anywhere. Either way you joke about me to your staff And then to call him an asshole in front of my daughter and the guest after I leave when I ask you about that you told me my daughter was a liar. he had not cussed and until she called him an asshole then he told her she was a bitch Being the owner of the business does not give your right to laugh at your customers, even in their face, to treat anyone with disrespect. For years and years, I drove by this establishment, thinking it must be really good because it was so busy. The parking lot was always full. Come to find out. The parking lot is always full because the owner and her employees park in the parking lot The main reason is don't go there she respects her customer. She does not care and she's rude. You had no right to be rude $60+ for three meals for breakfast to be treated like shit. The only way to handle someone like this is to hurt her business do not support this place read more

The food was great. What I didn't like though was the ambiance. There was no air conditioning and it felt like a sauna in there amidst the cooking. The waiters and waitresses lacked serious hygiene and it felt as though I was in someone's house that didn't care about how clean or dirty it was...I could have gone to a friend's house to experience that - 2 exact instances where I can recall this feel...tin foil remnants on my plate when food was served and the fact that the napkins were dirty upon arrival to seat us at our table. The waitress gave me some low key attitude too when I asked if she would replace them due to being dirty and she just removed the top napkin. I will likely never go to this place again, albeit it is for some people...not for me and I align with the many reviews below that are 1 to 2 stars as much as I didn't want to settle for these upon giving it a first go. read more

My son was craving his favorite omelet and hash browns so we returned to Sara's today. The handicap parking spot was waiting for me, and there were several other empty spaces when I arrived around 10:45 am. My son parked on the street and walked in at 11. We ordered our usual favorites. His is the #9 with no peppers and no onions, and about half the usual quantity of chopped sausage, with cheese on top, hash browns and well toasted English muffin. I had the #25, 3 eggs any style (scrambled), hash browns, 3 sausage patties (which were burnt on one side and normal on the other, but I didn't send them back - pretty unusual they were that way), and an English muffin buttered but not toasted in a to-go container for later. Valbon our favorite waitstaff member took excellent care of us as usual. Tiffany brought our two waters and my son's Coca Cola, for which we thanked her and she returned our smiles with her beautiful one. Although all the tables were filled, we received our order quickly (usual amount of time when it's busy is about 10 minutes after the order is turned in). We had a very nice meal as usual, and were soon on our way for the rest of our day. Thanks, Sara and Manny, Valbon and Tiffany, and Jose (another waitstaff member who was covering the other half of the restaurant today), for another great breakfast! read more

Sara's Kitchen - #25, 3 eggs any style (scrambled), 3 country sausage patties, hash brown potatoes, English muffin lightly toasted in to-go box - American Near Me - Santa Clara, California

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Came here for Sunday breakfast. The menu was vast with lots of options. The food was overall OK, nothing impressive so basic diner style food. The ambiance inside was hectic and busy, as expected for a breakfast diner. Overall just OK but glad I tried the food. read more

Food, service, kindness of staff are A-1! Our week is not complete without a meal from Sara's!

I'm surprised I've not yet left a review for Sara's Kitchen. I've been here several times with my mom and friends. Usually for brunch when it's a little slower. When I worked for a local towing company, we'd have our team meetings here, too. Meals are filling, most 3 egg omelets and scrambles that have protein items like bacon are $15-16. Yes, the bacon in my omlet wasn't abundant but it wasn't too skimpy, either. Which is a reasonable price and decent quantity of bacon and good amount of avocado for the high cost of living and Santa Clara City's minimum wage of $16.40/hour (https://www.santaclaraca.gov/business-development/business-services/minimum-wage-ordinance) Ingredients are always fresh (see yesterday's photos). Service is always attentive and polite. I dig the cafe ambiance and the wide view windows that look quite a ways out and onto the monastery's pink walls. Visit, the food is great! read more

Sara's Kitchen - Bottom (2) are #7 omelets with cheese, shrooms, bacon and avo & toast (not pictured) $16. Top is eggs, bacon, hash and toast, $12 IIRC - American Near Me - Santa Clara, California

Food isn't great, customer service is awful. I wish this place would not exist so something good could be here instead, it's a waste of a business. I have given them multiple attempts, none were good. Sucks to suck. read more

My boyfriend and I visited Sara's Kitchen for the first time this Sunday, following recommendations from many Santa Clara students and locals, and we were not disappointed. This adorable diner is open, airy, and bright, with kind staff and amazing homestyle brunch at great prices. The service is fantastic, allowing you to be in and out quickly, with food prepared swiftly. You can seat yourselves and order right away! Highlight: My waffles were delicious!! We'll definitely be back! read more

Sara's Kitchen - Hot Chocolate + Chorizo Breakfast Burrito (with avocado) - American Near Me - Santa Clara, California

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The food was absolutely delicious, with generous portions that are perfect for sharing. My colleagues and I enjoyed our stay from morning until lunch--the ambiance was great, the customer service was excellent, and the owner was so friendly and welcoming. read more

Food was ok. Typical diner food. Nothing exceptional. Got toast out for the whole table on one plate. No other plates offered so everyone ate on their napkins. Hash browns have no salt or flavor. Overpriced - regular black coffee is $4.50. There's a female waitress at the cashier counter, must be in her late 80s, who's pretty rude. Asked a question about the bill that she struggled to answer. When my friend helped out she made a sassy comment, "we know who dines out frequently". Wouldn't recommend. Too much negative energy for a Saturday morning. read more

The foods not that great here. On top of that The lady who seems to be managing this place was inconsiderate and not very kind. I ordered hot water with lemon and she brought me coffee and I told her it was wrong that I wanted hot water with lemon and she walked away shooing me with her hand. Thankfully a different guy came to take our order and he took the coffee away and brought hot water also he did great being attentive . The food also came out fast , but the food wasn't the best tasting and they left the receipt on the table before even serving us our food which I guess was fine since we were on a time crunch .... but when I tried to give them my card they said walk to the front to the lady from before . She wasn't at the front so I went back to my booth when she passed by I tried to give her my card she refused. So I had to walk up to the front which was no big deal but unnecessary. I don't care for this place the foods average. read more

Sara's Kitchen - American Near Me - Santa Clara, California

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The food is delicious especially their breakfast!!!Also good lunch menu! The atmosphere is excellent right in old Santa Clara area by the college I'd recommend this place for a relaxing meal with a great server who gets how to treat people with respect and kindness This place is a perfect place to stop and enjoy a nice breakfast or lunch!!! Try it out read more

A local favorite in Santa Clara's Old Quad neighborhood. This restaurant has been around for a few years. Family owned. It serves a good sized breakfast and hearty lunch specials. It's decent diner food . Definitely upscale from the diners Tom Waits sings about in his ballads. Though, with great local charm. Support local businesses and get your lunch here or order to-go. read more

Sara's Kitchen - Front door - American Near Me - Santa Clara, California

Awesome food! Great service! 10/10 I got the cheesesteak salad and hashbrowns. Sooo good read more

Sara's Kitchen - Cheesesteak salad - American Near Me - Santa Clara, California

We stopped here for lunch after our flight from Austin, we tried to see the Winchester house but too much construction. This place is old school type diner. The breakfast and lunch/dinner menus are under the glass at the tables. I had a bacon cheeseburger and fries which were good. Shana had a breakfast meal and she really enjoyed it. She had coffee and water while I had a coke and water as Dr Pepper was not an option. The service was very attentive. Our waitress was friendly without being overbearing and there was a man who kept the coffee and water filled. The place was small but well kept. The SF Giants are HUGELY popular with lots of newspaper articles and pictures/posters. There was a TV near our table but it wasnot turned on The price was fair. The two biggest issues were getting the soda refilled took a moment and I asked for cheese and bacon only and burger came with lettuce, onion, tomatoes, etc. The bathrooms are clean according to Shana. Overall a good place, seemed popular but never overly busy and quaint. If your nearby worth a visit for breakfast or lunch. read more

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