Went in around 10:30am during the week. Got seated right away. A few tables were still also open.Friendly staff greeted us upon arriving. The space is small but the noise level was good considering there was a good amount of people. Since the space is small, the tables are actually placed fairly close to each other with a little gap between tables. The customers seated adjacent to us were also friendly, but were respectful to our experience. I ordered a grapefruit juice , which was perfect with the warm weather. For my meal, i went with the chilaquiles verdes. I would have loved to have more tortilla (chips) with this plate. It felt like the eggs were the main feature of this platter. The chips are served hidden under the eggs. The salsa verde was delicious and had a kick. If you like spicy, this will definitely bring some of the heat. I would have loved to also see more cheese on the chilaquiles. I added the chorizo to my plate for a few extra bucks, and was definitely worth it. Overall good taste and flavors. read more

Sequoia Diner - Chilaquiles verdes with added chorizo - Diners Near Me - Oakland, California

Sequoia has been a popular breakfast and lunch destination for a while. The food is excellent. Some of the servers have been worked there since it open. I love the feel of the place, but the only cost seems to be a bit out of control. $40.00 for breakfast is a bit much for me. read more

Always a great experience when visiting! Food never disappoints! I've had the pork hash and this time tried the duck grits. PHENOMENAL!!! The baked goods are always a delight as well! I've tried the strawberry cornmeal scone (my fave!!), brown butter chocolate chip cookie, and the sticky bun. Every one is 5/5 !!! Service is fantastic. You feel like it's a family joint and the staff are warm, helpful, and attentive. Smallish diner vibes, but a good amount of seating and tables, and counter seats as well. A definite neighborhood gem, and we love coming here!!! read more

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The food is divine but.... They have a mandatory 18% gratuity. WHICH IS FINE. But I shit you not, I did not add additional gratuity and one of the wait staff said "oh he came back" when I went thru the door read more

Best waffles ever and customer service was excellent. We will definitely come back. The beef hash was excellent as well.

We had a wonderful Father's Day breakfast here. The wait was about 30-45 minutes long but I think that was just because of the holiday. The food here was fantastic! I had a Duck Hash that was amazing. A lavender latte that was really good. I was very impressed. Fruitvale natives know that this used to be Full House Cafe and I think this is a definite improvement on the old place. The atmosphere is fun and lively and the decor is great. Service staff here are friendly and seem like they're having fun and working (a good sign for any business). We will definitely be coming back! read more

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Food was decent. However, I do not agree with undisclosed 19% fees that just appear on the final bill for a take out.

Sooo good! Had an awesome avocado toast with a fresh salad. Yummy lavender latte. Highly recommend - fresh take on breakfast classics

Adorable little diner with upscale, creative offerings. We met some friends here for brunch and were able to share a few of their house baked goods save for their sold out huckleberry scone. The biscuit was buttery and flaky and to die for, the pecan sticky bun was soft and airy and not overly sweet, and lastly the chocolate chip cookie had the perfect amount of big chocolate chunks and a nice sprinkle of sea salt. Among the table we had the chilaquiles rojos (guajillo salsa, pinto beans, cotija cheese with avocado, fresh tortilla chips & 2 scrambled eggs), goat cheese and leek omelette with castelventrano olives, fried chicken and waffle and I had the duck and pork belly hash. Everyone was very happy with their meals and my hash in particular, which came with two eggs, toast and pickled onions, was amazing. There's usually a bit of a wait and be careful parking under trees on the street... there were these funky berries or something that splorted all over my car. It did need a wash but ya know. Be prepared to show proof of vaccination (as of Jan 2022) and note the included service charge on the check. We will be back I'm sure... read more

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Great neighborhood joint and feels very homey with few booth seatings and a bar counters. It also has a small bar (interesting) as the cafe mainly serves breakfast food. It also serves alcohol. It's alway 5pm somewhere. Anyway, the sandwich was so delicious and so filling. Each bite, its sweet, savoy, tangy and cheesy. Loaded up with tons of meat, pickles, cheese in between two pieces of grilled breads. It served with a salad and hash. And we killed 1/2 of their speciality hot sauce. Perfect combo. read more

Sequoia Diner - Diners Near Me - Oakland, California

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Ordered to go and Emiliano told us that gratuity was mandatory after charging over $8 for miscellaneous fees. The food and service is not good enough to justify 20% charges! The worst part is being lied to by Emiliano because the gratuity screen indicated a choice. Gratuity should be based on service and ordering to-go literally requires minimal service. The irony is that it literally took an hour for the order to be ready following the forced gratuity. It's almost funny because I got to criticize my friend the entire time for wasting his money on cold food from a rude worker. read more

Sequoia Diner - Mandatory fees - Diners Near Me - Oakland, California

Being a Sequoia Diner regular after living in the neighbourhood when it first opened, it saddens me to note its decline. This was a cute spot I'd recommend to locals and out-of-towners alike, but not again after a couple of recent poor experiences. The long lines on weekends are to be expected with a place that gets raved about like this, but it feels like Sequoia's overall culture has shifted and not for the better. Service is all over the place now--both times I've been recently I've been sat before other customers only to see them being served way sooner. For example, after waiting for an hour outside, by the time we sat down an entire table next to us had finished eating and paying but they didn't leave for another 30 minutes, which was how long it took to order our food, be served, and eat, taking up space from customers outside (they also had kids literally screeching and running around, but that's on them rather than the diner). Meanwhile, couples were sat at booths while smaller tables and the bar were free. This disorganisation is no doubt causing delays to those waiting to eat. As for the food, well mine (see photo) was forgotten by the server so our party ate out of sync. No mention of a discount or free coffee or anything, not even an acknowledgement. I hate naming and shaming but the white male server with long curly hair tied in a bun with a big beard was so antisocial serving us that it's like he's being inconvenienced as he glares at you placing your order. My other half noticed that his personal hygiene wasn't so great either. All of this adds up to somewhat spoiling the experience and thus the food itself. Gone are the days when Sequoia the (former?) owner or staff would chitchat with regulars, setting a warm tone, but it now seems they are just getting their jobs done with little enjoyment or engagement. The 20% added onto the bill before tips is kind of rubbish too, especially considering how terrible the service now seems. Won't be back. read more

Sequoia Diner - Plant-based breakfast - Diners Near Me - Oakland, California

Loved this spot: the food, ambiance and service was all there. There was a wait but most good spots have a wait cos everyone wants to dine there. Super friendly servers, delicious food. Quick turn around on our meals. Everything was seasoned deliciously. Great little diner spot! read more

I'm writing this review as we cross the one hour mark waiting for our food. We have been told the backup is due to the kitchen taking both to go and eat in orders. This business model is not working. Hire more help, or go to some in only or take out only. The food has been good in the past but we won't be coming back. read more

Had breakfast at this diner this morning for the first time. We tried several dishes and all were excellent! The waffle was the best any of us had ever had!!! Lucy helped us and she was super friendly and nice! This may be our new favorite breakfast spot. read more

Was in town 4/15/23 and found this place. It was only 3 of us and wanted to grab breakfast. My chai latte took awhile to arrive & the food arrived 20 mins later. Food wasn't bad but I was surprised they added 20% gratuity for 3. The service wasn't that great. I waited for my chai latte just as long as my food. Cute place inside but a bit disappointed in the service and then to add on a gratuity that I didn't think was justified. I wouldn't have a problem if the service was worth it but definitely wasn't. read more

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Always love this place Andrew. Jaz is a treasure up front Healthy dishes. My family comes to town & eat at Sequoia. So you guys keep the good work. Always a cool hang Engineergregg read more

I finally made in to dine in person. I was meeting a friend for lunch on my work break. I got there first. There were a couple people a head of me and they got acknowledged and shortly after seated. It was not busy and about 4 or 5 tables available. So I waited for the gentleman or woman to acknowledge. He didn't seem interested and she was busy. It must have been about 5 minutes to wait and I was ready to walk out, when my friend showed up. We still waited a few minutes to even get acknowledged. I know place are understaff, but at least acknowledge you'll be with the person shortly. The young lady helped us and told us to take a seat. Once she was able, she came over and attended to us. Order the waffle with blueberry butter and a side of chicken sausage patty. My friend wanted to order an omlette with a couple extra items and our server was very helpful. The food came out fairly quickly. Food good. However, never got checked on offered extra coffee. She was one doing all the work. Male server saw us pull out our cards, but we didn't have the bill yet. I was on my lunch break. He didn't really seem like he wanted to be there. We were unimpressed by the service all around. I will continue to patronized because I like the food, but I think it will be pick up only for me. read more

Last day of our trip to the bay, and we needed to get breakfast, but we couldn't wait too long as we had a flight later. I called and was told there was no current wait time. So my family and I zoomed over just before it got jam-packed. A cute small spot with an airy, light atmosphere and friendly staff. I checked the menu before we arrived, and there was something for everyone on the menu. I ordered the plant-based breakfast with pinto beans, avocado, carrot sticks, collards, spinach, and my favorite, potatoes. When looking at the picture, you would think, "That's it?" but it was flavorful and filling. My niece ordered a waffle, which she described as fluffyyyy. After a recommendation, my mom ordered the No. 1 Breakfast Sandwich; however, she said it was good but would order something different next time. I also enjoyed their freshly squeezed blood orange juice. Definitely, a good spot found on Yelp! read more

Sequoia Diner - Plant based breakfast (pinto beans, carrot shreds, avocado, spinach, mushrooms, potatoes, collards) - Diners Near Me - Oakland, California

Saw it on Check Please! and decided to try it out. Got there before 8am on a Saturday and got seated as soon as they opened. However, only ~5 parties were seated-all others had to wait outside in the cold (staff shortage?). Started with the BEST warm pecan sticky bun, matcha latte & coffee. Waited a while for our food but it was worth the wait! Corned beef hash was delicious, waffle was so good-crispy and soft and 2 orders of their amazing housemade bacon. Ordered 2 more pecan buns and a brown butter cookie to go. Will be back to try other items! read more

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Great diner. We had breakfast, absolutely delicious. Can't wait to try the lunch menu. We sat at the counter, staff is so attentive. A must go!! read more

I have lived in the Laurel for 20 years and have always seen a line out the door since Sequoia Diner opened and always told myself that I would try it one day. Well, after so many years and so many pass by later, I finally gave it a try with my husband. We walked in around 11ish, so not a lot of people but diner was fully seated with folks with a couple of empty tables waiting to be cleaned. There was one gentleman who was there while we waited to be seated. We stood there for about 5-7 minutes waiting for someone to acknowledge us and not sure how long the gentleman who was there waited but obviously long enough for him to just take it upon himself to just seat himself at the counter. Another couple of minutes later, we were asked how many along with a couple of other people who came in. They cleaned the table and sat us. Our waitress was just expressionless and not too friendly but whatever, we ordered the food. My husband had the omelette with bacon that came with hash brown potatoes and some arugula salad while I had the country breakfast which was the biscuits with gravy, eggs and hash brown. The food was really good and fresh so that was great. However, I had to keep asking for water because our server never really checked on us. It's a nice bustling diner, and seen the other servers interact and they were on point with friendliness. Personally, if I spend money anywhere, we are looking for a fully great customer experience which I found a bit lacking. Then the check arrived with a 20% service charge. Frankly, I didn't feel the service was all that but did enjoy the quality of the food. My husband questioned it from another server who was just so sweet, friendly and gracious and explained that it was a way to help out the front and supporting back service workers as well as for the homeless. We enjoyed talking to her and were able to walk away feeling better about that service charge. Overall, food was fantastic but service wasn't what I was expecting. I would go back for the food and perhaps, the next time, I will have a better dining experience. read more

Mostly good food and service . My omelet with with fresh morels and Parmigiana reggiano was tasty but the eggs were a bit brown and not as fluffy as I would like them. Tasty biscuit and homemade strawberry jam were good. Hash browns crispy but a little on the dry side. My wife had a patty melt. The burger was over cooked and would have been nicer spread over the bread. The onions were under cooked a bit and the whole sandwich could have used a bit more grilling on the bread. Amiable atmosphere and service. Will go back and try something different next time. read more

The food was terrific, everything made in-house, including the rye bread. Had the beet hash with eggs and creme fresh. Eggs are so light and fluffy. Be prepared, though. You will pay (and be taxed on) about 6.00 in-service fees and something else. Food was good enough to go back, even with the fees, but not often The 4 stars are because of the extra fees read more

Cute little spot on MacArthur that is bustling even on a weekday for brunch. We were able to be seated right away, but do know that service is on the slower side (probably got our food 30 mins after ordering) and as mentioned in other reviews prices are on the higher side (with added 20% to all bills - 19% for workers, 1% donated). The drinks and food though are absolutely delicious! I got the coconut Thai iced tea which was well flavored and not too sweet though creamy and yummy. The goat cheese and herb omelette was great and came with delicious potatoes (mix of hash like and pieces of potato) and nice toast. My friends loved their shakshukas which were flavorful and protein rich with garbanzos! Will probably be back - they have a very veggie friendly menu - but will be sure to allot a few hours for the visit. read more

Sequoia Diner - Goat cheese & herb omelette Shakshuka - Diners Near Me - Oakland, California

First time here with family after church , it was time to feed the tummy after feeding the soul. The wait was a bit long but the food was well worth it!!! On Mac Arthur Blv near School st, this place is small but mighty , like Goliath, great food , good music, the waitresses were really nice . It didn't take long to get our food n we all clean our plates. Definitely will go back. Oakland gets a bad rap, because of a few bad apples. Try this place you won't be disappointed. Pray for Oakland read more

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Great place to get an excellent breakfast or lunch. They offer pick up or dine in. You might have a little wait depending on the time that you get there. Off street parking is usually pretty easy to find. There's also a bar area so if you're alone you should ask for availability especially if there's a line. I have tried almost everything on the menu and everything is delicious and fresh. The specialty drinks are a definite must try as well. The staff is really friendly especially Jazmine who's bubbly energy lights up the place. The bathroom is always clean. I recommend Sequoia's for small groups and they're kid friendly. read more

Sequoia Diner - Hotty Toddy - Diners Near Me - Oakland, California

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What's not to like? Very good food, interesting, friendly staff, fast service, fun atmosphere.

Nice spot for breakfast. Not a real bargain, but worth it for the quality. Get there early to beat the long lines.

Amazing service! Great atmosphere! Fantastic food! This place has it all and I'm sure everyone will enjoy their visit! I've been coming here for years and it's always been consistent and amazingly tasty. Personal preference: sticky bun!!!!! read more

Sequoia Diner - Pecan Sticky Bun - Diners Near Me - Oakland, California

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Great good food! Best fresh eggs good biscuits. The greens are good vegetables and eggs very nice dish. Love Jaziame awesome to see her smiling face. read more

Got the chicken and waffles here which I wasn't overly enthused about but we went on a busy mothers days with lots of wonderful people who were willing to help us serve our mothers. The American breakfast was good , hash browns nice and crunchy and the drinks are delicious and refreshing. I do enjoy that everything was hospitable accommodating and clean . The ambiance was buzz buzz busy ! And parking can be stressful . Pack your patience forsure in this spot ! They work hard but it's packed at all times and rightfully so - until next read more

I went here about a month ago on a Sunday morning. We had to wait over a half hour to get a table, which was expected. However, I did not expect to wait over a half hour to get our food. I had to get up and find a waitress since nobody was coming to check in on us. I was told they were short-staffed that day, which is understandable but they should still check in on us and apologize for the wait. Anyway, I asked for a side of bacon to at least hold us off until we got our meal. We got the bacon quickly but then when our food came, my son said it wasn't worth the wait. I was expecting not to see the bacon on our bill since they were pretty late with the food and I had to ask about it...but it was there and no apologies for the lateness of our meals. They really need to improve the service here. The food was good, not great. Safe to say I probably won't be back here anytime soon. read more

Amazing service. Great food. No need to say more but the Yelp gods make you these days.

Sequoia is the BEST place for breakfast in the Laurel! I love everything about this place - the decor, the food, the service. They have all your favorite classic diner foods but elevated in every way. Everything I've ordered so far has been delicious, even their coffee. I couldn't recommend this place enough and I'm so glad they're part of our community. It gets busy so I recommend coming early! read more

I've come several times to see what all the yelp hype is about. The food is average and they force a 20% tip. I guess paying in cash is better maybe they don't force that much tip. But honestly I don't know if I'll go back. For $65 for two for breakfast food I'd like to see some really interesting recipes and flavors. Not something I can cook at home! read more

One of my favorites in Oakland! Love that they make their own bacon and breakfast meats. When I used to go more often I'd get there early and sit at the barista bar. Also recommend getting a waffle on the side. Yum! read more

Ditto what Knowledge says in their review. Just OK with very long wait to get food, inattentive service (20% tip automatically added), small portions and high prices. read more

Upon arrival the place was packed. We were seated fairly quickly. The restaurant was a little crowded and lively. We were given waters then waited a bit for our order to be taken. The staff was extremely busy so the wait was a bit lengthy. I ordered the Goat cheese asparagus omelet. It was accompanied by arugula with a vinaigrette, hashbrowns /chunks of potatoes and 1/2 piece of sourdough toast. When our order finally arrived the eggs were a bit rubbery and the goat cheese was not discovered until 1/4 way into the omelet. The potatoes and toast were cold. Not sure if this was a kitchen or service issue. I brought this to the attention of a waitress walking by. She took the potatoes and quickly replaced them with hot. This is a very small neighborhood establishment and I will return during the week to give them another try. Maybe it will be less busy and I'll give the chilaquiles a try. Beware they charge a service fee. read more

This is some of the best breakfast food in Oakland. The goat cheese omelet with hash browns is the stuff of dreams. The folks that work there are also super sweet. read more