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Storybook

4.1 (101 reviews)
ModerateMediterranean
Closed Closed
Updated 1 month ago

Storybook Reservations

Order Storybook Takeout or Delivery

Storybook Photos

STORYBOOK ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Happy hour specials
Outdoor seating
Dogs allowed

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Recommended Reviews - Storybook

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Ultima M.

Another first for me Glad we were able to stop by on a Sunday There is lots of seating inside and outside There is a full bar A little arcade Women's restroom is clean Pizza was good and reasonably priced Our server was nice/friendly I ordered and espresoo martini and it kinda failed but I took one for the team and didnt return the drink, all other drinks we ordered were good I like how the outside patio/seating area has shelter from the sun and how the tables are not too close to each other Venue is big, clean and nicely organized

Funghi Pizza
David K.

Storybook is one unique restaurant in downtown Hayward. In the front is a huge, modern dining room and bar (with an open view into the kitchen), and in the back are an arcade with pay-per-play machines and an outdoor patio. Broadly speaking, the menu is Italian-influenced, featuring a variety of appetizers, pizzas, and pastas. One of my favorite dishes was the Mezze Plate, a colorful spread of hummus, burrata, olives, cucumber, roasted eggplant/peppers/cherry tomatoes, and seasonal fruits (blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, grapes), served with pizza bread on the side. My favorite element was definitely the creamy burrata, perfect for spreading onto the chewy flatbread! Next, the Meatballs were an iron skillet of four beef and pork meatballs in a surprisingly spicy tomato sauce, made with Calabrian chili and pecorino; and the Little Gem Greek Salad was a mixture of little gem lettuces, cured shallots, feta, olives, and cucumbers, all tossed in an acidic red wine vinaigrette. From their pasta selection, the White Cheddar Mac & Cheese was an extremely creamy, decadent mixture of orecchiette pasta in a Vermont white cheddar sauce, topped with breadcrumbs, which had been baked to a crispy texture. Finally, one of the highlights of this restaurant is their pizza selection, and the Funghi came with a generous amount of roasted mushrooms, along with a porcini and roasted garlic sauce, fontina, provolone, mozzarella, black truffle pecorino, and thyme. So much umami goodness! Overall, the food here was tasty though nothing too outstanding. However, the menu prices were all on the high side, and the service was friendly but very slow.

Funghi Pizza (Large) Salsiccia Pizza (Large)
Sistine M.

Came for Father's Day lunch at 1:15pm. The place was pretty empty, but I think there were more people than it felt like because the restaurant is actually pretty big. There's the main dining area, an arcade, and then a beautiful patio in the back. Love the tall rubber plants! The inside decor is cute. Where the Wild Things are painting, under the sea mural behind the bar... the name "Storybook" is absolutely fitting. The main dining area is lit with a lot of natural light and there's a big window into the kitchen, which everyone found interesting. Our server was great, and very patient as we had a 10 party group, with a baby and we took a long time to order. We had more food than space on our table, but they were able to figure it out. Pizzas were good and the quality is definitely present. With a part of 10, 4 pizzas, and 2 orders each of garlics knots, fries, and cheese curds, we were all well fed.

Linguine al pomodoro
Mags W.

Let me start out by saying the decor is cool. When you look around at the art on the wall, you see familiar pictures from books you may have read or had read to you as a child. There is modern whimsy when you step in the door, look at the menu and when your food and drink come to the table. I thought the menu offered variety, but was surprised when the hangar steak was offered with frites and not with an option to have pasta. I personally don't eat fries that often and would have liked to have pasta rather than fried food. The chimichurri was fresh and flavorful and the steak was cooked perfectly. Yummo! My Hubs had the Linguine Al Pomodoro and this was light and fresh. The tomatoes added a bit of acidity while the parmesan cheese added some depth. Next time I would love to get the pasta dish and add the steak to the meal for perfection. Our friends had the pepperoni pizza. How can you go wrong with pepperoni? You can't ! There wasn't a slice left when they were done with their dinner. I would like to try Storybook again and add a mocktail or glass of wine to my order. Looking forward to the next time.

Jo W.

I have been wanting to try Storybook ever since it opened in Hayward, and I'm glad to try their truffle fries and both their pepperoni and funghi pizza during happy hour! I also got the lychee "As You Wish" cocktail. The restaurant is clean and spacious, and is decorated with illustrations from "Where the Wild Things Are." There's also a window into the kitchen where you can see the staff making pizza. Highly recommend Storybook in downtown Hayward. It's also a short walk from Hayward bart.

Antoinette T.

I came here for my little sister's birthday with a group of four, and I really wanted to love it. The concept is super cute, we all liked the storybook theme, but it feels a bit unfinished overall. Seating wasn't the best. We were in the back on a bench and table setup that felt uneven and uncomfortable. The space also echoes a lot, and with the music being very loud, it was hard to have a normal conversation. Between that and the music selection, it was tough to really enjoy the vibe. Now for the food....mixed reviews. The appetizers were actually really good. The meatballs and risotto balls were both standouts and something I'd definitely order again. The pizzas, though... not so much. The fungi (mushroom) pizza sounded amazing on paper but was a huge letdown. It had almost no flavor, and the mushrooms weren't seasoned or cooked well at all. It mostly went to waste. The other pizza we tried, a spicy pork option, was much better. Not amazing, but definitely enjoyable; just a little too spicy for my son. Drinks were also a miss. Our waiter was actually very honest and warned us that the cocktails weren't great, and unfortunately, he was right. The drink we originally wanted was out of stock, and the ones we ended up trying (including a mocktail) were pretty bad. In hindsight, we should've just stuck to wine or something simple. I will say our waiter was great, friendly and upfront, which we appreciated. Overall, I think this place has potential and I love seeing something new like this in downtown Hayward. It just needs some refining. I'd consider going back for apps, but I'm not rushing to return.

Artwork around the walls
Greg S.

Storybook follows a namesake theme that is displayed on the walls and behind the bar. Enter to a vast open floor dining area that feels and sounds more like a cafeteria than a restaurant. Very loud in there. The long bar has a full selection of spirits. We were seated inside the 'cafeteria' area as it was getting cool outside. Out the back is a space with arcade games for the kids. Continue out the back door and you enter a spacious patio area with private sections and more open sections for hanging out and dining. Our server was very nice and attentive. She quick and efficient. I believe the cocktails are the attraction here. I tried one of their signature cocktails and it was excellent! For food we started with the Little gem Greek salad. It was a stretch to find items other than the lettuces in this salad and the red wine huckleberry dressing was very pungent to where it made both of us cough we we were not careful. The main was their Fungi pizza. We asked for them to add Italian sausage to the pizza as just the noted mushrooms seemed a bit blah... Well, even with the added spicy sausage it was still quite bland. I will say that the crust was prepared nicely! (and just a note, the Fungi pizza is the most expensive item on the menu). The split salad, pizza and one cocktail came to $80 with tip. We weren't impressed enough to say we will be rushing back soon.

Jenny K.

Great service, great drinks for HH. There is an outdoor area that looks dog and kid friendly. There are also a few arcade games. The pizza was okay. The pasta was yummy but overpriced and small. I'd return again for HH.

Happy hour Pepperoni pizza
Allison F.

This is a review for happy hour on a Sunday. This new restaurant is located in down town Hayward. There's is limited parking in front of Storybook and ample free parking lots in the nearby vicinity. We were greeted as soon as we entered and we chose to sit outside because it was a nice day. We ordered drinks and pizza from their specialty menu/happy hour. The drinks were reasonably priced and tasted great. They do not skimp on alcohol in the drinks. The pizza was delicious and cooked well. I was a big fan of the type of fries they serve. I will definitely be back to try more things off their regular menu.

Cathy B.

le sigh Want to like this place and want this place to succeed but man every time we go to this place they miss the mark w the food and especially w the service. They do have GREAT cocktails here though. We've been here a few times bec we want to keep giving them a chance and try other food items but it's not getting better Food wise - we've had the "kale" ceasar which didn't have kale, it has spinach. The burratta salad which needed more umph. The catch of the day - so disappoint w bland veggies and small portion of fish. And the pepperoni pizza is just meh. We somehow get seated in the same spot in every visit and get the same server which is sooo bad. He never once checks on us. He takes a while to take order despite them not being busy. Not attentive at all and feels like always in a rush. So sad. Their cocktails are great. So next time we comeback, if we will, we will most likely request to sit on the bar and come for cocktails only.

Funghi pizza
Winnie Y.

Came here for Valentine's Day dinner and there were still tables available for a 7pm reservation time. There was a special menu, but I opted to just order from the regular menu and selected the Funghi Pizza. The portion of the pizza with toppings on it was really delicious, but I felt that there was too much crust. I would've enjoyed the crust more, but it did not have a lot of flavor so it was like eating plain bread. The service was a bit inconsistent. We had our waters refilled really quickly initially, but when we actually ran out of water, nobody came around to refill it. Upon being seated initially, there were also a lot of crumbs on the chairs which I had to try to wipe off with my hands while the hostess just looked at me. The interior is nicely decorated, but seemed to lack a cohesive theme. The lighting and bare high ceilings made the dining area feel more like a warehouse than an intimate dining experience that I would've expected. The background music was also really loud which made it difficult to hear. Tables are spaced apart well so that I can't hear other groups which is a plus. Overall, I had an OK experience here. I would actually be open to coming back if Storybook made a few improvements. I think this place has a lot of potential and could be the next place to go viral with some adjustments.

Chickpea and vegetable tangine with a side of za'atar flatbread
Molly L.

We came here on a weekday evening and we have to say we weren't super impressed with the food. My partner ordered a pasta dish with duck while I ordered the chickpea and vegetable tangine. We also ordered the risotto balls as an appetizer. Overall, we thought the food was very bland. The pasta dish had fresh, soft pasta, but the duck had very little flavor and the pasta could have used some more cheese on it. My chickpea and vegetable tangine dish also had little flavor and we both put salt on our dishes because we felt like it was missing something. The za'atar flatbread that the tangine came with though had a good amount of chewiness to it and also some crispness to it as well. It was really good flatbread. The service was fine, but honestly the restaurant was so busy that it did take awhile to get a menu and our orders taken. This place has high ceilings and is very large. There's even a back arcade area where you can order food, though there was no one using it at the time. The front windows are wide open though and so if there's anyone smoking nearby, you might be able to smell it. This place does get loud when there are parties hosted in the front as well. We did make a reservation but they saw us a few minutes earlier. Overall, this place is fine, but not sure we'd come back regularly.

Greek salad... Perfection.
Kathi M.

You know... I really like this place. Their menu is very small - which is honestly how all menus should be that way they really pay attention to detail. I found out I'm a much more picky eater than I thought because every dish that I was interested in had just one thing I wasn't fond of.... But that's a me problem. Not of them problem. So I grudgingly settled on a Greek salad with the Funghi pizza...both were utterly fantastic. Every ingredient on that mushroom pizza absolutely worked. The only suggestion I really have is to also add a risotto that has cheese... I wasn't brave enough to try the vegan risotto even though I really really wanted to.

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Food was solid. Service was great! Ambiance was nice. I will definitely go again but try sitting in patio area next time.

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Ask the Community - Storybook

Is this a pizza/pasta place or Mediterranean?

Hey Cathy, Storybook is both! We offer handmade fresh pasta and stone oven sourdough crust pizza, as well as Mediterranean inspired dishes that feature local produce and change with the seasons. Hope this helps, and we look forward to hosting you… 

Are there gluten free options?

Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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Food was delicately spiced and delicious. The hosts were kid…read morefriendly (we went with 2 toddlers). They checked on us frequently to ensure we were comfortable and feeling good about dining here. Potato pancake appetizer was mind blowing. Mango ice cream is chef's kiss! Would highly recommend this place.

Looks like family owned amazingly managed restaurant, they do have few outdoor tables. Our orders…read morewere taken immediately, appetizers came out quickly, and warm bread was given earlier. We had borani kaddu - butternut squash with yogurt and garlic sauce. This was a good alternative to the common borani banjan. the texture was perfect, not overly cooked, went well with the warm bread. perfect for vegetarians. Our vegetarian companion had borani banjan - smoked, grilled eggplants in the tomato yogurt sauce similar to the appetizer we had. But served with rice and salad and green chick pea side provided enough serving. it was delicious - they have an option to make it vegan as well. Now quabili palaw was the star! massive size of lamb shank, well seasoned, well cooked, perfectly seasoned. The rice was fantastic with enough sweet carrots and raisins. Will be back just for this! Shami kabob came with two kababs (picture only one as our little one already sneaked one!). Kababs were juicy, perfectly spiced, with enough rice and salad. Between quabili palaw and shami kabob was enough for two adults and hungry child... Khoshmazeh!

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Love Mediterranean food and was glad my cousin and I stopped by. She recommended this place and I…read morewas happy to try it out. We're assuming he was the owner, but the gentleman who helped take our order and serve us was very kind and helpful! The food itself was really good and it was also my first time trying Dolmas (which was also very good!) We ordered more plates to go, and right before we left the gentleman handed us our food. Very kind and hospitable! Would come again next time! Thank you for your service!

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This is the second time I am reposting this honest review which the owner keeps flagging and Yelp…read morekeeps removing. This is clearly something the owner does because a few reviews below someone else mentioned her review was flagged and taken down. THE OWNER/MANAGER IS NOT A HONEST PERSON. The owner of this establishment contacted Yelp to remove my original review, claiming my experience was not legitimate. I am reposting my review with screenshots showing that | placed an online pickup order and visited the restaurant. The photos are timestamped from 2/3/2026. Transparency matters, and attempting to discredit a real customer experience instead of addressing it reflects poorly on the business. Flagged Content: Order: Chicken Shawarma Plate Total: $17.55 Location: 217 W Winton Ave, Haywara, CA 94544 I am extremely disappointed with this purchase. The food was not good at all. The chicken was clearly not fresh--it tasted old and seemed like it had been reheated in the microwave, possibly from a day or two earlier. The side dish with garbanzo beans also tasted old. The pita bread was cold and not even warmed, which shows a lack of care. The service was just as bad. When I arrived, the front door was locked even though the restaurant states it opens at 11:00 AM. I arrived around 12:35 PM. A gentleman eventually came to open the door. When I told him my name and that I was there for a pickup order, he seemed completely confused. A young lady then stepped in and asked about my order, and I had to show her proof that I placed it online. Apparently, my order was not in their system despite my confirmation. She told me my food would be ready in three minutes. I was on my lunch break, and there was no apology for the door being locked or for my order not being ready. I ordered ahead specifically because I was on a time limit. The fact that it was ready in "three minutes" made it very clear that the food was reheated rather than freshly made. The ambiance was also unpleasant. The restaurant has large chandeliers trying to appear elegant, but it doesn't work. Chairs were stacked on top of tables, so dining in wasn't even an option. There was also a strong smell of floor cleaner throughout the restaurant, as if they were trying to cover up another odor. Overall, I do not recommend this place. The food quality, service, and overall experience were very disappointing. This was a waste of money. I ended up throwing the food away because I was worried about food poisoning and didn't have time to return it since I was on my lunch break. I will not be coming back.

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Didar Persian Cuisine
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Storybook - mediterranean - Updated July 2026

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