Great food as always and our server Eva treated us very well. Her manager on the other hand was not very kind to her in front of us.
(5)
Leslie I.
Let me first say that I have been to Hobees several times, and had a great expereince, but the last time I went the service was so poor I might not go back. First, we arrived at around 11am, and although our drinks orders were taken right away, my sister's fruit smoothie came out before we were given coffee. It took a good 15 minutes to get coffee, which is kinda crazy given how many people were running around. Second, my friend ordered the eggs benedict with avocado, as was specified on the menu, and when it came out without avocado, he said "can I get my avocado?" which was met with "well that's extra", even though it was listed on the menu as avocado being part of the dish. Third, I ordered a sandwich, which turned out to be...anti climactic. I have had their turkey club before, and it was great, but this time it was poorly made thing, with no tooth picks holding it together or anything, on a salad plate of some sort (so the sandwich didn't really fit). Finally, getting our check took forever. For some reason our wait staff kept changing, so we were never sure whom we were supposed to flag down to be helped. Anyway, it was not a great experience, and I was saddened because it was the first time to Hobees for my sister and my friend, and it was not a favorable impression.
(2)
SacTown G.
Tons of gluten free options make this place great for us. Love their GF pancakes! My son, who does it gluten, enjoyed the oatmeal bar. Also, fabulous service here. This is a great breakfast spot when in southern Palo Alto!
(4)
Sam H.
Salmon Bennie - not enough salmon, and overcooked. Eggs were perfect, as was the rest of it. I kinda expected better. Service was excellent.
(3)
Willis W.
Parents, if you are looking for a kid-friendly restaurant for DINNER, Hobee's is your goto place! I have always loved coming to this local chain for breakfast, and even lunch, but now as a parent, I see the beauty in having a comfortable family-friendly setting for dinner, that is quite healthy, but not overtly so. Proof that Hobees loves kids: there's huge stack of high-chairs against the wall, the tallest I've seen. As soon as we sit down, we get crayons a special spill-proof water glass, and a fruit plate arranged in a smiley face. You had me at hello!! Changing table in the bathroom? YES local beers? you betcha. The burger with whole-wheat bun is top notch. The fact that it's served with tortilla chips is not a big deal - fries are bad for you anyways. And look at that salad bar! Jicama, huge slices of beets, eggs, tofu, soy beans, sprouts... it puts Fresh Choice to shame. They have a soup bar as well. Service was exceptional. And yes, you can buy an entire coffee cake to-go. Thank you, Hobee's. For making my day.
(5)
Stef S.
I'd give it 3.5 stars. Good food, decent prices. The best stuff is the coffee cake! But all in all, the menu isn't that creative. The wait is better than at Stacks (ugh.... Stacks.... loonngggg linnnessss). It's classic Stanford student brunch. I like it but don't love it. Go to Berkeley for breakfast if you have the time to drive that far!
(3)
Steve M.
My last meal will include Hobee's D'Anza with one egg over medium on top. What a great breakfast spot. This one in particular, best breakfast spot in Palo Alto.
(4)
Jenna D.
I am a basic breakfast person, eggs, meat, and sourdough toast, well toasted please! Since my order is basic, I want it cooked right (you would be surprised how difficult other breakfast places find this, especially the well toasted part). My food always comes out perfect here! An additional challenge, the bf is a I want to try something new and exciting every time I go somewhere kind of a guy. They change their specials weekly and he is always happy with what he has ordered! The coffee cake is amazing! The staff is on point, just the right amount of service vs. leaving you alone to enjoy your food. After 6 years of failed breakfasts, we have finally found a place we can agree on.
(5)
Katy C.
Hobee's offers some of the best breakfast I've ever eaten! No frills, just good food and friendly service. Must-haves: -Coffee cake. Sugary, fat, and mouth-wateringly delicious! Every evil part of me wants to order about 4 of these and then one more to go. Make that 2 to go. -Seasonal omelettes. Hobee's dreams up some really inventive combinations that are titled with seasonally-appropriate names (for example: plays on Olympic athlete names during the Winter games). Even if you don't love omelettes (to which I say: "you're crazy!"), it's fun to read through the list. I remember a pesto-chicken omelette named after Apollo Anton Ono that was especially delish. -Oatmeal bar. Great oatmeal bar with everything you could ever want to stir into your porridge. But beware: the oatmeal bar closes at a certain time in the morning... might be 11AM? Can't remember. Late breakfasters might be out of luck. Hobee's is definitely one of my favorite places to go on a rainy morning in Palo Alto. Before or after you eat, make sure to visit Paper Source or Books Inc. (both are just a couple doors down in either direction from Hobee's). Perfect way to spend a better part of your morning!
(5)
Tim K.
Stopped in for a late breakfast today. Food and service were both pretty good. The burger was huge. The meat hung over the bun. Portions on the egg dishes were also ample. The blueberry coffeecake was moist the only problem was to figure out how to cut it without making a mess. We will be back.
(3)
David S.
I love their spinach omelette and breakfast potatoes. Interesting vibe.
(4)
Kristina A.
When presented with the prospect of having brunch in the South Bay/Peninsula, one of Hobee's locations is always my first choice. The omelets here come in a variety of forms with a very nice selection of ingredients. They're never overcooked (pet peeve!) and I adore their home fries. I think this is why the Hi-Hat omelet is my favorite as it's a ham and cheese omelet with home fries *inside* which is absolute genius. Also, their blueberry coffee cake as super delicious - hot, moist, and crumbly with a lovely cinnamon-graham crumble on top. If I liked sweets I'm sure I'd like this coffee cake even more but I never have trouble finding someone who wants my leftovers :p Lastly, Hobee's prices are reasonable for the amount of food you get, service is fast and friendly, and I rather like the kitschy decor that makes you feel like you're eating in some grandma's kitchen.
(4)
Vinson Z.
Been here a few times and it's still nothing special. Service is good, no problems there. The orange bread used for the french toast is a nice touch, but the crust is pretty tough and chewy but a generous serving nonetheless. Side of hashbrowns are also tasty, nice crunch of skillet fried potato and also a large serving. Prices are a bit steep, maybe reasonable if you're from PA. The mocha tastes like CRAP, just as bad as Taco Bell's coffee and they don't even brew coffee at Taco Bell. Taste like instant coffee with too much Italian chocolate sugar free syrup. Has an odd sweetener after-taste that just made me toss the entire couple of double mocha. I like the other breakfast place down the street a little in Los Altos, which always tastes good!
(2)
Menlo K.
Hobee's is the place that taught me that restaurant omelets did not need to be dripping in grease. Thank you Hobee's! In addition to the omelets, they have a variety of creative burgers. I love this location, a very homey feel. Parking can be tough, but excellent food and terrific feel in the restaurant. Can't beat the blueberry coffee cake!
(4)
Norma B.
As far as breakfast places go, this place is pretty good. I really enjoyed the Chorizo Scramble and their Cherry Almond Coffeecake was moist and delicious. I found the Blueberry Coffeecake to be a bit on the dry side though. Overall, I'd come back again.
(3)
Alisa R.
Love this place! Sooo great!!
(5)
Stacie A.
While on business in Palo Alto, came across this restaurant on Yelp. While the reviews were mixed, decided to give it a try. For a friday morning, it was not overly crowded and the service was attentive. I ordered the Mama's Papas (home fries topped with turkey bacon, spinach, mushrooms and cheese), can get it topped with an egg any style. As I am not a breakfast person, this was a perfect portion and flavor combo for me. My husband had the french toast (made with cinnamon-orange swirl bread). He commented that it was the best french toast he has ever had, the were cooked perfectly, not to soggy not overly done. The blueberry coffeecake was a generous piece. Liked the fact it was served warm.
(4)
Lynda C.
Contrary to Anthony Bourdains suggestion to NEVER have hollandaise sauce in a restaurant, I went ahead and ordered a spinach H. breakfast with the blueberry coffee cake, with a mocha.......... This is my second or third time eating here. Well I am from out of town and my healthy eating was out the window the day I left home............Yummmy!!
(4)
Vlad V.
Excellent food, and a quiet place to conduct business over it.
(5)
Sonny W.
Came here early for breakfast--first customer here! Got the bottomless breakfast bar which is basically fancy oatmeal with many different toppings. Overall, good way to start the day!
(3)
MARIO W.
Pleasant atmosphere and friendly staff. Had the squash soup...the bread and crackers were stale. ordered a burger and it came with stale tortilla chips? The burger patty was kinda dry and pretty mediocre. Seriously people this place is kinda overrated... Ill come back to try breakfast. If the breakfast is good like everyone says it is ill change my rating...
(2)
Brian U.
Hobee's is good, don't let my 3 star fool you but the day i went i was really hungry and was referred to this place by a local friend (who is trying to be vegan and pro-tofu). This place definitely serves up the meat but its a little different as the only way i prefer my breakfast is full of swine; i had to adjust my taste buds to turkey bacon and apple sausage, no big deal i guess. The portions are good sized, but for the price i felt a little cheated. I ordered the mammas and pappas home style potato skillet with extra turkey bacon and a scrambled egg topper, it was very good. The orange juice was sour unfortunately but to some this is normal. The wait time was not as fast as most breakfast places ( i am under a belief that breakfast should be served pronto ) but overall the service was good. I would recommend this place to anyone visiting and to the locals who watch what they eat and watch their portions.
(3)
RandyCP U.
Wow. Great breakfasts. Oatmeal bar is a family favorite, along with the omelets, scrambles and smoothies. I like the smoothies because they aren't too sweet. The coffee cake, which is their signature dish, comes in big portions, but is always a little dry. Wait staff is attentive. Salad bar is great, and turns into an oatmeal / cereal bar at breakfast. Free coffee outside while you wait.
(5)
Tamara A.
I am not sure what the fuss about the blueberry coffee cake is. You don't need to make a special trip to Hobees for the coffee cake. It tasted fine I guess but was nothing special. I thought the breakfast sandwich was very tasty and my son loved the pancakes. They serve a lot of omelets and hash browns so I will try something like that next. I think this is a fine place for casual, reasonably priced meal.
(3)
Noah L.
Hobee's is always good. I've had breakfast, lunch, and dinner there and I've always enjoyed it. The coffee cake is a must! Absolutely delicious.
(4)
Jane L.
I have been eating at this Hobee's location for over 20 years. Sadly, it seems to be going downhill lately in terms of quality and cleanliness. Once within the past year, my husband ordered the special salmon scramble - but when it came, it had some sort of whitefish in it instead of salmon - very disappointing and not tasty at all. More recently, I ordered an omelet with turkey bacon and sundried tomato pesto and came down with an serious case of food poisoning. Even the service is not as good as it has been - when my friend got a refill of coffee, the server poured it so quickly it spilled all over the sides of the cup, onto the table, and dripped onto the floor - and didn't wipe it up. The food and the service have become inconsistent. At this point, I will be going to the Hobee's on Rengstorff or to another breakfast place in town, like Rick's or A Good Morning.
(1)
Brian E.
5 star Coffee Cake. Holy God. After eating that, no need for the meal.
I've always loved Hobees! Love their breakfast/brunch food...always went with the hi hat ommie, but this time I got their veggie one. i love how they have a non-fat egg that you can choose to make the ommelette from too! Of course though, what I love MOST about hobees has got to be their BLUEBERRY COFFEE CAKE! They have other flavors according to season, but after trying a few, I still have to go back to the classic blueberry coffee cake. It's just so warm and fluffy and just yummy goodness! I also tried their caramel macciato type cappuccino which was also super sweet and yummy, tasted like the caramel brulee latte at starbucks. Makes me miss the holiday season! I also like how there are two rooms at this restaurant, the outside one has a view and seems much like an indoor patio, and then there's the inside more quiet room. NOt as spacious as the one in Cupertino which I went to more often, but gotta love!
(4)
Jeffrey D.
Had dinner at Hobees tonight--recommended by our nearby hotel. The place was dead on a Friday evening. We discovered that there were obvious reasons for this, starting with a very confused salad bar (including only the slightest amount of lettuce) and the worker who took offense when my wife thought it might be a good idea to provide plates. Our main server, Gladys, was delightful, and I enjoyed the Pesto Pesto Salmon and Patty liked the Pesto Pesto Chicken. But the bottom line here is that it was all forgettable at best. And although I've learned that Yelp reviews are a dime a dozen, the fact that this long established restaurant has such a meager local clientele in an area where dinner out on Friday night is a popular activity says plenty! --Jeff
(2)
Steven T.
Eaten here so many times over the years. It's a solid place to get breakfast and the coffeecake is great. Two things that take away from Hobee's. The dining room is a bit old and not very open. For me breakfast should have sun shining through a breeze flowing by. Given there is Bucks and a few other places with equal or better food and a better ambiance they are the places I would go for breakfast. Lunch and dinner are decent as well but again nothing special.
(3)
Jessica T.
As a frequent traveler to Palo Alto, I make it a point to go to Hobee's for breakfast. Service is great. Easy parking. Food is yummy. Veggies are fresh and perfectly prepared. Of course, I'm there when they open being on east coast time, so it's peaceful and empty. I called them to order a gift card for someone, and they sent it out immediately. Super simple.
(4)
Nessreen H.
Nothing amazed me here..at all. 1. Tables are placed toooo close together, felt like the table next to me was about to hop into my lap. 2. Asked for hot water..received it in a coffee mug thats supposed to be white..looked brownish black on the inside. ewwww 3. ordered the eggs benedict...cold, eggs were poached way under, and the whole plate was drowned with hollandaise. 4. blueberry coffee cake was ok, nothing super special. Yes its huge, hot, and thick (im seriously talking about blueberry coffecake i swear!!). But it was super sweet and felt like it lacked some more flavor, besides sugar! Service was quick and pleasant..1star. We were seated right away during saturday brunch..1 star. Convenient parking lot..1 star. Will I come back..probably not.
(3)
Cindy T.
I know everyone is talking about the blueberry coffee cake, but there's no such thing as too many compliments right? This blueberry coffee cake is so rich, warm , and DELICIOUS. It'd be perfect with a nice cup of coffee or tea to pair, but its amazing in itself. Definitely worth it. I came with my friend and we each ordered our own omelette and hashbrowns. The omelette is good, but it could have been better. The egg could have been fluffier.. yeah that sounds like a really picky statement, but if you've been to Stacks and had an omellete there, they set the bar really high. The other thing that kind of made my omellete plate okay was the hash browns. They were wayyy over cooked and crispy. I mean I love a little crisp to my moist hashbrowns, but a lot of my hashbrowns were overcooked to the point where I commented to my friend about them... maybe the chef fell asleep in the kitchen? I would definitely come back for the coffee cake, the omellete was good, but it's better at Stacks.
(3)
Jayne W.
Hobee's - this one and most of the others around the area - is a reliable breakfast place with tasty home fries, scrambles, and omelettes, And don't forget the monumental towers of blueberry coffee cake. You can get healthy stuff too if you want, but whatever. Oh, and the french toast is good, and the pancakes. Yeah. Breakfast. I believe they also have good sandwiches and salads, but whatever. Breakfast.
(4)
Loan L.
We were just in the area to look for strollers at Day One when we stopped into this place for some food. The little plaza had a fair number of restaurants, but we chose this one because there were a lot of people eating. It was around noon, so I ordered the Aztec burger medium well (i'm pregnant, so no pink meat for me) and my husband ordered the juevos ranchero. The description on the burger looked good so I chose it out of the other burgers. The burger came with either tortilla chips or black bean chili and I was disappointed that it didn't come with fries because I was starving. So my meal came out and I notice that it had feta cheese (i think..well, it was something crumbly) and I was already thinking that this burger would be just ok. Well, my opinion quickly changed once I bit into the burger. All the flavors worked so well with each other..the guac, salsa, the spicy and I didn't mind the chips on the side. I was also surprised that the burger would be good because it was cooked medium well. My husband loves his juevos ranchero and when I had a little taste I agreed that it was good. The black bean chili was very well seasoned and flavorful. The taste was very complex and nothing that I would be expecting from black bean chili. All in all, a good experience.
(4)
Channing H.
I don't get why everyone loves Hobee's so much. Every time I've been I've been underwhelmed and I've paid too much and left too much of the mediocre meal on my plate. Honestly, the breakfast fare other than the coffeecake is at about IHOP level. It's fine, but it's not restaurant quality and it's not worth the money. The hash browns are also always undercooked. Lunch sandwiches are expensive too -- at least $10 for a rather small, greasy sandwich. The coffeecake is the only redeeming thing at Hobee's. It's delicious, it's unhealthy, and it's best eaten take-out in the comfort of your own home without having to deal with a tip and slow service.
(2)
Emily M.
Meh. Overrated. And their breakfast potatoes taste like Top Ramen. Seriously, they taste like they are seasoned with msg, chicken, and whatever else is in that little ramen packet, which I detest.
(1)
Jimmy N.
3.5 stars went in search of ANY breakfast-y type place before work on a business trip up here in palo alto.. none existed! do you people not eat real breakfast?! saw this place randomly and said, "why not, let's give it a shot!" host was pretty cute guy, who also ended up being our waiter. the restaurant has a cute hawaiian, yet confused as asian / jungle / mexican, theme decor. food was pretty good for the money. kinda weird to see a kiwi and orange slice in my breakfast plate as garnishing.. or a cantaloupe slice on the glass of my orange juice as garnishing.. odd indeed, but cute concept i suppose. i'd come back again, yes - for the cute waiter. haha.. and the food too. :)
(3)
Jenny D.
I haven't been to Hobees in years, and now I want to keep going back. Love the "Eye Opener" breakfast, just on point, and in the budget. Speedy service, and the waiter was very polite and courteous.
(4)
Flor D.
It's a chain, but not really....? I love the smoothies, the coffee cake, the BDBIT + turkey bacon, and the sometimes fun specials. I recall on past visits(around the holidays) having a version of the BDBIT but with potatoes latkes. It was so yummy. It came with the works-applesauce and sour cream! Recently, I had breakfast with some pals and it was great. Not the best...but I love the coffee cake and it beats Denny's...when I pretend to be healthy ;)
(4)
Oski B.
Always look forward to coming here for breakfast when I'm back in Palo Alto. They were serving a special peach walnut coffee cake through the end of May that was pretty awesome.
(4)
Angie W.
It took forever to wait for my food. The menu is just okay and there's nothing special with the famous coffee cake. But if you are to order it, make sure that they give you butter, otherwise, the cake would turn out dry and all crumby.. The atmosphere of the place is homey, warm and cozy. Perfect for a quiet time.
(2)
Jiann M.
Tips: - Saturday 11am wait (party of 2) = 20 min Pros: - egg, ham, avocado, cheese sandwich (ciabatta was deliciously crisp and chewy) - coffee cake (gigantic slice-- about 4x4x4 inches) Cons: - difficult to get server's attention - coffee cake was TOO large (streusel to cake ration was way too low) Bottom line: this is like a mom & pop family diner style restaurant. Don't expect the quality to be phenomenal, but this is a safe place to take children. I've had better breakfast before, so I don't think I'll be returning.
(3)
Phil R.
Been to other Hobee's and had better experiences. This morning was very crowded and took about 25 minutes to get a table for two which is understandable. Main issue was both entrees were delivered incorrectly. Sonoma Browns they left off the egg topper and also the Salmon Red Potato hash had very little actual salmon in it and no artichokes. Basically just potatoes and red bell peppers. As always the coffee cake was delicious. Took two requests to have the manager come over. She did agree to remove the Salmon Red Potato Hash from our bill which was appreciated. I will come back to Hobee's for sure but likely will not order the Salmon Red Potato Hash ever again.
(3)
Kayla K.
First time here.. I went with a friend who is a fan of the restaurant. I had the Mountain View Omelet with sausage. I noticed they only have turkey bacon.. I prefer real bacon. I was pleasantly surprised with the omelet. Service was alright, nothing special.
(2)
Denise L.
Came here for a weekday breakfast, their parking is limited as it seems to be a very popular breakfast spot. They have a oatmeal bar, which is interesting, but not an oatmeal fan. Of course everyone loves their blueberry coffee cake, but after a bite or two, I'm done. Their breakfast dishes come with a choice of toast, house potatoes, or the coffee cake. Most places give you carbs and more carbs (potatoes AND toast), but here you only get one option which threw me off. I got an apple juice, while others opted for coffee. It comes out really bubbly, and was told it was not good. I got the dot com omelet but substituted sausage instead of the turkey bacon. Most ordered omelets as well. I didn't like the sun dried tomato pesto spread on top of the omelet, it was really overwhelming. Plus that they have pepper plant sauce, since that makes everything taste better! Overall, it was okay, but this wouldn't be my breakfast place to go.
(3)
Alisha K.
I travel from Denver, CO just to have Hobee's blueberry coffeecake. Their breakfast menu is classic and delicious, but their coffeecake is the crown jewel of Palo Alto. The service is always friendly and attentive and the breakfast is satiating.
(4)
Nishad J.
Got the 7 vegetable quesadilla! It was pretty good overall, but the "hash browns" we're really just cut up potatoes. Luckily the quesadilla made up for it. Fresh vegetables and rice with guacamole and sour cream made it worthwhile.
(3)
Bettie S.
This was right next to my hotel in Palo Alto so decided to try it to avoid eating hotel food. And yelp had some good reviews. Well I'm not sure why it had any reviews over a two. As soon as I walked in I told myself I should turn around. Decor was very poor and old and dirty and dingy. Cheap cash register hostess entrance with stale cookies. But sometimes dive places can still have good food so I stayed. And wished I hadnt. Wine list is cheap wine. Salad bar buffet which is completely unsanitary. (Only see this in Vegas anymore.) Chicken Valentino I ordered and it was terrible. Dry. Flavor-less. Burnt veggies. "Alfredo" sauce was mayonnaise! Even garlic bread was bad. Dry! Waiter was hurried and annoyed. Took plate away and knife fell on my lap and flicked food all over me. Never again. This was terrible place.
(2)
Jessica Y.
Hobee's a typical diner/brunch place. It kinda makes me feel like I'm back home in Florida. Service is nice and accommodating. There's hot coffee and tea outside when you wait for seats. We came with a group of about 15 people after church on Sunday and they were able to split the check for each of us. Two of my friends ordered two entrees to share, and Hobee's took the time to actually split the meal and serve the entrees on two separate plates each. People rave about the coffee cake, which is unique to Hobee's, since you can get it instead of toast with your meal. I've tried the seasonal raspberry one and the blueberry one. It is ok, but a little dry for me, despite the butter that comes with it. Food is typical brunch food, nothing too out of the ordinary. Portions are very large- I ended up most of my coffeecake to go.
(3)
Yun C.
Hobee's is one of those beloved breakfast chain restaurant in the area but after my recent dining experience, I have to ding them... Two of us went for breakfast.. and we noticed the salad bar (I never saw this at the other locations I visited) and after confirming with our server that ONE TRIP to the salad bar with an order of an entree would only cost us $2.50 extra.. we both decided to take it! At the salad bar, they stacked a small bowl and a small plate so we thought those were the only two containers that we could use for our "ONE TRIP" to the salad bar. We filled up our bowl with veggies and the plate with fruits and we returned to our table. Suddenly, a female waitress (NOT our server) stopped by and inquired about our trip to the salad bar. I told her that we got the $2.50 one trip to the salad bar and have informed our server. She then told us that since we took two plates each, it's automatically an all you can eat (cost around $8) and we're welcome to keep going back for more food. We then said, errrr....but then there will be way too much food for us and we only wanted the "one trip" (for $2.50) ..The waitress kept insisting that it's all you can eat now that we took two plates (despite the one trip) and by that time, we felt embarrass because other diners were looking at us (*sigh!)..anyway.. we decided to drop it and just tried to make the most of it. Our entrees then came and I was thinking to box my entree now that I would be charge for the all-you-can-eat salad bar (that's about the same price as the entree!!!!) ..and the female waitress came back to tell us that she didn't know we had ordered an entree and so our "one trip" would only cost us $2.50!!! WTH??!! I'm not usually easily ticked off..but knowing that the "one trip to the salad bar" cost about $4 without ordering an entree.. why would she deliberately assumed that we didn't order an entree with our salad bar??? the price is different....Also, she could have checked with our server prior to confronting and embarassing us..get the fact right before you accused us! come on! In addition, when if it really is the policy to charge diners for all-you-can-eat-price if they take two plates... then they should say "ONE PLATE SALAD BAR" NOT "ONE TRIP!" yeah... I'm pissed off!!
(2)
Laura B.
I was surprised by their menu, I thought this was a IHOP or Denny's type of diner but instead they offered a much healthier menu, which is great, if that's what you want-but I wanted pork bacon and they don't offer that or waffles. But the hash browns and eggs were exactly how I requested them. The pancakes were cold when delivered but the breakfast sandwich was really good. The service was just ok, not super friendly or attentive but polite.
(3)
Ryan M.
Definitely a fan of Hobee's, mostly thanks to it being convenient to my apartment. They have good brunch and good coffee (actually pretty strong stuff too). Careful with the coffee cake though - I found it to be too much and too dry! Other cool things: truly open wifi access, coffee while you wait, rotating seasonal special menu.
(4)
Grant J.
This is one of the most remarkable restaurants I've ever been to. Wonderful staff, excellent food, a beautiful location. I cannot express enough how much I loved eating here. Only wish I lived in Palo Alto so I could come back more. In the two days I was in town I went three times! Just amazing. Try the coffee cake, or any of the scrambles!
(5)
Lisa Y.
The interior of the restaurant looks like your average mom and pop diner with mostly families and elderly couples dining. While we were expecting a home-cooked style breakfast with warm, friendly service, we were greatly disappointed to find that the food was terrible and that the service was really lacking. Parking: Small private lot located directly next to the restaurant. Service: Service was SO slow. After being seated and handed menus, it took a long time for someone to take our order. It took a good half an hour to receive our food, and no one came to check on us during our meal. We had to flag someone down to ask for more water. After finishing our less-than-mediocre meal, our server (or any employee for that matter) was nowhere to be found. There were literally no employees on the floor. After several minutes, a busboy finally appeared, and we had to walk across the restaurant just to ask for a to-go container (though I don't know why we bothered, since the food was awful). When we were finished, we actually had to go up to the counter to ask for our check. Food: - "The Dot-Come Ommie" - Turkey bacon, mushrooms, spinach, red onion, Swiss cheese, and topped with sundried tomato pesto. Comes with a piece of coffeecake. I was initially drawn to this item because the sundried tomato pesto sounded interesting. However, I was really disappointed, and the sauce had a strange taste. Also, the turkey bacon was tasteless. - Chicken Apple Sausage Scramble - Chicken Apple Sausage, tomato, mushrooms, red onion, eggs, and gouda cheese. Comes with a piece of coffeecake. First of all, this scramble does not look appetizing at all. Second, the taste definitely matches the way it looks. My boyfriend barely got through half of it and felt sick after eating it. - Peach Coffeecake - This tasted terrible! It was super dry! Definitely tasted like it was left out in the open or like it was a couple days old. - Blueberry Coffeecake - This cake was a little more moist, but I still wasn't interested in taking more than a few bites. Hobee's is supposed to be known for their coffeecake, but I can't seem to figure out why...I was not impressed with it at all. I will not be returning to Hobee's.
(1)
Maxwell E.
Eggs were great, coffee cake was good, but different than traditional coffee cake so be prepared. Service took a little long which is the only reason for the four stars, but would definitely go back.
(4)
Daniel D.
Visited Hobee's for dinner on my first night in the bay area. The overall experience was great. Service was quick, portions are huge and the different dishes i tried were good. Overall, this restaurant seems to be trending towards fresh/natural dishes, and for the price you pay its worth the visit.
(4)
Michael S.
Fast, delicious, and accommodating. I come here all the time when visiting my elderly grandma, who lives around the corner. Every time I've warmly greeted and served promptly. My last visit was excellent. In the recent years, my grandma's hearing has been severely declining. At first we were seated in a noisy section. When we inquired if we could be reseated, they were more than happy to accommodate us and place us in a quieter area where my grandma could hear better. Thanks Hobee's!
(5)
Mohib Q.
Having passed Hobee's serveral times on El Camino, and upon the recommendation of a friend I decided to stop by here as I craved a good 'ol veggie omelet. I was quickly seated around 10:00 a.m. on a Friday morning. I found that the patrons were mostly older retirees, as I would suspect any diner would have at such an hour. I found their conversations to be equally hilarious and interesting. Parking was also a cinch, and best of all, free. As for the omelet, it was on the runny side. It was good enough in size, and filled with plenty of veggies from onions to bell peppers. It also came with the famed coffee cafe. Although I was given the option to have the more popular blueberry coffee cake, I opted for the banana nut coffee cafe. It was a delicious, filling, and heavy. I went perfectly with the coffee I ordered. I caution, however, some may find it too sweet. Overally, the experience was good. The waiter was attentive, the menu was grand, and the food was great. I just wish the place was remodeled, as the place looked grimey and in need of a refresh. Just don't come here looking to impress anyone, but rather to have comfort food. Also, stay away hipsters. Stay. Away.
(4)
Princess N.
I love this place. If I could give them more stars I would. French Toast is wonderful and the chorizo is my favorite. Servers were very sweet and I loved my server Gaby he was amazing. He had a smile from the beginning to the end of service. He was very attentive and always asking if everything was ok. If you want a great place to eat with great food and service then definitely go here. FOOD IS SO AMAZING!
(5)
Shrina S.
I've seen Hobee's so many times but never been. We came here for breakfast around 9:30 on Saturday and there was no wait, which was good because I was hungry. We were seated in the back room and two people came to ask about coffee and two other people came to ask if we were ready to order, so it seemed like they were really on top of their game. I ordered the South of the Border omelet (no sour cream) with the hashbrowns and my friend ordered the Stanford "Cardinal" Omelet with the blueberry coffee cake, which I have had before and loved! The food came fairly fast- I was annoyed with myself for not remembering to say egg whites, but the omelet was pretty decent anyway. The hash browns, however, were not the best. I expected the hash browns to be crispy and shredded, but instead they were chunks of potatoes that were just alright. The blueberry coffee cake was HUGE and delicious! Overall, the food was okay. Would I come back? Eh, probably not. Maybe I'll give them a second chance.. but probably not for a while.
(3)
Nicola C.
Ordered to go... The hollandaise sauce on my Eggs Benedict was curdled. Enough said. Been here like 5 times this year, and it is hit or miss every time. I may not come back after this. Yuck!! ... I will add that I called in (after tossing my brunch in the trash) and the manager was very apologetic and accommodating.
(2)
Bruce G.
Had the eggs benedictos. An eggs Benedict with salsa and avocado but no meat. It was wonderful. Sauce was very light, not at all heavy. Coffee cake comes with the meal. It was awesome. Yes it was sweet and had a Lump of butter on it - GREAT! Hash browns were a little dry, I like mine with some onions but that is a personal preference. These were probably way healthier! I will definitely return when I am in town.
(5)
D G.
Ok. Im going to issue a 1 star because it was my day off and going here ruined my main goal of having a RELAXED breakfast experience. SERVICE STYLE (0 stars) When I was about 1/3rd done with my meal, I received the bill. RUDE. They want to get you OUT before you even get a chance to eat. ATMOSPHERE =0 stars The place was loud and I asked to be moved all the way to the other side of the restaurant which didnt help. Someone decided to have a work breakfast and siince it was my day off I really didnt want to hear about it. Of course it was a bunch of obnoxious, old white men who clearly needed hearing aids or should have had a career in theatre or public speaking instead of corporate american. FOOD (3 stars) Save the best for last. I love their cappuccino and healthy options. The huge tasteless portions did not compensate for the overzealous 'service' and lack of atmosphere. FINALLY I will NOT return even though they are about 2 minutes from where I live.
(1)
Rob K.
This is a great place to meet someone in the morning for breakfast. The food is great and the fresh fruit is just that...fresh! Everything I've eaten here is very good but I'd recommend the pancakes with a fresh fruit plate. I know this has been said but if have not tried the coffee cake you have to have it at least once. It might clog the arteries but definitely worth it. The place is a throw back to an earlier time and the people are friendly.
(5)
Red R.
Uninterested service and ok food. I had higher hopes based on the line but in the end it was just ok. The Salmon Benedict had a great description so the let down was bigger. The details and care were missing. The fresh dill and hollandase touted on the menu disappointed further... The dill was a barely identifiable micro-sprig and the homemade aside wasn't all that fresh. Sigh. Put this one up there any other ho him breakfast joint.
(2)
Michèle S.
I am a breakfast person so I love this place. Good portions for a hungry person including egg white substitution. I asked for English muffins without butter and that worked out, in other places (especially with a larger group) they forget. I had decaf coffee and the second time it was cold I asked for a new one. They freshly brewed a new kettle and it was perfect.
(4)
Amy M.
Great food. Service could have been better- had to ask for refill, took forever to get the bill.
(3)
Jaime L.
My entire family has been coming to Hobee's for years - we used to go to the one in the Town & Country village in Palo Alto, but they moved to this spot....which I then moved into the apartment complex right down the street, 15 years later. Lazy Saturday/Sunday mornings were the best. We'd roll out of bed and throw on something comfortable, walk down the street to Hobee's. I'm sorry, I meant afternoon - which is way different than the morning because then we'd have to wait an hour to get a table. No thank you. The food was always alright. It wasn't the greatest. It's a homestyle greasy spoon, in a sense. Their coffee cake always tasted a bit stale, and their coffee was okay. Their scrambles, dishes in general - too covered in cheap cheese, etc etc. Three solid stars because it truly is A-OK when you're starving and lazy. Most of the times I'd order a decaf americano and be met with something acceptable. It wasn't the Hub in Reno, but it would do...until last time. It looked like it was literally decaf coffee with hot water added. I remarked how there wasn't a crema at the top - a caramel colored froth that comes at the end of each espresso pull. When you combine it with hot water there is still a hint of creama, but in this case, none. The server offered to put milk in it...but that's not what I was talking about. I was commenting on the espresso pull and doubting whether it was espresso or not. It was by far the most pretentious conversation I've ever had, and felt snobby as hell doing it - but goddammit, I just want a simple decaf americano. It's not that hard. She took it back. We didn't have time to go back before we moved. That's fine. So there you have it. My snobby-ass review about americanos and so-so brunch food. Now I feel like an asshole.
(3)
Freya S.
Absolutely fantastic! I can't rate Hobee's highly enough; there was such a wide range of delicious food to choose from and the waiters were incredibly friendly and helpful. They are happy to cater for vegans - I recommend the tofu scramble! If you're in Palo Alto then going to Hobee's is a must!
(5)
Kellyann W.
LOVED the turkey bacon, so crispy - bad coffee, but it's a little place
(4)
Max G.
This is a brunch place - it's awesome for that, but the rest might not be great. Ambience: 3. Would be nice if this location had booths. Also bit loud being on El Camino. Service: 4. Varies, sometimes has taken a bit to get our order in. Bonus points for delivering and having breakfast available all day. I also emailed the restaurant about calling their cubed potato side "hash browns", they sent me a gift card. Food: 4.5. Great egg stuff and coffeecake (of course), wish they had real (i.e. shredded) hash browns instead of the cubed potatoes. Dinner style entrees aren't worth it. - Breakfast quesadilla: 5. Only recently discovered this, really hearty eggs and rice, crispy tortilla, tasty guac. - Almost Joe's Scramble: 5. Ground turkey is a nice change - I recently asked for it inside the breakfast quesadilla. Add mushrooms and avocado for the perfect scramble. - Chicken apple sausage scramble: 4.5. Chicken sausage is a bit on the sweet side for my taste, but works well with the gouda. - Dot-com Ommie: 5. Wouldn't have thought of turkey bacon and sundried tomato pesto, but totally works. - Special hashbrows (any of them): 2. These are not hashbrowns! They're cubed potatoes. Geez. - Chipotle-tomatillo salmon: 3. Not super fresh tasting - this just isn't the place you visit for a salmon filet.
(4)
Kayce G.
I loved our visit! I came with my brother and husband, and we were all pleasantly surprised. The appearance of Hobee's was a little off-putting, but as soon as we sat down we were greeted with extremely friendly staff. I got the Tofu Scramble which was incredible! My husband enjoyed his burger and brother loved the fish tacos. I found some of the other guests to be a bit strange... One in particular who kept getting up from his table to discuss how inappropriate a table of 2 girls' conversation was and asked them to quiet down or he'll alert management. They were teenage girls talking about boys, and weren't even being loud which was comical. Oh, well... the bottom line is that I definitely will be returning; just wish there were more vegan options... Perhaps vegan cake, or vegan pancakes/waffle/something.
(4)
Hanna A.
I have become a regular here. Love the service. The food is awesome. Love the scrambled eggs and everything that's French Toast. Only thing I wish was better is the coffee but I'm European so most coffee is to watery here. Atmosphere is great at this Hobees and always parking!
(5)
P F.
I used to love this place, but no more. While the service is lovely, the food has gone downhill.I recently had omelettes twice and found them both just edible. However, the blueberry coffee cake remains a star.
(2)
Amy T.
came here with my cousin. small quaint little area, ok staff. the food's alright too. i prefer my hash browns not in chunks. eggs were good though.
(3)
Elaine N.
After hiking for hours nearby this area, decided to stop by Hobee's for brunch since I have not been here before. Without any expectation, I ordered a Benedict and their famous blueberry coffeecake. I also ordered their seasonal banana toffee cake because I usually like anything with banana in them. To my taste bud, I did not enjoyed my meal at all. I find it bland and tasteless. Wish I could like this place, but its not my cup of tea. As for service, it was decent. Although the place seem a little bit rundown and dirty. They did not have ac in this restaurant, more so a fan on the ceiling that did not do much. Overall, not sure if I would becoming back since their is more options for brunch around this area.
(3)
Kathryn Y.
I grew with this place and loved their blueberry coffee cake. I was sad when they closed the one near me. I would say this location is the closest one now and when I saw it running errands I told my boyfriend and he pulled into the parking lot and we went in (we hadn't eaten lunch yet). The food was good and the coffee cake was just as I remembered. Service was friendly.
(4)
Avi B.
I have to say, the food was pretty good. The service was fast, and my friend and I got there pretty quickly. Overall, the experience was good. The only thing was that the menu was a little confusing. It took me a little longer than normal to figure out what I wanted (with three different pieces to the menu)
(4)
A. A.
First visit to this Hobee's location because the one we once went was closed. I asked a few questions to a waitress, she just looked at me with no clue. I then asked her if this was her first day, and it was. The drinks came wrong and it was hard to get someone to come to the table. I had to beg for water, twice. After I paid and left a good tip on the table. I realized they charged me for a soup that I did not order. I went back and the manager asked the waiter who took care of me whether I have had soup, and he answered in Spanish to the manager that he wasn't sure if I have had soup... ?!? I also speak Spanish and was very disappointed of what I have heard. All the cups and plates were all on the table due to the poor service and they could clearly tell there was no used soup bowl on my table. I will never, ever return to this location, not to mention the food did not taste good. Customers are important. Do not accuse them, abuse them and over charge them. Treat your customers right, that's the only way they will keep coming back to you.
(1)
XiuCe H.
Hobee's has declined significantly from its early days in the 1980's when it was known for its fresh, California-take on breakfast fare, with the best coffee cake around. Now, the food is mediocre (coffee cake was so dry that we took a few bites and didnt even want to box up what was left over to take home) and the service is inattentive (we had to ask for coffee refills multiple times). In addition, this morning the server and I had a weird exchange Server: "What kind of toast would you like?" Me: "What kind of toast do you have?" Server: "White, Wheat...." Me: "Do you have Rye?" Server: "white?" Me: "No Rye." Server: "Okay, White" Me: "Actually I'm asking if you have Rye" Serve: "Okay, White" Me: (thinking, okay, I guess white is OK) Then when the toast does come it is wheat toast. Not a big deal, but just points to the rushed, understaffed nature of the service.
(1)
Muen S.
The service was excellent (we had 3 adults and 4 young children). We arrived around 3 pm and the restaurant was not crowded. We ordered lemonade and ice tea and we were given two carafes, so that we didn't run out of our drinks. The food was very good: 2 kids had the caramelized pear pancakes (delicious), mac & cheese (it's not on the menu but they made it for our two 3-year-olds (appreciate the flexibility and accommodations), the burger was yummy and so was the salmon fettuccine which they changed and added a tomato pesto sauce. There were also toys to keep the kids busy so that we can talk and finish our meal.
(5)
Rose L.
We have been here a few times over the past couple of years. I will get the negatives out of the way first. In my hungry opinion, the omelettes and portions are small-ish for the price, and I am not a big person (maybe a big eater?). Also, the crowds of families here on the weekends mean a long wait. Parking here is pretty bad when it's busy. Now the positives. The coffee cake IS wonderful! I don't usually order sweet things, but I always order the coffee cake. Blueberry is best. Servers are always happy and professional. They have a house blended iced tea called Hobee Tea that is orange and cinnamon and lightly sweetened. And finally, even though portions are kinda small for this hungry girl, the food is delicious! The combinations are creative.
(3)
Denise L.
Hobee's is the place to hit up when I'm craving breakfast for lunch at work. I always call in my takeout order: chicken apple sausage tofu scramble with hash browns and a side of fresh fruit. I love that they have a tofu scramble to substitute for eggs, so I can eat some breakfast scramble guilt-free without worrying about my egg allergy! The service is friendly. My order is usually ready within 15 minutes, but I've had to wait a few times. No biggie. The side of fruit tends to vary in size -- sometimes I've gotten a nice generous portion of delicious fresh fruit; other days I've opened my bag only to discover about 7 pieces of fruit. Sadface. Overall a very decent takeout experience. TIP: The tofu scrambles are super good! And they are famous for their large crumbly delicious coffee cake.
(3)
Geoff D.
You can expect the same friendly service and diner menu here that you get from all Hobee's. For me, this particular location feels more tired and empty than most of the others I've been to. Still, it's always a good option for breakfast... or even dinner take-out. Some of our go-to items are: - Hi Hat Hashbrowns - Cardinal Omelet - Veggie Quesadilla - And of course, the coffee cake
(3)
Libby J.
After an immensely long Hobee's hiatus, I returned three times within the past couple months. This was my first time ever at this location. In recent years, Hobee's menu has significantly improved with far superior vegetarian options. I went for the soup and salad bar, but ended up ordering a delicious entree--a breakfast entree that is! I ordered an egg white omelet filled with the black bean chili. It was absolutely delicious and hearty. It was not too greasy like some restaurants that basically fry the egg. I also took a trip to the soup bar and had an absolutely flavorful white bean vegetable soup. It also included a bread that looked dry, but ended up tasting delicious. My meal also came with either the hash brown potatoes, toast, or Hobee's famous coffee cake. I, of course, chose the coffee cake. The topping was unmistakable. I have never tasted anything that deliciously sweet and buttery. The coffee cake was perfectly moist. I just wish there were more blueberries in it. Of course, I drank five glasses of the Hobee's tea. I can not believe that is is naturally that sweet! The first glass was a bit cold, but the server was more than happy to brew a brand new batch! Hobee's is a very good deal. My huge meal was about $15. I will also have food for breakfast and snack tomorrow. I was super duper impressed and happy with my Hobee's meal!!!!! It may seem like one of those little diners with a 5 PM Early Bird special, but Hobee's really has updated its food and menu to be vegetarian friendly and truly fresh! This Hobee's location: -Has a larger salad bar than the one near De Anza College -Is smaller than the one near De Anza College
(5)
Pranthik S.
This is one of my top brunch places in Palo Alto. My favorite thing to order would be the Chorizo Scramble. The Chorizo goes really well with the Jack and Cheddar Cheese. Also in the fall they have this AMAZING pumpkin coffee cake. I would highly recommend ordering it. Even if you don't have the appetite to finish it I would recommend ordering one to go. Location wise it is conveniently located on El Camino. Parking can be a bit rough Saturday mornings, especially when there is a Stanford game on the same day. If there is a game you usually have to wait in line for about 15 mins. They're always pretty prompt with seating. There are also a lot of nice mom and pop shops in the complex it's located in. It's nice to walk around them after eating. Apart from the good food, I really like eating at Hobee's in the fall because they really capture the season well. The smell of pumpkin coffee cakes in the oven, coffee and the homey feel of the restaurant always makes me want to go back.
(4)
Dale H.
Great Florentine Scramble. Just the right amount of spinach, cheese, and shrooms. Went with the blueberry coffee cake and it was light and delish! Had to take over half of it home it was such a large piece! Would definitely come back when we visit the area again. Service was fast and personable :0)
(5)
Marty H.
Classic. This is a place for those who know what they want, and want to milk it over and over again. I used to go over to the other Hobee's once per week after doing a morning swim + run. My friend and I would both grab the BDBIT (best darn breakfast in town) with two eggs over-easy and sourdough toast. Despite all of the raving reviews about the coffee cake, I really do prefer the toast. They butter it up. It doesn't fall apart when you eat it. You can put superfluous amounts of jam on it. This Hobee's is larger, just as classy, and just a great place to eat. I thoroughly enjoy the Stanford "Cardinal" Omelet. I think lots of people get that one because the name is so great (go Stanford). Yay! I'm a fan. Note: Parking is occasionally very obnoxious here. So if you're coming in on Sunday for Brunch (AFAIK the most crowded time), show up a bit early so you don't have to wait.
(4)
Jeff W.
Good food great service. I told them I was in a hurry and they got me in and out with a chorizo scrambler and two orange juices in 15 minutes. Amazing.
(5)
Raquel P.
The waiter couldn't under stand English so it was hard to tell him what we wanted to drink. The menu had very little options to pick from. The food was okay. But I wouldn't eat there again.
(2)
Robbert W.
Considering that this place only had two other people during our time there, the service was ridiculously slow. When our food came it was slightly cold and some of the burgers were done longer then we wanted, which was an indicator that they had been sitting for some time. Not sure what the wait staff were doing in between our food being done and it being served to us. Certainly not serving anyone else.
(2)
Paige P.
Over the past 15 years I've probably eaten 100 times at the half a dozen Hobees locations on the peninsula. Gulp. I think that makes me a fan of the chain, with an eye for the differences between each. Here's my Stanford review. The now-closed northern Palo Alto location boasted a larger salad bar and quicker service, and longer hours that its smaller northern Palo Alto sibling. But this spot is walkable from our house and has a wonderful friendly staff, and there is never a wait. I love the tofu scramble. It's vegan, gluten free and tasty - a rare combo at an American bistro cafe. You can add the salad bar for an extra $2.95 - it's a huge amount of healthy food. The kids always split a strawberry banana smoothie, and it makes for two huge goblets of whipped-cream covered goodness. My daughter loves fruit, and this is one of the few restaurants were you can get good fresh fruit at any time of day. Hobees gives the kids a smiling fruit plate by default, and there is always fruit at the salad bar, and the strawberry protein pancakes are great.
(3)
Diane B.
Okay, so I'm not thrilled to write a review of Hobee's; kind of like when I wrote one for Sonic. I guess that's the food snob in me. I don't really even like to admit I ate there. My sis and I met at Town and Country Shopping Center, our new favorite halfway spot, with the original intent of trying Asian Box. We were both suffering colds, and our tasters were off, and we wanted somewhere that we could sit down inside... maybe some soup. After perusing several places that sounded interesting, we opted for homey, preditable... spelled H-o-b-e-e-s. I was actually a bit sorry when I looked at the tired interior and the menu, but they'd seated us (unfortunately about 12 inches from the computer console where they enter the orders) and I was not getting up at that point. I ordered the portabello sandwich. It included roasted peppers, cheese, spinach and chipotle mayo. It wasn't bad, except that the top billing - portabello- my favorite, was the smallest contributor. The only other thing on my plate was tortilla chips that looked like they were fresh out of the bag - didn't waste the calories. My sister had the Greek salad, which looked pretty good and large portion. She liked that it included redskinned potatoes, as well as green beans, both black olives and kalamatas and feta. I didn't want to taste hers lest I catch whatever virus she has which seems worse than what I've had . The server responded quickly to my request for an extra napkin and more water, but never offered any refills etc. without being asked. I checked out the salad bar on my way to the lady's room, and it looked tired. It suited our purposes, but I think it's better as an American breakfast option than lunch. Food 18/40 service 12/20 atm/intang. 12/20 value 14/20 Total: 56/100 I'll round up to a D, because my expectations were low= 2 stars
(2)
Honest-Abe R.
Great restaurant! While it looks small from the outside, it is fairly large inside. There is also a large parking lot as well. The breakfast was great! Server was quite, but service was good. Giving the restaurant an extra star because of their restroom, which was super clean! We would recommend this place!
(5)
Emir P.
This place is great! We've been eating here for awhile since my kids school is just around the corner. Food is great. Although they claim their orange juice is squeezed, it still taste like concentrate. I would have given them a 5 star but that one stuck up waitress that looks like she's not happy at all being there should just go take a hike! Other that, it's all good.
(4)
Joe M.
Keeping it short on this one.. Simple tasty breakfast , hot coffee, friendly staff , clean restaurant , food served hot and in a timely fashion.....and damn good blueberry coffee cake...
(4)
Jeff S.
Back in the day when I went to Gunn High School I use to come here for quick breakfast before a long day. I use to really appreciate Hobee's because they would always support our High School clubs by donating a platter of their coffee cake for our bake sales. Fast forward a decade and some, I'm back visiting Palo Alto to see the parents. Hungry one morning I decided to grab a quick breakfast at Hobee's. Man was I happy. The Place: Looks just like it did when I was 16... Place hasn't changed at all unlike Palo Alto... The Food: 1. Coffee cake Blueberry - What is this cherry almond non-sense. I'll pass. Got the traditional coffee cake w/ blueberry. When you get it served in store they put a dallop of butter on it. Not healthy but after it melts into the coffee cake it gives it a rich buttery flavor to the dry fluffy cake. I love the top layer of the coffee cake. Biting into the brown sugar sweetness of the top..... really made my day :D 2. Got the Apple Sausage Scramble - Freaking excellent. 3. Significant other got the Apple/Bacon grown up grilled cheese. I'm not sure what she was trying for... stick to the traditional breakfast items please... Portions aren't huge like iHop but man for a chain restaurant, you can't get this home cooked goodness. The staff: Typical. They rush you in, rush your food to you and rush you out. Good if you have finals down the street in 20 minutes, whatever if you aren't in a rush.
(4)
Jenny M.
I have been a Hobee's fan for many years. If it wasn't for that, I likely wouldn't be so generous with the stars. The place does need a good steam clean and a revamp, but some of their dishes just as awesome as ever. You have to get the cinnamon tea and the blueberry coffee cake. It is almost required. My favorite savory dish is the breakfast quesadilla. I have that for lunch or dinner. Yummy!
(4)
Jason C.
It had been about 15 years since I last went here. I was in town for the weekend an decided to go again with friends. I get the vegetarian black bean chili with chips. I quite enjoyed the dish. The portions were generous. This is a good place for home style grub.
(3)
Zak R.
Low key place with awesome coffee cake. Vegetarian scramble also good. Wish they had freshly squeezed Orange juice. I would have given it four stars but nothing here is memorable or unique other than the coffee cake. They should have more items one cannot make at home or get at an IHOP.
(3)
Krizelda M.
It is a crime to not have a coffee cake when eating at Hobee's. The last 3 times I've visited I've been lucky to have the seasonal pumpkin walnut cake (soooooo good). I recommend the breakfast sandwich with the turkey bacon, avo, cheese, and egg on ciabatta because it's not super filling and leaves room for the brick (I'm not complaining) of coffee cake. I just learned you can order a guava-mosa too! That is a solid breakfast and my go to from now on.
(3)
A.F. N.
I go to Hobee's for their blueberry coffeecake. This is the worst coffeecake I've ever had! It was so dry it tasted like a week old. BIG disappointment. I had the Stanford Cardinal omelette. It was bad. Everything was dry and overcooked. The sauce on the omelette tasted sour (spoiled). The waiter was never around. Didn't refill the water. Didn't refill the coffee. Not going back.
(1)
Marlene B.
I've been going to Hobee's for breakfast and breakfast food for dinner. I love their blueberry coffee cake.
(4)
Wendy T.
If you are not a Palo Alto native/frequenter, it is easy to get lost coming here from 101, especially with construction cones at the freeway! My meetup group has lunch here every Tuesday in a cozy (VIP?) backroom. The other tables are primarily two-seaters. This restaurant is not much to look at from the street and the lunch crowd leaving and entering the small parking lot really shouldn't have driver's licenses. But I digress. There's not much to look at on the inside either, but I don't come to Hobee's with high expectations. The waiter was very gracious towards our growing group. I arrived later than some people, but he didn't forget me. Quite a lot of people in my group had special needs and wants - I am not surprised when one order was misunderstood. The waiter, again, graciously fixed it. A waitress came by and took our drink orders... by memory! My $9 Stanford cardinal omelette arrived in a timely manner, but with green salsa on top, taking me by surprise. Then I remembered in the menu it included tomatillo sauce. Of course, that's what tomatillo sauce is. My fears of salsa on my omelette were whisked away by my first bite - the combination was pleasant and flavorful. I added my standard ketchup out of habit anyway. My Hobee's hot tea is unlike your regular standard tea - it is just the right temperature with a cinnamon bite that quickly dispersed. Very odd and unique - but not unpleasant. It certainly is a flavor I would associate with Hobee's from now on! One thing I noticed is that if you order salad, they don't seem to have salad dressing for you - you will have to request it separately and it comes in what seems to be oil and vinegar. I loved how easy it was to flag a waiter, but that could be because the backroom was tucked next to the kitchen. Though I wished Palo Alto's Hobee's would attract properly trained drivers and is located less than 10 minutes from the freeway, I am pleased with the price, service, and quality of food.
(4)
Robbyn B.
This was wonderful. I have a food allergy to honey dew and cantolope & he made me a special fruit bowl. And I ordered a sandwich ... did not let me down
(5)
Christina P.
When I think of brunch in Palo Alto, Hobee's always comes to mind. I'm not sure why... I don't think I've ever been over the moon about my meal there, but I guess the lure of a big honkin' chunk of freshly baked coffee cake with my meal is enough to bring me back. So imagine my dismay when I went there and ordered the seasonal banana toffee coffee cake with my meal only to find the bottom half of it completely rock hard, presumably due to over-microwavage! As for the rest of my meal, I got the Pacific Bennie, which came with a very unfresh tasting grilled salmon and some gooey hollandaise... disappointing to say the least. Even the orange juice wasn't fresh squeezed. The decor is vaguely Hawaiian in that Party City lei kind of way, which also somehow served to depress me on this particular Saturday morning, though I was so looking forward to a relaxing brunch. The only saving grace for me was the very friendly and helpful service and no wait at about 1pm on a Saturday. Sorry to break it to you Hobee's, but I think this is the last chance you get!
(3)
Susanna W.
I waver between rating this place 2 or 3 stars. My friends and I used to come here quite often when we were in hs. My go-to order was the BDBIT (Best Darn Breakfast In Town): 2 eggs any style, hashbrowns (more like pseudo country potatoes) and your choice of toast or their famous coffeecake. All that for a mere $5.95! Unfortunately times have changed: the economy sucks, so of course prices have risen (the same plate, which I feel like has lowered in quality now costs $6.75). Its still cheap, just... I can't help thinking that I used to be able to eat a quality breakfast for under $6. "Fancier" items (omelettes, scrambles, wraps, etc) are in the $9-12 range. Service has gone downhill as well. I'll still come back (mostly for nostalgia's sake), but it will never be quite the same.
(2)
Janel Y.
Got the BDBIT with my eggs scrambled. I don't know if I've come here too often of what, but the menu is lacking variety. I never really crave anything on the menu and always end up getting the BDBIT for its value (~$5.95) since you get 2 eggs, hash browns and coffee cake. My friend ordered the Sonoma Browns ($7.95) which looked really good so I think I may have to try that the next time I go...if I go there again for brekkie.
(3)
Courtney K.
This family friendly restaurant offers tasty chow and quick service. I went for breakfast and enjoyed every morsel of my Mountain View Omelet. Of course the famous coffee cake is tasty, although a bit crumbly. I to go taste the traditionally blueberry which was better than the cranberry. The coffee cake is big so it can easily be split with another person . . . but then again, it can also easily be eaten by just one person. I won't tell. ;-)
(4)
Ches W.
I have not been here in years. As it was one of the last remaining "old school" establishments in this mini-mall, I was saddened to hear that the mall developers had finally succeeded in kicking them out, making the lease cost prohibitive for a place like Hobee's. A friend (the person who gave me this news) and I were reminiscing of how we used to meet up with a then-entrepreneur now multi-billionare friend over here, back in the day. Now where will those future billionaires do their power breakfasts, extorting free work from willing pixel-pushers? :) Heh, maybe Denny's and Palo Alto Creamery are more than happy to pick up the slack. Still: long live Palo Alto Hobee's! If not in reality, at least in our memories...
(4)
Malerie B.
This was my first time here, and I loved the food! They had good healthy options. I had hard poached eggs, turkey bacon, steamed veggies, and (not so healthy) blueberry coffee cake. Everything was awesome! The only thing I didn't like was their special cinnamon orange spice tea. I knew I probably wouldn't because I'm not a big fan of cinnamon tea anyways. But everything else was great. The atmosphere was lovely too. Definitely will be eating here for breakfast again!
(4)
Scott P.
Hobee's hit the spot the other morning... we were in need and I had an irrational craving for an omelet. We hit things just right and there was no wait for a table. I was able to customize my omelet to get some chicken apple sausage, so I was very content. Also, my coffee was constantly getting filled, so I was a happy camper. Our server even gave me a to go cup of coffee, well after we had paid the bill. All was right with the world that morning.
(4)
Adrienne M.
On my first visit (years ago) to Hobbee's I was so impressed with the blueberry coffeecake. But I've been back several times and its never really lived up to expectations. Today's visit was especially disappointing. The blueberry coffeecake was incredibly dried out and very lacking in blueberries, to the point that it was basically inedible. My "over medium" eggs were prepared exactly the same as my husband's over easy eggs and were way too runny for me. The Best Darn Breakfast In Town (eggs, hashbrowns, coffeecake) that was previously $5.95 is now $7.25. Still cheap for PA but not quite as good a deal as it used to be. Based on our visit today, I would have given 2 stars but I'll leave it at 3 because of fond memories from the past. The one highlight of today's visit was the banana toffee coffeecake (a special that's here through August) that was much less dried out than the blueberry coffeecake.
(3)
Jim F.
This place is amazing! Meets all the reviews and then some. The only thing I might have to say was hash browns mean country potatoes here.
(5)
Lili M.
Coffee cake is to die for! Showed up on Easter Sunday and got seated pretty quickly. Free coffee/tea outside while we waited which is always a plus. Omlette was super yummy, but the coffee cake? Totally worth the trip out to Palo Alto.
(4)
Maureen M.
their food is so-so, i think more original in the aspect of their menu. but since i work graveyard shift i come here with the girls and have a mimosa or two! always get the coffee cake with your breakfast.
(3)
Xiaolei L.
I had dinner here and it was fairly typical. Got some pasta dish and it was unmemorable. The place feels pretty cozy but the service was so-so.
(3)
Taishi T.
A great place to have the diner experience in the usual not so diner-like area in Palo Alto. The Huevos Rancheros was an interesting take on what I am used to. But the chili was slightly sour and excellent. If you are looking for some good somewhat healthy diner food, then Hobee's is the place.
(2)
Chris G.
When Palo Alto thinks breakfast. . .
(5)
Clarice A.
This Hobees has the worst service of all the Hobees I have visited. It's dissapointing because this is closest to my house! I went once 3 weeks ago and waited a long time to order, receive my food, or even have my tea refilled (actually I didn't get a refill until the bill came). I went yesterday hoping it was just the waiter- and sure enough, it happened again- long wait to order, receive our food, and just simple things like having waters refilled. It's too bad- because the food tastes great. I'll go to Town and Country to avoid this location's service.
(2)
Kiki B.
i lovvveeee hobee's. that coffeecake is one of the most spectacular things on earth, especially with that rounded piece of butter melting away on top. gets pretty crowded for weekend brunch, but it's totally worth the wait. the scramblers are the way to go.
(5)
Yuliana Q.
ive been knowing about hobees for along time and i can say this, dnt go to hobees if your trying to get a meal worth your money. hobees gets cheaper every year or should i say every few months. it is false advertisement to say you have fresh oj or that you do not have frozen foods, plzzzz!!! these people ozzing with betral to there customer "that they love so much". every so weeks camile will have a meeting with the kitchen staff to cut food portions.. yes you read it right you remember when hobees used to be atleast fair with there customers well think again those times have changed because instead of having the right portions on there plates. palo alto has a similar problem the morning servers are good bt the kitchen manager has done what his boss has told her since corporate is right behind hobees palo alto. don't think that the owners and there workers don't know whats going on because the kitchen manager as well as the general managers are well aware of there betral to be fair to the people that fund hobees by becoming regulars without knowing that almost three bucks for a cup of coffee wow really that cheap coffee that is not tullys by the way there just posting tully posters because the expresso machines use that. oj of course its not fresh why do you even ask.
(2)
Kristin G.
The milk was warm and the omelet was runny and bland. A relaxed atmosphere for a casual Saturday brunch.
(2)
monkey l.
i don't think i'd go to hobees for anything other than their breakfast food. what really makes this place is the blueberry coffee cake. other than that, everything else is really average.
(3)
Esther A.
i love the cozy restaurant atmosphere. the staff and customers are always pleasant to talk to and the food, ESP. the blueberry crumb cake is to die for...
(5)
Ralph N.
I ate here yesterday because I heard a lot of good things about the coffee cake. Everyone always raves about the coffee cake. I ordered a Cardinal omelette, which was pretty good and decently-sized. After I dashed some Tabasco sauce on it, it became infinitely better. But then the coffee cake! Oohhhhh, the coveted coffee cake. I took a bite out of it, and what? This was the coffee cake? It wasn't bad coffee cake, but it wasn't the best I ever had! It was big, but it was dry in the middle. I didn't enjoy it very much, and in fact, I didn't even finish it. The restaurant is all right, but the coffee cake is overrated.
(4)
Jon F.
Chorizo scramble just doesn't do it for me -- perhaps a bit fresher and more flavorful, less soggy, with fewer potatoes? Staff was quite friendly and helpful.
(3)
anita b.
Everyone is talking how great/good the food is; I would not know Scenario: I was coming from SFO after an international flight. I thought Hobees would be a great treat after eating airplane food. Entered Hobees around 2pm Saturday and was promptly seated. No waiter came to ask if we wanted coffee Waited about 10 minutes No waiter came to ask if we wanted coffee Waited a few more minutes Noticed the place was slightly dirty and the tables smelled like a moldy damp cloth No waiter came to ask if we wanted coffee Waited just a few more minutes WE LEFT
(1)
Reba G.
If Hobee's served nothing but blueberry coffee cake, it would still get 5 stars from me. I've never tried any of their other flavors, but the blueberry is out of this world. They bring you a *huge* slice... big enough for a meal by itself... and it's nice and warm, with a big pat of butter on the top that has already started to melt by the time it gets to you. The cake itself is soft and moist and the crispy top isn't so sweet that it overloads the cake... It's just fantastic. The coffee is great, too... I've only had food other than the coffee cake once, but it was pretty good. A little pricey, in my opinion, but if you just go in and get coffee cake and coffee, your wallet won't hurt at all.
(5)
Vivian W.
The coffeecake is good, but certainly not great. It even seems a bit dry in the middle. The hashbrowns are great and perfectly crisp. The coffee is strong. Omelets are nicely cooked, but with too much oil. Overall this place doesn't standout, but it's one of the better brunch places around.
(4)
Steph C.
Ohh the blueberry coffeecake! The rest of the menu is gratuitous. I would rather eat coffeecake crumbs shaped to look like omelets and hashbrowns than waste precious gastro real estate on anything that isn't the coffeecake here. Not that any of it is bad - it just isn't anything special, and the coffeecake most definitely is.
(4)
Cindy C.
Had brunch here today. Was disappointed with the small # of breakfast choices, actually. No eggs Benedict? :( There were lots of omelets and scrambles, some pancakes and waffles, and some "special hashbrowns". The hashbrown my husband chose was small. He's a big eater. He was still hungry after. I ordered the BDBIT + sausage (the Eye Opener). But, it really wasn't all that "best darn breakfast in town"-ish to me. In fact, it wasn't all that special really. 2 eggs, 3 sausage links, some potatoes... and a coffeecake. YUM for the coffeecake. This is what they are famous for, and it was tasty. Soft, moist, flavorful. I ordered the special (Cranberry Almond) instead of the usual blueberry. It was tasty. And HUGE. This is a chain, there's one much closer to us in Belmont. Maybe I'll go try another one next time I am craving some coffeecake, but I actually like Stacks (huge breakfast menu) more for the actual food.
(3)
Eswhy L.
cute little brunch style cafe thats kinda hidden along the road. really liked the quiet cozy atmosphere and their burger and pancakes were actually better than average cafe. will definitely come back in the futute.
(4)
Anette N.
The best part of our meal was the peach coffee cake! The cake was warm, soft, and moist. I think it was the best coffee cake I've ever tasted. Other than that, the rest of my meal (salmon) was bleh.
(3)
Spicy T.
Went here for dinner on a Wednesday (their Kids Eat Free night!) Service was quick and attentive. The food, healthy and good. Our kids ate everything!!! Our bill: $30 after tax and tip. I'd like to do this every Wednesday.
(4)
Allison S.
really enjoyed this place, great food and friendly staff. went there with my family, we ordered an array of food including an omelete, and some egg breakfasts and for my vegan sister, an oatmeal bar. Loved my breakfast although it could have been bigger for the price...or maybe I was just starving. The oatmeal bar was pretty loaded, a great deal and the coffee cake was really good...i don't know about world famous though. i would for sure come back again the next time I need to get some shopping done at the mall.
(4)
Michelle T.
Not a big fan of the food here but super kid-friendly! I am a total food snob so I kinda hate eating here but my kids love it! As soon as they are seated for brunch, they each get fruit plates that look like smiley faces and crayons to color in their menus. If my four year-old is bored because we forgot his Leapster, he can wander over to the bookshelf and grab a book. Coming here I almost wonder why we deal with the hassle of eating at less kid-friendly places but then I realize I can't survive on mediocre grub.
(3)
Martha K.
Two things let me give Hobee's five stars. Their gluten-free pancakes and how child-friendly Hobee's is. First, the gluten-free pancakes are amazing. They taste (and look) just like normal pancakes but I know they were okay because I didn't get sick. Second, we brought our five month old son here and he had a blast. They even brought him a ballon which kept him smiling for the the whole time. Thanks Hobee's!
(5)
Lauren B.
I really don't know how this could be so different than the one in town & country center, but it's just awful! My husband ordered his usual- almost joes scramble with a coffee cake and I ordered the ABLT with a side of fruit. When I got home & opened up the food there was no coffee cake and no hash browns in my husbands meal. I could get over the missing items if it also didn't taste like a big pile of poop! There was no flavor and it tasted completely different than the almost joes scramble we usually get @the town & country location. Don't bother going here... Drive down the road to the other location!
(1)
Katherine T.
I have no complaints. I ordered the BDBT(best darn breakfast in town) and although I doubt it is the best, it is quite good. As for the infamous blueberry coffee cake, the butter on top really adds much needed mosture and richness to the interior pieces lacking the blueberry density present on the top. I would ask for the hash browns well done but they are still tolerable pale as well.
(4)
Dave K.
This Hobee's just gets waaaay way too crowded. And since it's on El Camino, there isn't enough parking and their atrium/vestibule isn't big so you're outside waiting, something to take into account on a cold day. Back in the 90s I loved Hobee's but I think it has gone downhill since then. I still love the smoothies and the coffee cake but now I know where to get better pancakes and omelettes. The building is oddly shaped, like it was definitely something else in a past life and they modified it like crazy to maximize capacity. The parking lot in the back is really oddly shaped and just inviting accidents. I think the Hobee's just 2 miles away on Rengstorff and Central is better. A little more ghetto, but better. Nice touch, for people waiting in line, they usually have free coffee on a table outside.
(3)
j w.
LOVED this place. loved their warm spinach salad... there was a period of time in life i ate here for nearly every dinner back to back.. to back to back... and never got sick of it. crazy, i know. try it!
(5)
Bill H.
After a tough start with the drink order, the regular server did a good job of getting us our food quickly. Unfortunately, it was a mixed review, at best, on our breakfast. The honey wheat pancakes were dry and had no taste. The sweet potato pancakes were a little tastier but also way too dry. My brother really enjoyed the french toast but we were all a little shocked and disappointed that a place like Hobees didn't serve regular bacon. They served pork sausage but yet only offered turkey bacon. We didn't try the huge coffee cakes...they seem to be popular. The coffee was watery...thankfully, there was a Peet's next door. We won't return.
(2)
Sean H.
In general, the meals are slightly overpriced, but the service is adequate. The staff is friendly, and the environment is warm and inviting. Go during off hours to avoid a rush. It is one of the only good breakfast & Brunch places in the area, and can get busy on Saturday and Sunday mornings. When you go, order the coffee cake. Do it, really. It's the reason that I keep going back. Order the coffee cake. I repeat that for emphasis.
(3)
Kristine T.
I love that their food has a healthy spin on it. Everything I've ever ordered here has always been amazing. I love that their portions aren't too huge, they are great about specializing any order and their salad bar is always fresh and impressive. Also love that their soup of the day is always vegetarian. Great spot if you don't mind the line. I was quite pleased to see that their dinner menu is just as varied and tasty. I have yet to be dissapointed !
(5)
Michael W.
Pretty good brunch place in Palo Alto. Has all the typical breakfast items, and really nice that all items come with their famous coffee cake (and they give you a very large slice). Had their eggs benedict which was pretty average. Prices were reasonable - most items were around $10. There was not much of a crowd when we came at 1:30pm on a Sunday, so the service was pretty fast.
(3)
Jaime L.
I've fallen in love a handful of times; one of which was when I first had a Hobee's omelet. My 'home' Hobee's is the Town & Country location, which is always packed. The service was speedy at this location and it could be because it was a weekday morning. The parking lot is quite tiny here, which could work for or against hungry wolves, not quite sure.
(4)
Kathryn F.
Coffee cake coffee cake....did I say coffee cake? So going to Cal Poly SLO, Hobee's in SLO became a staple due to the slab of coffee cake that was very cheap. Now that I am in the Bay Area, every now and then I get a cravin' for amazin' coffee cake and need to journey to a Hobee's. I have been to the Palo Alto location many times. The scrambles are my fav for breakfast! Plus now (drum roll please!) they have Kids eat free on Wednesday nights...so it is time to get teh kids addicted to amazin' coffee cake too!
(4)
Pancho P.
This place is decent, but it reminds me of an old saying that me and a co-worker had. Me: "Hey Charles, wheres the hoes at?" Charles: "Hobbees, cuz thats where the hoes be" That should be there slogan, "Its where the hoes be"
(5)
Tina A.
YUMMY _ Who doesnt like Hobees? My favorite managers are now at this location too! My daughters and my favs; Chicken melt sandwich with PESTO/cheese (depending on which cook this may be greasy - Tell them to hold the oil) the sandwich is good! And the Eggs Benedict with Salmon chunks - Deliciouso!!! (this item is not on the reg. menu - Only avail. occasion) Their coffee is the bomb!
(4)
Steven A.
This place is great! I love their coffeecake. They have traditional breakfast items but also have unique items that you won't find anywhere else. This restaurant is a staple in this town and I like the feel of the restaurant. The service has always been exceptional.
(4)
Lyn L.
I came here last month for the first time to use the coupon I got during Bike to Work Day. I really didn't know what to expect since I've never been to a Hobees before, although I've had their coffee cake. It's served at all the running, cycling, and tri events and grand openings, etc. around the bay area. And yes, it is delicious! The first time I tried to go here they were closed. It seems they're not open for dinner on Sundays. So I tried again on a Saturday this time. The first thing I noticed when I walked in was that there are plants everywhere. The walls are very colorful and there are decorations everywhere. It definitely did not look like your typical restaurant. It made me wonder if this place was just an old house that got converted to a restaurant. There's a wall in the back of the restaurant with pictures of people on it and it looked like there was a little play area for kids. It felt more like I was in a kindergarten classroom rather than a restaurant. July was luau month, hence the decorations. My friend noticed that the menu had pictures of fruit all over it, but the fruit didn't match any that you would find at a luau. I had a grilled salmon dish topped with mango salsa, and a side of mashed potatoes and asparagus. My friend ordered a tortellini dish. The food wasn't anything special and we were not impressed. The service wasn't that great either. The food took a long time to come out, and when it did the waiter forgot to bring us utensils. I had a hard time even finding him to ask for more water. I probably won't be coming back here again, unless I have a coupon of course!
(2)
Lilly M.
Very old looking broken down dirty place , weird menu selection and too expensive for what it is! the so called best coffee cake is horrible. Every menu item has weird stuff added to it . Even a regular burger is not regular there ! would not go back ! Felt like Chef Ramsay was going to walk in any minute and i was going to be on kitchen nightmare .
(1)
anna p.
I didn't like this place at all. Food was greasy and tasted mediocre. Service was bad too, waiter forgot to bring half of the things we asked him for. Then he went MIA. He was sure to charge us for all the extras, that we never saw. I will take Good Morning breakfast over Hobee's any day. And what's with all the hype about the coffee cake, it's just ok...
(2)
Selena H.
quite an extensive menu so to save you some time, stick with an omelet and the blueberry coffeecake. This place serves huuge portions so if you're a pretty light eater, sharing is great. Ordered the chicken sausage omelet which came with mushrooms and gouda cheese. the creaminess of the gouda made this omelet quite filling. The piece of coffeecake was ginormous and it was definitely something to take home. overall, if you're looking for a hearty breakfast/brunch, this is a good place to go. Service was a bit spotty and the food did take quite a bit of time to get there which was odd since the place wasn't too packed. but again, we had to wait about 10 min before being seated as they just weren't busing the tables quick enough. maybe it's just this location but will certainly update my review upon subsequent visits.. until next time coffeecake.. i mean hobee's
(4)
C N.
Solid brunch place. Food is just what I want for the price and the coffee cake is dee-lish! Very satisfied
(4)
Esther T.
I used to absolutely love this place. I mean the coffeecake is DELISHHH, you get tons of coffee, they open really early... But their omlettes are lately at most mehh. And their pancakes just haven't cut it for me. If only they had more kinds of pancakes.. Lunch is better, yay for all day breakfast, but I think I'd almost rather go to IHOP then here now. The food has just gotten bland and the selection isn't all that great.
(2)
christina s.
I've been going to Hobee's since I was a little kid...it was our weekend brunch place. The three best things at Hobee's (not in any particular order): 1. blueberry coffee cake 2. strawberry banana energy blend 3. kids eat free on Wednesday! I like that they have a lot of healthy options, which my husband despises (he has a hard time finding something he wants on the menu since he is a meat and white bread kind of guy), especially for the kids. They even offer Liver & Onions with brussel sprouts, broccoli, eggplant and lots of beets on the kids menu for only $29.95! Haha!
(4)
Rahul D.
The Cal hash browns were really tasty, especially with an over-easy egg on top. Could've been a little more spicy, but the Tabasco made up for it.
(4)
Jessy L.
Ok... It's totally acceptable food. But it's hard to make eggs and cheese taste bad. When I head out to brunch, I want them to do something I couldn't do or provide ingredients that there is no chance I have in my fridge. Since I seem to be missing what is so breath taking about there coffeecake (seriously, I think that Safeway's is no worse) this place just doesn't do it for me. Not at the prices they charge and for how long they make me wait. I will give them some credit for the nice atmosphere and the coffee while you wait....
(2)
Michael F.
First of all.. I agree, the coffee cake is really good. After that, I just don't have that much to say really. The breakfast is acceptable, the coffee is alright, the setting is a touch depressing though. I definitely felt like hobees would be the place I would go if I didn't feel like have pbr and eggs in my trailor (sorry, that was kind of mean... oh well, I had a rough childhood). I think it is the definition of Meh!
(2)
Eddie S.
Average food and overpriced for the quality/quantity. "Underwhelmed" is the word that best describes my dining experience. (Jessy A's review of 9/14/08 is actually pretty much on-point so I recommend you check out that review too.)
(2)
Heidi B.
Wow..this place is bad. I mean, it makes Sizzler look like a 5 star restaurant. Now, I didn't expect much being a Hobee's and all...but I shouldn't have expected anything. Slow service, bland food, cheesy decor.. We didn't order the coffeecake, which after reading the reviews, seems to be the only thing really worth eating there...but I'm in no rush to go back.
(1)
Travis D.
It took me a year after i moved to Silicon Valley before i made it to Hobee's for brunch. It ended up being pretty good, but way over priced for the quality of food you get. Gotta hand it to them though, the coffee cake was great. However, with so many great breakfast/brunch spots within like 1/2 mile of here, it just didn't quite measure up. I''d rather go someplace else and get better food for less coin.
(3)
Alena B.
Great coffee cake! Great breakfasts, but high prices. I think a cup of regular coffee came out to almost 3 bucks. Granted, you get unlimited refills, but that's just too much. Hobee's is by my high school so I used to go here frequently for birthday brunches and things like that. It's a nice environment and a great location...just a bit pricey!
(3)
angel c.
My husband and I had a GC and we decided to go for lunch.. It was the worst mistake... The restaurant is nothing like the one in South Bay, We have been to the one in San Jose it's so much friendlier and cleaner. The Palo Alto one is very dirty and unprofessional. I had to ask for our check several times after getting ignored by two of their waitresses several times.. Never going there again and don't recommend anyone.
(1)
kasey c.
Service is friendly and quick. The portions are generous. The atmosphere is cozy and comfortable, very down-to-Earth. This is a good place to go for a lazy brunch. The specials are usually really inventive and flavorful. The sweet potato hash is delicious and the house tea blend is very flavorful. They also have a gluten-free menu available, with great gf options for kids. The coffeecake will always hold a special place in my heart. They always have blueberry, but also rotate seasonally to things like banana toffee and cranberry.... delicious!
(5)
Danielle P.
Big portion sizes. Friendly service. Food is good, not sensational. I had an omlet with hashbrowns and coffee. The had lot of different options on their menu. Lots of seasonal options, which is a plus. I'd probably go back for breakfast.
(4)
Claire R.
Good solid breakfast for cheap, cheap, cheap. I got a piece of "famous" coffee cake, a fruit plate: both filling and tasty. I especially appreciate that the fruit-plate that is not too heavy on the cheaper fruits, like cantelope and watermelon, but also includes strawberries, grapes and such. I am not entirely sure what makes the coffee cake "famous"; it was pretty much just a really big slice of yellow cake with cinnamon crumbles, which- don't get me wrong- I will eat hand over fist, but it's not really distinctive. The best part was I was eating with two adult males, we all got breakfast and it was under $30; now THAT is distinctive.
(4)
Gwyneth P.
Of course I love the coffee cake but I also love the hash browns and banana strawberry smoothy. Hobees has decent prices, yummy food and pretty quick service.
(5)
Cathy L.
I have to say, sometimes all you want is decent breakfast food available all day. You can trust Hobee's to always cook up great eggs, sausage, and my favorite, chocolate chip pancakes!
(4)
Amanda M.
YUMMMMMMMMMMMM! I came here for brunch yesterday and was pleasantly surprised by the variations of eggs bendedict on the menu. I ended up ordering the Huevos Benedictos which was amazing. It came on a very soft English muffin which made it easier to cut. The Huevos Benedicto's is two poached eggs on top of a soft English muffin covered in fresh avocado and slices of tomato then salsa fresca, then some of the best hollandaise sauce I have ever had, topped with black olives. The boyfriend had the original eggs benedict which also looked amazing. We both had the "world famous coffee cake" which were huge pieces. I really liked the fact that you are given the option of hash browns or coffee cake I have never been to a place like that before. We also got a smoothie which was delicious. I will definitely be back!
(5)
El Cazador H.
A family favorite. Grandma and PapaJim (me) took our grandson (2 yrs) in for breakfast today. Our grandson is a regular customer. The help was super attentive about supplying us with coffee and grandson's strawberry smoothie. Breakfast was delicious. We were very impressed with everything and left a nice tip.
(5)
Liz E.
As a recent transplant to the Bay Area, I was excited to learn about the good diner style breakfast places in the area and was told Hobee's was the place. Unfortunately, Hobee's was a complete disappointment. Besides the exorbitant prices for breakfast, I'm convinced there are no cheap breakfast places on the Peninsula, the food was actually bad. There are very few places where I've had bad food for breakfast, because it seems difficult to get it wrong. My "home fries" were, I guess, a California take on what home fries should be and were bland, slightly cold and a complete disappointment. My friend got the tofu scramble and didn't even eat more than a few bites as the entire thing was doused in cumin. The interior, however, is pleasant and the service was fine. Not a total disaster, but I will keep looking for a better Peninsula breakfast place.
(2)
eric c.
The Chorizo scramble was pretty good. However, they forgot my toast and the service was slow. I was also disappointed that they only had home fries and no option for hash browns. Nothing great, nothing special. I'd find another breakfast place.
(2)
Joel S.
We love Hobees and have been coming here for years. When our kids were young, we came almost every week and there was always something for every one. Now we come with our teenage kids (whenever they will go out with us!) and they still love Hobees. And thanks Peter for all the community support you provide. We notice this!
(5)
Lynn R.
This is a great family restaurant. The food was fresh and the wait staff was great. It seems to have a local vibe to it.
(4)
Kelly A.
This place gets very busy. We had a 15 min wait which was not a problem. We had a 25 min wait to have our order taken. That was a problem. I know your a busy restaurant but that was not great service. The coffee is an acquired taste. Same with the cinnamon tea. Not a fan of either. The food was ok. Not really a wow factor. I think you either love this place or hate it.
(3)
Sang S.
I am a fan of the creator's idea behind the restaurant. So I tried, very hard, to like it. The moment I walked in, there was this funky smell... chances are the carpet has something to do with it. But funky smell on walk in is usually not a good sign. Sat down and noticed a couple of flies. Didn't inspire confidence. But I kept an open mind. Ordered the teriyaki salmon. Came out and the meat was brown, not pink. I am not a finicky eater- but I had to return the dish. It was inedible. First time I returned a dish in years (at least 3 years). Waitress was nice about it, which warrants the 1 star. So I asked for a blue cheese burger since, well, it's really hard to screw a burger up right? Burger comes out. I pick it up. Mad water gushes from the patty to the plate. Look at the patty, it looked like a frozen patty from Costco (the shape was a perfectly flat circle). It was frozen, and they either microwaved it or fried it real quick for the frozen h20 in the meat to melt into water. Took a few bites, regretted it. Paid $30 for my burger, a turkey burger my fiancee had and a trip to the salad bar. As I left, I had that crappy feeling seep in. The same feeling I had when I was in France, went to a tourist trap eatery and paid mad money for inedible food. Easily the worst meal I've had in a while... as in years. Sadly, if Taber, the founder were still alive and had the experience I had, I don't think he'd be happy. Unfortunately, the experience was so bad that I don't think I'm going to gamble on another location.
(1)
James L.
This place has a nice down-to-earth, neighborhood feel that is a welcome contrast to most of the other eateries in the area, which are desperately trying to be hip and sophisticated. I ordered the Cal Browns hashbrowns with an egg over easy on top. The food was pretty good, though it didn't strike me as that different from standard diner fare. I had a taste of their signature coffee cake, which again was good but nothing special in my mind. Yelp's tagline for 3-star reviews, "A-OK," pretty much sums up my thoughts on Hobee's.
(3)
Carolyn B.
Excellent breakfast! Their Coffee Cake is to die for. The decor is a throw back to the 70's. Pretty cool. Great food good service!
(5)
Kevin H.
I say no.. I really wanted to like Hobee's.. I really did.. I dragged my wife and son along 3-4 times.. each time the family complained.. each time thinking.. hey this time it will be good.. everyone else says it's good... it's not.. it just isn't the food is bizarre and just not tasty.. poorly prepared.. service is eh.. and I have to say it wasn't to clean in there either.. the big deal there is the coffee cake of course.. and it's not bad.. it's the only thing that keeps me from saying 1 star...
(2)
Mai L.
You know when you book a hotel on Priceline and they give you the room next to the elevators? I had the same apprehension coming in with a Groupon. Who I believe was a manager was going around refilling tea and coffee mugs (first good sign). When she got to us, she asked "Are you the ones with the Groupon?" Uh-oh, busted. My fears were quickly dissipated when what followed was some of the best service we've ever gotten. Upon discovering this was our first time at a Hobee's, any Hobee's, she gave us a complimentary piece of Cherry Almond Coffee Cake to go. How nice! We ordered the cinnamon-orange bread french toast, a side of the blueberry coffee cake, and the chicken apple sausage scramble... oh, I wanted an omelet. No problem, says the waiter, we'll make it into an omelet, no extra charge. Awesome! We also ordered a lasagna to go, and our waiter had it started just in time for it to be ready when we were done eating our breakfast. French toast ($6.75): good flavor, could taste the slight cinnamon and orange, good portion Blueberry coffee cake ($2.50): awwesome, crumble at top is good, cake is fluffy buttery and not too sweet, blueberries plump (Cherry almond version drier, more dense, cherries nice and plump- blueberry one is better though) Chicken sausage omelet ($9.50): mushrooms and gouda cheese made it quite tasty, ends of the omelet were a tad overcooked Lasagna ($10.25): Had for dinner; one order fed 2 people. One of the best restaurant lasagnas we've had. Caramelized onions gave it a deep, sweet smoky flavor, bellisima! Right amount of cheese and sauce. Came with garlic bread, used to wipe our plates clean. The food and service exceeded our expectations. Go give this Hobee's a try. :)
(4)
Ellen L.
one of my go-to breakfast/brunch places in silicon valley. love that there is a hobee's in almost every city in south bay/peninsula. omelettes and pancakes are great, love that they have seasonal specials like pumpkin pancakes in the fall. they also have their signature coffee cake in cranberry for the fall. my gripes with this location are: 1. parking: very small/tight lot to the side, else fend for yourself with street parking on el camino. 2. service: just average, and unfortunately, during weekend brunch hour, can be difficult to flag down the waiter. would return to this location, but go earlier in the day to avoid the rush and hopefully find better/easier parking.
(3)
Caesar R.
No complaints here! This place feels like any down home diner on any street in any town, so the familiarity is totally comforting. And if your diner has lotus, porsche and ferraris all parked in the parking lot, bonus there too! Way to go dot com, for keeping it real and upping the ante for the diner set! Friday's are Eggs Bene day! Tried the standard bene, which was fine. But we opted for the chipotle pesto hollandaise for that added little kick! GET IT! Same with their gargantuan sized portion of the BLUEBERRY COFFEECAKE. Wow, awesome. We also had the hash browns De Anza style which consisted of melted jack cheese and pico de guillo, sour cream and guac. You can opt for an egg any style on top, but we passed as we had the eggs bene. But seriously, don't shy away from the gentle giant of the "self proclaimed" "world famous" BLUEBERRY COFFEECAKE.
(3)
Kate M.
We were looking for a place to get some good breakfast and we certainly found it!! Hobees has a great, comfortable atmosphere and smelled like warm apples and cinnamon. It was nicely decorated for Christmas, too! The service was excellent and the staff was very friendly. As far as the food goes - it has a strong focus on healthy eats, which is awesome, whole wheat, gluten free options, dolphin safe tuna, etc... It was reasonably priced and the portions were very large. Definitely going back!!
(4)
Stephanie R.
Shout out for Caitlin-great service! It was New Year's Day and were busy as a weekend. Florentine Scramble with coffee cake, lots of fresh hot coffee, excellent service!
(5)
Tricia B.
Disgusting and filthy. I'm shocked by the 4 and 5 stars. There was a layer of dust and grease everywhere. My daughter and I just kept saying 'don't touch anything!'. To top it off, there was a hair in EACH of our breakfast entrees. I couldn't imagine any restaurant being worse than this. Sadly, the Hobee's in Town & Country was our favorite. Now, it's off to Joanie's!
(1)
Andrea M.
The coffee cake is insane, we order it but it usually ends up in boxes and is a snack the rest of the day or breakfast the next morning. Service can range from really attentive and professional to 'wow, he must have a lot of tables.' Drink service was spotty this last visit. The food is quick and always good. Breakfast is the only time I have eaten here and will say it's probably the best breakfast over this way, with the exception of SUN brunch at the Cabana up the street, which is fab and more lavish.
(4)
Joe N.
July 28, 2012 -- 11:39 AM Day one at Hobee's, the sweat dripping from my brow. I haven't seen the light of day for many moons as a young and agile bus boy pulls me aside and greats me with a gentle "how many people are in your party?" I throw my body into his broad chest as I grab his hands and whisper into his mexican ear, "six". The first few minutes of my meal proceeded normally. Water, jam, toast. We eat in a hurry, emaciated in an arousing and stimulating environment. Suddenly I caught eye with the Guatemalan chef -- when Eduardo, my young and tough cowboy of a waiter, serve the sour cream onto my plate. He throws me onto the table. I'm gasping for air. Choking me, as I open my mouth in need for a sufficing gas, he stares deeply into my eyes and screams, "here is the side of bacon you ordered!!" Overall, good service. It took a little bit long for the side of bacon but I appreciated the remorseful look in my servers eyes as he handed me the plate.
(3)
Norm J.
This is one of our family favorites - we've been going for over a decade. My favorite is the Mountain View Special omelette, but their burgers are very good too. The staff is friendly and helpful. Wednesday evening they have kids eat free with adult diners, which we used to do a lot when our kids were younger.
(4)
Calvin T.
Came here with a friend to get breakfast before I left for home back in SoCal. I was so stuffed! I can't believe the amount of food you get here at the price you pay. The coffee cake was amazing! fluffy on the inside with a nice crisp sweetened crust on top. The country style hash browns were good, but very heavy (go figure, starch..). I got the quesadilla, and it wasn't the best, but still good for an American restaurant. The quesadilla equivalent of a breakfast burrito. They need to start bringing this chain down here in Southern California. The only downside.... food coma...I'll order less next time
(4)
Denis S.
I wish I could say I was disappointed. But how can you be disappointed when you get exactly what you expect? The menu was boring. The usual sandwiches, salads, burgers and breakfast items. The most imaginative thing they did was put salsa on something or let you substitute regular mayo for chipotle mayo. Wow I got the burger, substituted in ciabatta bread. The patty was thin, everything else was huge. The patty tasted like it was made yesterday and left to "age." Well, age it did, into something not worth eating. I finished half of it and put it to rest down. It also came with a bunch of steamed vegetables. This I never understood. Why take perfectly good vegetables and rid them of both any flavor and any nutrients by steaming them? It just doesn't make any sense.
(2)
Dexter K.
I had very high expectations and those expectations were met. We were told it would be a 20 minute wait but they sat us in five. Lots of great options on the menu. The cardinal omelette was absolutely incredible. Maybe the best omelette I've ever had. Our server Eva met and exceeded all expectations. She was very helpful with menu options. She checked on us constantly without ever becoming a bother. Very helpful and very consistent.
(5)
Zakk D.
I've been to 6 different Hobbees and this has a very different feel. Much more laid back, the servers are super prompt and the place just feels homey. I love all their food. Their burgers are good, omelets are awesome, and their coffee cake is the worlds best. In fact, it might have 1st place AND 2nd place all to itself. The one downside is the place is hard to get into on the weekends. Because of the family atmosphere and laidback attitude which makes it great, it also make table turnover slow. Also, this location is out of the way and kinda small, but still has some great thing about it that really set it apart.
(4)
N T.
Palo Alto/Stanford institution. Solid food, solid prices, solid experience. Hobee's is nothing fancy, but it offers a reliable moderately positive experience. You won't ever be bowled over with the fantastic subtleties of the food quality or preparation, but the food is generally good, about ten steps above Denny's and a level or two below fine dining. Nice place to have brunch or breakfast with a friend or a large group. The extensive menu makes sure there is something for everyone. I've probably only eaten here once or twice when I didn't have the tofu scramble with hash browns, which is vegan and gluten free, without having to negotiate for changes. This makes me very happy, and makes ordering easy. I'm always mildly hungry afterward, but I am a hungry person in general. Hobee's is a 3/3.5/4 star place for food, depending on what you order, and how it turns out that day. It rates 4 stars for a reliable convenient experience, and wide variety of choices. I like that you can order breakfast for any meal here. (or at least the part of the breakfast menu I want.)
(4)
Brooks S.
Went here for breakfast after an early morning ride. Seems like a generic American food type of place, good for families or folks looking to not spend a fortune for a decent sized meal. Being interested in maximum calorie-per-bite food, I ordered the Huevos Rancheros with 'hash browns'. Wasn't too impressed. The huevos rancerhos itself wasn't too bad, if a little tasteless, but the hash browns were definitely sub-par. Instead of having the crisp texture I would expect from hashbrowns, these were almost like un-mashed mashed potatoes. I wish I had opted for the coffee cake, because that looked great.
(2)
Shelley A.
I love Hobee's! It's not the best breakfast I've ever had, but the prices are good, the service is fast, and the portions are generous. It's a very pleasant spot for weekend brunch.
(4)
Evan B.
Coffee cake is very good... but pancakes are mediocre, coffee is bad, service is pretty slow, and eggs aren't special. Best bet is to buy coffee cake to go and enjoy with Starbucks coffee.
(2)
Marcia S.
I've been here a few times and I honestly just don't like the place. Food just doesn't suit my taste. The coffee cake is good tho. Mimosas a plus. But the breakfast just disappointed me. I prefer Dennys.
(2)
Cynthia C.
Love the smoothies, not doctored with syrup like the chains, the blueberry coffee cake is to die for and when I'm feeling especially healthy I go for the tofu scramble.
(5)
Brent V.
This restaurant offers a terrific mix of salty and sweet. One of my biggest dilemmas for ordering brunch is whether I want to go the sweet route (pancakes, french toast, waffles) or savory (eggs, bacon, sausage). I got the best of both worlds when I ordered the "Eye Opener" which is two eggs, country potatoes, sausage, and a slice of coffee cake. The standard breakfast fare was decent. It's hard to have eggs, hash browns, and sausage that completely blow your socks off. But it didn't have any flaws and had some good flavor. I really enjoyed the cherry almond coffee cake. It was very tall with a sweet butter cream melting on top. A lot of time coffee cakes of this height can get very dry with all the flavor concentrated on the topping. But this was light and flavorful all the way through and was a delight to eat. You can order their coffee cakes to go so keep that in mind if you ever want to serve it at home. The place was a little on the load side. Of course, it was noon on a Sunday so that was to be expected. All and all, it makes the short list of brunch restaurants.
(5)
Jen K.
One of the reasons I really miss the Bay Area. Whenever I come back to Palo Alto to visit, this location is only a few blocks away and I am in heaven. The coffeecake is a given and I've even had others pick it up and fly it back to Portland. My other faves are the Red, White and Blue Blend, Hi Hat Ommie or Chorizo Scramble for breakfast or the Mendocino chicken sandwich for lunch. This location isn't scenic. It is right on El Camino, but it is easy to get to and the staff is always great. This is good, solid, healthy, consistent comfort food. Also, very family friendly.
(4)
Dahlia J.
Went for Father's Day with the inlaws. I think it used to be better. The hashbrowns were boring bits of potato, and everything was just OK. If you like oatmeal, the oatmeal bar is not bad because you can choose your toppings. But I can do that at home, so I am underwhelmed. I think Country Gourmet (either location) is edging out Hobees as a breakfast spot for me.
(2)
Cece J.
Brunch heaven if you're looking for fast friendly service in a casual atmosphere. The blueberry coffee cake is amazing and the selection of omelets it accompanies is large enough for everyone to find a favorite. This place lacks ambience and on weekends there can be a bit of a line, but there are benches outside and free coffee while you wait, which never seems to be as long as the hostess estimates. PROS: Good food, fast service, reasonable prices CONS: lack of ambience, weekend lines
(4)
Lottie R.
I'm a fan of Hobees having been to a few now. They're family friendly, no frills but good food with friendly service and a comfortable, pleasant environment. I feel super comfortable in here with my children, which most of the time is more important than anything else.
(4)
Anna H.
The food here is really good and healthy. If you want fries don't come here because they do chips instead. The servers are great and remember you if you come alot. Great place for food especially breakfast!
(4)
Kara G.
Was my favorite brunch place back in high school (and that was a looooong time ago, my fellow Yelpers), and still is. Amazing that a place like that can not change in 11 years. And I was glad for it. It was Scuba Steve's first time back in my old digs, so I wanted to try to show him what life was like back in the day with Kara G. on a Sunday morning in PA. The wait was a little long ( although we did have 6 people, so what else would you expect), but well worth it. Besides, we helped ourselves to free coffee outside (yum) and perused the selection of reading materials at the bookstore down the way while we waited. OJ was a delicious and fresh-squeezed as ever, and the coffee cake, while served in smaller proportions nowadays, tasted as sinful and incredible as ever. My scramble was DE-LISH!!!!! and everyone else was loving their food too, which is a good sign because these were hard-core Chicago brunchers who don't mess around! ;) Although I should take away one star for the really, truly, and awesomely disgusting Green Tea Smoothing that Bethie ordered ( who knew?)- Goldie is quoted as saying " it went from gross and progressed into grosser as it really hit your palate". But because we had so many good laughs at its expense, all is forgiven.
(5)
M S.
We had a nice, late breakfast here this Sunday. We went pretty late, about 12:30, so there was no wait. I got Mama's Papas, which were home fries with spinach, mushrooms, turkey bacon and topped with melted cheese. I added a poached egg on top because I just love runny yolk all over everything. I also ordered a piece of the special coffeecake. This spring it's peach walnut. My breakfast was delish. The white of the egg was a little runny, but I didn't mind so much. Everything else was great. The boyfriend got the tamale pie with 2 eggs over easy and a piece of the blueberry coffeecake. He thoroughly enjoyed it. I thought it would have been better if the tamale pie was a little warmer, but it was tasty. I preferred his blueberry cake to my peach walnut. It had more fruit in it and was a tad moister. The coffee was good and strong, the service pleasant and it had a cute atmosphere. I thought the prices were decent. We went to Brian's for brunch the week before and this place was considerably less expensive. Only negatives are that they don't have mimosas or bloody marys. It also seemed as though they only have turkey bacon (cool with me, but not with bf--he likes the real pig fat). Overall, a good experience and I'll definitely go back.
(4)
Jordan M.
I grew up on Hobee's. Forget Chez Panisse, in my mind Hobee's is synonymous with Northern Californian cuisine. That doesn't mean they are on the same level as far as food quality is concerned, but everything about Hobee's screams Bay Area. Maybe it is just the strawberries, bananas, and blueberries smoothie with low-fat yogurt or the Hi-Protein Honey Whole Wheat Pancakes or possibly the Santa Cruz Scramble with artichoke hearts. All I know is that it tastes like home.
(4)
Jerry L.
Review based on one dining experience For breakfast only. Excellent service. The coffee mug never went empty. Good coffee cake. everything else A-OK.
(3)
Katie F.
If your mom ever cooked you breakfast and was good at it, it probably still wasn't better than Hobee's. Known for: coffee cake. Worth getting up in the morning for.
Oddly I had never been to a Hobees before until recently. And now I know why. It's really your standard american restaurant and seems like a popular place for breakfast. I ordered the Cal Browns, and was disappointed to get country style potatoes instead of hash browns... it was really just OK and I didn't really feel like finishing it. The giant slices of coffee cake was intriguing, but I was trying to save room for cupcakes so I passed. This place just really isn't my thing.
(2)
Kristine D.
Make sure you sign your kids up for the birthday club at Hobee's. In celebration of their milestone, birthday club members annually receive a certificate they can use to enjoy a meal on Hobee's. My kids each cashed one in last night, enjoying items of their choice of the Kids Menu. Oddly they didn't choose the Liver and Onions with brussel sprouts, broccoli, eggplant and lots of beets, that would have been a $29.95 savings. What you don't believe that's on the kids menu? Go check it out yourself. It's just one way this Hobee's is either poking fun at what they know kids won't do or they're daring them to do it!
(5)
Shagandeep K.
I had the black, blue and red berry shake, and it was really the best I've had in a long time. Pure goodness and taste. The place is cute and the service is fast. That said, I went in the afternoon, and situation may be different during the peak hours.
(5)
Brian D.
All my stars here go towards the coffee cake - its SO good. But beyond that, if you want a light and healthy meal, complete with really good freshly squeezed orange juice, Hobee's is a good place to do that at.
(4)
K. B.
You have to try the breakfast sandwich 2.0, which is the single best breakfast sandwich I have ever had in my life. Doesn't hurt that it comes with GIANT blueberry coffee cake, and excellent service. Great for take-out, too (eat your sammich on the train to SF)!
(5)
Albert C.
Disclaimer: I've only had the breakfast fare at Hobee's, so I can't comment on their lunch fare. I've been to both PA locations, the MV one on Central, plus the Sunnyvale, Cupertino and Pruneyard branches as well. Their breakfasts are good, but seem to lack that little extra oomph to push them into great range. The potatoes are good, but would be better as hashbrowns. Favorites include the chorizo scramble and the oatmeal bar. All in all, solid breakfast but I can think of places I'd rather be.
(3)
Peggy K.
Hash browns were terrible... they appeared to be reheated leftovers. They definitely were not freshly prepared the morning we were there.
(2)
eric k.
Ok... breakfast...... I actually think they are a little overpriced.. .but that might be a reflection on my cheapness these days.... and yet.. I still go What my wife and I really like going for is the Oatmeal Bar. Get in there before 10:30, that's when they shut the oatmeal bar down. We go in... get a couple bowls... throw on some good stuff from cranberries, brown sugar, even bits and pieces of the ol trusty coffee cake. I know $5 isn't cheap for a couple bowls of oatmeal, but for some reason it's a little easier for me to stomach than some of the other things they serve and the prices they charge.
(4)
Ravi C.
I was so disappointed with my visit to this Hobee's. I was surprised that there was no line - but then after being served, it all made sense. The servers were mostly lackadaisical, not frequently refilling our coffee and once forgetting one person at our table. The "special" omelette was extraordinarily lackluster, with dry, tasteless chicken. The coffeecake was a deep downgrade from what I remember as Hobee's prime. Try Mike's in Midtown for a better, homey brunch, I'd say.
(1)
Flora C.
We really liked Hobee's. My husband and I have been to this Hobee's twice now for brunch. We love its Homey atmosphere. I cannot forget how good its Stanford omlet tastes. What is even more is its coffee cake. So yummy! The only reason it's not a 5-star is because it's a little too pricey.
(4)
Jen C.
What's so great about this coffee cake? I got a piece, and it was like eating saltines; it was so dense and dry, even with butter melted on top. The omelet was really tasty though, and they get a plus for giving my toddler a bucket of crayons and a smiley face fruit tray to tide him over. I'll be back, but not for the coffee cake. Good service, too, though I went on an off day (Wed around 11).
(3)
Andrew M.
Like their brunch options a lot more than other meals. Good service and tasty breakfast items!
(4)
A J.
Love the Breakfast Quesadilla with egg beaters and tofu. What else can I say? The service is almost always great and the food is wonderful. The only negative is the crowd on weekends which means long waits to be seated.
(4)
Naoko M.
My family and I went to Hobee's for New Year's Day breakfast/brunch. It was surprisingly a bit empty, but that's probably because everybody else was at home sleeping after a night of new year's celebrations. I ordered the Stanford Cardinal Omelette: sauteed mushrooms, spinach, grilled chicken, artichokes, and jack and cheddar cheeses. I asked for hash browns instead of the coffee cake (hoping to mooch off of my sister's cake later) and got an OJ too. The OJ was actually really good and seemed fresh squeezed. The omelette, first off, is enormous. I couldn't even finish the whole thing, which says a lot because I am known to eat ridiculous amounts of food in one setting. The filling of the omelette is what did me in, with large chunks of slightly too dry chicken breast and everything I mentioned above. A delicious omelette though, and I would definitely recommend the Stanford Cardinal omelette if you like artichokes and the like. The hashbrowns were incredibly disappointing. They're actually country-style potatoes, cubes of potato sauteed in a pan, or something to that effect. Some of the larger pieces of potato were still undercooked and there was very little crispiness, which is one of my favorite parts of breakfast potatoes. It didn't come with onions or peppers either, just potatoes with not enough seasoning. I had some of my sister's coffee cake and was also disappointed. It was drier than I had expected and didn't live up to all the hype. I've had much better coffee cake (for FREE) at The Tombs in Washington DC. Perhaps it was just this one time that the coffee cake wasn't up to par; I'd be willing to try it again if it's really supposed to be that amazing. The omelette was clearly the highly of this meal. I was full for the next 6 hours or so, which was awesome.
(3)
Sharah H.
I AM a breakfast person & I love their omelettes! I absolutely love the Salmon Pasta dish and the Spinach Lasagna! I truly believe their blueberry coffee cake is over rated. I got one packaged as a gift and cut it up that night to have with some coffee and tea but to my dismay it was very dry, almost as if it was stale; but I might also be biased since my mother is a Baker. Also the wide assortment for salad fixins at the salad bar was great. Unfortunately it's a hit or miss depending on their produce quality. I say check it out before adding a salad bar option to your entree. Overall the staff friendly and its of course no fancy shmancy it's also a nice kid friendly place : )
(4)
Eric M.
I popped in here for dinner as I walked by one night and was charmed by the quaintness of the interior. It looked very relaxing and homey. Now, apparently this place is known better for their breakfasts, which I will try one day, but the dinner wasn't that great. It could have just been what I ordered (a Southwestern style turkey burger...don't remember the menu name) but it was bland and didn't taste much different than something I could have made at home. I had a pretty good slice of chocolate cake for dessert served with what tasted like rice milk ice cream. I'll try it again, and if my opinion changes I will update my review.
(2)
Amy K.
A nice little diner-ish place to grab breakfast/brunch. I ordered the eggs & chicken apple sausage - standard breakfast. Their coffee cake, however, is delicious! I'm not a huge fan of coffee cake myself, but I could have swallowed the entire piece if it weren't for my nagging conscience!
(3)
Petite G.
I love Hobee's! One of my favorites here is the Mountain View Special Omelet - loaded with shrooms, tomatoes, cheese, green peppers, and ham (or sausage, if you wish) - it's breakfast AND lunch for me. The smoothies are oh-so-yummy! And the coffeecake is downright delicious and just perfect with a cup of piping hot cappuccino. I also love the the Spinach and Mushroom Lasagna - too bad they don't serve it before 11am. It's cheesy and very yummy. I'd recommend coming in early though, as the place can get pretty crowded. We went there early one weekend morning and they weren't open yet but there was already a line of about 6 people outside. It's that popular.
(4)
Diane K.
Most of the food has been boring, often too greasy. But the coffeecake is rich and delicious. Staff has always been nice.
(2)
Jeffrey L.
Whee! I came here for some late lunch and got a sandwich - great stuff. The bread, chicken and everything else was perfectly cooked - plus great flavor. Would recommend this place to anyone - the price is OK.
(4)
Mary L.
Hobee's is my favorite place for breakfast. I also come for dinner from time to time. It is a noisy, worn, place, but it is full of attentive staff and good, clean food. I have been going to Hobee's for well over 25 years.
(4)
Kim N.
The first Hobees I ever went to 1 of 8. Charming little stand alon hut. The place seems to be the most packed of all ot them too. I can't bear to wait this long anymore, especially since there are many other locations. This was mainly a breakfast Hobees for me. All about the Chorizo and Chicken Apple Sausage scramble. Yes the Coffee Cake is still the winner.
(4)
Kay C.
Hmmmm, when I went most recently, the Santa Cruz scramble was significantly more bland. It was my friend's first time there, and she was really down on the place. The tamale pie was still wonderful. I'll leave it with 5 stars, but just thought I'd mention it.
(5)
Stitchy M.
Ok, so I am not a clean freak by any means, but this place was filthy! The bathroom is cleaner than the kitchen, how horrifying is THAT? Even the floors throughout the restaurant were grimy. SO GROSS! Man, someone tip off the Hell's Kitchen guy. He'd go postal on this place.
(1)
Jeremy S.
Blueberry coffee cake is stellar.
(4)
Roger L.
Hobees has all the ingredients for a local insider cult favorite. The food is, of course, top-notch tasty. It's always packed for breakfast/brunch on weekends. More than that, though, it has lots of touches that make it endearing among locals. For those waiting to be seated, they have free spicy tea (okay, not my thing), and they have dishes named after local cities, landmarks, and sports teams. Their BDBIT (Best Darned Breakfast In Town) is another tasty dish with a cute name, and their blueberry coffeecake is another favorite. Best of all, if you get your picture taken with a Hobees t-shirt in front of some far-away place, they post it on the wall and give you a free meal! They used to have one as far north as Emeryville (wish they'd bring it back!), but as far as I can tell they've decided to stick to their south bay roots.
(5)
Marcus C.
In high school we used to come here after a greuling swim practice and I would eat the hi-hat ommie (yes, hash browns INSIDE the omelette), blueberry coffeecake and an energy blend. I used to put up with the tremendous line because I LOVED the food. I went again recently, and ... meh.
(2)
wheatberry s.
Hobee's wasn't too busy for a Friday lunch - service was attentive and food was hearty. Prices just about right. Usually I find places like Hobee's to overly salt their food - but I thought the food was lightly, but tastefully, seasoned. A side of black bean chili came with my sandwich - not terrible (believe me, I've had terrible chili) but not great either. I guess it's what you'd expect. Their world famous blueberry coffee cake was HUGE. It was nice that the coffee cake was served warm. Kinda wished french fries was on their menu, though.
(3)
Larry M.
We just move from the city 2 months ago, and heard a lot about this place. Glad to say that it lived up to expectations. Super kid friendly, the food was all made very well, and the pricing was very reasonable. We plan to spend a lot of time here going forward, particularly as we have a 14-month year old.
(5)
Parvin P.
Must try the coffee cake!!!
(3)
Debby C.
Hobees is the default breakfast/brunch restaurant for the entire Stanford campus because of the following reasons: 40% proximity 30% really tasty blueberry coffee cake 20% generally inoffensive menu 10% it's not Denny's The omlettes are pretty mediocre, but if you're a Palo Alto resident just looking to have a casual conversation with a friend and get some food in your stomach I'd recommend it.
(2)
Nancy B.
I love their coffee cake. I like the cherry flavored one. It's scrumptous! They also have good omeletes.
(3)
Nat K.
I didn't realize until the huge hunks of blueberry coffee cake appeared that I probably should have ordered some. Alas. I was still extremely pleased with my scramble and potatoes and multiply-refilled Diet Coke at 2pm when I was in desperate need of caloric replenishment. Next time...coffee cake. Fo' sho'.
(3)
Ulli B.
That restaurant was not very good! The noodles I ordered have been warmed up in the Microwave (together with the cheese!!!). The chicken tasted old.
(2)
Da J.
Although this Hobee's is small, and has a tiny parking lot, it seems to be the one that has the fewest screaming children. That gives it an extra star. Go for the omelets and hash browns. I'm not into coffeecake, but sometimes their seasonal ones are yummy.
(4)
Donna W.
This is a great place for breakfast and this Hobee's is usually less crowded than the one in Town and Country that's also in the Palo Alto area. The coffeecake, which is Hobee's specialty, is delicious (though it's the absolute enemy to anyone who's trying to go low carb--the warm fruity fluffiness is irresistible!). They serve up lots of varieties of omelettes and other assortments of breakfast foods. Many of their dishes have country-style hashbrowns/potatoes as an accompanying side, so be sure to ask for a suitable substitute if you're watching carb intake or you'll be paying for something you don't plan on eating.
(4)
Adrian D.
Food was good and tasty. Hash browns that i had in my Hi Hat Ommie weren't really hash browns but more like country potatoes. My meal also came w/ the blueberry coffee cake which was very delicious. The only thing that was not so good was the service. Although the staff was very friendly the service was really slow. It took awhile for our food to arrive for a party of 6. One of the nice little touches that I liked was that they had free coffee outside while we waited for our table to called.
(3)
Andrea R.
this place used to be good..about 20 yrs ago. now its barely edible. i have tried and given them several chances but its just gross. the menu is lacking. its overpriced for what you get. how they win any awards is beyond me. we wont be back.
(1)
lulu p.
The best place for an early breakfast meeting or just lounging on the weekend. As usual, it's in the Town & Country... but atmosphere aside it's still ok! Lots of fresh smoothies and breakfast bonanzas. My personal favorite had a bunch of eggs over hashbrowns. Not the most lo-cal choice, but really well done and very satsifying when you crave a good breakfast!
(3)
Roshan V.
I liked their breakfast quesadilla and blueberry cake thing a lot, but the other dishes I've had here have been kinda mediocre. The place is ok for the occasional weekend breakfast.
(3)
S. P.
the average all american breakfast place with a million calories per bite. I would give it a 4 star if we were in Kansas, but this is the bay area, where we take pride in eating good food, not processed corn-syrupy breakfast junk.
(1)
Michael L.
Basically, if you've never been to Hobee's before, you should know this: IT'S ALL ABOUT THE COFFEE CAKE. That is the only reason someone goes to Hobee's, so if you don't order it, I don't think you'll have anything more than a mediocre meal. I'd recommend the Best Darned Breakfast in Town (BDBT) for 5.95 (unless they've raised prices).
(4)
Emily L.
Coffee cake. Yum. Can't get enough of it. So good, I love coming here with friends on the weekend. Great smoothies, and herbal teas. Everything is really good....I honestly can't think of a time when I've been dissappointed. Oh, once I was served the wrong dish, but the waiter was very apologetic, brought me the correct dish and didn't charge me the entire amount on the check. Be ready to wait in line on the weekend, but I think it's worth it.
(5)
Rachel R.
Hobee's doesn't have the best breakfasts, but you know what you're getting. The service and fare are both dependable. Their house tea is delicious. They have several locations. This one feels cramped and I prefer the one on the other side of El Camino ( yelp.com/biz/48ivBERgvsE… ).
(3)
Ben L.
Classic. I love the smoothies, they're expensive but gigantic. The blueberry coffee cake is meant to be shared, IMHO -- it's a giant cube the same volume as my stomach -- a bit much for me. Great hash browns.
(4)
Don O.
"Hobees started out as a greasy hamburger stand in Mountain View in the 70s that got healthy. They are now a small chain with several spots in the south bay and on the peninsula. The breakfasts here are hands-down the best around. They have specials that change weekly which is what I normally order but if I order off the menu, the Tamale Pie & Eggs are the best. Service is fantastic. It can get noisy on weekend mornings and they are on the pricey side (we're not talking Denny's here), but I think its well worth it. Oh yes, and please do try the blueberry coffeecake...its what most locals assoicate with Hobees!"
(5)
Jimmy C.
I must say I was quite impressed with their coffee cake, but everything else was mediocre. Their hashed browns were just potatoes with cheese and onions. Breakfast was no different than what I cook myself save the coffee cake which was absolutely scrumptious. If I come here again, you can bet I'll just be getting the coffee cake with a cup of coffee.
(3)
Dana C.
Discovered this location after going for years to the T&C one. Like the other, the food is good but not great - consistently good. The best thing is the coffeecake though- buttery sweet fluffy delish. This location seems a little larger and less of a wait.
(3)
Allison S.
Brunch at Hobee's was a part of my weekend ritual when I lived in Palo Alto. I love their blueberry coffee cake and egg beater omelettes...Their oatmeal bar is also impressive. And they have coffee and tea available if you have to wait for a table (which is often the case on the weekends.)
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : Yes Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Breakfast Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : No Dogs Allowed : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Shane D.
Great food as always and our server Eva treated us very well. Her manager on the other hand was not very kind to her in front of us.
(5)Leslie I.
Let me first say that I have been to Hobees several times, and had a great expereince, but the last time I went the service was so poor I might not go back. First, we arrived at around 11am, and although our drinks orders were taken right away, my sister's fruit smoothie came out before we were given coffee. It took a good 15 minutes to get coffee, which is kinda crazy given how many people were running around. Second, my friend ordered the eggs benedict with avocado, as was specified on the menu, and when it came out without avocado, he said "can I get my avocado?" which was met with "well that's extra", even though it was listed on the menu as avocado being part of the dish. Third, I ordered a sandwich, which turned out to be...anti climactic. I have had their turkey club before, and it was great, but this time it was poorly made thing, with no tooth picks holding it together or anything, on a salad plate of some sort (so the sandwich didn't really fit). Finally, getting our check took forever. For some reason our wait staff kept changing, so we were never sure whom we were supposed to flag down to be helped. Anyway, it was not a great experience, and I was saddened because it was the first time to Hobees for my sister and my friend, and it was not a favorable impression.
(2)SacTown G.
Tons of gluten free options make this place great for us. Love their GF pancakes! My son, who does it gluten, enjoyed the oatmeal bar. Also, fabulous service here. This is a great breakfast spot when in southern Palo Alto!
(4)Sam H.
Salmon Bennie - not enough salmon, and overcooked. Eggs were perfect, as was the rest of it. I kinda expected better. Service was excellent.
(3)Willis W.
Parents, if you are looking for a kid-friendly restaurant for DINNER, Hobee's is your goto place! I have always loved coming to this local chain for breakfast, and even lunch, but now as a parent, I see the beauty in having a comfortable family-friendly setting for dinner, that is quite healthy, but not overtly so. Proof that Hobees loves kids: there's huge stack of high-chairs against the wall, the tallest I've seen. As soon as we sit down, we get crayons a special spill-proof water glass, and a fruit plate arranged in a smiley face. You had me at hello!! Changing table in the bathroom? YES local beers? you betcha. The burger with whole-wheat bun is top notch. The fact that it's served with tortilla chips is not a big deal - fries are bad for you anyways. And look at that salad bar! Jicama, huge slices of beets, eggs, tofu, soy beans, sprouts... it puts Fresh Choice to shame. They have a soup bar as well. Service was exceptional. And yes, you can buy an entire coffee cake to-go. Thank you, Hobee's. For making my day.
(5)Stef S.
I'd give it 3.5 stars. Good food, decent prices. The best stuff is the coffee cake! But all in all, the menu isn't that creative. The wait is better than at Stacks (ugh.... Stacks.... loonngggg linnnessss). It's classic Stanford student brunch. I like it but don't love it. Go to Berkeley for breakfast if you have the time to drive that far!
(3)Steve M.
My last meal will include Hobee's D'Anza with one egg over medium on top. What a great breakfast spot. This one in particular, best breakfast spot in Palo Alto.
(4)Jenna D.
I am a basic breakfast person, eggs, meat, and sourdough toast, well toasted please! Since my order is basic, I want it cooked right (you would be surprised how difficult other breakfast places find this, especially the well toasted part). My food always comes out perfect here! An additional challenge, the bf is a I want to try something new and exciting every time I go somewhere kind of a guy. They change their specials weekly and he is always happy with what he has ordered! The coffee cake is amazing! The staff is on point, just the right amount of service vs. leaving you alone to enjoy your food. After 6 years of failed breakfasts, we have finally found a place we can agree on.
(5)Katy C.
Hobee's offers some of the best breakfast I've ever eaten! No frills, just good food and friendly service. Must-haves: -Coffee cake. Sugary, fat, and mouth-wateringly delicious! Every evil part of me wants to order about 4 of these and then one more to go. Make that 2 to go. -Seasonal omelettes. Hobee's dreams up some really inventive combinations that are titled with seasonally-appropriate names (for example: plays on Olympic athlete names during the Winter games). Even if you don't love omelettes (to which I say: "you're crazy!"), it's fun to read through the list. I remember a pesto-chicken omelette named after Apollo Anton Ono that was especially delish. -Oatmeal bar. Great oatmeal bar with everything you could ever want to stir into your porridge. But beware: the oatmeal bar closes at a certain time in the morning... might be 11AM? Can't remember. Late breakfasters might be out of luck. Hobee's is definitely one of my favorite places to go on a rainy morning in Palo Alto. Before or after you eat, make sure to visit Paper Source or Books Inc. (both are just a couple doors down in either direction from Hobee's). Perfect way to spend a better part of your morning!
(5)Tim K.
Stopped in for a late breakfast today. Food and service were both pretty good. The burger was huge. The meat hung over the bun. Portions on the egg dishes were also ample. The blueberry coffeecake was moist the only problem was to figure out how to cut it without making a mess. We will be back.
(3)David S.
I love their spinach omelette and breakfast potatoes. Interesting vibe.
(4)Kristina A.
When presented with the prospect of having brunch in the South Bay/Peninsula, one of Hobee's locations is always my first choice. The omelets here come in a variety of forms with a very nice selection of ingredients. They're never overcooked (pet peeve!) and I adore their home fries. I think this is why the Hi-Hat omelet is my favorite as it's a ham and cheese omelet with home fries *inside* which is absolute genius. Also, their blueberry coffee cake as super delicious - hot, moist, and crumbly with a lovely cinnamon-graham crumble on top. If I liked sweets I'm sure I'd like this coffee cake even more but I never have trouble finding someone who wants my leftovers :p Lastly, Hobee's prices are reasonable for the amount of food you get, service is fast and friendly, and I rather like the kitschy decor that makes you feel like you're eating in some grandma's kitchen.
(4)Vinson Z.
Been here a few times and it's still nothing special. Service is good, no problems there. The orange bread used for the french toast is a nice touch, but the crust is pretty tough and chewy but a generous serving nonetheless. Side of hashbrowns are also tasty, nice crunch of skillet fried potato and also a large serving. Prices are a bit steep, maybe reasonable if you're from PA. The mocha tastes like CRAP, just as bad as Taco Bell's coffee and they don't even brew coffee at Taco Bell. Taste like instant coffee with too much Italian chocolate sugar free syrup. Has an odd sweetener after-taste that just made me toss the entire couple of double mocha. I like the other breakfast place down the street a little in Los Altos, which always tastes good!
(2)Menlo K.
Hobee's is the place that taught me that restaurant omelets did not need to be dripping in grease. Thank you Hobee's! In addition to the omelets, they have a variety of creative burgers. I love this location, a very homey feel. Parking can be tough, but excellent food and terrific feel in the restaurant. Can't beat the blueberry coffee cake!
(4)Norma B.
As far as breakfast places go, this place is pretty good. I really enjoyed the Chorizo Scramble and their Cherry Almond Coffeecake was moist and delicious. I found the Blueberry Coffeecake to be a bit on the dry side though. Overall, I'd come back again.
(3)Alisa R.
Love this place! Sooo great!!
(5)Stacie A.
While on business in Palo Alto, came across this restaurant on Yelp. While the reviews were mixed, decided to give it a try. For a friday morning, it was not overly crowded and the service was attentive. I ordered the Mama's Papas (home fries topped with turkey bacon, spinach, mushrooms and cheese), can get it topped with an egg any style. As I am not a breakfast person, this was a perfect portion and flavor combo for me. My husband had the french toast (made with cinnamon-orange swirl bread). He commented that it was the best french toast he has ever had, the were cooked perfectly, not to soggy not overly done. The blueberry coffeecake was a generous piece. Liked the fact it was served warm.
(4)Lynda C.
Contrary to Anthony Bourdains suggestion to NEVER have hollandaise sauce in a restaurant, I went ahead and ordered a spinach H. breakfast with the blueberry coffee cake, with a mocha.......... This is my second or third time eating here. Well I am from out of town and my healthy eating was out the window the day I left home............Yummmy!!
(4)Vlad V.
Excellent food, and a quiet place to conduct business over it.
(5)Sonny W.
Came here early for breakfast--first customer here! Got the bottomless breakfast bar which is basically fancy oatmeal with many different toppings. Overall, good way to start the day!
(3)MARIO W.
Pleasant atmosphere and friendly staff. Had the squash soup...the bread and crackers were stale. ordered a burger and it came with stale tortilla chips? The burger patty was kinda dry and pretty mediocre. Seriously people this place is kinda overrated... Ill come back to try breakfast. If the breakfast is good like everyone says it is ill change my rating...
(2)Brian U.
Hobee's is good, don't let my 3 star fool you but the day i went i was really hungry and was referred to this place by a local friend (who is trying to be vegan and pro-tofu). This place definitely serves up the meat but its a little different as the only way i prefer my breakfast is full of swine; i had to adjust my taste buds to turkey bacon and apple sausage, no big deal i guess. The portions are good sized, but for the price i felt a little cheated. I ordered the mammas and pappas home style potato skillet with extra turkey bacon and a scrambled egg topper, it was very good. The orange juice was sour unfortunately but to some this is normal. The wait time was not as fast as most breakfast places ( i am under a belief that breakfast should be served pronto ) but overall the service was good. I would recommend this place to anyone visiting and to the locals who watch what they eat and watch their portions.
(3)RandyCP U.
Wow. Great breakfasts. Oatmeal bar is a family favorite, along with the omelets, scrambles and smoothies. I like the smoothies because they aren't too sweet. The coffee cake, which is their signature dish, comes in big portions, but is always a little dry. Wait staff is attentive. Salad bar is great, and turns into an oatmeal / cereal bar at breakfast. Free coffee outside while you wait.
(5)Tamara A.
I am not sure what the fuss about the blueberry coffee cake is. You don't need to make a special trip to Hobees for the coffee cake. It tasted fine I guess but was nothing special. I thought the breakfast sandwich was very tasty and my son loved the pancakes. They serve a lot of omelets and hash browns so I will try something like that next. I think this is a fine place for casual, reasonably priced meal.
(3)Noah L.
Hobee's is always good. I've had breakfast, lunch, and dinner there and I've always enjoyed it. The coffee cake is a must! Absolutely delicious.
(4)Jane L.
I have been eating at this Hobee's location for over 20 years. Sadly, it seems to be going downhill lately in terms of quality and cleanliness. Once within the past year, my husband ordered the special salmon scramble - but when it came, it had some sort of whitefish in it instead of salmon - very disappointing and not tasty at all. More recently, I ordered an omelet with turkey bacon and sundried tomato pesto and came down with an serious case of food poisoning. Even the service is not as good as it has been - when my friend got a refill of coffee, the server poured it so quickly it spilled all over the sides of the cup, onto the table, and dripped onto the floor - and didn't wipe it up. The food and the service have become inconsistent. At this point, I will be going to the Hobee's on Rengstorff or to another breakfast place in town, like Rick's or A Good Morning.
(1)Brian E.
5 star Coffee Cake. Holy God. After eating that, no need for the meal.
(5)Kevin C.
I came here last summer while I was in town for a couple of days. It was actually the Fourth of July, so there were a couple of national pride-themed entrées. I opted for the Red, White, and Blue Pancakes - whole wheat pancakes topped with strawberries, bananas, and blueberries. All in all, it was a solid meal, albeit nothing memorable. Well, I guess the coffee cake that came with some of my dining partners' meals did look very good, but I'm not much a fan of coffee cake, so I passed on it. Anyway, I see no reason why I wouldn't come back to Hobee's the next time I'm in Palo Alto, so I guess it's the epitome of a 3-star, A-OK restaurant.
(3)Louisa L.
I've always loved Hobees! Love their breakfast/brunch food...always went with the hi hat ommie, but this time I got their veggie one. i love how they have a non-fat egg that you can choose to make the ommelette from too! Of course though, what I love MOST about hobees has got to be their BLUEBERRY COFFEE CAKE! They have other flavors according to season, but after trying a few, I still have to go back to the classic blueberry coffee cake. It's just so warm and fluffy and just yummy goodness! I also tried their caramel macciato type cappuccino which was also super sweet and yummy, tasted like the caramel brulee latte at starbucks. Makes me miss the holiday season! I also like how there are two rooms at this restaurant, the outside one has a view and seems much like an indoor patio, and then there's the inside more quiet room. NOt as spacious as the one in Cupertino which I went to more often, but gotta love!
(4)Jeffrey D.
Had dinner at Hobees tonight--recommended by our nearby hotel. The place was dead on a Friday evening. We discovered that there were obvious reasons for this, starting with a very confused salad bar (including only the slightest amount of lettuce) and the worker who took offense when my wife thought it might be a good idea to provide plates. Our main server, Gladys, was delightful, and I enjoyed the Pesto Pesto Salmon and Patty liked the Pesto Pesto Chicken. But the bottom line here is that it was all forgettable at best. And although I've learned that Yelp reviews are a dime a dozen, the fact that this long established restaurant has such a meager local clientele in an area where dinner out on Friday night is a popular activity says plenty! --Jeff
(2)Steven T.
Eaten here so many times over the years. It's a solid place to get breakfast and the coffeecake is great. Two things that take away from Hobee's. The dining room is a bit old and not very open. For me breakfast should have sun shining through a breeze flowing by. Given there is Bucks and a few other places with equal or better food and a better ambiance they are the places I would go for breakfast. Lunch and dinner are decent as well but again nothing special.
(3)Jessica T.
As a frequent traveler to Palo Alto, I make it a point to go to Hobee's for breakfast. Service is great. Easy parking. Food is yummy. Veggies are fresh and perfectly prepared. Of course, I'm there when they open being on east coast time, so it's peaceful and empty. I called them to order a gift card for someone, and they sent it out immediately. Super simple.
(4)Nessreen H.
Nothing amazed me here..at all. 1. Tables are placed toooo close together, felt like the table next to me was about to hop into my lap. 2. Asked for hot water..received it in a coffee mug thats supposed to be white..looked brownish black on the inside. ewwww 3. ordered the eggs benedict...cold, eggs were poached way under, and the whole plate was drowned with hollandaise. 4. blueberry coffee cake was ok, nothing super special. Yes its huge, hot, and thick (im seriously talking about blueberry coffecake i swear!!). But it was super sweet and felt like it lacked some more flavor, besides sugar! Service was quick and pleasant..1star. We were seated right away during saturday brunch..1 star. Convenient parking lot..1 star. Will I come back..probably not.
(3)Cindy T.
I know everyone is talking about the blueberry coffee cake, but there's no such thing as too many compliments right? This blueberry coffee cake is so rich, warm , and DELICIOUS. It'd be perfect with a nice cup of coffee or tea to pair, but its amazing in itself. Definitely worth it. I came with my friend and we each ordered our own omelette and hashbrowns. The omelette is good, but it could have been better. The egg could have been fluffier.. yeah that sounds like a really picky statement, but if you've been to Stacks and had an omellete there, they set the bar really high. The other thing that kind of made my omellete plate okay was the hash browns. They were wayyy over cooked and crispy. I mean I love a little crisp to my moist hashbrowns, but a lot of my hashbrowns were overcooked to the point where I commented to my friend about them... maybe the chef fell asleep in the kitchen? I would definitely come back for the coffee cake, the omellete was good, but it's better at Stacks.
(3)Jayne W.
Hobee's - this one and most of the others around the area - is a reliable breakfast place with tasty home fries, scrambles, and omelettes, And don't forget the monumental towers of blueberry coffee cake. You can get healthy stuff too if you want, but whatever. Oh, and the french toast is good, and the pancakes. Yeah. Breakfast. I believe they also have good sandwiches and salads, but whatever. Breakfast.
(4)Loan L.
We were just in the area to look for strollers at Day One when we stopped into this place for some food. The little plaza had a fair number of restaurants, but we chose this one because there were a lot of people eating. It was around noon, so I ordered the Aztec burger medium well (i'm pregnant, so no pink meat for me) and my husband ordered the juevos ranchero. The description on the burger looked good so I chose it out of the other burgers. The burger came with either tortilla chips or black bean chili and I was disappointed that it didn't come with fries because I was starving. So my meal came out and I notice that it had feta cheese (i think..well, it was something crumbly) and I was already thinking that this burger would be just ok. Well, my opinion quickly changed once I bit into the burger. All the flavors worked so well with each other..the guac, salsa, the spicy and I didn't mind the chips on the side. I was also surprised that the burger would be good because it was cooked medium well. My husband loves his juevos ranchero and when I had a little taste I agreed that it was good. The black bean chili was very well seasoned and flavorful. The taste was very complex and nothing that I would be expecting from black bean chili. All in all, a good experience.
(4)Channing H.
I don't get why everyone loves Hobee's so much. Every time I've been I've been underwhelmed and I've paid too much and left too much of the mediocre meal on my plate. Honestly, the breakfast fare other than the coffeecake is at about IHOP level. It's fine, but it's not restaurant quality and it's not worth the money. The hash browns are also always undercooked. Lunch sandwiches are expensive too -- at least $10 for a rather small, greasy sandwich. The coffeecake is the only redeeming thing at Hobee's. It's delicious, it's unhealthy, and it's best eaten take-out in the comfort of your own home without having to deal with a tip and slow service.
(2)Emily M.
Meh. Overrated. And their breakfast potatoes taste like Top Ramen. Seriously, they taste like they are seasoned with msg, chicken, and whatever else is in that little ramen packet, which I detest.
(1)Jimmy N.
3.5 stars went in search of ANY breakfast-y type place before work on a business trip up here in palo alto.. none existed! do you people not eat real breakfast?! saw this place randomly and said, "why not, let's give it a shot!" host was pretty cute guy, who also ended up being our waiter. the restaurant has a cute hawaiian, yet confused as asian / jungle / mexican, theme decor. food was pretty good for the money. kinda weird to see a kiwi and orange slice in my breakfast plate as garnishing.. or a cantaloupe slice on the glass of my orange juice as garnishing.. odd indeed, but cute concept i suppose. i'd come back again, yes - for the cute waiter. haha.. and the food too. :)
(3)Jenny D.
I haven't been to Hobees in years, and now I want to keep going back. Love the "Eye Opener" breakfast, just on point, and in the budget. Speedy service, and the waiter was very polite and courteous.
(4)Flor D.
It's a chain, but not really....? I love the smoothies, the coffee cake, the BDBIT + turkey bacon, and the sometimes fun specials. I recall on past visits(around the holidays) having a version of the BDBIT but with potatoes latkes. It was so yummy. It came with the works-applesauce and sour cream! Recently, I had breakfast with some pals and it was great. Not the best...but I love the coffee cake and it beats Denny's...when I pretend to be healthy ;)
(4)Oski B.
Always look forward to coming here for breakfast when I'm back in Palo Alto. They were serving a special peach walnut coffee cake through the end of May that was pretty awesome.
(4)Angie W.
It took forever to wait for my food. The menu is just okay and there's nothing special with the famous coffee cake. But if you are to order it, make sure that they give you butter, otherwise, the cake would turn out dry and all crumby.. The atmosphere of the place is homey, warm and cozy. Perfect for a quiet time.
(2)Jiann M.
Tips: - Saturday 11am wait (party of 2) = 20 min Pros: - egg, ham, avocado, cheese sandwich (ciabatta was deliciously crisp and chewy) - coffee cake (gigantic slice-- about 4x4x4 inches) Cons: - difficult to get server's attention - coffee cake was TOO large (streusel to cake ration was way too low) Bottom line: this is like a mom & pop family diner style restaurant. Don't expect the quality to be phenomenal, but this is a safe place to take children. I've had better breakfast before, so I don't think I'll be returning.
(3)Phil R.
Been to other Hobee's and had better experiences. This morning was very crowded and took about 25 minutes to get a table for two which is understandable. Main issue was both entrees were delivered incorrectly. Sonoma Browns they left off the egg topper and also the Salmon Red Potato hash had very little actual salmon in it and no artichokes. Basically just potatoes and red bell peppers. As always the coffee cake was delicious. Took two requests to have the manager come over. She did agree to remove the Salmon Red Potato Hash from our bill which was appreciated. I will come back to Hobee's for sure but likely will not order the Salmon Red Potato Hash ever again.
(3)Kayla K.
First time here.. I went with a friend who is a fan of the restaurant. I had the Mountain View Omelet with sausage. I noticed they only have turkey bacon.. I prefer real bacon. I was pleasantly surprised with the omelet. Service was alright, nothing special.
(2)Denise L.
Came here for a weekday breakfast, their parking is limited as it seems to be a very popular breakfast spot. They have a oatmeal bar, which is interesting, but not an oatmeal fan. Of course everyone loves their blueberry coffee cake, but after a bite or two, I'm done. Their breakfast dishes come with a choice of toast, house potatoes, or the coffee cake. Most places give you carbs and more carbs (potatoes AND toast), but here you only get one option which threw me off. I got an apple juice, while others opted for coffee. It comes out really bubbly, and was told it was not good. I got the dot com omelet but substituted sausage instead of the turkey bacon. Most ordered omelets as well. I didn't like the sun dried tomato pesto spread on top of the omelet, it was really overwhelming. Plus that they have pepper plant sauce, since that makes everything taste better! Overall, it was okay, but this wouldn't be my breakfast place to go.
(3)Alisha K.
I travel from Denver, CO just to have Hobee's blueberry coffeecake. Their breakfast menu is classic and delicious, but their coffeecake is the crown jewel of Palo Alto. The service is always friendly and attentive and the breakfast is satiating.
(4)Nishad J.
Got the 7 vegetable quesadilla! It was pretty good overall, but the "hash browns" we're really just cut up potatoes. Luckily the quesadilla made up for it. Fresh vegetables and rice with guacamole and sour cream made it worthwhile.
(3)Bettie S.
This was right next to my hotel in Palo Alto so decided to try it to avoid eating hotel food. And yelp had some good reviews. Well I'm not sure why it had any reviews over a two. As soon as I walked in I told myself I should turn around. Decor was very poor and old and dirty and dingy. Cheap cash register hostess entrance with stale cookies. But sometimes dive places can still have good food so I stayed. And wished I hadnt. Wine list is cheap wine. Salad bar buffet which is completely unsanitary. (Only see this in Vegas anymore.) Chicken Valentino I ordered and it was terrible. Dry. Flavor-less. Burnt veggies. "Alfredo" sauce was mayonnaise! Even garlic bread was bad. Dry! Waiter was hurried and annoyed. Took plate away and knife fell on my lap and flicked food all over me. Never again. This was terrible place.
(2)Jessica Y.
Hobee's a typical diner/brunch place. It kinda makes me feel like I'm back home in Florida. Service is nice and accommodating. There's hot coffee and tea outside when you wait for seats. We came with a group of about 15 people after church on Sunday and they were able to split the check for each of us. Two of my friends ordered two entrees to share, and Hobee's took the time to actually split the meal and serve the entrees on two separate plates each. People rave about the coffee cake, which is unique to Hobee's, since you can get it instead of toast with your meal. I've tried the seasonal raspberry one and the blueberry one. It is ok, but a little dry for me, despite the butter that comes with it. Food is typical brunch food, nothing too out of the ordinary. Portions are very large- I ended up most of my coffeecake to go.
(3)Yun C.
Hobee's is one of those beloved breakfast chain restaurant in the area but after my recent dining experience, I have to ding them... Two of us went for breakfast.. and we noticed the salad bar (I never saw this at the other locations I visited) and after confirming with our server that ONE TRIP to the salad bar with an order of an entree would only cost us $2.50 extra.. we both decided to take it! At the salad bar, they stacked a small bowl and a small plate so we thought those were the only two containers that we could use for our "ONE TRIP" to the salad bar. We filled up our bowl with veggies and the plate with fruits and we returned to our table. Suddenly, a female waitress (NOT our server) stopped by and inquired about our trip to the salad bar. I told her that we got the $2.50 one trip to the salad bar and have informed our server. She then told us that since we took two plates each, it's automatically an all you can eat (cost around $8) and we're welcome to keep going back for more food. We then said, errrr....but then there will be way too much food for us and we only wanted the "one trip" (for $2.50) ..The waitress kept insisting that it's all you can eat now that we took two plates (despite the one trip) and by that time, we felt embarrass because other diners were looking at us (*sigh!)..anyway.. we decided to drop it and just tried to make the most of it. Our entrees then came and I was thinking to box my entree now that I would be charge for the all-you-can-eat salad bar (that's about the same price as the entree!!!!) ..and the female waitress came back to tell us that she didn't know we had ordered an entree and so our "one trip" would only cost us $2.50!!! WTH??!! I'm not usually easily ticked off..but knowing that the "one trip to the salad bar" cost about $4 without ordering an entree.. why would she deliberately assumed that we didn't order an entree with our salad bar??? the price is different....Also, she could have checked with our server prior to confronting and embarassing us..get the fact right before you accused us! come on! In addition, when if it really is the policy to charge diners for all-you-can-eat-price if they take two plates... then they should say "ONE PLATE SALAD BAR" NOT "ONE TRIP!" yeah... I'm pissed off!!
(2)Laura B.
I was surprised by their menu, I thought this was a IHOP or Denny's type of diner but instead they offered a much healthier menu, which is great, if that's what you want-but I wanted pork bacon and they don't offer that or waffles. But the hash browns and eggs were exactly how I requested them. The pancakes were cold when delivered but the breakfast sandwich was really good. The service was just ok, not super friendly or attentive but polite.
(3)Ryan M.
Definitely a fan of Hobee's, mostly thanks to it being convenient to my apartment. They have good brunch and good coffee (actually pretty strong stuff too). Careful with the coffee cake though - I found it to be too much and too dry! Other cool things: truly open wifi access, coffee while you wait, rotating seasonal special menu.
(4)Grant J.
This is one of the most remarkable restaurants I've ever been to. Wonderful staff, excellent food, a beautiful location. I cannot express enough how much I loved eating here. Only wish I lived in Palo Alto so I could come back more. In the two days I was in town I went three times! Just amazing. Try the coffee cake, or any of the scrambles!
(5)Lisa Y.
The interior of the restaurant looks like your average mom and pop diner with mostly families and elderly couples dining. While we were expecting a home-cooked style breakfast with warm, friendly service, we were greatly disappointed to find that the food was terrible and that the service was really lacking. Parking: Small private lot located directly next to the restaurant. Service: Service was SO slow. After being seated and handed menus, it took a long time for someone to take our order. It took a good half an hour to receive our food, and no one came to check on us during our meal. We had to flag someone down to ask for more water. After finishing our less-than-mediocre meal, our server (or any employee for that matter) was nowhere to be found. There were literally no employees on the floor. After several minutes, a busboy finally appeared, and we had to walk across the restaurant just to ask for a to-go container (though I don't know why we bothered, since the food was awful). When we were finished, we actually had to go up to the counter to ask for our check. Food: - "The Dot-Come Ommie" - Turkey bacon, mushrooms, spinach, red onion, Swiss cheese, and topped with sundried tomato pesto. Comes with a piece of coffeecake. I was initially drawn to this item because the sundried tomato pesto sounded interesting. However, I was really disappointed, and the sauce had a strange taste. Also, the turkey bacon was tasteless. - Chicken Apple Sausage Scramble - Chicken Apple Sausage, tomato, mushrooms, red onion, eggs, and gouda cheese. Comes with a piece of coffeecake. First of all, this scramble does not look appetizing at all. Second, the taste definitely matches the way it looks. My boyfriend barely got through half of it and felt sick after eating it. - Peach Coffeecake - This tasted terrible! It was super dry! Definitely tasted like it was left out in the open or like it was a couple days old. - Blueberry Coffeecake - This cake was a little more moist, but I still wasn't interested in taking more than a few bites. Hobee's is supposed to be known for their coffeecake, but I can't seem to figure out why...I was not impressed with it at all. I will not be returning to Hobee's.
(1)Maxwell E.
Eggs were great, coffee cake was good, but different than traditional coffee cake so be prepared. Service took a little long which is the only reason for the four stars, but would definitely go back.
(4)Daniel D.
Visited Hobee's for dinner on my first night in the bay area. The overall experience was great. Service was quick, portions are huge and the different dishes i tried were good. Overall, this restaurant seems to be trending towards fresh/natural dishes, and for the price you pay its worth the visit.
(4)Michael S.
Fast, delicious, and accommodating. I come here all the time when visiting my elderly grandma, who lives around the corner. Every time I've warmly greeted and served promptly. My last visit was excellent. In the recent years, my grandma's hearing has been severely declining. At first we were seated in a noisy section. When we inquired if we could be reseated, they were more than happy to accommodate us and place us in a quieter area where my grandma could hear better. Thanks Hobee's!
(5)Mohib Q.
Having passed Hobee's serveral times on El Camino, and upon the recommendation of a friend I decided to stop by here as I craved a good 'ol veggie omelet. I was quickly seated around 10:00 a.m. on a Friday morning. I found that the patrons were mostly older retirees, as I would suspect any diner would have at such an hour. I found their conversations to be equally hilarious and interesting. Parking was also a cinch, and best of all, free. As for the omelet, it was on the runny side. It was good enough in size, and filled with plenty of veggies from onions to bell peppers. It also came with the famed coffee cafe. Although I was given the option to have the more popular blueberry coffee cake, I opted for the banana nut coffee cafe. It was a delicious, filling, and heavy. I went perfectly with the coffee I ordered. I caution, however, some may find it too sweet. Overally, the experience was good. The waiter was attentive, the menu was grand, and the food was great. I just wish the place was remodeled, as the place looked grimey and in need of a refresh. Just don't come here looking to impress anyone, but rather to have comfort food. Also, stay away hipsters. Stay. Away.
(4)Princess N.
I love this place. If I could give them more stars I would. French Toast is wonderful and the chorizo is my favorite. Servers were very sweet and I loved my server Gaby he was amazing. He had a smile from the beginning to the end of service. He was very attentive and always asking if everything was ok. If you want a great place to eat with great food and service then definitely go here. FOOD IS SO AMAZING!
(5)Shrina S.
I've seen Hobee's so many times but never been. We came here for breakfast around 9:30 on Saturday and there was no wait, which was good because I was hungry. We were seated in the back room and two people came to ask about coffee and two other people came to ask if we were ready to order, so it seemed like they were really on top of their game. I ordered the South of the Border omelet (no sour cream) with the hashbrowns and my friend ordered the Stanford "Cardinal" Omelet with the blueberry coffee cake, which I have had before and loved! The food came fairly fast- I was annoyed with myself for not remembering to say egg whites, but the omelet was pretty decent anyway. The hash browns, however, were not the best. I expected the hash browns to be crispy and shredded, but instead they were chunks of potatoes that were just alright. The blueberry coffee cake was HUGE and delicious! Overall, the food was okay. Would I come back? Eh, probably not. Maybe I'll give them a second chance.. but probably not for a while.
(3)Nicola C.
Ordered to go... The hollandaise sauce on my Eggs Benedict was curdled. Enough said. Been here like 5 times this year, and it is hit or miss every time. I may not come back after this. Yuck!! ... I will add that I called in (after tossing my brunch in the trash) and the manager was very apologetic and accommodating.
(2)Bruce G.
Had the eggs benedictos. An eggs Benedict with salsa and avocado but no meat. It was wonderful. Sauce was very light, not at all heavy. Coffee cake comes with the meal. It was awesome. Yes it was sweet and had a Lump of butter on it - GREAT! Hash browns were a little dry, I like mine with some onions but that is a personal preference. These were probably way healthier! I will definitely return when I am in town.
(5)D G.
Ok. Im going to issue a 1 star because it was my day off and going here ruined my main goal of having a RELAXED breakfast experience. SERVICE STYLE (0 stars) When I was about 1/3rd done with my meal, I received the bill. RUDE. They want to get you OUT before you even get a chance to eat. ATMOSPHERE =0 stars The place was loud and I asked to be moved all the way to the other side of the restaurant which didnt help. Someone decided to have a work breakfast and siince it was my day off I really didnt want to hear about it. Of course it was a bunch of obnoxious, old white men who clearly needed hearing aids or should have had a career in theatre or public speaking instead of corporate american. FOOD (3 stars) Save the best for last. I love their cappuccino and healthy options. The huge tasteless portions did not compensate for the overzealous 'service' and lack of atmosphere. FINALLY I will NOT return even though they are about 2 minutes from where I live.
(1)Rob K.
This is a great place to meet someone in the morning for breakfast. The food is great and the fresh fruit is just that...fresh! Everything I've eaten here is very good but I'd recommend the pancakes with a fresh fruit plate. I know this has been said but if have not tried the coffee cake you have to have it at least once. It might clog the arteries but definitely worth it. The place is a throw back to an earlier time and the people are friendly.
(5)Red R.
Uninterested service and ok food. I had higher hopes based on the line but in the end it was just ok. The Salmon Benedict had a great description so the let down was bigger. The details and care were missing. The fresh dill and hollandase touted on the menu disappointed further... The dill was a barely identifiable micro-sprig and the homemade aside wasn't all that fresh. Sigh. Put this one up there any other ho him breakfast joint.
(2)Michèle S.
I am a breakfast person so I love this place. Good portions for a hungry person including egg white substitution. I asked for English muffins without butter and that worked out, in other places (especially with a larger group) they forget. I had decaf coffee and the second time it was cold I asked for a new one. They freshly brewed a new kettle and it was perfect.
(4)Amy M.
Great food. Service could have been better- had to ask for refill, took forever to get the bill.
(3)Jaime L.
My entire family has been coming to Hobee's for years - we used to go to the one in the Town & Country village in Palo Alto, but they moved to this spot....which I then moved into the apartment complex right down the street, 15 years later. Lazy Saturday/Sunday mornings were the best. We'd roll out of bed and throw on something comfortable, walk down the street to Hobee's. I'm sorry, I meant afternoon - which is way different than the morning because then we'd have to wait an hour to get a table. No thank you. The food was always alright. It wasn't the greatest. It's a homestyle greasy spoon, in a sense. Their coffee cake always tasted a bit stale, and their coffee was okay. Their scrambles, dishes in general - too covered in cheap cheese, etc etc. Three solid stars because it truly is A-OK when you're starving and lazy. Most of the times I'd order a decaf americano and be met with something acceptable. It wasn't the Hub in Reno, but it would do...until last time. It looked like it was literally decaf coffee with hot water added. I remarked how there wasn't a crema at the top - a caramel colored froth that comes at the end of each espresso pull. When you combine it with hot water there is still a hint of creama, but in this case, none. The server offered to put milk in it...but that's not what I was talking about. I was commenting on the espresso pull and doubting whether it was espresso or not. It was by far the most pretentious conversation I've ever had, and felt snobby as hell doing it - but goddammit, I just want a simple decaf americano. It's not that hard. She took it back. We didn't have time to go back before we moved. That's fine. So there you have it. My snobby-ass review about americanos and so-so brunch food. Now I feel like an asshole.
(3)Freya S.
Absolutely fantastic! I can't rate Hobee's highly enough; there was such a wide range of delicious food to choose from and the waiters were incredibly friendly and helpful. They are happy to cater for vegans - I recommend the tofu scramble! If you're in Palo Alto then going to Hobee's is a must!
(5)Kellyann W.
LOVED the turkey bacon, so crispy - bad coffee, but it's a little place
(4)Max G.
This is a brunch place - it's awesome for that, but the rest might not be great. Ambience: 3. Would be nice if this location had booths. Also bit loud being on El Camino. Service: 4. Varies, sometimes has taken a bit to get our order in. Bonus points for delivering and having breakfast available all day. I also emailed the restaurant about calling their cubed potato side "hash browns", they sent me a gift card. Food: 4.5. Great egg stuff and coffeecake (of course), wish they had real (i.e. shredded) hash browns instead of the cubed potatoes. Dinner style entrees aren't worth it. - Breakfast quesadilla: 5. Only recently discovered this, really hearty eggs and rice, crispy tortilla, tasty guac. - Almost Joe's Scramble: 5. Ground turkey is a nice change - I recently asked for it inside the breakfast quesadilla. Add mushrooms and avocado for the perfect scramble. - Chicken apple sausage scramble: 4.5. Chicken sausage is a bit on the sweet side for my taste, but works well with the gouda. - Dot-com Ommie: 5. Wouldn't have thought of turkey bacon and sundried tomato pesto, but totally works. - Special hashbrows (any of them): 2. These are not hashbrowns! They're cubed potatoes. Geez. - Chipotle-tomatillo salmon: 3. Not super fresh tasting - this just isn't the place you visit for a salmon filet.
(4)Kayce G.
I loved our visit! I came with my brother and husband, and we were all pleasantly surprised. The appearance of Hobee's was a little off-putting, but as soon as we sat down we were greeted with extremely friendly staff. I got the Tofu Scramble which was incredible! My husband enjoyed his burger and brother loved the fish tacos. I found some of the other guests to be a bit strange... One in particular who kept getting up from his table to discuss how inappropriate a table of 2 girls' conversation was and asked them to quiet down or he'll alert management. They were teenage girls talking about boys, and weren't even being loud which was comical. Oh, well... the bottom line is that I definitely will be returning; just wish there were more vegan options... Perhaps vegan cake, or vegan pancakes/waffle/something.
(4)Hanna A.
I have become a regular here. Love the service. The food is awesome. Love the scrambled eggs and everything that's French Toast. Only thing I wish was better is the coffee but I'm European so most coffee is to watery here. Atmosphere is great at this Hobees and always parking!
(5)P F.
I used to love this place, but no more. While the service is lovely, the food has gone downhill.I recently had omelettes twice and found them both just edible. However, the blueberry coffee cake remains a star.
(2)Amy T.
came here with my cousin. small quaint little area, ok staff. the food's alright too. i prefer my hash browns not in chunks. eggs were good though.
(3)Elaine N.
After hiking for hours nearby this area, decided to stop by Hobee's for brunch since I have not been here before. Without any expectation, I ordered a Benedict and their famous blueberry coffeecake. I also ordered their seasonal banana toffee cake because I usually like anything with banana in them. To my taste bud, I did not enjoyed my meal at all. I find it bland and tasteless. Wish I could like this place, but its not my cup of tea. As for service, it was decent. Although the place seem a little bit rundown and dirty. They did not have ac in this restaurant, more so a fan on the ceiling that did not do much. Overall, not sure if I would becoming back since their is more options for brunch around this area.
(3)Kathryn Y.
I grew with this place and loved their blueberry coffee cake. I was sad when they closed the one near me. I would say this location is the closest one now and when I saw it running errands I told my boyfriend and he pulled into the parking lot and we went in (we hadn't eaten lunch yet). The food was good and the coffee cake was just as I remembered. Service was friendly.
(4)Avi B.
I have to say, the food was pretty good. The service was fast, and my friend and I got there pretty quickly. Overall, the experience was good. The only thing was that the menu was a little confusing. It took me a little longer than normal to figure out what I wanted (with three different pieces to the menu)
(4)A. A.
First visit to this Hobee's location because the one we once went was closed. I asked a few questions to a waitress, she just looked at me with no clue. I then asked her if this was her first day, and it was. The drinks came wrong and it was hard to get someone to come to the table. I had to beg for water, twice. After I paid and left a good tip on the table. I realized they charged me for a soup that I did not order. I went back and the manager asked the waiter who took care of me whether I have had soup, and he answered in Spanish to the manager that he wasn't sure if I have had soup... ?!? I also speak Spanish and was very disappointed of what I have heard. All the cups and plates were all on the table due to the poor service and they could clearly tell there was no used soup bowl on my table. I will never, ever return to this location, not to mention the food did not taste good. Customers are important. Do not accuse them, abuse them and over charge them. Treat your customers right, that's the only way they will keep coming back to you.
(1)XiuCe H.
Hobee's has declined significantly from its early days in the 1980's when it was known for its fresh, California-take on breakfast fare, with the best coffee cake around. Now, the food is mediocre (coffee cake was so dry that we took a few bites and didnt even want to box up what was left over to take home) and the service is inattentive (we had to ask for coffee refills multiple times). In addition, this morning the server and I had a weird exchange Server: "What kind of toast would you like?" Me: "What kind of toast do you have?" Server: "White, Wheat...." Me: "Do you have Rye?" Server: "white?" Me: "No Rye." Server: "Okay, White" Me: "Actually I'm asking if you have Rye" Serve: "Okay, White" Me: (thinking, okay, I guess white is OK) Then when the toast does come it is wheat toast. Not a big deal, but just points to the rushed, understaffed nature of the service.
(1)Muen S.
The service was excellent (we had 3 adults and 4 young children). We arrived around 3 pm and the restaurant was not crowded. We ordered lemonade and ice tea and we were given two carafes, so that we didn't run out of our drinks. The food was very good: 2 kids had the caramelized pear pancakes (delicious), mac & cheese (it's not on the menu but they made it for our two 3-year-olds (appreciate the flexibility and accommodations), the burger was yummy and so was the salmon fettuccine which they changed and added a tomato pesto sauce. There were also toys to keep the kids busy so that we can talk and finish our meal.
(5)Rose L.
We have been here a few times over the past couple of years. I will get the negatives out of the way first. In my hungry opinion, the omelettes and portions are small-ish for the price, and I am not a big person (maybe a big eater?). Also, the crowds of families here on the weekends mean a long wait. Parking here is pretty bad when it's busy. Now the positives. The coffee cake IS wonderful! I don't usually order sweet things, but I always order the coffee cake. Blueberry is best. Servers are always happy and professional. They have a house blended iced tea called Hobee Tea that is orange and cinnamon and lightly sweetened. And finally, even though portions are kinda small for this hungry girl, the food is delicious! The combinations are creative.
(3)Denise L.
Hobee's is the place to hit up when I'm craving breakfast for lunch at work. I always call in my takeout order: chicken apple sausage tofu scramble with hash browns and a side of fresh fruit. I love that they have a tofu scramble to substitute for eggs, so I can eat some breakfast scramble guilt-free without worrying about my egg allergy! The service is friendly. My order is usually ready within 15 minutes, but I've had to wait a few times. No biggie. The side of fruit tends to vary in size -- sometimes I've gotten a nice generous portion of delicious fresh fruit; other days I've opened my bag only to discover about 7 pieces of fruit. Sadface. Overall a very decent takeout experience. TIP: The tofu scrambles are super good! And they are famous for their large crumbly delicious coffee cake.
(3)Geoff D.
You can expect the same friendly service and diner menu here that you get from all Hobee's. For me, this particular location feels more tired and empty than most of the others I've been to. Still, it's always a good option for breakfast... or even dinner take-out. Some of our go-to items are: - Hi Hat Hashbrowns - Cardinal Omelet - Veggie Quesadilla - And of course, the coffee cake
(3)Libby J.
After an immensely long Hobee's hiatus, I returned three times within the past couple months. This was my first time ever at this location. In recent years, Hobee's menu has significantly improved with far superior vegetarian options. I went for the soup and salad bar, but ended up ordering a delicious entree--a breakfast entree that is! I ordered an egg white omelet filled with the black bean chili. It was absolutely delicious and hearty. It was not too greasy like some restaurants that basically fry the egg. I also took a trip to the soup bar and had an absolutely flavorful white bean vegetable soup. It also included a bread that looked dry, but ended up tasting delicious. My meal also came with either the hash brown potatoes, toast, or Hobee's famous coffee cake. I, of course, chose the coffee cake. The topping was unmistakable. I have never tasted anything that deliciously sweet and buttery. The coffee cake was perfectly moist. I just wish there were more blueberries in it. Of course, I drank five glasses of the Hobee's tea. I can not believe that is is naturally that sweet! The first glass was a bit cold, but the server was more than happy to brew a brand new batch! Hobee's is a very good deal. My huge meal was about $15. I will also have food for breakfast and snack tomorrow. I was super duper impressed and happy with my Hobee's meal!!!!! It may seem like one of those little diners with a 5 PM Early Bird special, but Hobee's really has updated its food and menu to be vegetarian friendly and truly fresh! This Hobee's location: -Has a larger salad bar than the one near De Anza College -Is smaller than the one near De Anza College
(5)Pranthik S.
This is one of my top brunch places in Palo Alto. My favorite thing to order would be the Chorizo Scramble. The Chorizo goes really well with the Jack and Cheddar Cheese. Also in the fall they have this AMAZING pumpkin coffee cake. I would highly recommend ordering it. Even if you don't have the appetite to finish it I would recommend ordering one to go. Location wise it is conveniently located on El Camino. Parking can be a bit rough Saturday mornings, especially when there is a Stanford game on the same day. If there is a game you usually have to wait in line for about 15 mins. They're always pretty prompt with seating. There are also a lot of nice mom and pop shops in the complex it's located in. It's nice to walk around them after eating. Apart from the good food, I really like eating at Hobee's in the fall because they really capture the season well. The smell of pumpkin coffee cakes in the oven, coffee and the homey feel of the restaurant always makes me want to go back.
(4)Dale H.
Great Florentine Scramble. Just the right amount of spinach, cheese, and shrooms. Went with the blueberry coffee cake and it was light and delish! Had to take over half of it home it was such a large piece! Would definitely come back when we visit the area again. Service was fast and personable :0)
(5)Marty H.
Classic. This is a place for those who know what they want, and want to milk it over and over again. I used to go over to the other Hobee's once per week after doing a morning swim + run. My friend and I would both grab the BDBIT (best darn breakfast in town) with two eggs over-easy and sourdough toast. Despite all of the raving reviews about the coffee cake, I really do prefer the toast. They butter it up. It doesn't fall apart when you eat it. You can put superfluous amounts of jam on it. This Hobee's is larger, just as classy, and just a great place to eat. I thoroughly enjoy the Stanford "Cardinal" Omelet. I think lots of people get that one because the name is so great (go Stanford). Yay! I'm a fan. Note: Parking is occasionally very obnoxious here. So if you're coming in on Sunday for Brunch (AFAIK the most crowded time), show up a bit early so you don't have to wait.
(4)Jeff W.
Good food great service. I told them I was in a hurry and they got me in and out with a chorizo scrambler and two orange juices in 15 minutes. Amazing.
(5)Raquel P.
The waiter couldn't under stand English so it was hard to tell him what we wanted to drink. The menu had very little options to pick from. The food was okay. But I wouldn't eat there again.
(2)Robbert W.
Considering that this place only had two other people during our time there, the service was ridiculously slow. When our food came it was slightly cold and some of the burgers were done longer then we wanted, which was an indicator that they had been sitting for some time. Not sure what the wait staff were doing in between our food being done and it being served to us. Certainly not serving anyone else.
(2)Paige P.
Over the past 15 years I've probably eaten 100 times at the half a dozen Hobees locations on the peninsula. Gulp. I think that makes me a fan of the chain, with an eye for the differences between each. Here's my Stanford review. The now-closed northern Palo Alto location boasted a larger salad bar and quicker service, and longer hours that its smaller northern Palo Alto sibling. But this spot is walkable from our house and has a wonderful friendly staff, and there is never a wait. I love the tofu scramble. It's vegan, gluten free and tasty - a rare combo at an American bistro cafe. You can add the salad bar for an extra $2.95 - it's a huge amount of healthy food. The kids always split a strawberry banana smoothie, and it makes for two huge goblets of whipped-cream covered goodness. My daughter loves fruit, and this is one of the few restaurants were you can get good fresh fruit at any time of day. Hobees gives the kids a smiling fruit plate by default, and there is always fruit at the salad bar, and the strawberry protein pancakes are great.
(3)Diane B.
Okay, so I'm not thrilled to write a review of Hobee's; kind of like when I wrote one for Sonic. I guess that's the food snob in me. I don't really even like to admit I ate there. My sis and I met at Town and Country Shopping Center, our new favorite halfway spot, with the original intent of trying Asian Box. We were both suffering colds, and our tasters were off, and we wanted somewhere that we could sit down inside... maybe some soup. After perusing several places that sounded interesting, we opted for homey, preditable... spelled H-o-b-e-e-s. I was actually a bit sorry when I looked at the tired interior and the menu, but they'd seated us (unfortunately about 12 inches from the computer console where they enter the orders) and I was not getting up at that point. I ordered the portabello sandwich. It included roasted peppers, cheese, spinach and chipotle mayo. It wasn't bad, except that the top billing - portabello- my favorite, was the smallest contributor. The only other thing on my plate was tortilla chips that looked like they were fresh out of the bag - didn't waste the calories. My sister had the Greek salad, which looked pretty good and large portion. She liked that it included redskinned potatoes, as well as green beans, both black olives and kalamatas and feta. I didn't want to taste hers lest I catch whatever virus she has which seems worse than what I've had . The server responded quickly to my request for an extra napkin and more water, but never offered any refills etc. without being asked. I checked out the salad bar on my way to the lady's room, and it looked tired. It suited our purposes, but I think it's better as an American breakfast option than lunch. Food 18/40 service 12/20 atm/intang. 12/20 value 14/20 Total: 56/100 I'll round up to a D, because my expectations were low= 2 stars
(2)Honest-Abe R.
Great restaurant! While it looks small from the outside, it is fairly large inside. There is also a large parking lot as well. The breakfast was great! Server was quite, but service was good. Giving the restaurant an extra star because of their restroom, which was super clean! We would recommend this place!
(5)Emir P.
This place is great! We've been eating here for awhile since my kids school is just around the corner. Food is great. Although they claim their orange juice is squeezed, it still taste like concentrate. I would have given them a 5 star but that one stuck up waitress that looks like she's not happy at all being there should just go take a hike! Other that, it's all good.
(4)Joe M.
Keeping it short on this one.. Simple tasty breakfast , hot coffee, friendly staff , clean restaurant , food served hot and in a timely fashion.....and damn good blueberry coffee cake...
(4)Jeff S.
Back in the day when I went to Gunn High School I use to come here for quick breakfast before a long day. I use to really appreciate Hobee's because they would always support our High School clubs by donating a platter of their coffee cake for our bake sales. Fast forward a decade and some, I'm back visiting Palo Alto to see the parents. Hungry one morning I decided to grab a quick breakfast at Hobee's. Man was I happy. The Place: Looks just like it did when I was 16... Place hasn't changed at all unlike Palo Alto... The Food: 1. Coffee cake Blueberry - What is this cherry almond non-sense. I'll pass. Got the traditional coffee cake w/ blueberry. When you get it served in store they put a dallop of butter on it. Not healthy but after it melts into the coffee cake it gives it a rich buttery flavor to the dry fluffy cake. I love the top layer of the coffee cake. Biting into the brown sugar sweetness of the top..... really made my day :D 2. Got the Apple Sausage Scramble - Freaking excellent. 3. Significant other got the Apple/Bacon grown up grilled cheese. I'm not sure what she was trying for... stick to the traditional breakfast items please... Portions aren't huge like iHop but man for a chain restaurant, you can't get this home cooked goodness. The staff: Typical. They rush you in, rush your food to you and rush you out. Good if you have finals down the street in 20 minutes, whatever if you aren't in a rush.
(4)Jenny M.
I have been a Hobee's fan for many years. If it wasn't for that, I likely wouldn't be so generous with the stars. The place does need a good steam clean and a revamp, but some of their dishes just as awesome as ever. You have to get the cinnamon tea and the blueberry coffee cake. It is almost required. My favorite savory dish is the breakfast quesadilla. I have that for lunch or dinner. Yummy!
(4)Jason C.
It had been about 15 years since I last went here. I was in town for the weekend an decided to go again with friends. I get the vegetarian black bean chili with chips. I quite enjoyed the dish. The portions were generous. This is a good place for home style grub.
(3)Zak R.
Low key place with awesome coffee cake. Vegetarian scramble also good. Wish they had freshly squeezed Orange juice. I would have given it four stars but nothing here is memorable or unique other than the coffee cake. They should have more items one cannot make at home or get at an IHOP.
(3)Krizelda M.
It is a crime to not have a coffee cake when eating at Hobee's. The last 3 times I've visited I've been lucky to have the seasonal pumpkin walnut cake (soooooo good). I recommend the breakfast sandwich with the turkey bacon, avo, cheese, and egg on ciabatta because it's not super filling and leaves room for the brick (I'm not complaining) of coffee cake. I just learned you can order a guava-mosa too! That is a solid breakfast and my go to from now on.
(3)A.F. N.
I go to Hobee's for their blueberry coffeecake. This is the worst coffeecake I've ever had! It was so dry it tasted like a week old. BIG disappointment. I had the Stanford Cardinal omelette. It was bad. Everything was dry and overcooked. The sauce on the omelette tasted sour (spoiled). The waiter was never around. Didn't refill the water. Didn't refill the coffee. Not going back.
(1)Marlene B.
I've been going to Hobee's for breakfast and breakfast food for dinner. I love their blueberry coffee cake.
(4)Wendy T.
If you are not a Palo Alto native/frequenter, it is easy to get lost coming here from 101, especially with construction cones at the freeway! My meetup group has lunch here every Tuesday in a cozy (VIP?) backroom. The other tables are primarily two-seaters. This restaurant is not much to look at from the street and the lunch crowd leaving and entering the small parking lot really shouldn't have driver's licenses. But I digress. There's not much to look at on the inside either, but I don't come to Hobee's with high expectations. The waiter was very gracious towards our growing group. I arrived later than some people, but he didn't forget me. Quite a lot of people in my group had special needs and wants - I am not surprised when one order was misunderstood. The waiter, again, graciously fixed it. A waitress came by and took our drink orders... by memory! My $9 Stanford cardinal omelette arrived in a timely manner, but with green salsa on top, taking me by surprise. Then I remembered in the menu it included tomatillo sauce. Of course, that's what tomatillo sauce is. My fears of salsa on my omelette were whisked away by my first bite - the combination was pleasant and flavorful. I added my standard ketchup out of habit anyway. My Hobee's hot tea is unlike your regular standard tea - it is just the right temperature with a cinnamon bite that quickly dispersed. Very odd and unique - but not unpleasant. It certainly is a flavor I would associate with Hobee's from now on! One thing I noticed is that if you order salad, they don't seem to have salad dressing for you - you will have to request it separately and it comes in what seems to be oil and vinegar. I loved how easy it was to flag a waiter, but that could be because the backroom was tucked next to the kitchen. Though I wished Palo Alto's Hobee's would attract properly trained drivers and is located less than 10 minutes from the freeway, I am pleased with the price, service, and quality of food.
(4)Robbyn B.
This was wonderful. I have a food allergy to honey dew and cantolope & he made me a special fruit bowl. And I ordered a sandwich ... did not let me down
(5)Christina P.
When I think of brunch in Palo Alto, Hobee's always comes to mind. I'm not sure why... I don't think I've ever been over the moon about my meal there, but I guess the lure of a big honkin' chunk of freshly baked coffee cake with my meal is enough to bring me back. So imagine my dismay when I went there and ordered the seasonal banana toffee coffee cake with my meal only to find the bottom half of it completely rock hard, presumably due to over-microwavage! As for the rest of my meal, I got the Pacific Bennie, which came with a very unfresh tasting grilled salmon and some gooey hollandaise... disappointing to say the least. Even the orange juice wasn't fresh squeezed. The decor is vaguely Hawaiian in that Party City lei kind of way, which also somehow served to depress me on this particular Saturday morning, though I was so looking forward to a relaxing brunch. The only saving grace for me was the very friendly and helpful service and no wait at about 1pm on a Saturday. Sorry to break it to you Hobee's, but I think this is the last chance you get!
(3)Susanna W.
I waver between rating this place 2 or 3 stars. My friends and I used to come here quite often when we were in hs. My go-to order was the BDBIT (Best Darn Breakfast In Town): 2 eggs any style, hashbrowns (more like pseudo country potatoes) and your choice of toast or their famous coffeecake. All that for a mere $5.95! Unfortunately times have changed: the economy sucks, so of course prices have risen (the same plate, which I feel like has lowered in quality now costs $6.75). Its still cheap, just... I can't help thinking that I used to be able to eat a quality breakfast for under $6. "Fancier" items (omelettes, scrambles, wraps, etc) are in the $9-12 range. Service has gone downhill as well. I'll still come back (mostly for nostalgia's sake), but it will never be quite the same.
(2)Janel Y.
Got the BDBIT with my eggs scrambled. I don't know if I've come here too often of what, but the menu is lacking variety. I never really crave anything on the menu and always end up getting the BDBIT for its value (~$5.95) since you get 2 eggs, hash browns and coffee cake. My friend ordered the Sonoma Browns ($7.95) which looked really good so I think I may have to try that the next time I go...if I go there again for brekkie.
(3)Courtney K.
This family friendly restaurant offers tasty chow and quick service. I went for breakfast and enjoyed every morsel of my Mountain View Omelet. Of course the famous coffee cake is tasty, although a bit crumbly. I to go taste the traditionally blueberry which was better than the cranberry. The coffee cake is big so it can easily be split with another person . . . but then again, it can also easily be eaten by just one person. I won't tell. ;-)
(4)Ches W.
I have not been here in years. As it was one of the last remaining "old school" establishments in this mini-mall, I was saddened to hear that the mall developers had finally succeeded in kicking them out, making the lease cost prohibitive for a place like Hobee's. A friend (the person who gave me this news) and I were reminiscing of how we used to meet up with a then-entrepreneur now multi-billionare friend over here, back in the day. Now where will those future billionaires do their power breakfasts, extorting free work from willing pixel-pushers? :) Heh, maybe Denny's and Palo Alto Creamery are more than happy to pick up the slack. Still: long live Palo Alto Hobee's! If not in reality, at least in our memories...
(4)Malerie B.
This was my first time here, and I loved the food! They had good healthy options. I had hard poached eggs, turkey bacon, steamed veggies, and (not so healthy) blueberry coffee cake. Everything was awesome! The only thing I didn't like was their special cinnamon orange spice tea. I knew I probably wouldn't because I'm not a big fan of cinnamon tea anyways. But everything else was great. The atmosphere was lovely too. Definitely will be eating here for breakfast again!
(4)Scott P.
Hobee's hit the spot the other morning... we were in need and I had an irrational craving for an omelet. We hit things just right and there was no wait for a table. I was able to customize my omelet to get some chicken apple sausage, so I was very content. Also, my coffee was constantly getting filled, so I was a happy camper. Our server even gave me a to go cup of coffee, well after we had paid the bill. All was right with the world that morning.
(4)Adrienne M.
On my first visit (years ago) to Hobbee's I was so impressed with the blueberry coffeecake. But I've been back several times and its never really lived up to expectations. Today's visit was especially disappointing. The blueberry coffeecake was incredibly dried out and very lacking in blueberries, to the point that it was basically inedible. My "over medium" eggs were prepared exactly the same as my husband's over easy eggs and were way too runny for me. The Best Darn Breakfast In Town (eggs, hashbrowns, coffeecake) that was previously $5.95 is now $7.25. Still cheap for PA but not quite as good a deal as it used to be. Based on our visit today, I would have given 2 stars but I'll leave it at 3 because of fond memories from the past. The one highlight of today's visit was the banana toffee coffeecake (a special that's here through August) that was much less dried out than the blueberry coffeecake.
(3)Jim F.
This place is amazing! Meets all the reviews and then some. The only thing I might have to say was hash browns mean country potatoes here.
(5)Lili M.
Coffee cake is to die for! Showed up on Easter Sunday and got seated pretty quickly. Free coffee/tea outside while we waited which is always a plus. Omlette was super yummy, but the coffee cake? Totally worth the trip out to Palo Alto.
(4)Maureen M.
their food is so-so, i think more original in the aspect of their menu. but since i work graveyard shift i come here with the girls and have a mimosa or two! always get the coffee cake with your breakfast.
(3)Xiaolei L.
I had dinner here and it was fairly typical. Got some pasta dish and it was unmemorable. The place feels pretty cozy but the service was so-so.
(3)Taishi T.
A great place to have the diner experience in the usual not so diner-like area in Palo Alto. The Huevos Rancheros was an interesting take on what I am used to. But the chili was slightly sour and excellent. If you are looking for some good somewhat healthy diner food, then Hobee's is the place.
(2)Chris G.
When Palo Alto thinks breakfast. . .
(5)Clarice A.
This Hobees has the worst service of all the Hobees I have visited. It's dissapointing because this is closest to my house! I went once 3 weeks ago and waited a long time to order, receive my food, or even have my tea refilled (actually I didn't get a refill until the bill came). I went yesterday hoping it was just the waiter- and sure enough, it happened again- long wait to order, receive our food, and just simple things like having waters refilled. It's too bad- because the food tastes great. I'll go to Town and Country to avoid this location's service.
(2)Kiki B.
i lovvveeee hobee's. that coffeecake is one of the most spectacular things on earth, especially with that rounded piece of butter melting away on top. gets pretty crowded for weekend brunch, but it's totally worth the wait. the scramblers are the way to go.
(5)Yuliana Q.
ive been knowing about hobees for along time and i can say this, dnt go to hobees if your trying to get a meal worth your money. hobees gets cheaper every year or should i say every few months. it is false advertisement to say you have fresh oj or that you do not have frozen foods, plzzzz!!! these people ozzing with betral to there customer "that they love so much". every so weeks camile will have a meeting with the kitchen staff to cut food portions.. yes you read it right you remember when hobees used to be atleast fair with there customers well think again those times have changed because instead of having the right portions on there plates. palo alto has a similar problem the morning servers are good bt the kitchen manager has done what his boss has told her since corporate is right behind hobees palo alto. don't think that the owners and there workers don't know whats going on because the kitchen manager as well as the general managers are well aware of there betral to be fair to the people that fund hobees by becoming regulars without knowing that almost three bucks for a cup of coffee wow really that cheap coffee that is not tullys by the way there just posting tully posters because the expresso machines use that. oj of course its not fresh why do you even ask.
(2)Kristin G.
The milk was warm and the omelet was runny and bland. A relaxed atmosphere for a casual Saturday brunch.
(2)monkey l.
i don't think i'd go to hobees for anything other than their breakfast food. what really makes this place is the blueberry coffee cake. other than that, everything else is really average.
(3)Esther A.
i love the cozy restaurant atmosphere. the staff and customers are always pleasant to talk to and the food, ESP. the blueberry crumb cake is to die for...
(5)Ralph N.
I ate here yesterday because I heard a lot of good things about the coffee cake. Everyone always raves about the coffee cake. I ordered a Cardinal omelette, which was pretty good and decently-sized. After I dashed some Tabasco sauce on it, it became infinitely better. But then the coffee cake! Oohhhhh, the coveted coffee cake. I took a bite out of it, and what? This was the coffee cake? It wasn't bad coffee cake, but it wasn't the best I ever had! It was big, but it was dry in the middle. I didn't enjoy it very much, and in fact, I didn't even finish it. The restaurant is all right, but the coffee cake is overrated.
(4)Jon F.
Chorizo scramble just doesn't do it for me -- perhaps a bit fresher and more flavorful, less soggy, with fewer potatoes? Staff was quite friendly and helpful.
(3)anita b.
Everyone is talking how great/good the food is; I would not know Scenario: I was coming from SFO after an international flight. I thought Hobees would be a great treat after eating airplane food. Entered Hobees around 2pm Saturday and was promptly seated. No waiter came to ask if we wanted coffee Waited about 10 minutes No waiter came to ask if we wanted coffee Waited a few more minutes Noticed the place was slightly dirty and the tables smelled like a moldy damp cloth No waiter came to ask if we wanted coffee Waited just a few more minutes WE LEFT
(1)Reba G.
If Hobee's served nothing but blueberry coffee cake, it would still get 5 stars from me. I've never tried any of their other flavors, but the blueberry is out of this world. They bring you a *huge* slice... big enough for a meal by itself... and it's nice and warm, with a big pat of butter on the top that has already started to melt by the time it gets to you. The cake itself is soft and moist and the crispy top isn't so sweet that it overloads the cake... It's just fantastic. The coffee is great, too... I've only had food other than the coffee cake once, but it was pretty good. A little pricey, in my opinion, but if you just go in and get coffee cake and coffee, your wallet won't hurt at all.
(5)Vivian W.
The coffeecake is good, but certainly not great. It even seems a bit dry in the middle. The hashbrowns are great and perfectly crisp. The coffee is strong. Omelets are nicely cooked, but with too much oil. Overall this place doesn't standout, but it's one of the better brunch places around.
(4)Steph C.
Ohh the blueberry coffeecake! The rest of the menu is gratuitous. I would rather eat coffeecake crumbs shaped to look like omelets and hashbrowns than waste precious gastro real estate on anything that isn't the coffeecake here. Not that any of it is bad - it just isn't anything special, and the coffeecake most definitely is.
(4)Cindy C.
Had brunch here today. Was disappointed with the small # of breakfast choices, actually. No eggs Benedict? :( There were lots of omelets and scrambles, some pancakes and waffles, and some "special hashbrowns". The hashbrown my husband chose was small. He's a big eater. He was still hungry after. I ordered the BDBIT + sausage (the Eye Opener). But, it really wasn't all that "best darn breakfast in town"-ish to me. In fact, it wasn't all that special really. 2 eggs, 3 sausage links, some potatoes... and a coffeecake. YUM for the coffeecake. This is what they are famous for, and it was tasty. Soft, moist, flavorful. I ordered the special (Cranberry Almond) instead of the usual blueberry. It was tasty. And HUGE. This is a chain, there's one much closer to us in Belmont. Maybe I'll go try another one next time I am craving some coffeecake, but I actually like Stacks (huge breakfast menu) more for the actual food.
(3)Eswhy L.
cute little brunch style cafe thats kinda hidden along the road. really liked the quiet cozy atmosphere and their burger and pancakes were actually better than average cafe. will definitely come back in the futute.
(4)Anette N.
The best part of our meal was the peach coffee cake! The cake was warm, soft, and moist. I think it was the best coffee cake I've ever tasted. Other than that, the rest of my meal (salmon) was bleh.
(3)Spicy T.
Went here for dinner on a Wednesday (their Kids Eat Free night!) Service was quick and attentive. The food, healthy and good. Our kids ate everything!!! Our bill: $30 after tax and tip. I'd like to do this every Wednesday.
(4)Allison S.
really enjoyed this place, great food and friendly staff. went there with my family, we ordered an array of food including an omelete, and some egg breakfasts and for my vegan sister, an oatmeal bar. Loved my breakfast although it could have been bigger for the price...or maybe I was just starving. The oatmeal bar was pretty loaded, a great deal and the coffee cake was really good...i don't know about world famous though. i would for sure come back again the next time I need to get some shopping done at the mall.
(4)Michelle T.
Not a big fan of the food here but super kid-friendly! I am a total food snob so I kinda hate eating here but my kids love it! As soon as they are seated for brunch, they each get fruit plates that look like smiley faces and crayons to color in their menus. If my four year-old is bored because we forgot his Leapster, he can wander over to the bookshelf and grab a book. Coming here I almost wonder why we deal with the hassle of eating at less kid-friendly places but then I realize I can't survive on mediocre grub.
(3)Martha K.
Two things let me give Hobee's five stars. Their gluten-free pancakes and how child-friendly Hobee's is. First, the gluten-free pancakes are amazing. They taste (and look) just like normal pancakes but I know they were okay because I didn't get sick. Second, we brought our five month old son here and he had a blast. They even brought him a ballon which kept him smiling for the the whole time. Thanks Hobee's!
(5)Lauren B.
I really don't know how this could be so different than the one in town & country center, but it's just awful! My husband ordered his usual- almost joes scramble with a coffee cake and I ordered the ABLT with a side of fruit. When I got home & opened up the food there was no coffee cake and no hash browns in my husbands meal. I could get over the missing items if it also didn't taste like a big pile of poop! There was no flavor and it tasted completely different than the almost joes scramble we usually get @the town & country location. Don't bother going here... Drive down the road to the other location!
(1)Katherine T.
I have no complaints. I ordered the BDBT(best darn breakfast in town) and although I doubt it is the best, it is quite good. As for the infamous blueberry coffee cake, the butter on top really adds much needed mosture and richness to the interior pieces lacking the blueberry density present on the top. I would ask for the hash browns well done but they are still tolerable pale as well.
(4)Dave K.
This Hobee's just gets waaaay way too crowded. And since it's on El Camino, there isn't enough parking and their atrium/vestibule isn't big so you're outside waiting, something to take into account on a cold day. Back in the 90s I loved Hobee's but I think it has gone downhill since then. I still love the smoothies and the coffee cake but now I know where to get better pancakes and omelettes. The building is oddly shaped, like it was definitely something else in a past life and they modified it like crazy to maximize capacity. The parking lot in the back is really oddly shaped and just inviting accidents. I think the Hobee's just 2 miles away on Rengstorff and Central is better. A little more ghetto, but better. Nice touch, for people waiting in line, they usually have free coffee on a table outside.
(3)j w.
LOVED this place. loved their warm spinach salad... there was a period of time in life i ate here for nearly every dinner back to back.. to back to back... and never got sick of it. crazy, i know. try it!
(5)Bill H.
After a tough start with the drink order, the regular server did a good job of getting us our food quickly. Unfortunately, it was a mixed review, at best, on our breakfast. The honey wheat pancakes were dry and had no taste. The sweet potato pancakes were a little tastier but also way too dry. My brother really enjoyed the french toast but we were all a little shocked and disappointed that a place like Hobees didn't serve regular bacon. They served pork sausage but yet only offered turkey bacon. We didn't try the huge coffee cakes...they seem to be popular. The coffee was watery...thankfully, there was a Peet's next door. We won't return.
(2)Sean H.
In general, the meals are slightly overpriced, but the service is adequate. The staff is friendly, and the environment is warm and inviting. Go during off hours to avoid a rush. It is one of the only good breakfast & Brunch places in the area, and can get busy on Saturday and Sunday mornings. When you go, order the coffee cake. Do it, really. It's the reason that I keep going back. Order the coffee cake. I repeat that for emphasis.
(3)Kristine T.
I love that their food has a healthy spin on it. Everything I've ever ordered here has always been amazing. I love that their portions aren't too huge, they are great about specializing any order and their salad bar is always fresh and impressive. Also love that their soup of the day is always vegetarian. Great spot if you don't mind the line. I was quite pleased to see that their dinner menu is just as varied and tasty. I have yet to be dissapointed !
(5)Michael W.
Pretty good brunch place in Palo Alto. Has all the typical breakfast items, and really nice that all items come with their famous coffee cake (and they give you a very large slice). Had their eggs benedict which was pretty average. Prices were reasonable - most items were around $10. There was not much of a crowd when we came at 1:30pm on a Sunday, so the service was pretty fast.
(3)Jaime L.
I've fallen in love a handful of times; one of which was when I first had a Hobee's omelet. My 'home' Hobee's is the Town & Country location, which is always packed. The service was speedy at this location and it could be because it was a weekday morning. The parking lot is quite tiny here, which could work for or against hungry wolves, not quite sure.
(4)Kathryn F.
Coffee cake coffee cake....did I say coffee cake? So going to Cal Poly SLO, Hobee's in SLO became a staple due to the slab of coffee cake that was very cheap. Now that I am in the Bay Area, every now and then I get a cravin' for amazin' coffee cake and need to journey to a Hobee's. I have been to the Palo Alto location many times. The scrambles are my fav for breakfast! Plus now (drum roll please!) they have Kids eat free on Wednesday nights...so it is time to get teh kids addicted to amazin' coffee cake too!
(4)Pancho P.
This place is decent, but it reminds me of an old saying that me and a co-worker had. Me: "Hey Charles, wheres the hoes at?" Charles: "Hobbees, cuz thats where the hoes be" That should be there slogan, "Its where the hoes be"
(5)Tina A.
YUMMY _ Who doesnt like Hobees? My favorite managers are now at this location too! My daughters and my favs; Chicken melt sandwich with PESTO/cheese (depending on which cook this may be greasy - Tell them to hold the oil) the sandwich is good! And the Eggs Benedict with Salmon chunks - Deliciouso!!! (this item is not on the reg. menu - Only avail. occasion) Their coffee is the bomb!
(4)Steven A.
This place is great! I love their coffeecake. They have traditional breakfast items but also have unique items that you won't find anywhere else. This restaurant is a staple in this town and I like the feel of the restaurant. The service has always been exceptional.
(4)Lyn L.
I came here last month for the first time to use the coupon I got during Bike to Work Day. I really didn't know what to expect since I've never been to a Hobees before, although I've had their coffee cake. It's served at all the running, cycling, and tri events and grand openings, etc. around the bay area. And yes, it is delicious! The first time I tried to go here they were closed. It seems they're not open for dinner on Sundays. So I tried again on a Saturday this time. The first thing I noticed when I walked in was that there are plants everywhere. The walls are very colorful and there are decorations everywhere. It definitely did not look like your typical restaurant. It made me wonder if this place was just an old house that got converted to a restaurant. There's a wall in the back of the restaurant with pictures of people on it and it looked like there was a little play area for kids. It felt more like I was in a kindergarten classroom rather than a restaurant. July was luau month, hence the decorations. My friend noticed that the menu had pictures of fruit all over it, but the fruit didn't match any that you would find at a luau. I had a grilled salmon dish topped with mango salsa, and a side of mashed potatoes and asparagus. My friend ordered a tortellini dish. The food wasn't anything special and we were not impressed. The service wasn't that great either. The food took a long time to come out, and when it did the waiter forgot to bring us utensils. I had a hard time even finding him to ask for more water. I probably won't be coming back here again, unless I have a coupon of course!
(2)Lilly M.
Very old looking broken down dirty place , weird menu selection and too expensive for what it is! the so called best coffee cake is horrible. Every menu item has weird stuff added to it . Even a regular burger is not regular there ! would not go back ! Felt like Chef Ramsay was going to walk in any minute and i was going to be on kitchen nightmare .
(1)anna p.
I didn't like this place at all. Food was greasy and tasted mediocre. Service was bad too, waiter forgot to bring half of the things we asked him for. Then he went MIA. He was sure to charge us for all the extras, that we never saw. I will take Good Morning breakfast over Hobee's any day. And what's with all the hype about the coffee cake, it's just ok...
(2)Selena H.
quite an extensive menu so to save you some time, stick with an omelet and the blueberry coffeecake. This place serves huuge portions so if you're a pretty light eater, sharing is great. Ordered the chicken sausage omelet which came with mushrooms and gouda cheese. the creaminess of the gouda made this omelet quite filling. The piece of coffeecake was ginormous and it was definitely something to take home. overall, if you're looking for a hearty breakfast/brunch, this is a good place to go. Service was a bit spotty and the food did take quite a bit of time to get there which was odd since the place wasn't too packed. but again, we had to wait about 10 min before being seated as they just weren't busing the tables quick enough. maybe it's just this location but will certainly update my review upon subsequent visits.. until next time coffeecake.. i mean hobee's
(4)C N.
Solid brunch place. Food is just what I want for the price and the coffee cake is dee-lish! Very satisfied
(4)Esther T.
I used to absolutely love this place. I mean the coffeecake is DELISHHH, you get tons of coffee, they open really early... But their omlettes are lately at most mehh. And their pancakes just haven't cut it for me. If only they had more kinds of pancakes.. Lunch is better, yay for all day breakfast, but I think I'd almost rather go to IHOP then here now. The food has just gotten bland and the selection isn't all that great.
(2)christina s.
I've been going to Hobee's since I was a little kid...it was our weekend brunch place. The three best things at Hobee's (not in any particular order): 1. blueberry coffee cake 2. strawberry banana energy blend 3. kids eat free on Wednesday! I like that they have a lot of healthy options, which my husband despises (he has a hard time finding something he wants on the menu since he is a meat and white bread kind of guy), especially for the kids. They even offer Liver & Onions with brussel sprouts, broccoli, eggplant and lots of beets on the kids menu for only $29.95! Haha!
(4)Rahul D.
The Cal hash browns were really tasty, especially with an over-easy egg on top. Could've been a little more spicy, but the Tabasco made up for it.
(4)Jessy L.
Ok... It's totally acceptable food. But it's hard to make eggs and cheese taste bad. When I head out to brunch, I want them to do something I couldn't do or provide ingredients that there is no chance I have in my fridge. Since I seem to be missing what is so breath taking about there coffeecake (seriously, I think that Safeway's is no worse) this place just doesn't do it for me. Not at the prices they charge and for how long they make me wait. I will give them some credit for the nice atmosphere and the coffee while you wait....
(2)Michael F.
First of all.. I agree, the coffee cake is really good. After that, I just don't have that much to say really. The breakfast is acceptable, the coffee is alright, the setting is a touch depressing though. I definitely felt like hobees would be the place I would go if I didn't feel like have pbr and eggs in my trailor (sorry, that was kind of mean... oh well, I had a rough childhood). I think it is the definition of Meh!
(2)Eddie S.
Average food and overpriced for the quality/quantity. "Underwhelmed" is the word that best describes my dining experience. (Jessy A's review of 9/14/08 is actually pretty much on-point so I recommend you check out that review too.)
(2)Heidi B.
Wow..this place is bad. I mean, it makes Sizzler look like a 5 star restaurant. Now, I didn't expect much being a Hobee's and all...but I shouldn't have expected anything. Slow service, bland food, cheesy decor.. We didn't order the coffeecake, which after reading the reviews, seems to be the only thing really worth eating there...but I'm in no rush to go back.
(1)Travis D.
It took me a year after i moved to Silicon Valley before i made it to Hobee's for brunch. It ended up being pretty good, but way over priced for the quality of food you get. Gotta hand it to them though, the coffee cake was great. However, with so many great breakfast/brunch spots within like 1/2 mile of here, it just didn't quite measure up. I''d rather go someplace else and get better food for less coin.
(3)Alena B.
Great coffee cake! Great breakfasts, but high prices. I think a cup of regular coffee came out to almost 3 bucks. Granted, you get unlimited refills, but that's just too much. Hobee's is by my high school so I used to go here frequently for birthday brunches and things like that. It's a nice environment and a great location...just a bit pricey!
(3)angel c.
My husband and I had a GC and we decided to go for lunch.. It was the worst mistake... The restaurant is nothing like the one in South Bay, We have been to the one in San Jose it's so much friendlier and cleaner. The Palo Alto one is very dirty and unprofessional. I had to ask for our check several times after getting ignored by two of their waitresses several times.. Never going there again and don't recommend anyone.
(1)kasey c.
Service is friendly and quick. The portions are generous. The atmosphere is cozy and comfortable, very down-to-Earth. This is a good place to go for a lazy brunch. The specials are usually really inventive and flavorful. The sweet potato hash is delicious and the house tea blend is very flavorful. They also have a gluten-free menu available, with great gf options for kids. The coffeecake will always hold a special place in my heart. They always have blueberry, but also rotate seasonally to things like banana toffee and cranberry.... delicious!
(5)Danielle P.
Big portion sizes. Friendly service. Food is good, not sensational. I had an omlet with hashbrowns and coffee. The had lot of different options on their menu. Lots of seasonal options, which is a plus. I'd probably go back for breakfast.
(4)Claire R.
Good solid breakfast for cheap, cheap, cheap. I got a piece of "famous" coffee cake, a fruit plate: both filling and tasty. I especially appreciate that the fruit-plate that is not too heavy on the cheaper fruits, like cantelope and watermelon, but also includes strawberries, grapes and such. I am not entirely sure what makes the coffee cake "famous"; it was pretty much just a really big slice of yellow cake with cinnamon crumbles, which- don't get me wrong- I will eat hand over fist, but it's not really distinctive. The best part was I was eating with two adult males, we all got breakfast and it was under $30; now THAT is distinctive.
(4)Gwyneth P.
Of course I love the coffee cake but I also love the hash browns and banana strawberry smoothy. Hobees has decent prices, yummy food and pretty quick service.
(5)Cathy L.
I have to say, sometimes all you want is decent breakfast food available all day. You can trust Hobee's to always cook up great eggs, sausage, and my favorite, chocolate chip pancakes!
(4)Amanda M.
YUMMMMMMMMMMMM! I came here for brunch yesterday and was pleasantly surprised by the variations of eggs bendedict on the menu. I ended up ordering the Huevos Benedictos which was amazing. It came on a very soft English muffin which made it easier to cut. The Huevos Benedicto's is two poached eggs on top of a soft English muffin covered in fresh avocado and slices of tomato then salsa fresca, then some of the best hollandaise sauce I have ever had, topped with black olives. The boyfriend had the original eggs benedict which also looked amazing. We both had the "world famous coffee cake" which were huge pieces. I really liked the fact that you are given the option of hash browns or coffee cake I have never been to a place like that before. We also got a smoothie which was delicious. I will definitely be back!
(5)El Cazador H.
A family favorite. Grandma and PapaJim (me) took our grandson (2 yrs) in for breakfast today. Our grandson is a regular customer. The help was super attentive about supplying us with coffee and grandson's strawberry smoothie. Breakfast was delicious. We were very impressed with everything and left a nice tip.
(5)Liz E.
As a recent transplant to the Bay Area, I was excited to learn about the good diner style breakfast places in the area and was told Hobee's was the place. Unfortunately, Hobee's was a complete disappointment. Besides the exorbitant prices for breakfast, I'm convinced there are no cheap breakfast places on the Peninsula, the food was actually bad. There are very few places where I've had bad food for breakfast, because it seems difficult to get it wrong. My "home fries" were, I guess, a California take on what home fries should be and were bland, slightly cold and a complete disappointment. My friend got the tofu scramble and didn't even eat more than a few bites as the entire thing was doused in cumin. The interior, however, is pleasant and the service was fine. Not a total disaster, but I will keep looking for a better Peninsula breakfast place.
(2)eric c.
The Chorizo scramble was pretty good. However, they forgot my toast and the service was slow. I was also disappointed that they only had home fries and no option for hash browns. Nothing great, nothing special. I'd find another breakfast place.
(2)Joel S.
We love Hobees and have been coming here for years. When our kids were young, we came almost every week and there was always something for every one. Now we come with our teenage kids (whenever they will go out with us!) and they still love Hobees. And thanks Peter for all the community support you provide. We notice this!
(5)Lynn R.
This is a great family restaurant. The food was fresh and the wait staff was great. It seems to have a local vibe to it.
(4)Kelly A.
This place gets very busy. We had a 15 min wait which was not a problem. We had a 25 min wait to have our order taken. That was a problem. I know your a busy restaurant but that was not great service. The coffee is an acquired taste. Same with the cinnamon tea. Not a fan of either. The food was ok. Not really a wow factor. I think you either love this place or hate it.
(3)Sang S.
I am a fan of the creator's idea behind the restaurant. So I tried, very hard, to like it. The moment I walked in, there was this funky smell... chances are the carpet has something to do with it. But funky smell on walk in is usually not a good sign. Sat down and noticed a couple of flies. Didn't inspire confidence. But I kept an open mind. Ordered the teriyaki salmon. Came out and the meat was brown, not pink. I am not a finicky eater- but I had to return the dish. It was inedible. First time I returned a dish in years (at least 3 years). Waitress was nice about it, which warrants the 1 star. So I asked for a blue cheese burger since, well, it's really hard to screw a burger up right? Burger comes out. I pick it up. Mad water gushes from the patty to the plate. Look at the patty, it looked like a frozen patty from Costco (the shape was a perfectly flat circle). It was frozen, and they either microwaved it or fried it real quick for the frozen h20 in the meat to melt into water. Took a few bites, regretted it. Paid $30 for my burger, a turkey burger my fiancee had and a trip to the salad bar. As I left, I had that crappy feeling seep in. The same feeling I had when I was in France, went to a tourist trap eatery and paid mad money for inedible food. Easily the worst meal I've had in a while... as in years. Sadly, if Taber, the founder were still alive and had the experience I had, I don't think he'd be happy. Unfortunately, the experience was so bad that I don't think I'm going to gamble on another location.
(1)James L.
This place has a nice down-to-earth, neighborhood feel that is a welcome contrast to most of the other eateries in the area, which are desperately trying to be hip and sophisticated. I ordered the Cal Browns hashbrowns with an egg over easy on top. The food was pretty good, though it didn't strike me as that different from standard diner fare. I had a taste of their signature coffee cake, which again was good but nothing special in my mind. Yelp's tagline for 3-star reviews, "A-OK," pretty much sums up my thoughts on Hobee's.
(3)Carolyn B.
Excellent breakfast! Their Coffee Cake is to die for. The decor is a throw back to the 70's. Pretty cool. Great food good service!
(5)Kevin H.
I say no.. I really wanted to like Hobee's.. I really did.. I dragged my wife and son along 3-4 times.. each time the family complained.. each time thinking.. hey this time it will be good.. everyone else says it's good... it's not.. it just isn't the food is bizarre and just not tasty.. poorly prepared.. service is eh.. and I have to say it wasn't to clean in there either.. the big deal there is the coffee cake of course.. and it's not bad.. it's the only thing that keeps me from saying 1 star...
(2)Mai L.
You know when you book a hotel on Priceline and they give you the room next to the elevators? I had the same apprehension coming in with a Groupon. Who I believe was a manager was going around refilling tea and coffee mugs (first good sign). When she got to us, she asked "Are you the ones with the Groupon?" Uh-oh, busted. My fears were quickly dissipated when what followed was some of the best service we've ever gotten. Upon discovering this was our first time at a Hobee's, any Hobee's, she gave us a complimentary piece of Cherry Almond Coffee Cake to go. How nice! We ordered the cinnamon-orange bread french toast, a side of the blueberry coffee cake, and the chicken apple sausage scramble... oh, I wanted an omelet. No problem, says the waiter, we'll make it into an omelet, no extra charge. Awesome! We also ordered a lasagna to go, and our waiter had it started just in time for it to be ready when we were done eating our breakfast. French toast ($6.75): good flavor, could taste the slight cinnamon and orange, good portion Blueberry coffee cake ($2.50): awwesome, crumble at top is good, cake is fluffy buttery and not too sweet, blueberries plump (Cherry almond version drier, more dense, cherries nice and plump- blueberry one is better though) Chicken sausage omelet ($9.50): mushrooms and gouda cheese made it quite tasty, ends of the omelet were a tad overcooked Lasagna ($10.25): Had for dinner; one order fed 2 people. One of the best restaurant lasagnas we've had. Caramelized onions gave it a deep, sweet smoky flavor, bellisima! Right amount of cheese and sauce. Came with garlic bread, used to wipe our plates clean. The food and service exceeded our expectations. Go give this Hobee's a try. :)
(4)Ellen L.
one of my go-to breakfast/brunch places in silicon valley. love that there is a hobee's in almost every city in south bay/peninsula. omelettes and pancakes are great, love that they have seasonal specials like pumpkin pancakes in the fall. they also have their signature coffee cake in cranberry for the fall. my gripes with this location are: 1. parking: very small/tight lot to the side, else fend for yourself with street parking on el camino. 2. service: just average, and unfortunately, during weekend brunch hour, can be difficult to flag down the waiter. would return to this location, but go earlier in the day to avoid the rush and hopefully find better/easier parking.
(3)Caesar R.
No complaints here! This place feels like any down home diner on any street in any town, so the familiarity is totally comforting. And if your diner has lotus, porsche and ferraris all parked in the parking lot, bonus there too! Way to go dot com, for keeping it real and upping the ante for the diner set! Friday's are Eggs Bene day! Tried the standard bene, which was fine. But we opted for the chipotle pesto hollandaise for that added little kick! GET IT! Same with their gargantuan sized portion of the BLUEBERRY COFFEECAKE. Wow, awesome. We also had the hash browns De Anza style which consisted of melted jack cheese and pico de guillo, sour cream and guac. You can opt for an egg any style on top, but we passed as we had the eggs bene. But seriously, don't shy away from the gentle giant of the "self proclaimed" "world famous" BLUEBERRY COFFEECAKE.
(3)Kate M.
We were looking for a place to get some good breakfast and we certainly found it!! Hobees has a great, comfortable atmosphere and smelled like warm apples and cinnamon. It was nicely decorated for Christmas, too! The service was excellent and the staff was very friendly. As far as the food goes - it has a strong focus on healthy eats, which is awesome, whole wheat, gluten free options, dolphin safe tuna, etc... It was reasonably priced and the portions were very large. Definitely going back!!
(4)Stephanie R.
Shout out for Caitlin-great service! It was New Year's Day and were busy as a weekend. Florentine Scramble with coffee cake, lots of fresh hot coffee, excellent service!
(5)Tricia B.
Disgusting and filthy. I'm shocked by the 4 and 5 stars. There was a layer of dust and grease everywhere. My daughter and I just kept saying 'don't touch anything!'. To top it off, there was a hair in EACH of our breakfast entrees. I couldn't imagine any restaurant being worse than this. Sadly, the Hobee's in Town & Country was our favorite. Now, it's off to Joanie's!
(1)Andrea M.
The coffee cake is insane, we order it but it usually ends up in boxes and is a snack the rest of the day or breakfast the next morning. Service can range from really attentive and professional to 'wow, he must have a lot of tables.' Drink service was spotty this last visit. The food is quick and always good. Breakfast is the only time I have eaten here and will say it's probably the best breakfast over this way, with the exception of SUN brunch at the Cabana up the street, which is fab and more lavish.
(4)Joe N.
July 28, 2012 -- 11:39 AM Day one at Hobee's, the sweat dripping from my brow. I haven't seen the light of day for many moons as a young and agile bus boy pulls me aside and greats me with a gentle "how many people are in your party?" I throw my body into his broad chest as I grab his hands and whisper into his mexican ear, "six". The first few minutes of my meal proceeded normally. Water, jam, toast. We eat in a hurry, emaciated in an arousing and stimulating environment. Suddenly I caught eye with the Guatemalan chef -- when Eduardo, my young and tough cowboy of a waiter, serve the sour cream onto my plate. He throws me onto the table. I'm gasping for air. Choking me, as I open my mouth in need for a sufficing gas, he stares deeply into my eyes and screams, "here is the side of bacon you ordered!!" Overall, good service. It took a little bit long for the side of bacon but I appreciated the remorseful look in my servers eyes as he handed me the plate.
(3)Norm J.
This is one of our family favorites - we've been going for over a decade. My favorite is the Mountain View Special omelette, but their burgers are very good too. The staff is friendly and helpful. Wednesday evening they have kids eat free with adult diners, which we used to do a lot when our kids were younger.
(4)Calvin T.
Came here with a friend to get breakfast before I left for home back in SoCal. I was so stuffed! I can't believe the amount of food you get here at the price you pay. The coffee cake was amazing! fluffy on the inside with a nice crisp sweetened crust on top. The country style hash browns were good, but very heavy (go figure, starch..). I got the quesadilla, and it wasn't the best, but still good for an American restaurant. The quesadilla equivalent of a breakfast burrito. They need to start bringing this chain down here in Southern California. The only downside.... food coma...I'll order less next time
(4)Denis S.
I wish I could say I was disappointed. But how can you be disappointed when you get exactly what you expect? The menu was boring. The usual sandwiches, salads, burgers and breakfast items. The most imaginative thing they did was put salsa on something or let you substitute regular mayo for chipotle mayo. Wow I got the burger, substituted in ciabatta bread. The patty was thin, everything else was huge. The patty tasted like it was made yesterday and left to "age." Well, age it did, into something not worth eating. I finished half of it and put it to rest down. It also came with a bunch of steamed vegetables. This I never understood. Why take perfectly good vegetables and rid them of both any flavor and any nutrients by steaming them? It just doesn't make any sense.
(2)Dexter K.
I had very high expectations and those expectations were met. We were told it would be a 20 minute wait but they sat us in five. Lots of great options on the menu. The cardinal omelette was absolutely incredible. Maybe the best omelette I've ever had. Our server Eva met and exceeded all expectations. She was very helpful with menu options. She checked on us constantly without ever becoming a bother. Very helpful and very consistent.
(5)Zakk D.
I've been to 6 different Hobbees and this has a very different feel. Much more laid back, the servers are super prompt and the place just feels homey. I love all their food. Their burgers are good, omelets are awesome, and their coffee cake is the worlds best. In fact, it might have 1st place AND 2nd place all to itself. The one downside is the place is hard to get into on the weekends. Because of the family atmosphere and laidback attitude which makes it great, it also make table turnover slow. Also, this location is out of the way and kinda small, but still has some great thing about it that really set it apart.
(4)N T.
Palo Alto/Stanford institution. Solid food, solid prices, solid experience. Hobee's is nothing fancy, but it offers a reliable moderately positive experience. You won't ever be bowled over with the fantastic subtleties of the food quality or preparation, but the food is generally good, about ten steps above Denny's and a level or two below fine dining. Nice place to have brunch or breakfast with a friend or a large group. The extensive menu makes sure there is something for everyone. I've probably only eaten here once or twice when I didn't have the tofu scramble with hash browns, which is vegan and gluten free, without having to negotiate for changes. This makes me very happy, and makes ordering easy. I'm always mildly hungry afterward, but I am a hungry person in general. Hobee's is a 3/3.5/4 star place for food, depending on what you order, and how it turns out that day. It rates 4 stars for a reliable convenient experience, and wide variety of choices. I like that you can order breakfast for any meal here. (or at least the part of the breakfast menu I want.)
(4)Brooks S.
Went here for breakfast after an early morning ride. Seems like a generic American food type of place, good for families or folks looking to not spend a fortune for a decent sized meal. Being interested in maximum calorie-per-bite food, I ordered the Huevos Rancheros with 'hash browns'. Wasn't too impressed. The huevos rancerhos itself wasn't too bad, if a little tasteless, but the hash browns were definitely sub-par. Instead of having the crisp texture I would expect from hashbrowns, these were almost like un-mashed mashed potatoes. I wish I had opted for the coffee cake, because that looked great.
(2)Shelley A.
I love Hobee's! It's not the best breakfast I've ever had, but the prices are good, the service is fast, and the portions are generous. It's a very pleasant spot for weekend brunch.
(4)Evan B.
Coffee cake is very good... but pancakes are mediocre, coffee is bad, service is pretty slow, and eggs aren't special. Best bet is to buy coffee cake to go and enjoy with Starbucks coffee.
(2)Marcia S.
I've been here a few times and I honestly just don't like the place. Food just doesn't suit my taste. The coffee cake is good tho. Mimosas a plus. But the breakfast just disappointed me. I prefer Dennys.
(2)Cynthia C.
Love the smoothies, not doctored with syrup like the chains, the blueberry coffee cake is to die for and when I'm feeling especially healthy I go for the tofu scramble.
(5)Brent V.
This restaurant offers a terrific mix of salty and sweet. One of my biggest dilemmas for ordering brunch is whether I want to go the sweet route (pancakes, french toast, waffles) or savory (eggs, bacon, sausage). I got the best of both worlds when I ordered the "Eye Opener" which is two eggs, country potatoes, sausage, and a slice of coffee cake. The standard breakfast fare was decent. It's hard to have eggs, hash browns, and sausage that completely blow your socks off. But it didn't have any flaws and had some good flavor. I really enjoyed the cherry almond coffee cake. It was very tall with a sweet butter cream melting on top. A lot of time coffee cakes of this height can get very dry with all the flavor concentrated on the topping. But this was light and flavorful all the way through and was a delight to eat. You can order their coffee cakes to go so keep that in mind if you ever want to serve it at home. The place was a little on the load side. Of course, it was noon on a Sunday so that was to be expected. All and all, it makes the short list of brunch restaurants.
(5)Jen K.
One of the reasons I really miss the Bay Area. Whenever I come back to Palo Alto to visit, this location is only a few blocks away and I am in heaven. The coffeecake is a given and I've even had others pick it up and fly it back to Portland. My other faves are the Red, White and Blue Blend, Hi Hat Ommie or Chorizo Scramble for breakfast or the Mendocino chicken sandwich for lunch. This location isn't scenic. It is right on El Camino, but it is easy to get to and the staff is always great. This is good, solid, healthy, consistent comfort food. Also, very family friendly.
(4)Dahlia J.
Went for Father's Day with the inlaws. I think it used to be better. The hashbrowns were boring bits of potato, and everything was just OK. If you like oatmeal, the oatmeal bar is not bad because you can choose your toppings. But I can do that at home, so I am underwhelmed. I think Country Gourmet (either location) is edging out Hobees as a breakfast spot for me.
(2)Cece J.
Brunch heaven if you're looking for fast friendly service in a casual atmosphere. The blueberry coffee cake is amazing and the selection of omelets it accompanies is large enough for everyone to find a favorite. This place lacks ambience and on weekends there can be a bit of a line, but there are benches outside and free coffee while you wait, which never seems to be as long as the hostess estimates. PROS: Good food, fast service, reasonable prices CONS: lack of ambience, weekend lines
(4)Lottie R.
I'm a fan of Hobees having been to a few now. They're family friendly, no frills but good food with friendly service and a comfortable, pleasant environment. I feel super comfortable in here with my children, which most of the time is more important than anything else.
(4)Anna H.
The food here is really good and healthy. If you want fries don't come here because they do chips instead. The servers are great and remember you if you come alot. Great place for food especially breakfast!
(4)Kara G.
Was my favorite brunch place back in high school (and that was a looooong time ago, my fellow Yelpers), and still is. Amazing that a place like that can not change in 11 years. And I was glad for it. It was Scuba Steve's first time back in my old digs, so I wanted to try to show him what life was like back in the day with Kara G. on a Sunday morning in PA. The wait was a little long ( although we did have 6 people, so what else would you expect), but well worth it. Besides, we helped ourselves to free coffee outside (yum) and perused the selection of reading materials at the bookstore down the way while we waited. OJ was a delicious and fresh-squeezed as ever, and the coffee cake, while served in smaller proportions nowadays, tasted as sinful and incredible as ever. My scramble was DE-LISH!!!!! and everyone else was loving their food too, which is a good sign because these were hard-core Chicago brunchers who don't mess around! ;) Although I should take away one star for the really, truly, and awesomely disgusting Green Tea Smoothing that Bethie ordered ( who knew?)- Goldie is quoted as saying " it went from gross and progressed into grosser as it really hit your palate". But because we had so many good laughs at its expense, all is forgiven.
(5)M S.
We had a nice, late breakfast here this Sunday. We went pretty late, about 12:30, so there was no wait. I got Mama's Papas, which were home fries with spinach, mushrooms, turkey bacon and topped with melted cheese. I added a poached egg on top because I just love runny yolk all over everything. I also ordered a piece of the special coffeecake. This spring it's peach walnut. My breakfast was delish. The white of the egg was a little runny, but I didn't mind so much. Everything else was great. The boyfriend got the tamale pie with 2 eggs over easy and a piece of the blueberry coffeecake. He thoroughly enjoyed it. I thought it would have been better if the tamale pie was a little warmer, but it was tasty. I preferred his blueberry cake to my peach walnut. It had more fruit in it and was a tad moister. The coffee was good and strong, the service pleasant and it had a cute atmosphere. I thought the prices were decent. We went to Brian's for brunch the week before and this place was considerably less expensive. Only negatives are that they don't have mimosas or bloody marys. It also seemed as though they only have turkey bacon (cool with me, but not with bf--he likes the real pig fat). Overall, a good experience and I'll definitely go back.
(4)Jordan M.
I grew up on Hobee's. Forget Chez Panisse, in my mind Hobee's is synonymous with Northern Californian cuisine. That doesn't mean they are on the same level as far as food quality is concerned, but everything about Hobee's screams Bay Area. Maybe it is just the strawberries, bananas, and blueberries smoothie with low-fat yogurt or the Hi-Protein Honey Whole Wheat Pancakes or possibly the Santa Cruz Scramble with artichoke hearts. All I know is that it tastes like home.
(4)Jerry L.
Review based on one dining experience For breakfast only. Excellent service. The coffee mug never went empty. Good coffee cake. everything else A-OK.
(3)Katie F.
If your mom ever cooked you breakfast and was good at it, it probably still wasn't better than Hobee's. Known for: coffee cake. Worth getting up in the morning for.
(3)Ryan T.
Talk about serious about coffee cake, indeed, this place is! Along with a most scrumptious and towering version of coffee cake--a blueberry coffeecake that is--my brunch companion and I each had a scramble. For him, a Santa Cruz scramble, a gorgeous scramble of eggs, cheese, garlic, all topped with salsa fresca and artichoke hearts. For myself, I had the Florentine scramble with all of its cheesy, creamy glory along with sautéed mushrooms and fresh spinach in a bigger chiffonade than I'm accustomed to, but tasty nonetheless. Did I say cheesy? And oh, the warm blueberry coffeecake, with the whipped butter--yum yum yum. I noticed Hobee's also does a peach walnut coffeecake, which I'll have to try at some point. My friend, the biggest blueberry-anything aficionado, heartily endorses the blueberry version! Good strong coffee to go with the brunch as well, faithfully refilled by the waitstaff who seemed to be on top of things. Can't wait for another brunch morning!
(4)Mai S.
Oddly I had never been to a Hobees before until recently. And now I know why. It's really your standard american restaurant and seems like a popular place for breakfast. I ordered the Cal Browns, and was disappointed to get country style potatoes instead of hash browns... it was really just OK and I didn't really feel like finishing it. The giant slices of coffee cake was intriguing, but I was trying to save room for cupcakes so I passed. This place just really isn't my thing.
(2)Kristine D.
Make sure you sign your kids up for the birthday club at Hobee's. In celebration of their milestone, birthday club members annually receive a certificate they can use to enjoy a meal on Hobee's. My kids each cashed one in last night, enjoying items of their choice of the Kids Menu. Oddly they didn't choose the Liver and Onions with brussel sprouts, broccoli, eggplant and lots of beets, that would have been a $29.95 savings. What you don't believe that's on the kids menu? Go check it out yourself. It's just one way this Hobee's is either poking fun at what they know kids won't do or they're daring them to do it!
(5)Shagandeep K.
I had the black, blue and red berry shake, and it was really the best I've had in a long time. Pure goodness and taste. The place is cute and the service is fast. That said, I went in the afternoon, and situation may be different during the peak hours.
(5)Brian D.
All my stars here go towards the coffee cake - its SO good. But beyond that, if you want a light and healthy meal, complete with really good freshly squeezed orange juice, Hobee's is a good place to do that at.
(4)K. B.
You have to try the breakfast sandwich 2.0, which is the single best breakfast sandwich I have ever had in my life. Doesn't hurt that it comes with GIANT blueberry coffee cake, and excellent service. Great for take-out, too (eat your sammich on the train to SF)!
(5)Albert C.
Disclaimer: I've only had the breakfast fare at Hobee's, so I can't comment on their lunch fare. I've been to both PA locations, the MV one on Central, plus the Sunnyvale, Cupertino and Pruneyard branches as well. Their breakfasts are good, but seem to lack that little extra oomph to push them into great range. The potatoes are good, but would be better as hashbrowns. Favorites include the chorizo scramble and the oatmeal bar. All in all, solid breakfast but I can think of places I'd rather be.
(3)Peggy K.
Hash browns were terrible... they appeared to be reheated leftovers. They definitely were not freshly prepared the morning we were there.
(2)eric k.
Ok... breakfast...... I actually think they are a little overpriced.. .but that might be a reflection on my cheapness these days.... and yet.. I still go What my wife and I really like going for is the Oatmeal Bar. Get in there before 10:30, that's when they shut the oatmeal bar down. We go in... get a couple bowls... throw on some good stuff from cranberries, brown sugar, even bits and pieces of the ol trusty coffee cake. I know $5 isn't cheap for a couple bowls of oatmeal, but for some reason it's a little easier for me to stomach than some of the other things they serve and the prices they charge.
(4)Ravi C.
I was so disappointed with my visit to this Hobee's. I was surprised that there was no line - but then after being served, it all made sense. The servers were mostly lackadaisical, not frequently refilling our coffee and once forgetting one person at our table. The "special" omelette was extraordinarily lackluster, with dry, tasteless chicken. The coffeecake was a deep downgrade from what I remember as Hobee's prime. Try Mike's in Midtown for a better, homey brunch, I'd say.
(1)Flora C.
We really liked Hobee's. My husband and I have been to this Hobee's twice now for brunch. We love its Homey atmosphere. I cannot forget how good its Stanford omlet tastes. What is even more is its coffee cake. So yummy! The only reason it's not a 5-star is because it's a little too pricey.
(4)Jen C.
What's so great about this coffee cake? I got a piece, and it was like eating saltines; it was so dense and dry, even with butter melted on top. The omelet was really tasty though, and they get a plus for giving my toddler a bucket of crayons and a smiley face fruit tray to tide him over. I'll be back, but not for the coffee cake. Good service, too, though I went on an off day (Wed around 11).
(3)Andrew M.
Like their brunch options a lot more than other meals. Good service and tasty breakfast items!
(4)A J.
Love the Breakfast Quesadilla with egg beaters and tofu. What else can I say? The service is almost always great and the food is wonderful. The only negative is the crowd on weekends which means long waits to be seated.
(4)Naoko M.
My family and I went to Hobee's for New Year's Day breakfast/brunch. It was surprisingly a bit empty, but that's probably because everybody else was at home sleeping after a night of new year's celebrations. I ordered the Stanford Cardinal Omelette: sauteed mushrooms, spinach, grilled chicken, artichokes, and jack and cheddar cheeses. I asked for hash browns instead of the coffee cake (hoping to mooch off of my sister's cake later) and got an OJ too. The OJ was actually really good and seemed fresh squeezed. The omelette, first off, is enormous. I couldn't even finish the whole thing, which says a lot because I am known to eat ridiculous amounts of food in one setting. The filling of the omelette is what did me in, with large chunks of slightly too dry chicken breast and everything I mentioned above. A delicious omelette though, and I would definitely recommend the Stanford Cardinal omelette if you like artichokes and the like. The hashbrowns were incredibly disappointing. They're actually country-style potatoes, cubes of potato sauteed in a pan, or something to that effect. Some of the larger pieces of potato were still undercooked and there was very little crispiness, which is one of my favorite parts of breakfast potatoes. It didn't come with onions or peppers either, just potatoes with not enough seasoning. I had some of my sister's coffee cake and was also disappointed. It was drier than I had expected and didn't live up to all the hype. I've had much better coffee cake (for FREE) at The Tombs in Washington DC. Perhaps it was just this one time that the coffee cake wasn't up to par; I'd be willing to try it again if it's really supposed to be that amazing. The omelette was clearly the highly of this meal. I was full for the next 6 hours or so, which was awesome.
(3)Sharah H.
I AM a breakfast person & I love their omelettes! I absolutely love the Salmon Pasta dish and the Spinach Lasagna! I truly believe their blueberry coffee cake is over rated. I got one packaged as a gift and cut it up that night to have with some coffee and tea but to my dismay it was very dry, almost as if it was stale; but I might also be biased since my mother is a Baker. Also the wide assortment for salad fixins at the salad bar was great. Unfortunately it's a hit or miss depending on their produce quality. I say check it out before adding a salad bar option to your entree. Overall the staff friendly and its of course no fancy shmancy it's also a nice kid friendly place : )
(4)Eric M.
I popped in here for dinner as I walked by one night and was charmed by the quaintness of the interior. It looked very relaxing and homey. Now, apparently this place is known better for their breakfasts, which I will try one day, but the dinner wasn't that great. It could have just been what I ordered (a Southwestern style turkey burger...don't remember the menu name) but it was bland and didn't taste much different than something I could have made at home. I had a pretty good slice of chocolate cake for dessert served with what tasted like rice milk ice cream. I'll try it again, and if my opinion changes I will update my review.
(2)Amy K.
A nice little diner-ish place to grab breakfast/brunch. I ordered the eggs & chicken apple sausage - standard breakfast. Their coffee cake, however, is delicious! I'm not a huge fan of coffee cake myself, but I could have swallowed the entire piece if it weren't for my nagging conscience!
(3)Petite G.
I love Hobee's! One of my favorites here is the Mountain View Special Omelet - loaded with shrooms, tomatoes, cheese, green peppers, and ham (or sausage, if you wish) - it's breakfast AND lunch for me. The smoothies are oh-so-yummy! And the coffeecake is downright delicious and just perfect with a cup of piping hot cappuccino. I also love the the Spinach and Mushroom Lasagna - too bad they don't serve it before 11am. It's cheesy and very yummy. I'd recommend coming in early though, as the place can get pretty crowded. We went there early one weekend morning and they weren't open yet but there was already a line of about 6 people outside. It's that popular.
(4)Diane K.
Most of the food has been boring, often too greasy. But the coffeecake is rich and delicious. Staff has always been nice.
(2)Jeffrey L.
Whee! I came here for some late lunch and got a sandwich - great stuff. The bread, chicken and everything else was perfectly cooked - plus great flavor. Would recommend this place to anyone - the price is OK.
(4)Mary L.
Hobee's is my favorite place for breakfast. I also come for dinner from time to time. It is a noisy, worn, place, but it is full of attentive staff and good, clean food. I have been going to Hobee's for well over 25 years.
(4)Kim N.
The first Hobees I ever went to 1 of 8. Charming little stand alon hut. The place seems to be the most packed of all ot them too. I can't bear to wait this long anymore, especially since there are many other locations. This was mainly a breakfast Hobees for me. All about the Chorizo and Chicken Apple Sausage scramble. Yes the Coffee Cake is still the winner.
(4)Kay C.
Hmmmm, when I went most recently, the Santa Cruz scramble was significantly more bland. It was my friend's first time there, and she was really down on the place. The tamale pie was still wonderful. I'll leave it with 5 stars, but just thought I'd mention it.
(5)Stitchy M.
Ok, so I am not a clean freak by any means, but this place was filthy! The bathroom is cleaner than the kitchen, how horrifying is THAT? Even the floors throughout the restaurant were grimy. SO GROSS! Man, someone tip off the Hell's Kitchen guy. He'd go postal on this place.
(1)Jeremy S.
Blueberry coffee cake is stellar.
(4)Roger L.
Hobees has all the ingredients for a local insider cult favorite. The food is, of course, top-notch tasty. It's always packed for breakfast/brunch on weekends. More than that, though, it has lots of touches that make it endearing among locals. For those waiting to be seated, they have free spicy tea (okay, not my thing), and they have dishes named after local cities, landmarks, and sports teams. Their BDBIT (Best Darned Breakfast In Town) is another tasty dish with a cute name, and their blueberry coffeecake is another favorite. Best of all, if you get your picture taken with a Hobees t-shirt in front of some far-away place, they post it on the wall and give you a free meal! They used to have one as far north as Emeryville (wish they'd bring it back!), but as far as I can tell they've decided to stick to their south bay roots.
(5)Marcus C.
In high school we used to come here after a greuling swim practice and I would eat the hi-hat ommie (yes, hash browns INSIDE the omelette), blueberry coffeecake and an energy blend. I used to put up with the tremendous line because I LOVED the food. I went again recently, and ... meh.
(2)wheatberry s.
Hobee's wasn't too busy for a Friday lunch - service was attentive and food was hearty. Prices just about right. Usually I find places like Hobee's to overly salt their food - but I thought the food was lightly, but tastefully, seasoned. A side of black bean chili came with my sandwich - not terrible (believe me, I've had terrible chili) but not great either. I guess it's what you'd expect. Their world famous blueberry coffee cake was HUGE. It was nice that the coffee cake was served warm. Kinda wished french fries was on their menu, though.
(3)Larry M.
We just move from the city 2 months ago, and heard a lot about this place. Glad to say that it lived up to expectations. Super kid friendly, the food was all made very well, and the pricing was very reasonable. We plan to spend a lot of time here going forward, particularly as we have a 14-month year old.
(5)Parvin P.
Must try the coffee cake!!!
(3)Debby C.
Hobees is the default breakfast/brunch restaurant for the entire Stanford campus because of the following reasons: 40% proximity 30% really tasty blueberry coffee cake 20% generally inoffensive menu 10% it's not Denny's The omlettes are pretty mediocre, but if you're a Palo Alto resident just looking to have a casual conversation with a friend and get some food in your stomach I'd recommend it.
(2)Nancy B.
I love their coffee cake. I like the cherry flavored one. It's scrumptous! They also have good omeletes.
(3)Nat K.
I didn't realize until the huge hunks of blueberry coffee cake appeared that I probably should have ordered some. Alas. I was still extremely pleased with my scramble and potatoes and multiply-refilled Diet Coke at 2pm when I was in desperate need of caloric replenishment. Next time...coffee cake. Fo' sho'.
(3)Ulli B.
That restaurant was not very good! The noodles I ordered have been warmed up in the Microwave (together with the cheese!!!). The chicken tasted old.
(2)Da J.
Although this Hobee's is small, and has a tiny parking lot, it seems to be the one that has the fewest screaming children. That gives it an extra star. Go for the omelets and hash browns. I'm not into coffeecake, but sometimes their seasonal ones are yummy.
(4)Donna W.
This is a great place for breakfast and this Hobee's is usually less crowded than the one in Town and Country that's also in the Palo Alto area. The coffeecake, which is Hobee's specialty, is delicious (though it's the absolute enemy to anyone who's trying to go low carb--the warm fruity fluffiness is irresistible!). They serve up lots of varieties of omelettes and other assortments of breakfast foods. Many of their dishes have country-style hashbrowns/potatoes as an accompanying side, so be sure to ask for a suitable substitute if you're watching carb intake or you'll be paying for something you don't plan on eating.
(4)Adrian D.
Food was good and tasty. Hash browns that i had in my Hi Hat Ommie weren't really hash browns but more like country potatoes. My meal also came w/ the blueberry coffee cake which was very delicious. The only thing that was not so good was the service. Although the staff was very friendly the service was really slow. It took awhile for our food to arrive for a party of 6. One of the nice little touches that I liked was that they had free coffee outside while we waited for our table to called.
(3)Andrea R.
this place used to be good..about 20 yrs ago. now its barely edible. i have tried and given them several chances but its just gross. the menu is lacking. its overpriced for what you get. how they win any awards is beyond me. we wont be back.
(1)lulu p.
The best place for an early breakfast meeting or just lounging on the weekend. As usual, it's in the Town & Country... but atmosphere aside it's still ok! Lots of fresh smoothies and breakfast bonanzas. My personal favorite had a bunch of eggs over hashbrowns. Not the most lo-cal choice, but really well done and very satsifying when you crave a good breakfast!
(3)Roshan V.
I liked their breakfast quesadilla and blueberry cake thing a lot, but the other dishes I've had here have been kinda mediocre. The place is ok for the occasional weekend breakfast.
(3)S. P.
the average all american breakfast place with a million calories per bite. I would give it a 4 star if we were in Kansas, but this is the bay area, where we take pride in eating good food, not processed corn-syrupy breakfast junk.
(1)Michael L.
Basically, if you've never been to Hobee's before, you should know this: IT'S ALL ABOUT THE COFFEE CAKE. That is the only reason someone goes to Hobee's, so if you don't order it, I don't think you'll have anything more than a mediocre meal. I'd recommend the Best Darned Breakfast in Town (BDBT) for 5.95 (unless they've raised prices).
(4)Emily L.
Coffee cake. Yum. Can't get enough of it. So good, I love coming here with friends on the weekend. Great smoothies, and herbal teas. Everything is really good....I honestly can't think of a time when I've been dissappointed. Oh, once I was served the wrong dish, but the waiter was very apologetic, brought me the correct dish and didn't charge me the entire amount on the check. Be ready to wait in line on the weekend, but I think it's worth it.
(5)Rachel R.
Hobee's doesn't have the best breakfasts, but you know what you're getting. The service and fare are both dependable. Their house tea is delicious. They have several locations. This one feels cramped and I prefer the one on the other side of El Camino ( yelp.com/biz/48ivBERgvsE… ).
(3)Ben L.
Classic. I love the smoothies, they're expensive but gigantic. The blueberry coffee cake is meant to be shared, IMHO -- it's a giant cube the same volume as my stomach -- a bit much for me. Great hash browns.
(4)Don O.
"Hobees started out as a greasy hamburger stand in Mountain View in the 70s that got healthy. They are now a small chain with several spots in the south bay and on the peninsula. The breakfasts here are hands-down the best around. They have specials that change weekly which is what I normally order but if I order off the menu, the Tamale Pie & Eggs are the best. Service is fantastic. It can get noisy on weekend mornings and they are on the pricey side (we're not talking Denny's here), but I think its well worth it. Oh yes, and please do try the blueberry coffeecake...its what most locals assoicate with Hobees!"
(5)Jimmy C.
I must say I was quite impressed with their coffee cake, but everything else was mediocre. Their hashed browns were just potatoes with cheese and onions. Breakfast was no different than what I cook myself save the coffee cake which was absolutely scrumptious. If I come here again, you can bet I'll just be getting the coffee cake with a cup of coffee.
(3)Dana C.
Discovered this location after going for years to the T&C one. Like the other, the food is good but not great - consistently good. The best thing is the coffeecake though- buttery sweet fluffy delish. This location seems a little larger and less of a wait.
(3)Allison S.
Brunch at Hobee's was a part of my weekend ritual when I lived in Palo Alto. I love their blueberry coffee cake and egg beater omelettes...Their oatmeal bar is also impressive. And they have coffee and tea available if you have to wait for a table (which is often the case on the weekends.)
(5)