Cafe Jolie

Stopped by as my mom wanted to try the place again. In this visit we found the service to be slow. Just like what other reviewers noted too. We had to flag down a server to check on our food. Once they went back to the area to check on it we saw that they were carrying it out with in a minute. This means our food was sitting ere for a while. The place wasn't busy as there are a few open tables but we still waited for a table. We counted the number of guess and looked at the number of workers. They had a good ratio. Not sure why it was so slow. When the food arrived it looked good. Instagram ready. Flavors were okay. Overall its a 3 star place, but with a 2 star service. If you want to try out the place make sure you have extra time.

Absolutely amazing breakfast spot! I had the avocado toast and French onion soup, and both were absolutely fantastic—fresh, flavorful, and beautifully prepared. My husband ordered the vegetarian omelet, which was perfectly cooked and full of flavor. To top it all off, the matcha tea was outstanding—smooth, rich, and the best I’ve had in a long time. Highly recommend this place for anyone who loves delicious food and warm service!

Art neavau brunch vibe with french posters. Breakfast until 2pm on weekends. Popular but a lot of tables. I enjoyed the classic eggs Bene, bit my partner thought the crouque monsieur was missing a decent cheese to give it taste. County potatoes were great. Service was fast and courteous.

Just had their Salmon Florentine, which over 95% stayed on the plate. Before I start last time I ate here was over 10 years ago with family. The poached eggs were the only highlight on this meal and anyone can poach an egg at home. The soggy English muffin was covered with an overly salted red onions that were pickled there-but poorly, and the cuts were huge and horrendous. The greens atop of the muffin were old & some of the purple lettuce was spoiled as well as some parts of the greens. The country potatoes had no seasoning at all and were sad to say the least. I ordered the bacon as backup not knowing how the smoked salmon would turn out and it was older than the bacon, which looked absolutely hammered and had tons of grease. The salmon was smoked but it had already turned bad. As a person who worked in restaurants and being a person who likes to fish and occasionally smoke fish, it takes quite sometime to turn smoked fish bad. The chef covered the salmon with the poached eggs and tons of the onions to mask the disaster. The waitress asked if everything was good, but I sensed as she looked at my plate that I was not happy. However she didn’t ask to remedy the meal which further cemented my opinion of this place. I quietly nodded “yes everything is ok” and here’s why. I’m not talking about eating at the French Laundry or Chëz Panisse, a simple breakfast is all I needed and I live here in town several blocks away from this establishment. That being said if this was their attempt to make a good impression what is the point to send something back to the kitchen they couldn’t get right the first time. It never comes out better in places like this. Never. The last time I ate here was with family. This was thee last time I eat here. Go to Oakland, maybe there’s something better on Park street options are slim at best for breakfast. Grab a donut next door and a coffee you’d be better off.

This cafe is amazing good service and fast the food is good gets busy very fast , would recommend it and we are coming back

We really wanted to like this place! We just moved to Alameda and this was our first meal outing for breakfast. We were majorly disappointed with the service. Our server took our drink order and did not return to our table until over 30 minutes later, without our drinks and had forgotten what our drink order was to begin with. After 30 minutes, we flagged a different server to take our full order and bring our drinks. Our food came about 15 minutes later but only for 2 of 3 from our party. One person in our party did not get their order and we then had to flag someone else down to let them know. Once we received the final food order, the rest of us had already finished eating. We then ordered drinks to sip while our other guest finished their meal and the server brought the wrong drink. All in all, the food was alright but the service is what really made this experience. So many mistakes back to back made this experience so comically difficult. We wish we could say we’d come back but we are left with a bad taste after this.

Unfortunately my family and I did not have a good experience here. Our food just didn’t come out right for us. Our bacon was burnt and mostly everything was cool to the touch including our French onion soup. My entree seemed like it got forgotten about as it came out several minutes after. My wife asked for well done eggs and they came out runny! The waiter was very nice though. We did however go to this restaurant on a Sunday which is a fairly busy day. I’m not sure if I would drive that far away to return to this restaurant again.

I can see why the current total rating is 3.8. The plate presentation is nice. About a 15 minute wait. Food was ready in less than 15 minutes. They use metal straws. For a standard brunch it is just fine. The Kitchen staff was working consistently and as a team. They don't do reservations. They are tight on the substitutions. The omelet section says "Please No Substitutions". The waitress was gossiping about other workers to another waitress with a full restaurant. Nothing special or exciting about the brunch food; it's basic. It's cold inside as well.

Wow!! Soo good!! What a cute location, great food, great service! The food was fantastic - the beignets were a delight and the spinach, mushroom, bacon and cheese omelette was maybe the best omelette I've ever had. The breakfast potatoes were cooked just right as well! My only critique is that the black coffee tasted a little burnt but otherwise the experience here was superb!

Was in the Alameda area and needed a quick brunch spot. This was suggested and it was a nice place. We had to wait a bit to get served, the coffee was great and my breakfast that I ordered was ok . Not sure if it had been sitting but everything was either lukewarm or cold. Another annoying thin was I I would of thought to be served 2 slices of bread with breakfast but it was one, sliced in half. You know I am not a thin boy ;-) so that said I think the skimpiness on the bread just bummed me out, a long with having to wait like 10 min after seated to be approached with menus. I get that they were busy. But if you seat someone with menus, you should not have them wait so long. And lastly to have food that is lukewarm, that is just not the best, especially eggs. If I was back in the Alameda area and was not in a rush I would come back. It really is a nice ambiance, with nice HOT coffee and nice servers and good food.

The food is delicious but there is always a wait. Which is why I gave them 4 stars and not 5. The food is incredible but pack your patience when you come because the wait to get a table is on average a good 15 mins and then to get your food takes awhile as well. I would say like 6 years ago this wasn't an issue but now that everyone knows this restaurant is an excellent breakfast spot the wait can be frustrating. This cute French inspired restaurant is nicely decorated with French paintings and has outdoor options as well if you'd like to bring your pet. Perfect place for breakfast or lunch options. Parking is available near by but can be challenging.

Sunday brunch with the girls is what I was needing and what Cafe Jolie made a reality! From exceptional customer service to blissful food in your mouth, they don't disappoint. There's a bit of a wait especially because it's so popular but it's worth every minute. Our group was seated outdoors (was waitlisted for both indoor & outdoor) and loved catching up over drinks while we waited. I had an Arnold Palmer and some of the girls had lattes. Our food came out hot and fresh but we were so hungry we barely took a beat to snap photos. I loved my Monte Cristo so much but keep in mind they only serve it as a sweet option; not both sweet (with powdered sugar & syrup) and savory (with lettuce and tomato) like most places do. Nevertheless I had a fabulous time and will return in a heart beat. What's not to love?

Fabulous experience! Came on a Friday morning and was already fully packed. Service was fast and the interior had a welcoming and clean French-esque ambiance. Food was stellar! Usually brunch feels overly greasy and heavy, but my Jolie's Mix breakfast plate was perfect. But the star of the show was the beignets--SO AIRY and FLUFFY. Just the perfect amount of crisp. I would come back again just for the beignets. We got a half order and it already came with 8 pieces. Overall it has become my #1 Alameda brunch spot.

This is a nice, cute & comfy spot to go and have a good meal. I like to come here for breakfast and lunch. Good food, service is friendly, really quaint feel & ambience. I definitely recommend for a date, family, and/or just a place to take a friend! Enjoy!

Pregnancy cravings satisfied! My goodness. It makes sense why there is a line of folks waiting to be seated here. Food lived up to my eyes and tummy's desires! Tastebuds were happy and overall service was swift enough! Definitely glad I got to split the meal with my friend - so we enjoyed the crab Benedict first and had the croissant french toast after. Both dishes were executed the way I expected based on photos and I couldn't have walked away happier. A very nice feel inside - local restaurant with no frills - just good food!

Super cute little brunch spot in Alameda. Came in as a part of 4 around 10am on a Sunday and waited about 15 mins for a table. I ordered a lavender latte and the Monte Cristo. Outside of Disneyland I only know of one other place in the Bay Area that has the Monte Cristo so of course I needed to try it. It came with potatoes that were divine, seasoned incredibly well and piping hot. The sandwich was superb, the breading on it was light so it didn't seem too heavy which is mince but also you're able to eat the whole thing without feeling super full after. The lavender latte was also delicious and I have found it super hard to find a good lavender latte so that was a big bonus. Definitely a great option if you're in the area!

This was just a brutal experience. The beignets were all air and no dough, nothing like what beignets should be. My monte cristo was cold on the inside and had to send it back, then when it came back it was more burnt than toasted and the fries were like corral rocks. Service was fine, they can only control so much. But the overall freshness and quality was really really lacking here. I wouldn't be recommending this to any friends or family.

First time visiting Cafe Jolie and this place did not disappoint. It was a such a beautiful sunny day, so decided to eat somewhere where we can enjoy the sun and this whole restaurant is outside. We were seated right away and got to sit closer the kitchen, so we got to see the chefs preparing all the delicious food. Our server was extremely friendly and funny and made us feel welcomed. We did not have to wait long for our order and all our food was delicious. If I was going to make any complaints, it would be that my chai latte and my daughters matcha tea latte was way too milky; we could barely taste chai or the matcha. We definitely will be back though!

Rich cup of coffee and Jolie's scramble hit the spot. Tasty and prepared to perfection. Nice outdoor and indoor seating. Great place to meet friends for a bite.

The service was good. The ambiance was great, very reminiscent of a New Orleans Cafe. The menu is brunch, lunch with lots of salads and sandwiches as well as breakfast staples. I had a Strawberry Mimosa that was delicious as they use a house puree which made the Strawberry flavor pop. I ordered Huevos Racheros which came with black beans and house made guacamole. Beans were very flavorful but my over eat eggs were cooked perfectly. My dates had salads and sandwiches. This establishment would have gotten another star except for my bout of food poisoning that I experienced that evening through the following day.

Cafe Jolie is an island favorite! I love getting the Jolie's Favorite it includes eggs, toast, potatoes and the chicken sausages. The service went pretty well it wasn't a long wait to receive our food. If you want a sweet treat I would get the beignets they are amazing. I would recommend to come here on a week day rather than the weekend since it's always busy during those times.

I went to Cafe Jolie today a Sunday for lunch and found a packed lunch crowd and needed to wait in line for 10 mins. It was a cool, non-stop sunny day, and we managed to a table of 3 for my friends. It was my first time and found this place very pleasing to my taste buds. Despite the wait, the food was delicious, and the service was also pretty good for a packed crowd. Lunch sandwiches, pancakes, French toast, and eggs/toast platter were excellent choices. Despite the weather, it was an overall great experience, and the sun peeked half way during lunch. They closed at 2pm but the line wait was worth my time.

I play league pinball nearby at the Pacific Pinball Museum. Most Wednesday nights for the past four or five years, I roll up around 6pm and park in the metered public parking lot behind the museum. Every time we go, we walk past a closed Cafe Jolie, which is only open for breakfast and brunch every day except Monday. This morning, she told me that she wanted pancakes. I did a search on yelp and yep, Cafe Jolie has pancakes. So we trekked over, found parking across the street and entered Cafe Jolie. We were greeted and seated at a two-top. Menus and water were served. We ordered coffee when our server came over. The menu isn't huge but there were plenty of items that piqued our interest. The pancakes were forgotten. She got a: Monte Christo - 5 - Very lightly fried, buttery, great crunchy texture, perfect portions of meats and cheese. Served with an excellent jam (homemade?) and Country Potatoes. I ordered a: Crab Cake Benedict - 4 - It was good, but not quite what I was looking for. We were in San Francisco last week and got some English Muffins from Arsicault Bakery. They may not have had the same "nooks & crannies" that one might expect from a Thomas's English Muffin, but the texture and flavor were spot on, served with just butter or dressed with mashed avocado. The egg was poached just a tad harder than I prefer and with-it being Dungeness Crab season, I was (insert wishful thinking here) really hoping for fresh crab meat. Still, would I order it again? Probably, but I'd ask for some minor adjustments on the cook time of the eggs and a bit more hollandaise sauce. Service was great. Coffee was refilled. Atmosphere was enjoyable. We'll be back.

Great experience with the food, service and ambience. Overall, such a great experience with such a beautiful space.. the Monte Cristo was my favorite and I'll definitely return to be back.

What a lovely neighborhood gem! Had brunch/lunch and food was delicious. Looking forward to try their croissant french toast next time.

Magnifique! Seated a party of 7 just before 11 am, not too long of a wait. The croissant French toast was great (made from flattened croissant) and the lox on baguette with side salad was tasty too. The beignets fill order was plentiful and came with chocolate dipping sauce and strawberries.

Super tasty Lox on Baguette dish. Beautiful presentation with many special toppings: pickled pink onions, capers, nasturtium petals, and other delectables, with a mixed green salad. Sorry, forgot to snap a photo.

Cute ass brunch spot on Webster street in Alameda. My friend and I were seated outside where it was sunny and warm. I had a puff jacket on so it was perfect to shield me from the bits of chill that the air still carried. We apparently beat the crowd because by the time we left, there was a plethora of people waiting to be seated. As I perused the menu, I decided on a croque madame, because I figured I'm at a French brunch, go with the most "french" thing on the menu. My friend and I also shared a stuffed French toast dish like a dessert. Our food arrived fairly quick (or it could be that we were chatting the time away. My first bite had me dancing in my seat. It was yummy, the perfect blend of cheese and ham and a toasted slice of bread. That's definitely what brunch is made of!

Must get things here; Beignets, lavender latte, potatoes !!! These things stood out to us and they're soooo good. Brunch food wise pretty solid! Nothing stood out for the Benedict's of the breakfast mix they're good but typical brunch food. The service here was great! Very attentive and caring. Our waitress was sweet and laughed at my jokes ahah which I always appreciate. Would definitely come back and try other items! Of course there is always going to be a wait if you eat here but waiting with friends is always fun.

**Review: Dec 10 9 am-ish** My BFF, her 1-year-old son, and I quickly found parking and got seated within 5 minutes--a great start to the morning! The staff were friendly and accommodating, especially with my nephew. I ordered the spinach, mushroom, cheese, and bacon omelet. I politely requested no green onions, and it worked out as an omission, given the menu's no substitutions policy. The BFF went for the eggs benedict. A flat white for me and a chai tea latte for the BFF. We also shared beignets as an appetizer. While not New Orleans level, the BFF found them okay. Our food arrived promptly. My flat white was exceptional, rivaling those I've had in London and Dublin. I complimented the barista on her skills, as we were seated near the barista station. The omelet was perfectly made, not skimping on ingredients. I focused more on it than the potatoes, wanting to savor every bite. Overall, arriving early is key, especially on weekends. Considering varied reviews, it seems like a hit or miss, but our experience was a hit. Give it a try and hopefully, it'll be as enjoyable for you as it was for us.

I have been coming to Cafe Jolie for about 10 years and have had nothing but praise, and recommended often. I came for brunch on Saturday the 31st looking forward to a enjoyable visit, it was not busy, we were greeted and seated quickly by friendly staff. There were a couple of large tables so service was a bit slow, no problem....yet. We ordered coffee and beignets. We received what appeared to be fried wantons, a hollow crusty shell with undetectable dough, we cracked open two then realized something was wrong. We looked around and other patrons were ordering beignets so we were confused. I brought it to the manager and showed it to her and asked what was up with the Beignets, it's a Jolie signature item I said. She reacted in a incredibly dismissive and even belligerent tone, that was the wrong response especially to me on this morning. So I asked again mimicking her tone, is this what she is serving as a beignet? And she reacted by saying "what do you want to do?" as if I was somehow the problem. She said it "was not their best" not their best? It was ridiculous. She offered to prepare another serving and I agreed, this is what we got, we walked out. It's a pity, it was a place I looked forward to. The owners were motivated in the beginning.... now? Sad.

Such a beautiful spot for a lovely brunch! The service is super friendly and the food comes out pretty quick! I love how their menu options are set and stone, so it's easy to order :) This location is all street parking, so be prepared to pay for meter on Monday to Fridays! The only thing I wish could've been better is that, my hot chocolate would be a hotter. It came out already lukewarm, so it didn't give the cozy hot chocolate winter / holiday feeling, but it did taste delicious! My pancakes were a little over done, and I tasted a lot of burnt flavor. Luckily the powdered sugar, chocolate ganache and seasonal fruits kind of hid the flavor. I would definitely come back to try their Egg Benedict's and savory food!

I think when a place is busy is when they are really put to the test. The food was as good as it was last time, but it did taste a little bit different. My partner, and I agreed that while it still tasted as good. It didn't seem like our main meals tasted exactly the same as they did last time, but also memories are a fickle thing, so take that with a grain of salt. The beignets were as amazing as they were last time but we did make a to go order for them so they did kind of get on the soggier side being in the takeout box but that is to be expected. I would not recommend getting drinks from here. I got the solo last time and it was not that great. It tasted more like basic lemonade with a drop of orange juice. This time to try something new I tried the Arnold Palmer, which just tasted like water down, store-bought black iced tea, with some lemonade, maybe mixed in. That said, the waitresses seem to be overworked. I could see a lot of them doing both whatever in the kitchen and then also helping tables, but there were so many people that it felt like we weren't being properly catered to by our servers. I think they would do well with adding a couple more staff members on the weekends to help alleviate that experience. The first time I went was on a Friday the second time I went was on a Saturday we went at around 11am/12pm both times. If you can, I would highly recommend going on a weekday as opposed to the weekend since it was just so busy. Space is clean and very diner cafe vibes and the busier it is the more cramped it may feel.

Both locations continually don't answer their phones or post any information about being closed or unavailable to their website. Today marks several times in a row that I've tried to order and have not been able to even get anyone on the phone. Also their website says "open 7 days a week" which is a straight up lie. Ps. The beignets are not worth ordering, don't waste your time and money

Cafe Jolie is such a staple in Alameda. We love coming here to get our fix of classic brunch food. Our go-to is always the Monte Cristo. Sometimes, my husband and I will BOTH order the Monte Cristo because we don't want to share!! That's how good it is. Great service, but be warned - they are busy! Always worth the wait.

Service The service was fine- quick & efficient, but we had a small party with not a lot of requests so we were in and out. Food - the monte Cristo was pretty good. The brioche was perfectly cooked and the Gruyère cheese was melted perfectly. - the crab cake Benedict flavor was there but the food was just soggy from the hollandaise sauce. The English muffin could've been toasted more. Would go back to try more items though.

The food was good. We sat inside and it is an open bright restaurant. Our server was great. Everyone enjoyed their food. The dressing for the salad is there it's just at the bottom of the bowl. I will go here again for the French toast.

I wanted so bad to leave 5 stars, Food was very tasty, but the coffee service for decafe is atrocious, they don't give refills for decaf because they will have to make a new pot, Really!!! ‍ just make it so I can get a refill, I was disappointed beyond belief, coffee is the most important part of my breakfast. Please do something to remedy this problem, also my server could have been more attentive.

Cafe Jolie lives up to the hype. Be sure to get there early and fast since I believe they don't take reservations and many people frequent here for brunch. It's a cute Parisian themed breakfast/lunch spot with various options. Even though it's a tiny indoor space, there is plenty of room to eat outside and I love how it's decorated. I got lucky by walking in with parties waiting behind me, but it was only 2 of us. I enjoyed my lavender latte, they used the real flower instead of typical lavender syrup. Additionally, crab cake benedict was amazing! Creamy, soft cakes with house potatoes and pieces of fruit. I would definitely order this again or try more on their menu.

Cafe Jolie has the best monte cristo I've ever had. If you enjoy monte cristos, this is the standard. My sister said that her crab cake Benedict was the best Benedict she ever had as well (which I didn't get to try, but she is picky so I trust her as well lol) I went here with my baby nephew, sis, and bro-in-law on a Sat morning for brunch and it wasn't too busy. The staff regularly checked in on us and were very attentive.

Noth wife and I had an omelete. She went with potatoes and toast and I went with fruit and toast. We also order the beignets. Now omletes, potatoes where great. Fruit and beignets ummm not so great. Fruit was wilted and beignets had no powder sugar on them. Fresh fruit should be that fresh and beignets should be covered in powder sugar. Fix these and they are great.

Lovely lunch at Cafe Jolie. Very dog-friendly and delicious! I had the Monte Cristo Sandwich, my husband had a turkey sandwich - both were fresh and delicious. He had sweet potatoes on the side which were quite yummy. Secret trick - ask for their homemade blackberry jam (which came with my sandwich) to dip them in! Will definitely be back!

Came here on a Sunday around 11:30am, and were seated within about 5-10 minutes of arriving. We ordered lattes which were good (except their only non dairy milk was oat, which I hate, and I really wish they had almond milk). I got a half order of beignets, which I'd heard people play up and I can't say they were all that great. We each ate one and left them alone. I had a club sandwich and fruit, both of which were fine, and my friend had a burger, which was also ok. Overall, a solid breakfast place, but nothing necessarily stands out about it to make it worth raving over.

Ambient is with French style cafe furniture and strings. Waiters are responsive and polite. Serving size is generous American size portion. Large variety of great brunch, sandwiches and drinks! Located a corner lot with large space for indoor and outdoor seating. It has a decent size parking lot but street parking should be available too. Great for dates or weekend brunches.

Perfect breakfast find! A small wait, but once seated the service was good and food came out rather quickly! Will be back to try more of the goodies!!

This neighborhood cafe had roomy outdoor dining sheds which is a plus for diners with children. It provided a place to park the strollers and room for the little ones to roam without disturbing other diners. Good service and good food with generous portions! Good lattes as well!

The breakfast was wonderful. Priscilla was my food server and she was outstanding. Outdoor seating was great

Stopped in for a last minute brunch. It was past 1pm so we were nervous they wouldn't take our breakfast order. We took a chance and the waiter let it slide. For that, I'm thankful. Cafe Jolie is a gem in Alameda! Small and intimate outdoor a dining area and flavored mimosas. Can't really ask for more than that. I ordered a standard breakfast. Not bad at all. Can't really go wrong with breakfast potatoes and bacon lol. I would def recommend giving this spot a try!

Hostile service I'm a 75-year-old man trying to get a bite to eat! And one thing leads to another NO HELP, I have spoken English all my life! I needed help getting a table or what I wanted to eat. Restaurants are hard to run But if you don't hear from people who review hostile service, you will be past tense!

I can see why the current total rating is 3.8. The plate presentation is nice. About a 15 minute wait. Food was ready in less than 15 minutes. They use metal straws. For a standard brunch it is just fine. The Kitchen staff was working consistently and as a team. They don't do reservations. They are tight on the substitutions. The omelet section says "Please No Substitutions". The waitress was gossiping about other workers to another waitress with a full restaurant. Nothing special or exciting about the brunch food; it's basic. It's cold inside as well.

Good food and service with nice ambience. They also have outdoor dining facilities. One of local favorites.

Alameda is limited to a few breakfast spots so we try Cafe Jolie occasionally to see if it's improved. It Has Not! The omelette was more a frittata. The mushrooms had no seasoning and were clearly thrown into the egg mixture on the grill , therefore all the ingredients sank to the bottom. Probably covered with a lid to heat faster then folded. Omelettes are a cooking 101 task and this cook failed! Its also freezing in the restaurant. Coffee is good!

Horrible service for the price you pay ! Each time you order a side they forget n then bring it out when you're done with your meal smh! Good portion is small for a 2O plate taste like buffet food Will not be returning ever again

Really wanted to love this place but it was incredibly underwhelming. Our drinks were forgotten, food arrived cold and there is no powdered sugar on French toast.

Webster Street in Alameda is having a revival in terms of unique new shops and restaurants. We had tried Cafe Jolie years ago and went back for brunch this morning. I enjoyed the tofu scramble (w/spinach, mushrooms, peppers, and onions) and my dining partner had the Jolie's Special with scrambled eggs, chicken sausage, toast, and potatoes. Everything was quite yummy, The cafe is quite family friendly and the wait staff is very friendly and accommodating.

This corner cage in alamedas Main Street is very popular for brunch and lunch. They have a breakfast, brunch and lunch spread that boasts of classics like scramble, French toast and some French specials like croque madame and Benedict's. Food was good and portions were large. They have a cafe in the back where you can order drinks to go. The brunch waits can get long so arriving early is better. Service was a bit slower than expected. This spot seems popular amongst families and couples with. Good mix of both. They also have a children's menu and games to keep your child entertained. We went with an infant who didn't eat or take up a seat but was still charged as a 6th person for the tip which was really strange so be warned.

It smells so good, when you walk in.... Like really good bacon aroma It is a decent size inside, but packed and they also have seating outside. They serve breakfast during the weekdays till 1pm and weekends till 2pm. We ordered, jolies mix, cinnamon challah French toast, pancakes, eggs Benedict.. let's just say everybody at the table was a 100% satisfied with their food & service. The waitress was amazing!! Service was great, she was very attentive. We will definitely be back. The food was really good and if Yelp had an option to review more than 5 stars. I would have done it!!!