Mama's Royal Cafe

Excellent traditional breakfast/lunch/ brunch food! When I frequent restaurants I pay attention to the staff and how well they service their customers! I worked at a restaurant for 10 years in the 80's so I know the work that goes into running a successful restaurant business. Mama's Royal Cafe has top notch staff that are very attentive and courteous! If you want good traditional food with great service then I highly recommend this cafe! Btw, the mocha latte I ordered was better tasting than Starbucks! Just saying.

I'm not a fan. Service wasn't the best. Sat down ordered with a female waitress, food was delivered by a guy who seemed to have taken over for the lady. Found hair in my fruit as soon as he placed it down. He took it back, and no apology replaced it with some fruit that looked like it sat out for a while. Food lacked flavor. When we paid, the guy charged us the wrong bill. Again, no apology, nothing. Won't be back!

This is my favorite place to go with my friends to have an amazing breakfast, in Oakland! All the flavors are naturals, everything always fresh! 1000% recommend. LOVE THIS PLACE!

I had the special lemon curd and blueberry compote pancakes. They were so fluffy and the perfect amount of blueberries. Yum 😋

Fantastic food for a great price. One of my favorite dinners for breakfast in Oakland 💯🤙🏾

Fun little hole in the wall. Staff were friendly and attentive. The food was decent, but could use more seasoning. Lots of menu options, including vegetarian and vegan options. Atmosphere has an old school diner vibe.

Absolutely adorable spot, great for brunch with friends. I loved the quirks, the staff, the food, and the coffee 😄

We love Mama's - everyone's friendly, food is amazing, the weekly specials are interesting and delicious, and the vibe is wonderful. Not sure if they'll ever cook a perfect over-medium egg, but we're gonna keep ordering them just in case.

Oakland, and the East Bay in general, has lots of breakfast options. I've been to Mama's twice now and both experiences were fantastic. The food is solid, very tasty, and has lots of options. The jalapeño and carrot salsa on the table is a generous addition, not too spicy and definitely filled with flavor crystals. I loved the NY sharp cheddar and cremini mushroom omelette, banked with home fries and a slice of Acme sourdough toast. The service was friendly and attentive the whole time --which says a lot at 11am on a gorgeous Saturday morning. The crew feels like family and they clearly know how to run a morning rush that feels easy and well coordinated. I also like how real the place feels. Black and red floor tiles from the 50's? Ornamental headboards from some past iteration as a Chinese restaurant, and super comfy seats and booths. Solid.

Really solid breakfast and lunch food. Omelettes are good, burgers are good, sandwiches and burgers are good too. I like the potatoes and biscuits. The biscuits and mushroom gravy are a favorite, as well as the spinach and mushroom omelette and chicken sandwich. They have house made salsa if you ask for it which is definitely worth it.

Very very cute vibe to this place, wall colors are bright, booths are cozy. The menu is your classic breakfast menu, though they also have specials that change every time I've come, usually interesting stuff (like kimchi/kalua pork omelet i think?) but i don't think i've ever had any of them. i had the two eggs with potatoes and fruit, with a biscuit on the side. Classic, filling. E had a waffle with fruit, which he was also a fan of. Servers here are always kind and attentive. But I must say the food is a bit overpriced here -- at least for me. two eggs with bacon for almost seventeen dollars is about as bay area as it gets. But if that's what it takes for this place to stay open, so be it.

Cute cafe. Good food. Green eggs and ham special was excellent. Great place for breakfast or lunch.

My first time back in years. I forgot how much I liked this place. It has charm and warm that you just don't experience at other restaurants. All of the employees are attentive, happy and through. I had my old favorite - N.Y. SHARP CHEDDAR, GREEN ONIONS & SCRAMBLED EGGS with Acme Bakery sour Levain. Just like I remembered. The coffee is excellent. Matt says, I've missed my old friend.

My friend suggested this place. I wasn't very pleased with the food on my end but my friends did enjoy their food. They ate everything and I brought leftovers and tried to finish it at home, after the next day I pretty much just threw it out. Their country potatoes my friend ordered was good but a bit on the burnt side, surprisingly it only looks burnt but taste good. The mimosas were for us to serve ourselves, luckily I used to be a bartender, so I knew how to pour our drinks. My friend kept making them over flow with bubbles so I had to step in and serve us. The OJ was just a glass for the 2 of us but they did give us another and didn't charge it. Honestly we thought they were going to charge it because under the bottle on the menu it said $2 for OJ. Service was ok nothing stood out for me to say this place is so good and great I would want to come back. They were pretty full of customers but I don't see why for me. It's just a regular breakfast spot and was a bit pricey I would say. The seating is kinda cramped and parking is street parking so best walk or catch a ride if you plan to visit. My friend at the end wanted to gram a bakery item at the end and they didn't charge us, she later saw that it was free because we ate there but at first we thought was because they just wanted to get rid of it since they were close to closing.

Mama's Royal Cafe may look unassuming on the outside, but all of their dishes are delicious. It's a very casual breakfast spot that is extremely popular so you may need to wait, but it's worth it. We had the strawberry orange French toast which delightful.

The only problem with this place is deciding what to order! Everything looked amazing? Come with a group and share a bunch of dishes. All was delicious!! We got the chilli Verde and french toast and a couple of specials and raspberry curd pancakes. Very friendly service and amazing food! Also easy street parking.

This spot makes you feel like you're waiting on grandma to finish making breakfast for everyone. The food was so good. The service was great. Everything we ordered tasted good and was not overcooked. It was pouring down raining outside but it was great energy throughout this small restaurant. Would definitely return!

Great for decades! Love their home fries. The management or ownership changed a few years ago, but recipes seem the same. Old funky booths are just as cozy as ever.

I have never in my life been more disappointed in one of my favorite local restaurants. My AA fiance`and I stopped by for breakfast this am, we were greeted with weirdness, well finally got seated absolutely understanding that it busy however there was 1 single person at his table and a couple at another, we were the 3rd couple who sat down. While sitting 4 more yt couples can in and guess what each of them got their food before I could get a refill (that I was patiently waiting for) the server kept walking in and looking at me as then waking away to the point I had to apologeticly ask another server and then even the boss for help. After the last of the last couple got their food I walk up to the counter and ask how much it was for my coffee, Instead of leaving without payment I wanted to pay for my 5 sips of coffee then leave because I absolutely felt uncomfortable with the service. As I was at the register Here comes our original server running over clearly seeing my frustration basically states that our food wasn't out because I ordered sausage .. I saw bacon and sausage flying to the other tables so what's she said was a lie . The manager comes over looking so I tell him what the issue was he then tells me that that's his best server as if that's acceptable. Here's the thing her behavior towards my fiance and I and another AA woman was despicable and unwarranted . A childhood restaurant that my mother use to bring me to will know just be a memory . I can't eat where my people and I aren't accepted or appreciated.

Notes: (1) Street parking. This place is anything but royal or fancy. But it's definitely worth a try! The restaurant looked small and the furniture was old but the decor and vibes were just nostalgic. We came with a party of four and were seated quick. We ordered the corn beef, eggs Benedict and biscuits and gravy. The coffee and freshly squeezed orange juice were amazing so definitely recommend it. My corn beef came with an egg and toast which were delicious. Overall, we liked the food here and the staff was friendly.

Back in the day, when I lived near by, this was my all time favorite breakfast restaurant. It's been many years but I decided to stop in today for breakfast. It's always such a treat when something you really liked is just like you remember. Obviously, the staff has changed but the new to me staff was great. My waiter quickly took my order and I was drinking the delicious coffee that I remembered in no time. Their coffee will definitely get you going; nice and strong like I like. I ordered my usual which is two scrambled eggs, house potatoes with sour cream and a scone of the day (strawberry and pecan). In addition I always ask for their homemade salsa. Everything was just as good as I remembered. The atmosphere is relaxed; the kind of place where you can just kick back with your coffee for a little bit. Oh, and I was told that as of about 6 years ago, they started accepting credit cards - love it!

Ate here three times so far with my cousin. It's her go to spot for breakfast. The food is great tasting and fresh ingredients. Good coffee. You have to park on the street, which is metered parking. I haven't had a problem so far finding parking but i've had to park across the street or a block or so away. The restaurant is a small little café atmosphere and the people working there are pretty attentive if you need something.

Some of the best corn beef hash in the Bay Area. Painful seating, however. BYOC ( Bring Your Own Cushion).

We have been coming to Mama's for over 30 years and the food is consistently great. While the kitchy interior has changed over time, many of the menu items remain. I miss the napkin drawing contest decorated walls and the old counter but the booths are still there. We always get the huevos because it's not something that everyone does well. The tomato and pepper topping is just right and the eggs are perfectly over easy so that you get the ooze when you pop the yolks. Our preference is home fries versus refried beans because who doesn't like their potatoes with yolky goodness? I've been here for lunch with friends and I always end up getting the huevos. The salads and sandwiches look great and friends have all enjoyed them On this visit with hubby, I changed it up and got the corned beef hash. Nice chunks of tender corned beef and what can I say about the poached egg? It was perfect. Another enjoyable meal at Mama's. We had no wait and service was friendly as usual. Cash only. Support these nice local businesses serving great food.

Amazing breakfast and great service. Stumbled into this place and had one of the best breakfasts ever. No nonsense place with a lot of history and a terrific menu.

The BEST BREAKFAST in the Bay Area!! Quite a pleasant experience all around from food to service and old school ambiance. Thank you for the most delicious meal.

Cozy Café located on Broadway in Oakland. What does that mean it means street parking. But don't worry even though it might take an extra spin around the block you will ultimately find parking. Now let's talk about food. This place has your basic breakfast place with a little added pizzazz. The menu is straightforward with a few special surprises like the open faced breakfast. I feel like a Montecristo give this place I could try!

I was eating at the Royal Cafe in Albany for years until they closed after the pandemic. I can't believe I found it again and they DoorDashLove this place, so happy I found it again

The bus is a small little that seemed a bit dingy. I had the eggs Benedict. They served large portions and the food was decent but honestly there wasn't anything that stood out about the dish or the service.

After being told it'd be over an hour wait at Brenda's with no reservation, my friend and I decided to walk cross the street and give this place a try, and let me tell ya, it's definitely Brenda's a run for their money. We were sat right away. I enjoyed the charm and service. I like that you can tell it's been at this location for a long time. The catfish and grits were delicious. Great seasonal pancakes. Good coffee. Will definitely recommend and be back when visiting!

We have come to Mama's Royal Cafe a couple of times now and we always have had a great experience and the food is delicious! We always bring our friends or family to enjoy the meal with us and we have never had any complaints. We've tried the Huevos Rancheros, Croque Madame, Omelettes, French Toast, Pancakes, Combo (meal with eggs, choice of meat, etc.), Corn Beef Hash, etc. Everything is so delicious and filling and a great deal for the price. It's a cute little restaurant that has the best diner food and extensive options for everyone to choose from. We will definitely be back here again!

Super homey brunch spot! Mama's Royal Cafe is a small shop with an atmosphere that is very warm and cozy. The savory and sweet options are equally solid and it's always hard to choose which to get. The portions are great as well. I especially like the way they make their potatoes (pan fried instead of baked I think) and I have started making mine the same way. It's a bit less crispy but very delicious. Even if you come on a Sunday morning with a party of 4, you can get seated within 5-10 minutes which is a huge plus!

Staying in the neighborhood and got breakfast here this morning and everything was great. Service was kind and quick, food was delicious, prices were reasonable :) We got French toast and a breakfast sandwich - biscuit was great and the home fries were perfect. Highly recommend!

Simple atmosphere and comfortable seating, good diner coffee. Rock solid American breakfast, with eggs, meat and pancakes that are straightforward and remind me of breakfasts out as a kid. Crazy busy on the weekends, easy to get in during the week. I have wandered through the menu to omelettes and various egg benedict's, and have never gone away hungry or dissatisfied. On my regular breakfast visit list....

Ah, Mama's. There's nothing like it in decor (Hello, the 1940's are calling) and I just ate a delicious breakfast: a special consisting of a bed of polenta, a rich mushroom ragu, poached eggs, topped with Parmesan cheese & fresh basil. Service was prompt & courteous. Can't ask for better than this to start my day

The food was great. The ambiance was pretty standard for a local cute & quaint restaurant. The service was decent as well. I would return.

I tried French toast and zucchini Benedict both were gooood. Potions are enough for two.

Forty years this place still rocks!! The spinach, cremini mushroom and Jack cheese omelets were delicious . The biscuits were homemade and perfect, so was the service. This place will always satisfy your taste buds...

Great food, service, and family run vibe! The food is great, the service is quick and friendly.

A friendly neighborhood joint with a fun 1950s decor. I ordered a cheddar cheese omelette and a short stack of pancakes. Both were delicious. Our server was a woman who's been there since 1979 and she was just fantastic. Friendly, funny and attentive. The menu options are also good, they cover everything from the suite to the savory. Definitely recommend this place.

This was a great breakfast spot! I ordered the corn beef hash and it was very good. If you are looking for a tasty breakfast, spot this is it! Definitely coming back.

We dined at MaMa's Royal Cafe yesterday for my birthday 3/6/2023. It was hard to rate this restaurant as I enjoyed my meal while my husband didn't and left much of his food on his plate. I have wanted to dine here for quite sometime especially seeing the restaurant featured on the popular local PBS show "Check Please Bay Area". It got mixed reviews on that show but nevertheless I decided to go there for birthday breakfast/brunch. We found street parking right in front of the restaurant as it was mid morning on a Monday. My husband and I were greeted promptly and seated right away at one of the wooden booths the decor was charming loved the vintage aprons hanging on the walls. We started off with coffee which tasted bitter like perhaps on the warmer too long. We had a few cups and it was the same bitter aftertaste. Disappointing. As we scanned the menu so many items were appealing we are debating on the crab sandwich, catfish and eggs, corn beef hash, or pancake sandwich everything sounds delicious. I opted for the fried catfish and eggs my husband corn beef has with one poached egg and one waffle on the side to split. When the plates arrived the food was hot and beautifully presented. The fried catfish and eggs that I ordered was perfectly fried not greasy perfectly prepared tender and wonderfully seasoned. The potatoes were delicious with a dollop of sour cream. However my husband's corn beef hash left little to be desired the meat was "cubed" rather the "shredded" consistency that you associate with corn beef hash. I had never thought to ask a restaurant how they prepare their corn beef hash because usually it is the same. My husband's potatoes looked different than mine he said they were so soft they were almost like mashed potatoes. He only had a few bites eating the poached egg and little else. I see on the menu it is described as "cubed" meat we missed that while scanning the menu. As for the waffle it was ok nothing special for $ 8.00 for a single waffle. It was a restaurant that I wanted to try and glad I finally got the chance to dine here. I may go again if I was in the area. It was hard to rate this restaurant because of two plates ordered one was stellar and was lacking.

My wife and I had business in Oakland and we hadn't had anything to eat so we decided to try Mama's Royal Cafe. I've been in the bay area for over 40 years and have heard of them for a long time and even saw them on Check Please Bay Area. The menu is actually quite attractive so we were very interested in trying several items and decided on breakfast. My wife has the waffle combo and it was good. The eggs and bacon were good. The waffle was ok. I ordered the traditional breakfast: Two eggs over easy, grits, spicy sausage patty and toast. The meal came fairly quickly but it noticed the sausage was not a patty and thought perhaps I read the menu wrong. I tasted it and it was sweet and not spicy at all. It was the chicken apple sausage. I saw another server and told him about it and he said he would put in the correct order. I waited and waited and my food was getting cold and the grits watery until the sausage arrived. The sausage had a slightly off smell to it and I tasted it and spit it out. THE MEAT WAS SPOILED! I requested a manager and told her the problem and she said she would take it back to the kitchen. She came back and said the kitchen said the sausage was fine. I told her that they should be fired if they didn't realize the sausage was bad. She said she would adjust the bill and when I saw it, there was no adjustment showing. I asked for the manager again and it took a long time before anyone came and this time a man came and said he was in charge. He looked like he came from the kitchen and had very limited command of English.vI suspect he wasn't in charge or perhaps a backup.He said that perhaps my taste was different than others and insisted the sausage was fine and that the bill was adjusted. It just didn't show an adjustment like she should have done but re-rang the ticket to show the breakfast without the meat. I said ok but he said he would take off the meal entirely. I told him the sausage was spoiled and he said the customers were very happy with it. I will never go back there. How can a restaurant serve spoiled food and not notice it? It shows a total lack of responsibility and respect for the community. Even when they brought out the wrong sausage and the grits got watery and the food got cold waiting for the correct sausage, we were willing to come back because of the attractive menu. Not anymore. Next step is to report them to the health department. If they don't recognize spoiled meat, what other health violations are going on?

Love Mama's Royal Cafe. I've been going here for years and always get delicious food with good service. Fun spot.

Food is good and some menu items you won't find anywhere else. Like there green eggs and ham which my kid loved. Good customer service and waitress are very nice and welcoming. And the place may look small, but very home like feeling.

I haven't been to mamas royal cafe in a while and I won't be back again. It was bland and tasteless-I didn't even eat half of my meal as shown in the picture. They were snarky and condescending when I voiced a minor issue. I didn't bother to elaborate after the owner was rude and dismissive. So sad, it was a place I loved going to....not again.

Had the most amazing breakfast and lovely service at this place today. There were four of us and we literarily almost tried everything on the menu and everything was soooo good.

Mama's is a tasty brunch spot. The french toast is out of this world, nothing fancy but perfectly executed. The omelettes are well cooked, with good menu options as well as build-your-own. I'm a big fan of the Florentine Benedict, although the poaching of the eggs is not consistent.

Love this place. My wife enjoys the Blackstone Benedict and I always go to the Huevos Rancheros. An Oakland twist that sings classic and comfort. Will be returning soon... Edit: the mimosas, orange juice are a must

My first time going here was with my sister and it was good then and since then I've come here regularly. Usually I only get breakfast but I once tried a sandwich and that was great too. The staff has always been nice and accommodating! It is an interesting space for sure, unlike any other restaurant I've been to, but charming and cozy.

Have been going there for years. Food and service is great. We really like the Corn Beef Hash and the Eggs Benedict.

This used to be a favorite for me having been going there for 30 years. Now i think its one of worst for breakfast. If you are just getting a traditional eggs and potatoes or pancakes, etc., its ok. Avoid the "Mexican style" entrees which are plain slop. And skip the Omelets which always have something gone sideways with them . Gamble at your own risk for every thing else! Even McDonalds makes a better Mocha! The only thing here thats reliable is Peets Coffee. Its sad that for their prices they are happy to just cruise along on The Old Mamas rep.

New owners have revitalized Mama's! The decor may look the same, but take a second longer look - the paint is the original colors, but new. The flooring is classic diner flooring, and new. The bathrooms have updated fixtures (but the same styles). The old-fashioned wall booths remain - hurrah! Also, Mama's now DOES take credit cards, finally! And the food is equally re-energized - a bump-up in quality and the same skillful execution (a good short order cook is a treasure!) will give you a great American breakfast that's better than 90% of the breakfast cafes in Alameda County. Do not miss the OJ here. Mama's has always made superior fresh-pressed OJ and it's always 5-star, no matter the season. Such a simple thing, but do not underestimate how happy you are going to be after your first sip. I love the corned beef hash. It is a coarse-cut hash, not finely chopped, so you need to be okay with this. Love the addition of onions and cabbage to keep the hash moist, but NO red bell peppers, an addition I despise. Mama's also has excellent pumpernickel rye, unlike most restaurants, for toast or sammies. Spouse loves the Croque Madame, which is not - repeat, NOT - traditional. There is no Bechamel sauce used, which pleases him as he loathes Bechamel. He gets an extra egg, too. The pancakes are light and fluffy, and very good. Coffee is now Mr. Espresso, which is one of our favorite roasters - a big upgrade from the Peerless coffee used before. It astonishes and saddens me that people line up to get into Brenda's down the street, but they never seem to think about Mama's. Mind you, I like Southern cooking as much as anyone, but a great diner breakfast can be equally satisfying!

Despite having a few tofu based options on the menu this place is not vegan friendly. Tofu breakfast burrito was ice cold, flavorless, not even any salt. No non dairy milks on menu. Cute place popular with aging punks.

Great service and food. Funky setting. Need longer hours Coque monsieur great. Yum

Went for the first time last weekend and had an amazing breakfast! Absolutely devoured the French toasts - they were soooo good!!! Their orange juice is freshly squeezed (they literally squeezed it after I ordered) and very delicious. My partner's bacon benedict dish was great also. Friendly staff, great food, will definitely be back. The only thing that bothered me was the occasional bleach smell coming from something (maybe the floor or tables after being cleaned) - but understand they want to keep everything sanitary especially during covid times.. Give it a try and support this neighborhood gem!

We stopped for breakfast as our hotel was just down the block. The coffee was good, the service was good. My wife had an omelet that was good she said. I made the mistake of having the Corn Beef Hash with a poached egg (I got an extra egg). The hash seemed that it had been in the pan way too long the potato and carrots were overcooked like they were old. But the Corned Beef was DRY.... Tasteless and like it was cooked a month ago. Glad I got 2 poached eggs as that was the only "moisture" available. Unseasoned, needed salt, (twice) and needed pepper to make it palatable. Wish I had read the reviews before ordering the Corned Beef Hash. What a disappointment for @ $20.00