Poppa Joe's

We really like going back in time with this place building. Great food and people. It's cash only.

Top notch old skool greasy spoon. Cash only son! Love this place

Best breakfast of our 11-day road trip through northern California. Basic breakfast food, but well-prepared and large portions. Very friendly service. What's most fun, though, is just being here, in a decades-old restaurant, with a group of locals playing games in the back. Definitely plan to stop here whenever you visit Ferndale.

This is a very nice little breakfast lunch place nuzzled in downtown Ferndale. The food is huge and the prices are small. If you want traditional American olde timey diner experience then come here, pull up a chair and leave our chaotic world outside for a bit and slow down. Cash only but that is fine.

Simple food but plenty of it and nicely cooked. We really enjoyed our breakfast here and the atmosphere is very good. The locals come to socialise and play cards. Good food, good coffee, good friends.

Heard about it on tv. Said biscuits and gravy best. Now they only serve on Wednesday. Bummer.

This place great food, great prices, big portions, awesome staff. Was our first time there, will definitely be there when visiting Ferndale.

Interesting old Diner. It was recommended to me because I wanted a standard breakfast with eggs and hashbrowns. The food was ok but slow in coming. Only 3 tables were busy, so I'm not sure why. The place needs renovations like clean paint and new cushions on chairs. Lots of flies landing on all surfaces, including me and other patrons. I would not go back. I did find the antique decor fun to look at. The wait staff were very friendly and good. My lower service score was for how long it took my food to get to the table.

This place is an iconic gem. A historical building, this breakfast joint breathes its history on its walls and furnishings. I ordered a standard egg breakfast and it was killer---crispy hash browns , eggs cooked as requested and crispy English muffin. Service was awesome and the jam was clearly home made! It's a must if you love a good breakfast . Cash only---so be aware!

4 Sept. '24-10:00-Hamburger was excellent. Very juicy and cooked to perfection. Bread was fresh and moist. Service was excellent. Very historic building. Highly recommended!

Pappa Joes' cannot be missed!! It all starts with Grazie our waitress and graduate of Fortuna High. She exudes small town charm and warmth. Pappa Joes is an old fashioned blast from the past. Kinda reminds me f a diner in Minnesota or North Dakota. The kind of place where the farmers are all in there sitting together or apart, because they have some sort of beef over a prized cow., Where the Biscuits and Gravy are ONLY served on Wednesdays. Why Wednesday's?? who knows but 's worth the wait and the $8.50 for a man sized portion. Love this place!!

Nov 2022: Came in the day after Thanksgiving. Clearly a local's hub, nice warm and nostalgic vibe. Nothing fancy about it. Food was delicious and very generous portion sizes. We brought half our omelet with us and had it for lunch. One young server - very sweet, and one woman cook. Things took a reasonable amount of time based on staff. Coffee is very basic - but hot. Keep in mind this review is for you - Yelpers - as this business is caught in a time warp and whether you go there or not - they will survive. Only real sit- down breakfast in town. we went back again the next day and were greeted like locals. Bottom line - food is good, prices fair, service reasonable. NOTE: CASH ONLY

Stopped in Ferndale and glad we did. We had a nice hot breakfast with a great ambiance and awesome service. We highly recommend the biscuits and gravy, sure to satisfy! The pancake stack was perfect, fluffy and delicious! The Poppa Joe sandwich was a favorite, make sure you order with the sausage. I wish we took photos before we dug in, but it was just too good!

We took our almost 99 year old Aunt there this morning. There were only 3 tables including ours and it took 45 minutes to get our food. The cook was so slow, sitting and talking. Everything was over cooked but large portions. The waitress was really nice though We won't be going back

What a treat to visit what looked like one of the local favorites. Extremely friendly and casual place. Coffee was excellent as was the pancake which was perfectly fluffy. Bacon was the star of the show, though - wonderful flavor and crisp how I like it.

Very authentic, small home town restaurant. Everyone knows each other and they say hello. The ambiance is relaxed and welcoming. The service is quick and very friendly. The food is very tasty and the price is great! Awesome place to start your day

In the quaint town of Ferndale, Poppa Joe's is the perfect complement to the look and feel of the Victorian village. The small town atmosphere here is conducive to taking it slow and easy. And that's par for the course when you're in these parts, the Redwoods country. I only had a simple breakfast here, French toast and a glass of milk, but I sat at the counter and I saw dishes go past me. They looked great and an additional testament is how the folks to my right enjoyed their breakfast. They said so.

Absolutely delightful. There is something so simple and beautiful about eating at Poppa Joe's as if you're being transported to another time when the world was a kinder and gentler place. The service is efficient and helpful and friendly. The food is old school delicious- large servings and you can watch it being cooked before your very eyes. I love all things Ferndale and I REALLY love Poppa Joe's. Don't listen to to the angry instant gratification crowd reviews. Wander in - have a seat - take a deep breath and enjoy. You won't be disappointed.

Great clam chowder! Old school place Creaky wooden floors, dim lights (uh, no, not for "ambience"), friends all hanging out---looking like fixtures!, simple folk behind the counter slinging normal food: hot, brown and plenty of it! (I'm stretching my use of artistic license here). But I hope I'm getting my point across that everything here is about history and the simple life. Sometimes, a place like this is just exactly what one needs!

Stopped in here for breakfast around 9:30am. Sat down and after 20 min was still not provided menus. My boyfriend got up to ask for menus. About 10-15 min later our order was taken and coffee brought to us. An hour later from our order being taken, still no food. Seems like locals or friends were being hooked up. The cook was hardly cooking and just catching up with coworkers and locals. We decided to just pay for our coffee and leave. Not surprised to see on Yelp that another patron this morning had the same experience we had. We also noticed a few other frustrated patrons. We understand when an establishment is understaffed but the cook was not hustling or interested in fulfilling orders whatsoever, in fact the total opposite. Maybe don't go if you're not local.

I love this place! I'm a sort of foodie from SF Bay Area. My cousin lives in Ferndale and so I'm there from time to time. Poppa Joe's offers great food. The home fries are amazing. They use russet potatoes and leave the skin on. So much flavor! Their origin is Portuguese and of course they offer linguiça. Also great if you like spicy sausage. Not super hot-just well seasoned. And, if you treat the staff well, you will be treated as a local too.

I've lived in Ferndale for a couple of months now but what got me to try Poppa Joe's is a visit from friends. I had pancakes, eggs, and bacon. They had french toast, hamburger steak, county potatoes, hashbrowns and eggs. We all LOVED our food. I totally forgot write a review yesterday (when we ate at Poppa Joe's) but considering I am literally craving the pancakes today says something. Might be the best pancakes I have ever tasted. And they were H U G E. Don't miss this place. It is truly special. As others have noted, cash only.

Do not go here if you are not a local! Locals get preference. Absolutely do not recommend this place! We waited for 15 mins once we sat ourselves and since we didn't get any service, our friend decided to grab the menus for the table. The waitress never tended to our needs. They made us wait for over 1 hr 15 min and when we asked the waitress how much more time for our food, she said that they haven't even started preparing after over one hour and made us pay for the coffee which should have been free for the inconvenience they caused us. We never got our food and we finally decided to leave. The waitress was extremely flustered the whole time and extremely Disorganized.

Yummmm food is great. cash only. Great people, great service. Small town hole in the wall that will bring you back again and again.

Papa Joe's is amazing place to eat. The cooks are awesome. The waitress is amazing. The obvious is amazing. I suggest when you're in town. Stop by Papa. Joe and get a great home cooked meal..

Great breakfast in a funky, old building. Portions were generous and service was friendly.

So glad we decided to take this quick detour to Ferndale on our trip back to Cali from our Oregon Coast drive. it's a small, really cute and quaint Victorian town. We had breakfast at Poppa Joe's and the experience was awesome. it's definitely not fancy but full of history and charm and big portions of delicious food. The place is old but warm and the service was good and super friendly. Just be prepared as they only accept cash.

Poppa Joe's has been an indelible presence in my life since the tender days of my childhood, and even now, as a mature individual, I continue to frequent its hallowed halls, now accompanied by the progeny that grace my existence. The gustatory delights bestowed upon patrons within these walls resonate with a profound affection within my discerning palate, rendering them unequivocally superior to the fast-food conglomerates of Burger King and McDonald's, particularly when the subject of breakfast fare is broached. This very morning, in the company of an expansive retinue numbering fourteen, I traversed the threshold of Poppa Joe's, only to bear witness to the astoundingly swift culinary artistry exhibited by their skilled cook, who ensured the expeditious preparation of nourishment for each esteemed guest. In perpetuity, I solemnly pledge to maintain an unwavering commitment to conducting my culinary endeavors exclusively within the sacred confines of this esteemed establishment, forever an emblematic testament to my unwavering loyalty.

Gotta visit the local eating places in Ferndale for breakfast and dinner. Poppa Joe's did not disappoint. Hospitable and delicious! They have their personalized mugs for sale so support this local business and buy one! I ordered the Joe's breakfast with sausage and country fries. Everything was hot and seasoned perfectly. All the covid regulations were being followed. My partner in dine had the sausage omelette and a biscuit, normally biscuits are another day but he lucked out with a left over....still tasty! Beautiful city and friendly people. Definitely check it out!

We were driving down the coast on a road trip and am so happy we went the little bit out of the way to come here! Absolutely loved everything about this place. The food was outstanding, the staff were very fun, and the atmosphere was A+!

Had breakfast in this quaint little café. Great service and delicious food. Best egg sandwich I've had in a long time. Sausage was amazing. Highly recommend. Service is a bit slow but to be expected as there is only one chef at the griddle. Worth the wait.

Good local food, great people, and the food is amazing and not to expensive. You do need to bring cash to pay but totally worth it!

The ham and eggs were delicious. Coffee was great. The people were very friendly which made the experience a good one.

I give this place a Here there is no indoor dining, however several locals were dining inside, the waitress was rude told my wife and I to wait outside and refused to even allow us to see a menu. I would not recommend this place to anyone.

Really cute restaurant. The gentleman serving us had a very warm and kind personality. We had delicious BLTs with fries that were amazing. This place is really good!

Stopped for breakfast on my way out of camping at Mattole River. Food was fresh and made to order sausage links and eggs. Hash browns were perfectly cooked a little crispy. Food was not oily. Sat at the counter and didnt wait long. Service was friendly and portions were good

Poppa Joe's is a old fashioned authentic diner that hasn't changed much since Poppa Joe immigrated from Portugal in the 1930's. We sat at the counter and watched the grill lady expertly make dozens of orders without missing a beat. I ordered a hamburger steak with fried eggs, hash browns, and sourdough toast, and it was prepared perfectly. Service was very friendly, and they place was filled with locals - some of them very colorful. Breakfast was accompanied with a bottomless cup of coffee, served with a smile. Highly recommended!

I am in LOVE with this little restaurant!! A throw back in time. Portions are HUGE and the atmosphere is very welcoming. I was also informed that Poppa Joe's sells gift certificates! I know what I will be stuffing stockings with!!!!

I have never felt so unwelcome in a restaurant in my life. My review has nothing to do with Covid or anything like that. We walked in and were merely pointed to a table. Sat and waited. Like we were being ignored. Then finally the waitress came over and said "it''s gonna be an hour for food." They obviously wanted us to leave so we left.

Excellent food. Great breakfast. Server was nice enough to warm up my own non-dairy milk. We had breakfast Sunday morning so service could have been a bit slow due to it being so busy.

The food was good, however the staff did not wear face coverings. It made us very uncomfortable in this time of COVID. We tried to lead by example and wore a covering while not eating or drinking. However the staff did not follow suit. Pretty disappointing when we had two small children that wore their masks.

Great good old 'hungry-mans' breakfast! Super friendly, kind staff. Amazing History that warm the heart. The ambience is from the 1800's and the character and charm is very nice. I highly recommend visiting Poppa Joe's!

Good food. Good people. Great town to check out. I particularly enjoyed the pancakes!

I thought maybe the reviews were a tad wrong. I was the one who was wrong. What a great place. Loved listening to the many locals chatting and enjoying their meals. Decided to try their waffle special which was perfect. Eggs and bacon cooked like my momma did. The guys working behind the counter could not have been friendlier and offered wonderful service. Will definitely be a regular whenever we are in town.

When in Ferndale I always eat at Poppa Joes, best breakfast around! Order anything and it will be delicious! Their ciffee is great and the waitress is always coming around for refills. Portion sizes are big, so keep in mind when ordering. They always have a special, so ask what it is.

Great place, great food, great value!!! The decor is delightful, transporting you into another time and place. It's almost like being in a friend's living room. Some sweet older men were playing cards in the back :). Must go!

I am in love with this joint. You feel the history & feel as though you walked into the past when you open the door. The floors are so worn from all the generations of patrons that they are warped in a magnificent way. The food is downright good. Good down home breakfast. My whole family loved it. Loved the locals playing cards in the back & loved that I recognized a couple of them from the Huel Howser episode. Really an experience. Must go!

I'm amazed that I'm the first to review this Ferndale eatery. I passed by in the evening multiple times and this restaurant was filled with locals and tourist. Its known for its prime rib, chicken dishes and fish dinners. I noticed they opened for breakfast at 6:00am and the restaurant had its regular locals for coffee, I sat up a the bar with fresh coffee and I had one of the best breakfast that I have ever had. Travelling North or South on Hwy 101 and if your near Eureka, pull off the Hwy and drive the 5 miles to Ferndale. Poppa Joes was a great discovery.

Hole in the wall local type joint, but since it's a touristy town you'll be made to feel welcome. Solid diner food and great value for the price. Don't expect to have your ass kissed, but be nice to the staff and they'll do the same. If ever back in the area I will certainly hit it again.

Best breakfast in NorCal. The Portuguese sausage is so good. I wish we had this in Tennessee.

Poppa Joe's is a comfort food diner in a historic location in a historic town. Ferndale is one of the most picture perfect towns in the country and is a popular location to film for Hollywood movies. It looks like a popular local hangout for the regulars (65+ if you know what I mean) to meet up and play cards in the back. I was in Ferndale between Christmas and New Years so not much was open in town due to the holidays. Poppa Joe's was one of the very few places open. They serve breakfast food, burgers and sandwiches here at this no frills diner. The food was decent. I had the breakfast special with two eggs, hash browns and linguica sausage. The sausage was recommended by our waitress and it was very tasty. The hash browns were pretty crispy as well. I didn't order the pancakes but a table near us ordered them and they were the size of the large plates!

Amazing food! Just like grandma used to make. Kind people. Fast service! Fun atmosphere. Could not recommend more!

Hands down THE best breakfast in Humboldt. Nowhere else even compares. Service is awesome, nice people to eat with at the bar, the food is great. Even the lunches. This isnt just the best breakfast in Humboldt, it's one of my all-time favorites ANYWHERE. (HINT: order the breakfast sandwich) Avoid on the weekends tho. The main cook (the little old lady) only works weekdays. She kicks ass. Whereas the dude who works weekends is much slower and the food isnt as good.

I really wanted to love this place...I love to support local businesses! But the service here was the worst I've ever had in my life. It took us about 90 mins to have a Saturday morning breakfast...the staff was obviously overwhelmed which I felt badly for, but there was never any acknowledgement of the situation, apology, etc. It took forever to place our order and then at least 45 mins to GET our food. And we weren't alone...lots of grumpy, hungry people surrounded us. The only good thing is that I had a premonition about how long the food would take and left my husband and son to 'man' the table while the gf and I went and spent some money at the local Ferndale shops which are all delightful. The food was fine, but NO food is worth waiting that long for. Pancakes were great...yes! Omelettes were loaded with yummy stuff...yes! But coffee was hard to get refilled and like I said, how joyful can you BE when you have waited for over an hour for breakfast? I hope this was a rare occurrence and that Poppa Joe's was just having a bad day...I have a feeling that's not the case based on some other reviews. It really seemed like the cook made one order at a time vs. multipurposing the grill...great place for Gordon Ramsay to come in and help fine-tune the process!

If you find yourself in Ferndale when Poppa Joe's is open, just stop. Don't read dozens of Yelp reviews trying to decide where to eat. This is the place. It is exactly what small town USA used to be when I was a kid. The food is good. The service is great. The atmosphere is perfect. You won't be disappointed. We stumbled upon it and had a great breakfast here. Ferndale has a bunch of stores on Main Street to browse as well

Had breakfast here. Portions are a pretty good size. You get your monies worth. Breakfast sausage omelette with tomatoes and mushrooms was good. The blueberry pancakes and eggs were good. Service was very good. The atmosphere was interesting as the place used to be a pool hall in previous years.

A great place to start the morning. If you ever saw the Heull Howser special on Ferndale, this is the place. Coffee is a dollar and unlimited! Waffles are the size of your head so don't order the large order. Biscuits and gravy are on Wednesdays. This is not a tourist trap restaurant with exorbitant prices!! Good eats at reasonable prices. Kudos! Ps. Don't forget to add the homemade jams in your toast or waffles.