Ole's Waffle Shop — Restaurant in Alameda

I’ve been coming here for years and it’s always been really good. On my last visit 4/26/25 I decided to change it up and try something different vs my normal breakfast. I tried the chicken fried steak breakfast and OMG it was NOT good and even the gravy could not save it. First off it don’t even have the seasoned golden fried chicken coating on it and it was absolutely BLAND and tough. If you are a chicken fried steak lover please don’t get this one until Oles change the product and get it right. Oles you gotta fix this ASAP. An orange juice was ordered and a cranberry juice was ordered and orange juice was in a tall glass as usual however the cranberry was in a much smaller cup. I know it’s two sizes for cranberry juice and it’s even two prices and sizes in the menu but on my bill I was charged for a large but that’s not what I had. I asked the nice waitress about it and said that was a large and I was like lol no way but ok. Just an FYI the glass the orange juice come in is a large but she did adjust the price because she really knew I had a small. I’ve been coming here since 1999 and I will continue. The best part about this visit was we got to sit Nextdoor in the Wine and Waffles area which I...

Disclaimer: I've been coming to Ole's about once a week, off hours, in the ~6 years I have lived in Alameda, and shall continue to do so, though maybe not with the same frequency. That said, the food is standard American styled fare. Breakfast*, burgers, a limited selection of other sandwiches, a small dinner menu, sides.

A lot of places are moving (have moved) away this type of menu but I think Ole's may keep it as is, if it meets the business' needs, for the next 80 years.

Service has been good, though they have had their share of minor to moderate eff-ups, at the table and at the grill. Tables are cleaned promptly. When staff calls out "Sit anywhere you like", you'll never have to sit at the previous customer's sludge. And generally the place is kept up...well as long as you don't look at the carpeting

Aesthetic? There is none. The retro decor is likely what some reviewers are waxing nostalgic about. That and fading photographs of Bay Area sports figures who haven't been on a active roster in 40+ years.

It's inexpensive, its quick, the food is passable. They won't be getting a Michelin star anytime soon. But the good news is neither will they be getting a notice from the county...

This restaurant is fantastic!!! Every time I eat here, I get that comfortable feeling I always get in a good old-fashioned diner!!!

I read a few other comments about how crowded it was on odd days, like Tuesday mornings, and it was the same for us too. A very unusual weekday morning, and "locals" not businessmen on meetings were hanging out there!!! Very well known and loved.

They have all the common breakfast fodder, delicious omelettes, egg and waffles, bacon, delicious and unusual Southern offerings, like grits and biscuits and gravy, and many fruit and vegetarian type offerings too.

This place was so good, I brought my mother and family here for an after graduation celebration, I think for my daughter's 5th grade graduation. It has been packed, virtually every single time we visit.

I have yet to try any of their desserts, like pie. I think I had chocolate cake and ice-cream at least once, but I"m not a big fan of cake, so it was just so-so. I'm sure most would enjoy it!!

Last time I was in, I saw around 6 Alameda High students sidle up to the counter top, and all were treated the same as any other customer, which I appreciated...