Southshore Cafe — Restaurant in Alameda

Ok, HOW have we been coming to South Shore ALL these years & NOT known about this place yet?!?!😱😱 We had some $$ business to do nearby, so got Halloween themed up & went out for breakfast 😋.

The GOOD: HUGE portions Quality ingredients DELICIOUS❣❣❣ A bottomless cup of coffee for LESS than a Venti... 👍😉 Family/locally owned small business Mostly good/friendly service

The "improvement needed": When SO busy, details get missed (like serving Chris pancakes without ANY syrup or ENOUGH butter!😱! CHARGING for leftover boxes!!! REALLY?!?! (I GET the need to make up overhead costs & DO think it's MAYBE reasonable to do so with TAKE OUT ORDERS! But TABLE SERVICE ORDERS?!? THAT feels excessive AND inappropriate!! &, like ALL "service fees", it's better to BUILD INTO your item price the pass-along-costs rather than add it to a bill also EXPECTING a tip!!) Speaking of tip.... CHECK YOUR OWN BILL & DO YOUR OWN CALCULATIONS!!!

To the establishment: NEVER, EVER, EVER total your "suggested tip" calculation on the POST-TAX TOTALS!! LAWSUITS have been filed about this!! Fix your register to give suggestions on PRE-TAX TOTALS ONLY!!! Or don't GIVE them at all!!

We liked this place & may return. But there ARE other equally good spots that aren't doing these things.... so...🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️ Time will tell!! I'd give a 3.5 but can't DO "1/2" stars here! Sooooooo a bit better than ONLY 3, but not as high as 4 stars overall because of...

I ordered the Chicken Fried Steak (Dont), and had to wait 15 minutes for even an acknowledgement then was seated. Food came out like 20 miniutes later came out a breaded overcooked tough piece of meat with breading that although was tasty fell off as they put the plate down. They served tasteless eggs and Hashbrowns with Sourdough toast and a side of Brown Gravy , who does that? After I muscled through have the steak a guy finally comes and briefly asks how is it. I tell him it's the worst Chicken Fried Steak I've ever had in my life. Mind you it's my first time here, he offers to make me another dish at no charge which is what they should have done. I declined as it took sometime just to get this meal. I still offered to pay for my food a fee times. The gentleman declined.

So basically even though their dish was not pleasing to me instead of trying to argue that that is how it was supposed to be they had great customer service on this matter. These folks are very busy, things can be different at lil cafes so be nice to the people that are serving you and if there is an issue bring it up nicely.

Nicely handled gentlemen at...

This spot is now one of our favorite brunch spots. My wife and I come here whenever we want brunch. The Cafe's atmosphere is nice and quaint. A nice medium sized restaurant that usually doesn't feel like it's packed with people. Most of the customers who come here are regulars. Opened from 8am-3pm they have a menu that serves an american style breakfast all day, and lunch/dinner options. They have a small section of Thai food on the menu that sticks out like a sore thumb, but we have yet to try it. But what we have tried, the food is pretty good and the portions are great. I'm a pretty big guy, but one plate is definitely filling. (So far I've had the Loco moco, eggs benedict, and Salisbury steak. Service was great. The waiters and waitresses are always so nice and smiling. They come around regularly and often to refill your coffee. My wife has asked to replace some sides on a few occasions, and they've always been accommodating.(Changing rice to hashbrowns on the Loco moco). I definitely...