Roy's Cafe — Restaurant in Barstow

Let me start by saying I feel like a lot of these reviews are fake! Me and my husband are barstow locals, this was our first time trying this place together, but NEVER EVER AGAIN. First of all, the service was terrible, the waitress was kind, but when we asked for water, they gave us the smallest cups that looked like they are for little kids! The plates are large, but after they were sat down on the table our waitress sat down on a seat across from us and started talking on the phone until our meal was over. Only at the end did she offer to refill our drinks a single time! I asked for shredded beef & was served something that tasted like shredded fish. And my husband got the pastrami sandwich, mind you we both sat there and ate around 6:30pm and now I'm writing this one star review at 4:00 in the morning because we both have food poisoning for trying Roy's. Do not go unless you are a health inspector!!! If you are from the health department, PLEASE GO CHECK THE DATES IN THEIR FRIDGE!!! I've worked in the food service industry from line cook to waiter and cashier, something is going on in that kitchen, and it needs to be investigated before they continue to make people sick. I have to miss out on work because I spent about $40 at a place I should have left after 40 seconds...

Upfront some bias. The service is always pleasant and Barstow has this weird service culture where everyone is nicer than you’d expect. So service is an easy win.

Atmosphere: very road time cafe. It’s what Sonic wishes it could have. And when you think that Roy’s burgers costs around a Burger King meal, you’d be thinking they’re actively losing money.

Now to the part people actually read. My bad for playing the reverse Uno card. This is the second time I’ve been here. And it’s equally as delicious. Here for dinner on either a weekend or weeknight, it hits the spot. The burgers are delicious. Very much a smash burger but actually had the home-style taste that you can’t make at home. Most impressively were the onions. Odd thing to pick, but they were surprisingly fresh. Like cry as I bite into them fresh, which tells me they know how to manage their produce. The butter bread was super satisfying and I felt almost too full to finish my hash browns.

But I’d come here, and brought people here, for the shakes. The pictures on the dessert menu look like the actual food. Almost doesn’t do it justice, which is fine since they’re below. Very very rich and heavy. Just coming for the dessert is...

I go in and order a coffee, a cup of chili and three taquitos for $5.99. The waitress asks me if I want the whole thing with lettuce, salsa and sour cream. I say "no sour cream" - the waitress did not mention that "the whole thing" would make my $5.99 plate of taquitos cost over $10 - which is the price I would've spent on a burrito or fajita or anything that was more closely worth $10. The cup of chili was fit for human consumption, and thankfully the portion was small because it was low quality and had the consistency of canned chili - I expected this place to have a good chili.

The waitress staff seems nice but asking you if you want lettuce and salsa on your taquitos without telling you that it would double the price is fraudulent behavior. Also the music sucks - a bunch of those songs that you wouldn't want to get stuck in your head and the TV had something stupid on like the Wendy Williams Show or other...