Original Red Onion — Restaurant in Pinole

I like to support local businesses and I’ve eaten here multiple times. I’ve always enjoyed my burger and fries.

I don’t know why they couldn’t provide decent food or service tonight. They took my order and then started filling orders from people who ordered after me. When they finally got my fries ready they had been sitting for a while and they served them to me cold. Instead of making fresh fries they refried my fries.

That is not healthy or tasty. My fries would have had more oil absorbed into the fries and would be soggy. I asked for my money back.

I complained that they shouldn’t be refrying fries but they kept doing that while I was waiting for my refund.

When I received my refund receipt it didn’t even show a refund. It was a blank receipt with a number on top. They assured me I would receive a refund in two days. But why couldn’t they use a register that can show a refund like other companies. It makes me suspicious.

I would be cautious about eating there. I also saw the cook put so much salt on a burger, I couldn’t believe it. I would say she salted it three or four times as would be normal.

They need some quality controls and...

Red Onion is…fine. Burger joint. Does a thing, does it well. Problem is, like many restaurants in El Sob, they seem to have decided that in 2024 they can get away with charging San Francisco prices in a very non-SF market. Over 9 bucks for a milkshake makes zero sense when you are using soft serve. Likewise, it isn’t like the beef/buns/fries/etc are organic or fancy or anything, it’s all basic, but the prices are now very high. Time to do what Paradise restaurant over on Dam Road did and bring your prices back down to Earth. None of us around here got a 75%+ increase in wages the last couple years, including your employees. food prices climbed maybe 20% so going up a buck fifty makes sense, but there’s no excuse to bring prices up almost 100%. A basic, greasy burger should...

The food was great, portions were great, price felt worth it, the building is quaint but charming. The only negative thing was the attitude of the employees. They weren't rude or offensive, but seemed disappointed that a customer walked in. Frowns on their faces and a sort of surprised look that someone walked in.

Perhaps they were just tired that day. Cooking is hard work. Or maybe they just hate the job or hate life. Either way it felt rather uncomfortable in there as if I've caused them additional pain by ordering some food. It was not busy in there at all, only me and another customer.

Overall great place, will return. Hopefully whatever has the employees upset goes away by then and their lives improve, i wish them the best. Also please...