The Embers — Restaurant in Pinole

Came to Ember‘s restaurant for brunch. It took 10 minutes to take my order. I ordered the ham and cheese Omelett with hash browns and muffin. Yeah, omelette was nothing.special. The Omelette did have enough ham but it wasn’t tasty; hash browns were slightly burnt very tough and english muffin was somewhat burnt without hardly any butter on it. I had to ask for extra butter. I told my waiter I was going to the restroom: I was about halfway through my meal: I came back and the cleanup person had taken my food. Instead of giving me a new omelette, they gave a few scrambled eggs with no ham and no cheese and some burnt hash browns and a slightly burnt small muffin.. The first Waiter poured Coffee over ice (Iced coffee ) for me: he had left so I had had several refills. I asked the other waiter or manager, if I could have a refill; he said ‘man you’ve had about four of those’. I said: ‘well coffee doesn’t cost much you do have refills with your coffee. I said ‘you won’t give another Coffee Refill? The Waiter/Manager said ‘one more’. Before I ask him, he was sitting at the counter texting on his phone and when I ask him for the refill, he acted bothered that I interrupted him and he had to do something for me. I’ve had much better omelettes at other restaurants for a cheaper price. I’ve done a lot of business at Ember’s Restaurant mainly in the evening over many many years. I live right up the street but I don’t think I’m going back: so they’ve Lost My Business.. As a note: I had indigestion from the food and had to...

Update - 05/21 - Embers is finally allowing dine in service. Yey! I haven't been inside in over 6 months. I was blown away today. They remodeled the dinning area and it looks great. No more dingy carpet or old looking tabletops. Even the register station got an upgrade. Looks great. I've been going to this restaurant for over 38 years and I've never seen it look so good. The staff and food are luckily for me still the same. But the new interior is really nice! I had a simple BLT with potato salad. It was exactly what I was looking for to satisfy me for lunch. Not to heavy, but just right. They did increase their prices which is not surprising as they haven't really had an increase in years. They are now kind of on par with everybody else. I think the last time I was there for a pickup (due to COVID closures) the large cut of ribeye steak was about $18. I think it was listed for $28 now. But it's a pretty large steak and comes with soup or salad, baked, mashed potatoes or fries, and bread. This is pretty on par in this area for a large cut ribeye. I wish I would have checked out the womens bathroom as it so desperately needed repair work so much so that it just needed to be totally redone. But next time. Still an all American great...

I feel the pandemic really did something to this restaurant. I use to go there to have their comfort food. Meat loaf, fried chicken and breakfast. On a previous visit their fried chicken was dry and you could barely see the wings. It was so small on the plate they should have left it off. On a recent trip I wanted meatloaf and was told they discontinued it permanently. My second choice was breakfast and the waitress said it was too late. I like to go and patronize community restaurants but since I've struck out on meals I'm use to, I will not be returning until they clean up their act and/or their menu. Seriously, turn off your sign if you're not serving breakfast when the electrical sign saids breakfast, lunch, dinner and they're still open. Either that or tell your patrons before you seat them that you're closing soon. I could live with that rather than to be seated and...