Harry's Hofbrau — Restaurant in San Leandro

The food changes on different days some days it's really good, other days it's only okay! But ..I hear people constantly asking questions when they get to the cashier why is it this much I don't understand I'm just getting a half a sandwich and soup and they're being charged $20, $22 $25???for it! I thought I understood their method of charging having been there many many times over the years! But the last time I was there was absolutely IT!!! I thought my order came with a dessert! What actually happened was ... I and my husband were putting in our order at the counter he said he wished to have an extra side of vegetables! When we got to the checkout and paid I thought was a bit too much money for the food we had received. We didn't complain we just paid and went and sat down. I realized they had not given me a dish for my dessert so when I went back and asked for the dessert dish The cashier said we had upgraded my food order so therefore dessert didn't come with my dinner!!! I went back and sat down with my husband. I told him, they said that I upgraded my dinner order!! I was at loss I didn't get it ....even though I'm a pretty regular customer. So he and I went back to the counter waited for 10 minutes while she checked out a whole bunch of other people she never stopped and just asked us what we needed. After another customer complained about the price they were charged, I added to it and said we don't know why we're being charged and not being allowed to have a desert on a dinner order! So she took our receipt and just repeated to us what was on it ...you ordered this and that and you added vegetables to your order, that makes it not a regilar dinner....OMG I said what I don't understand IS my husband had a dinner order and he asked to have an extra side of vegetables to go with his dinner order! I didn't change anything I took my dinner order exactly as you serve it which is supposed to come with a dessert! She repeated it but you got an extra side! We said yes my husband ordered an extra side on his dinner and paid for it as far as I know! She said no you upgraded your dinner with a side ohmygod how ridiculous after standing there for 10 minutes with no resolve I walked back to our table and literally said "I'm out of here! I never want to come back here again!!" the food is ordinary okay but only ordinary and it's now run by a bunch of SOUTH-of-the-boarder idiots there's no good Italian people running this anymore sorry I'm not Prejudice I'm just telling you what I see!!...

Looking for COMFORT FOOD at a HOFBRÄU, but was met with SALAD GREENS.

The best part of my meal was the RED VELVET CAKE. It was moist, soft and light with a mild cocoa taste. The expected 'tartness' was missing however. And the frosting, although rich and creamy, did not taste very much like cream cheese.

The MASHED POTATOES (no gravy thanks) had been sitting out a bit long because the edges were a little dry.

The RED CABBAGE, sautéed with VINEGAR was acceptable. The CORNED BEEF was ok. Tender, but not hot or warm. Thankfully, it was not fatty.

I would have liked sweet ice tea, but the hofbrau's UNSWEET BREWED ICE TEA did not clash with my cabbage.

The wheat DINNER ROLL was kinda dry. It was served with real butter.

Fewer green salad-type options and more German potato staples and European-inspired vegetables are preferable.

The staff are friendly.

The patrons seem to skew older, most likely wanting to eat the way they did when they were younger: meat, 2 veg, and bread. That is how my parents fed me.

The restaurant operates like a cafeteria.

Line up at the head of the buffet. The meat carver and others will service you, in turn. Keep moving down the line until you reach the cashier.

Take your tray of food to your...

Hand carved meats served buffet style with an assortment of sides, salads, and desserts. Three diners on this trip. The prime rib special, mushrooms and a salad; the bratwurst/ sausage link baked beans and mushrooms and a ham and cheese on rye bread. The bread for the sandwich was fresh, soft and had a good rye taste. Plentiful on the sliced ham, and Swiss cheese a little skimpy on the tomato and mayo, the lettuce was fresh and crisp. The prime rib was over spiced way way too much pepper in the crust but served rare and cooked properly. The salad was “wet, mushy, and in general inedible. The sausage /kielbasa was thin, the equivalent of a foot long hot dog. Had a decent sausage tatse. The mushrooms were quite good, served whole and not overcooked. The beans were warm, barbecue sauced with a sweet smoky sauce. Took four tries to order a dessert they actually had. Cheesecake is nothing to cheer about. Overall a decent meal for three in a cafeteria style eatery Regulars are going to continue to eat here and be complacent. If you have not eaten here and are thinking about— give the Hoffbrau a try for your business. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed for the...