Harry’s Hofbrau

How the hell have I never been to Harry’s Hofbrau?!
I lived half my life in San Leandro and recently moved back to the area. My home is barely a 10-​minute walk away, yet I’ve never had an opportunity to drop by.
That was until I came back to see the parents for a 3-​day weekend, and chose to support my Warriors during Game 6 in the Western Conference Finals. My good buddies from high school came out for reunion drinks and pretzels as we watched in anxiety. We sat at the bar and were greeted by friendly bartenders who took good care of us.
Harry’s has plenty of monthly drafts to choose from, so give some a try before taking your pick. Drafts were around $ 5 for a pint– not too bad! If you’re looking for some shots (and I’m not simply talking about basketball here), they’ve got a large selection to choose from. We were surprised to see import Yamazaki whiskey available!
Warriors won. I got a good buzz. That proves to me that Harry’s has got it going on. Next time I’ll be back to try some of their food.

This used to be one of my favorite places but I left there today and as I was eating my chicken a bug crawled out.
And the chicken was told to me was cooked that day roasting every 30 mins. It was cold and parts were very dry.

I have to confess that this is not my kind of food. Meat and potatoes has not really been my thing for some time so my review is not necessarily reflective of what others who like this sort of place might think.
I was driving and looking for something close with high ratings. I came here without really delving into what the restaurant was like. Once I arrived with my friend I was not terribly excited at going elsewhere so i decided to just go with it.
It’s basically a cafeteria line with a huge selection of different meats and basic sides… unfortunately this means potatoes drowned in gravy, overly buttery veggies and mushrooms, slaw, etc. Very classic American cafeteria food but bland and unhealthy.
The floor staff were kind of curt; I suppose they were annoyed at my 1 year old and I get were that comes from but it still chafes me.
Obviously I won’t ever be back here. But that’s simply because I am not into «meat and potatoes»…if that’s your thing you might be satisfied with this place as a simple straightforward kind of joint with many many meat offerings. Vegetarians definitely stay away!

Out of all of the few Hof Brau type restaurants left of this dying breed of food venues, Harry’s Hofbrau is my fave. The Hof Brau is we know it in the Bay Area usually means a drinking place that serves fresh cooked food cafeteria style real carved meats, like real turkey carved like Thanksgiving, prime rib, roast beef, pastrami and classic old school side dishes of stuffing, mashed potatoes and steamed veggies. They even had old school egg custard dessert.
One nice thing I found out on this visit are the Senior diner platters are discounted to $ 10.84 from $ 14.59 and you don’t need to be a senior to order it! It’s just a slightly smaller portion, but from the looks of what the people in front of me got that ordered «senior» that was plenty of food! All of the dinner entrees are served all day and come with Mashed Potatoes with Gravy and Dinner Roll; Choice of Carvery Salad or Hot Side Order like stuffing or veggies.
Me, I just love the big meaty filled sandwiches here all dipped in the great beef au jus. I order a classic roast beef sandwich ($ 8.74) on French Bread (Like one of those Colombo sourdough torpedos), if you grew up in the Bay Area, you know those. I can’t resist the classic turkey stuffing slathered in real house made turkey gravy ($ 3.14) and for dessert I get the egg custard ($ 3.14). You just tell the server behind the steam table what you want and slide you tray on down to the next station. You pay at the end. If you want alcohol, you go to the bar. I just had water this time. It’s a big place and I can see this place getting crowded.
Sitting in a booth, I pose my food for pics and then dig in! My big roast beef sandwich is cut in half and I grab one half and drench it into the big bowl of au jus. Letting it sit there for a second or two to soak up the juicy goodness. My first bite, goes through the thick sourdough softened by the au jus and I bite into the meaty goodness. Oh Yeah!, This is what I remember a real sandwich tastes like, not one of those chain sandwich places that’s so popular now… this is the real deal here! The meat is thick and juicy and now I move on to my gravy covered stuffing… holy moly! Wow, this is the best damn gravy I ever had! Homemade or restaurant, this is the best turkey gravy! It tastes so well, «turkey», and is just the right thickness and not overly salty like so many gravies. I love it on the classic stuffing.
I’m getting filled up, but I save room for dessert, my egg custard, seasoned with nutmeg I think, whatever it is, it;\‘s might tasty, different than the Chinese custard tarts or pies, this has more spices. I forget how good the food is here! I need to come here more often, it’s very close right off the MacArther Freeway (I-​580) at 150^th Ave. Get down here and go old school, no fancy plating here, just real food!

The Tommy’s Joynt of the East Bay, it’s a blast from the past. If you like big portions doused in tasty brown gravy, at rock bottom prices, this is your place. We all loved it!

This is a really good place to eat turkey legs, sandwich and rotisserie chicken. Generous portions. I come here often to feast because I’m hungry after I lift me weights so I need a chunk of meat and I get in n out really quick, no lines. I hope this place stays here forever.

Cafeteria type setting. You line up grab your tray and pick what you want. They have a full bar which has reasonable prices. And also a patio area if you want to enjoy your meals outdoor on hot days. Food is decent, your holiday meals type of food. A little pricy in my opinion.

If you’re gluten free (you’re actually not, you’re just a narcissist) or have allergies to stuff no one else has allergies to, stay away.
This is just some good old stick your bones type of food.
I had the roast beef with mashed potatoes and gravy.
It is cooked how you would expect it to be cooked.
I’m not a décor guy, but if you want the look, this place has that too.

For value alone this place beats many others and if you dont mind serving yourself off what looks like a prison lunch tray this might be the spot for you. I remember going to Mels once in the city and paying $ 35 after tip for a burger, coffee and a slice of dessert. I ordered a similar thing here: turkey sandwich, coffee, apple pie and got away at a fraction of the cost. The turkey sandwich was great, coffee below average and the apple pie above average. The turkey is the real deal. They carve it in front of you and you can see them bake em in the window by the front door. It can be a bit cold by the time you go through the line and pay but gravy helps a bit. The coffee was weak but you can refill yourself and have as much as you like. If you are right with God give their «cream» a whirl otherwise stay away… who knows how long its been out. Their apple pie was a big beautiful portion. Presentation here didnt lack. The apples were under-​cooked and took away from really enjoying it. Been going here for 10 or 15 years and will continue going.

Being prego I been craving prime rib so finally it was a Saturday and thats when they have prime rib. $ 17.49 came with a 10oz slice of prime rib, mashed potatoes, side salad, bread roll, and another choice of a side. I opt for the mac and cheese. The sides are amazing but gravy is a little overpowering for my palate. The mac and cheese is bomb dot com! You can choose from a wheat or white roll but I wish it was warmed up. Still soft and butter was easily to be spread on. I got the Cesar salad but its pre tossed so the croutons were soggy and the lettuce was soft and not crisp. Not overly tossed in dressing so its good but I barely touched it. The prime rib was ok not the best but I wish you could request how well you want it or not. Atm I cant eat rare so I had to eat around some parts. The rub is ok but too salty so you dont really taste the meat more so the seasoning. The unlimited coffee is a must if you come here. Their coffee is amazing! Its cafeteria style but its good food. I will come back but maybe try roast beef or a turkey leg!

First time I went here, I was pretty excited. All the residents at the retirement community I work at raves about this place, so I figured it must be good. I chose the pastrami sandwich upon my visit, and was content with my sandwich. it was hearty, with thick slabs of pastrami (different from what I was used to at Togos and other sandwich joints). I wasn’t completely blown away at the time, but was still eager to come back to try out other things.
The second time I came to Harrys, I chose the rotisserie chicken. I was expecting it to be just as good as Boston Markets’, if not better. It was a complete disaster! the chicken was bland to say the very least. There was almost no flavor to the meat or the skin, which was disappointing. I was very unhappy with my meal. I flavored up my chicken with some salt and tabasco, thinking about how I won’t be coming back.

Cafeteria style. Go to the counter to get food then find a seat. I only wanted the Manhattan Clam Chowder to go. The food, well at least the meat and salads, look delicious. The mashed potatoes and stuffing looked meh. Mashed potatoes looked like they came out of the box.
Manhattan Clam Chowder was alright. But at nearly $ 6.
I might come back to try their other items.

Comfort food with great selection of brew. Not a hipster in sight!
Had a pastrami sandwich for $ 8.99. 4 oz of dry charred ends and bread as hard as a rock. I had to slather meat with Beaver dijon and scooped the bread guts out to make it palatable. The bar and beer is good!

I loveeee this place. Not only does the food taste great, but they have a fully stocked bar with a good selection of brew. The prices are great for the amount of food you get. You can see why this place is usually busy.
I’ve always gotten the bbq chicken with mash potatoes and mac and cheese. This chicken is so juicy and tender, not dry. Dry chicken is horrible. The bbq sauce has very good flavor, and you get 2 big pieces with your order. The mash potatoes and gravy is legit also!
The service here is excellent. All the staff is super nice and friendly. If you’re looking for good food, good beer and good vibes, check out Harry’s! They also show a lot of sports games also so definitely a good place to chill with friends.

Harry’s has been delicious since I was a kid. I’ve only had their chicken and turkey, meat wise, but they’re both juicy and amazing every time. My go-​to is the open faced turkey sandwich with their champagne dressing salad, and a side of mac and cheese. I’ve never had a bad meal here.
One thing that you cannot appreciate coming here as a kid is their beer choices. They constantly rotate the beers and have beer events.

I don’t love it. It’s ok. Huge portions. Huge bowls of mashed potatoes and gravy. Big plates of meat. My homemade corned beef is better, mine is always tender and flavorful. Harry’s was rubbery and bland. The Mac and cheese appealed to my 2 year old. She loved the vanilla ice cream. Our friends like it so I’ll meet them there again. Oddly I’ve heard the enchiladas are good. I’ll try those next time,
It’s very family friendly which also means it’s a little dirty and sticky.

I’ve been coming here for years with my family. I only recently discovered their amazing beer selection. They literally have something for every type of beer snob. I’ve been coming here pretty much every Monday as of lately with my best friend/​roommate. The bartender on Monday days, Zach, is really great at what he does & happily lets you know the best draught for what you’re wanting. So now that we’ve gotten the beer review out of the way…
FOOD
Harry’s is SO consistent and I love that. You know exactly what you’re going to get every time you go. And everything is scrumptious. I don’t mean that lightly, it is scrumptious by definition. Good ass comfort food. Perfect for any type of weather. Their champagne salad is hella good, be sure to try that. Mac and cheese is always amazing. the gravy and mashers are always bomb & are not that boxed bs either. I’ve had damn near every type of meat from here and I’ve never gotten a dry or non-​flavorful piece yet. I just love Harry’s so much. It makes my stomach and tastebuds ridiculously happy.

If you’re a meat and potatoes kinda guy or gal, then Harry’s Hofbrau might be a good place for you. You can get generous portions of all kinds of meat here – turkey, beef, pork, and chicken – with lots of sides to choose from – salads, mashed potatoes and gravy, mac and cheese, etc – to complete your meal. They also have a bar.
Though we’ve lived in San Leandro for 11 years, this is is only our first time here. We finally went on a Friday night, hoping that they’d have Prime Rib, but it was the wrong night for that. I ended up having to settle for their Tri-​Tip dinner, which was disappointing. It was bland. The mashed potatoes and gravy were also pretty tasteless. The mac and cheese was alarmingly orange in color and again, did not have a lot of flavor. I had a taste and gave it to the hubby to eat.
The hubby ordered the Roast Beef Sandwich with Mashed Potatoes and Gravy. It wasn’t really a sandwich. They placed a piece of bread on the plate and added the beef and gravy on top. The hubby liked the mashed potatoes and gravy but he didn’t like the meat. It was tough, dry and bland. The gravy added the much needed flavor to the meat.
The price is good here, so if your goal is to fill up, you can certainly do that here without spending too much money. This is not a full service restaurant, so that’ll save you money too. You line up, cafeteria-​style, and you’ll see trays of food in front of you and tell the staff what you’d like. It’s also one of the few restaurants that’s open past 10 pm in San Leandro. While we’re not in a hurry to return here, if we are needing food past 10 pm, we’ll consider going back.

This is definitely a retro gem. Frankly, I dragged co-​workers there on a Friday afternoon for a beer… they have an amazing selection on tap and in bottles (GI BCBS for one). They are truly knowledgeable about their beers and helped steer everyone into something they liked. In fact, you can sign up for alerts from them on
and find out what their latest beer offerings are… that’s what I do. They’re really consistent about keeping it up to date. They have a full bar so no need to just have beer. Kitschy fireplace in the back where you can sit and sip… all very comfortable in a ’70’s homey kind of way.
The best part is the hof brau section — you can get any kind of freshly made meat product with all the fixin’s you like. I’m not a meat eater but needed to bring something home for the teen girl, so went for the classic turkey dinner. She said it was amazing. In fact, I know my whole family would love it here… so gonna bring them back, let them be carnivorous while I make a meal out of mashed potatoes and beer. Works for me!

First walking in, not gonna lie, I wasn’t impressed. It had a cool pub/​tavern-​like vibe, but it seemed outdated. The mood is a bit slow and drab and it’s organized like a cafeteria in the way you get your food. You wait in line to grab a tray and you make your order.
Ok, enough of the negatives, but I actually really like this place! Putting that aside, this is a kind of place where regulars hangout. In the main dining area, there’s a lot of seating and the staff are very friendly and attentive. They give you hefty portions, and servers are very flexible in how you want to substitute your sides (hot sides, soups and salads) and how much they give you. The quality of food is also great. It’s not like gourmet food, but its definitely above average and very tasty! I want to say that their hearty menu is heavily focused on many different kinds of meat from seafood to land meat and poultry. The meats are a bit salty, but it has a good texture and flavor. I always really want to try one of their many desserts that include pies and cakes!
My favorite part of the restaurant is the bar. Further inside Harry’s is a more pub-​like area where they have TVs usually with sports. During happy hour they have nachos on the side you can grab if you like which is awesome! The bartenders are so friendly and helpful if you’re having a tough time deciding what beer you want to order from their extensive and dynamic (every changing) list.
This is a great place to come for dinner with friends and kick back with a beer. Definitely been here several times and will be back in the future.
Ambiance: 3.5÷5
Food: ⁴⁄₅
Service: 4.5÷5
Overall Experience: ⁴⁄₅