Iron Pan

It seems that people in North Oakland don’t wake up early for breakfast or brunch. Even dim sum seems to open later on the west coast. That works in the favor for the Iron Pan since nothing else in the area was open on Saturday morning at 9am.
Like many smaller dine ins in San Francisco, you get quality meals with quality ingredients here at the Iron Pan. The menu at has a range from breakfast and brunch classics to dinner entrees. We went with the eggs benedict with brisket, Mexican chicken salad, bacon and pancakes, bagels with lox, and waffles. The food portions are large and the prices are completely reasonable — the salad in particular was massive. Our food came out quickly and everything was cooked well.
The cashier didn’t have the best customer service skills but we still had a great experience. For the location, price, and quality of the food, we’ll keep this place for more future brunch dates.

Breakfast today with owner Sam Mugatash serving great bagel and lox, as well as several eggs benedict dishes. When the owner operates closely with the chef and clientele, magic happens.

Based on the ginormous Greek salad, tart-​sweet refillable lemonade, cute space with shady patio, and the fact it’s the best service I’ve had yet in California, I’d give you a thumbs up, were you to ask me whether you should eat here.

This is a pretty cool place, me and a friend had a quick stop here for latte’s. Was very good. You order and pay at the counter, they give you a number which you take to the table of your choice. When your order is ready, they come find you. Nice patio seating facing Telegraph Ave. I saw some pretty exciting entrees being delivered to customers all around me, next time we come I’ll be anxious to try the food.

Great ambiance and great décor. Had the pasta pesto. Fantastic.
We went during an off hour (4pm), but the indoor/​outdoor seating was great. The food was fantastic and the portions were so big you could get two meals out of one plate! Definitely recommended if you’re in the area.

Friendly service and great quality food. Has nice open air patio in front. This isn’t full service (you order at counter but food is brought out to you). No waitstaff. Wouldn’t hesitate to still come here for a casual business lunch or lunch with a friend.

One of my friends from church introduced me to this place and I like it a lot. The menu sort of reminds me of Crepevine, but I like the atmosphere and furnishings here a bit better. I’ve been here for brunch on two different Saturdays, and both times I appreciated the fact that while there were other people around, it was still quiet enough to hear the person I was with talking. The lighting and music are also pretty unobtrusive.
The first time I came here, I got the Angus burger. Nothing spectacular, but nothing wrong with it either.
ANGUS BURGER 10.95
½lb Angus beef served on sesame bun with lettuce, tomatoes, red onions, dill pickle slice & french fries.
The second time around, I opted for their corn flake french toast. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that on any other menu before. I’m not a huge french toast fan because some people make it really soggy, but I think the corn flake coating prevented that and I really enjoyed it.
CORN FLAKE FRENCH TOAST 8.95
Cinnamon bread coated with corn flakes, topped with bananas, strawberries & powder sugar.
My friend got the two by two by two, but instead of pancakes, asked for fruit (trying to cut carbs to drop weight before a friend’s wedding). The woman at the register didn’t make a fuss about it and he ended up with a nice bowl of bananas and strawberries, too.
TWO BY TWO BY TWO 10.25
Two eggs any style, two buttermilk pancakes & your choice of bacon or Aidells chicken apple sausage.
All in all, it’s a pretty good spot in the Temescal. Parking-​wise, I’ve never had a hard time finding any something along this particular stretch of Telegraph — metered or free. Plus, it’s close to a bunch of little shops so you can go for a brief jaunt after your meal if you’re feeling tempted to slip into a food coma. I’m really glad this place is around and I wish they opened up something like this close to Lake Merritt; I’d definitely try to frequent it for lunch.

This place has very cool décor and overall chill ambience. My husband and I sat on their covered patio and enjoyed a refreshing beer.
Unfortunately the food was pretty bad. We ordered chicken nachos and the Acapulco omelette. The omelette and black beans were bland in taste but the potatoes were good. Avoid the nachos unless you like the fake nacho cheese, cold chicken and tortilla chips that were partially stale and tasteless.
We also got our food about 20 minutes after ordering it even though they weren’t busy and customers that ordered after us were getting their food before us. The nachos sat at the counter waiting to get picked up for about 10 minutes. It didn’t seem that it was because the waiter wasn’t doing his job. Rather because the rest of our order hadn’t been made yet (an omelette). When they arrived I asked the waiter (a really nice young man) if he could ask the kitchen to heat them up since the fake cheese and chicken was cold. He returned saying the kitchen wouldn’t do it since that is how they make them.
So, this first experience here was pretty much a Fail.

Met two friends at Iron Pan for lunch on a hot Saturday afternoon. Out of 80 seats, just two were taken; the café was empty. I was surprised because the large covered patio and expansive menu are so inviting. Once inside, I ordered a grilled chicken sandwich on focaccia ($ 10.55) and a mimosa ($ 7?), then later, a Nutella crêpe with strawberries and banana ($ 7).
While the food was good but not remarkable, the counter people filled our carafe of water, refreshed our glasses with ice, and bussed our table. Especially for our two-​hour retreat from the sun, we appreciated the attention to detail. I’m interested in returning for Iron Pan’s acclaimed brunch service, but will not go out of my way to return for lunch.

The ambience here is great for a Saturday or Sunday brunch. There’s seating both inside and outside on their streetside patio, although it’s all airy/​spacious since the large windows/​doors are usually open (not a bad thing in my opinion).
Upon arrival, customers are expected to order their food at the register, and seat themselves afterwards. Seating is usually abundant, although the interior gets loud at times.
Unfortunately, I don’t think the food here is great. I’ve gotten a couple different things and haven’t thought anything was great — examples being undercooked potatoes for scrambles, soggy french toast, or lukewarm soup. If you saddle your tastebuds a bit for the expectation, you should still leave here as a happy customer, assuming you brought good company.

Solid brunch spot in Oakland! Was driving through Oakland and decided to try a new place and stumbled upon this place on Telegraph. It had a nice chill, ambience — you order at the counter and then seat yourself. It was a nice day outside so the outside patio was completely full. We sat inside but they open the doors and windows so all the sunlight was pouring into the restaurant as well — it was so nice!
Food: ordered the classic eggs, potatoes and toast dish and the Mexican omelette (don’t remember the exact names for the two dishes). It’s very hard to get the classic right so I had no complaints about this dish. Their potatoes had a nice crunch to them which I really enjoyed. The Mexican omelette was very interesting! I had never heard of black beans with egg but it was pretty good! It was pretty heavy so we weren’t able to finish it — but nevertheless, interesting combination of ingredients in an omelette.
Their menu is large and extensive and I really wanted to have enough space to try one of their dessert crepes, but I guess I’ll just have to go back again!

This place is amazing!!! It was recommended to me by friends! First off my gf is VERY PICKY about her French toast!!! And she loved it to the point we had to order one for her friend!!! I love this place and the food!!! And the service is amazing! Thank you guys for being here in the neighborhood!!!
Ohhhhjh let me tell you about a great cheap IPA!!!
Cheers!

Watch your steps! Yeah, there was water on the floor near the cashier, and there was butter on the floor under the table where I sat. I stepped on it. Eek!
Anyhow, this establishment is where you order and pay first, get a number, then sit and wait for your food. The same concept as Jack’s Urban Eats and Crepeville. In fact, the menu board looks the same.
I ordered the Corn Flakes French Toast and a cup of coffee. My boyfriend ordered the Belgium Waffle and added fried chicken (AKA Chicken and Waffle). A waitress brought our drinks out first. I mentioned to the waitress that there’s butter on the floor, but she didn’t do anything.
We waited for our food and it didn’t take long. The waiter brought our food out. I mentioned again about the butter to the waiter and he took care of it. I liked my dish – not overly sweet and it was topped with fresh sliced strawberries and banana. The French toast had a good crunch. My boyfriend’s chicken was a little under seasoned – it could use a little more salt and pepper. They do have S&P on the table if needed. The chicken was crispy, golden brown and moist. The waffle was thick and big but not dense. It was good.
It was a nice restaurant. Good ambiance. The music was not too loud. Everyone looked like they were enjoying themselves and the food. I like the covered outdoor patio area.
I’d go back again. Hopefully, there won’t be wet floor and butter on the floor.

Another great food place in Temescal. You know how the parking goes on Telegraph… you should be able to find metered parking on the street or if you’re lucky maybe to can find free street parking on a side street. Just don’t expect to find parking right outside, unless you’re going early in the morning.
This place has such a cool ambiance and is good if you want a good bite to eat, or if you just want to go have some coffee and use the free wifi. They have tables for your small party and they also have big communal tables if it gets crowded or if you go with a big group of friends. You can walk in and order and then find your own table. We went for breakfast and tried the chorizo scramble and the olympia omelette with spinach, feta cheese, tomatoes, black olives and pine nuts. Both were delicious, served with potatoes and your choice of toast. They serve big portions, so come hungry. They also offer crepes, bagels, sandwiches, salads, pastas, etc. You can pretty much find something for everyone.
The employees were all very friendly and helpful. It plays coffee-​house music so it’s also a nice place to sit and chat with friends.

The old Aunt Mary’s Café space has been done up with wood. A bar /​cashier area on the right and the formerly open kitchen in back is now semi-​closed.
Iron Pan is what I call a «chalkboard creperie» type of place ala Crepevine /​Squat & Gobble /​etc. with crepes, salads, sandwiches, and breakfast dishes on a handwritten chalkboard menu above the kitchen & cashier area. Order at the cashier, get number, and take a seat.
The sandwiches I’ve gotten (Brisket Reuben & Angus Burger) have been just A-​OK level.
The Brisket Reuben has thin cut meat and comes with a choice of greens and rosemary potatoes or fries. I didn’t notice the choice when I ordered and got fries by default (
) Fries looked to be standard Sysco fare and started out slightly crispy and softened from there.
The ½lb Angus Burger comes with fries and secret sauce on the side (
). I ordered and received Medium Rare. The patty was not juicy and could have used a harder sear or some seasonings to bring out more flavor. Fries were similar to the first time; should have asked for salad or fruit instead.
Pints of beer started at $ 3.25 when they first opened and have now nudged up to a still good value $ 3.75 all day long.

This place was alright.
*place was clean and spacious
*good music selection, a lot of reggae and oldies.
*food was good, big portions.
–I didn’t like the latte. It was more watery than it was foamy, had bubbles, and there was a spoon in the cup already.

Somewhere, in the reams of universes parallel to our own, a cluster of students wait eagerly in a classroom. They are graduate students to be exact; a fact betrayed by their possession of a few white hairs, and a non-​ironic enthusiasm for cool jazz. To be more exact: they are studying the Philosophy of Restaurant. The study of the foundations, implications, and quality of restaurantness — an exploration of the restaurant qua restaurant. Their minds are battered after a semester in the dark and musty cave of pure theory but today: they’re going on a field trip!
They are going to a place contrived to challenge their notions of essential restaurantism. It is a working restaurant yes, but it is also an examination. A place where the a posteriori and the a priori collide; like waves of reason relentlessly slapping the sands of perception. The place is a test. The place is Iron Pan.
Everything is kind of fucked up at Iron Pan.
Even the dumbest student in this class will comment on the entrance. Though the yawning veranda beckons patrons in, there is no host stand. Only a tiny paper sign at the door instructs you to order at the counter. For established locals this isn’t fatal, but new patrons should feel greeted.
The more attentive student will address the menu next. The signage promises breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but all-​day breakfast is more accurate. Crepes, bagels, eggs, and «specialties» (mostly breakfast items) dominate the menu. When you get to the counter to place your order, an overhead menu looms. For an order-​at-​the-​counter kind of place there are a lot of options. And pasta for some reason?
After you have furrowed your brow for 20 seconds, the kind person behind the counter will offer you a paper menu. Not sure why they printed so many, but anyway, they have the same information as the menu above. You’re still baffled so you will order the belgian waffle with fried chicken. (As a hungover grad student, it’s the only choice.) The shamrock benedict is good too.
The ambitious student will notice the legion of logistical quodlibets. For one, if you order a cold coffee, it is handed to you immediately and you will find cream/​sugar at an arbitrarily placed station near the back. Order a hot coffee however, and it is brought to you at your table. At that moment, and only then, will someone ask you if you would like cream or sugar, which he will then fetch from the back. Perhaps Sisyphusian is too strong a word for this server’s plight, but… that’s messed up right?
The student gunning for a strong letter of reference should address the décor. There is wine EVERYWHERE. It is not merely a beverage option they seem desperate to encourage — it feels like a bottle might pop out of a wall fixture and into your face at any moment.
And consider this: a large painting depicts a couple seated at a bar in evening finery, sexily sipping away. The painting is right next to the actual bar where you order your food. But you can’t sit at the actual bar, and it’s not nearly that sexy. It’s as if this painting is an arrow pointing squarely at what this restaurant is not. But which half of the schizophrenic design team demanded its erection? The half that wanted this place to be a wine bar, or the half the knows that it is not? Or is assuming this is the work of a dyad a naïve presupposition? Is this some Tyler Durden shit?
SUCH IS THE VORTEX of maddening design «decisions» that seem to have brought Iron Pan to life. In conclusion, I contend that Iron Pan is indeed an example of Non-​logical Restaurant Constructivism (McCloud, 1992).
Obligatory Highfalootin’ Title: On Constructivism and Reductive Physicalism at Breakfast on Telegraph Ave.
Menu Readability: It’s handwritten in chalk above the counter. Very nice.
Need to mention: Perhaps most baffling of all: the menu is delicious. I really enjoy eating there.
What this place teaches me about myself: How many reductive physicalists does it take to open a breakfast spot? UGH SCHOOL WAS SUCH A WASTE OF MONEY

This place is a gem!
My husband and I ordered the quinoa salad with salmon, spaghetti bolognese, and lentil soup. Everything was really really good! The portions were huge! Great service too. Will definitely be back to try the breakfast menu.

I’m glad this place opened, there weren’t many all-​day breakfast through dinner café type places in Temescal that also took credit cards until Iron Pan moved into the old Aunt Mary’s place. A very casual vibe with decent food from a variety of categories. The crepes are decent, the salads are also pretty good. The sandwiches weren’t bad but weren’t anything to rave about. The best thing I’ve had here is the waffle with fried chicken, which seems like an afterthought on the menu but gives other versions of the dish in the east bay a run for their money.
While it doesn’t really do anything unexpected, it’s a nice, affordable, family friendly, casual café that has a little bit of everything, always served fresh.

Iron Pan looks comfy. order/​pay at counter. food brought to table.
menu: crepes, desserts, salads, sammies, burgers, breakfast, bagles, beer, wine,
eats: angus burger (½ lb. 9.95) ordered med. rare
–got mediumish, no juice, no red meat, no meat flavor on sesamed bun.
–lettuce, red onions, pickles, mustard on request, sauce
–lots of crispy fries, would have preferred salad, option wasn’t stated, didn’t ask
fresh but disappointing.
foodnotes:
–anything else probably better option than burger.
–carnivores need to go vegan to get best eats here
passed on roasted eggplant, shouldn’t have.
3 stars for burgers, 4 stars (hopefully) for everything else.