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The Almond Tree Grill and Lounge has been an icon on the entertainment scene of Roseville, CA for many years, and is know as "The 'Cheers' Bar of Roseville," as the lounge features live music, dancing, karaoke four nights a week, and a variety of entertainment. It's a neighborhood "dive bar" and a favorite with Roseville locals. As an added bonus, the restaurant offers "bar food," but their fine cuisine is more on the likes of fine dining. What's more, the restaurant and bar opens at 8:00 in the morning, every day of the week, and now offers breakfast! As with all restaurant reviews I publish, I have no affiliation with the restaurant reviewed, and there is no monetary gain on my part, as I am simply a person who likes to eat, and I love to write-up, and publish my dining experiences. Photo: Almond Tree Grill and Lounge has been a favorite entertainment destination for Roseville locals for many years. It has all entertainment bases covered, including karaoke four nights a week, live DJ, live music, dancing, a full-service bar, and delicious "bar food" and fine dining. Recently, breakfast is served from the 8 o'clock opening until noon. It's a little after 10:00 on a rainy Monday morning, March 16, 2020, and I've arrived for beer and an early lunch, which morphed into a late breakfast. Photo: As you enter the restaurant, the first thing you'll notice is the full-service bar, that dominates the dining room. Photo: The dining room is large, spacious and very comfortable. You can sit at the bar, or at the many tables, some of which are elevated, in true "barstool mountain" fashion. Out of the photo to the left, there's an alcove for the DJ, as karaoke happens four nights a week. There's also a small stage, as live entertainment events also regularly occur. There are also numerous television monitors, normally tuned to sporting events, but as of this writing, "Coronavirus" is all in the news, and there aren't many sporting events taking place. Photo: Friendly Julia Campbell is a gal that wears many hats, as she not only tends bar, but offers table service, with a smile. The bar is full service, and Julia can mix any drink of your choosing. Photo: The menu is two-sided, and this is the side of "Sandwiches" and "Entrees." I had researched the menu at the restaurant's web site, and I was interested in the "Street Tacos," until my friendly server told me about breakfast. At Almond Tree Grill and Lounge, every Tuesday is "Taco Tuesday," and the "Street Tacos" are half price. Photo: The flip side of the menu, which offers "Small Bites," along with "Soup and Salad." I was all set to order carnitas "Street Tacos" from the other side of the menu, until my friendly server told me the restaurant serves breakfast, from a "hidden menu." In other words, breakfast is not on the menu. Breakfast choices are limited to a couple varieties of sandwiches, omelettes and a plate of bacon and eggs. Home style potatoes and sourdough toast are the only sides offered on the "hidden" breakfast menu. I debated... but I went with "Bacon and Eggs," along with a couple of draught beers for enjoyment. Photo: After looking over the menu, and ordering a breakfast of "Bacon and Eggs," I ordered a draught beer, and friendly Julia brought me my beer, with a smile. Photo: At the end of the bar, there is a window to the kitchen, where you can watch the chef at work. The kitchen isn't exactly "open," as you have to look for it, but it's alright with the friendly staff. Photo: Julia passed my table with a breakfast order for another party, and I asked her if I could take her photo, and she cheerfully agreed. It looks like this diner will be enjoying a breakfast sandwich, home style potatoes, along with a bottle of ketchup. Photo: Meet Julia Campbell, my amazingly friendly server, who brought my breakfast to me with a smile. Julia was a busy lady, as she was tending bar AND waiting tables at the same time, although there were only a few tables seated, and most diners were drinkers, seated at the bar. Julia is a great conversationist, an accomplished server, and a nice person. Along with the delicious breakfast, she helped to make my visit enjoyable, to say the least! Photo: Thanks, Julia, for snapping my photo, as I get ready to enjoy an amazing breakfast at Almond Tree Grill and Lounge, located in Roseville, CA. Photo: Breakfast is not on the menu, but it's available until noon, and the only reason I found out about breakfast is that my friendly server, Julia, told me about it. Since it was a little after 10:00 in the morning, I went with breakfast, rather than the "Street Tacos" I had planned to order. I went with the "Bacon Egg and Potato" breakfast. My breakfast was delicious, but basic, as it included two eggs, fried to my liking - over easy - country potatoes, two strips of thick bacon, along with a piece of buttered sourdough bread. Breakfast choices are very limited - and not on the menu - and if you order anything besides a sandwich, you'll be limited to basically what's on my plate. That's not a bad thing, as this is the kind of breakfast that I long for... especially when it's enjoyed at a neighborhood dive bar. Service was rapid, as my breakfast arrived about ten minutes after I placed my order, and I'd only taken a few sips of my first beer. The breakfast starts with two pieces of thick bacon, cooked to perfection. I didn't tell Julia my preference with bacon - I prefer my bacon soft, and almost "rubbery" - and my bacon arrived just the way I like it. If you like your bacon crispy, let your server know... It's been a long time since I've enjoyed such fine bacon at a restaurant. I ordered my eggs fried over easy - my de facto standard - and my eggs arrived just the way I ordered them, except one of them had a little yolk peaking out. No worries on my part, as like my bacon, I prefer my eggs on the "runny" side. The home fried potatoes - hash brown potatoes aren't available - were cut to just the right size, and deep fried to an almost crunchy golden brown on the outside, and chewy on the inside, which are the mark of great breakfast potatoes. The potatoes were neither salty or greasy, and cooked to perfection. The sourdough toast - the only toast available - was toasted, buttered, and great. My compliments to the chef, as he has talent, as this was a delicious breakfast. At $12.00 plus tax, it was a little on the pricey side, but considering the "divey" atmosphere, the quality of the food and the friendly service, it made a fair price to pay for a delicious breakfast. Does it get any better than to enjoy a perfect breakfast of bacon, eggs, potatoes, toast... and a draught beer? Almond Tree Grill and Lounge opens every morning at 8:00, and breakfast is served until noon. Great food, cold, draught beer, live music, great entertainment, along with super friendly staff make Almond Tree Grill and Lounge a great choice for fine dining, and great entertainment. Almond Tree Grill & Lounge Copyright(c) 2020 eRench Productions. All rights reserved. We've been on the web since December 22, 2002.
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