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Almond Tree Restaurant and Lounge is an Atwater icon, as it's been a Atwater dining institution for many years as it's the only full-service restaurant, complete with a full-service bar, that is open 24/7 in Atwater.
Photo: Almond Tree Restaurant and Lounge has been an Atwater dining institution every since I can remember. The restaurant is located along busy Highway 99, and caters to the tastes of locals, tourists, truckers, and members of state law enforcement, who's office is just across the highway. Today, Monday morning, June 13, 2016, was the first time that I'd visited this fine restaurant since I attended Merced High School, quite a few years ago.
Photo: Six o'clock on Monday morning, October, 17, 2016, I met my friend of 40+ years, Bev Souza, for breakfast at Almond Tree. It's great to have breakfast with someone that you've known since high school.
Photo: Today, Bev and I ordered nearly dentical breakfasts from the "special" board posted above the kitchen window. My breeakfast of hash brown potatoes, bacon, scrambled eggs, along with biscuits and gravy. We deviated, as Bev ordered toast with her eggs, potaotes and bacon.
Photo: Almond Tree is open 24/7/365, and breakfast is offered any time, which raises a "green flag" in my book, since I'm a HUGE fan of breakfast. As you walk in, you'll see the counter and the window to the kitchen to your right, booths are to the left. Out of the photo, and to the right, is the entrance to the lounge, which is generally open only from late afternoon until early morning, as per California State law. My buddy, Dan Weir, sits at the counter, as we'll be enjoying breakfast together on this early Monday morning.
Photo: My friend Dan is a regular at Almond Tree, so he knows the "ropes" better than I do. He points to the white board, placed above the window to the kitchen, that advertises today's specials. Today, a complete breakfast of bacon, eggs and everything, was priced at $7.99 - one dollar off the regular price - so I decided to act on Dan's suggestion, and go with that for breakfast today.
Photo: Our friendly server, Chelo, fills Dan's coffee mug with delicious coffee. Chelo was very gracious and friendly, and kept our coffee mugs full, and was happy to chat with us, as we discussed such relevant topics as camping, hunting, guns and fishing. As the photo shows, Almond Tree Restaurant and Lounge is a very "old school" diner, and except for the computer system, the decor hasn't changed much, if all, since the last time I visited the restaurant, which was probably about 1972 or so. No change is always a good thing with restaurants!
Photo: I snapped Chelo's photo, as she brought my delicious breakfast to me. To the right of the photo, you can look through the window to the kitchen and see the smiling chef. Too bad I didn't get his name, but I asked Chelo to give him my compliments on today's delicious breakfast. Dan is a regular at Almond Tree, and knows Chelo quite well. I found her company to be very enjoyable, and her service was outstanding, not to mention the fact she's a nice person.
Photo: Thanks, Chelo, for snapping my photo, as I'm ready to enjoy a delicious breakfast on this early Monday morning. Speaking of early, it's a little after 6 in the morning, as I was up early, as I was on the way to join family for a long day's hike in nearby Yosemite National Park. You can read about our hike by clicking on this link.
Photo: Normally, the full breakfast of bacon and eggs is $8.99, but it was advertised on the white board as $7.99, so I went for it, as it sounded good! You get FIVE pieces of bacon, and the bacon was cooked perfectly, as it wasn't crisp, nor was it runny; it was cooked to perfection, just the way I like it. I almost always order eggs over easy, and my eggs were cooked perfectly, over easy, just the way I like them. You have a choice between hash brown or country potatoes; today I went with hash browns, and just like everything else, they were cooked perfectly. Ditto on the sourdough toast. Oh yes, the coffee was delicious, and Chelo provided endless refills. This breakfast was OUTSTANDING! Check out Almond Tree Restaurant and Lounge when you're in the mood for an awesome breakfast. When you're traveling on busy CA Highway 99, on the road to anywhere, and you're in the mood for a great meal, Almond Tree Restaurant and Lounge is open every day, at any hour, for your dining pleasure. You'll enjoy great food, friendly service, and the hospitality that Atwater has to offer. Almond Tree Restaurant and Lounge Copyright(c) 2016 eRench Productions, Inc. All rights reserved. This site has been on the web since December 22, 2002.
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