33 - the Pretty Lady - Oakland

1733 Peralta St., Oakland, Ca.94607, (510) 832-1213

last visited - September 2009

"People on Yelp love us!" was the only piece of real advertisement we saw on the door. It was Saturday and me and my girlfriend were going to try a new diner for breakfast. This one I picked from scanning through Yelp: good food, reasonable prices, and homey hospitality were what they said. The only problem was the location.

Traveling through West Oakland was like going to a different city for me. For all the urban legends of crime and violence I had shut that area out of my mind in my search for food. The Pretty Lady is on Peralta Street, which was a couple streets away from everything. We parked beside a car repair shop and a side of a school. And now for the food itself.

One thing that you notice out of the ordinary about the Pretty Lady is that it's owned by some friendly Koreans. That's one thing that you don't see everyday - an American breakfast place with soy sauce on the counter. Well, that, and a customer came in wearing an African shroud with purple trims along with a Sacramento Kings hat. Amazingly, it worked well for him. The lady that works there is the server and only waiter for where I am concerned. We are greeted and given menus quickly. A quick glance at the decor reminds me of a bar I went to in Japan called "Redwood". A lot of pictures and keepsakes from the Texas west. I guess the pretty lady must have stemmed from the idea of a western Cowgirl.

We ordered a simple breakfast. I had two pancakes with ham and eggs while my girlfriend had the eggs, sausages, and toast. I had coffee and she had orange juice. Everything came out quickly and the dishes were typical diner food. My girlfriend did think the complimentary hash browns were a bit greasy, but I found it alright. Another Yelper complained about the same thing, but I tried it and didn't mind it so much. All in all, I found it a pleasant diner with small smiling crowd. I do think I'll be going back again, maybe for lunch to try their Salmon burgers.

Lastly, it's important to note that they only take cash, so please bring some.