Dad's Luncheonette

This was my second time visiting dad's luncheonette. First time around, most of the items on the menu were all sold out! We ordered a hamburger sandwich and mushroom sandwich - both were really good but the mushroom sandwich stood out to me as the winner.

This second time I ordered the mushroom sandwich and their soup of the day which really hit the spot after a windy day tide pooling.

I'd recommend this spot to anyone visiting half moon bay!

My partner and I went on a Saturday day trip to Half Moon Bay with our puppy and found Dad's Luncheonette on Yelp. We were immediately intrigued by the pictures, the menu, and the unique set up.

We got there around 1pm, and there was a small line out the door. The picnic tables set up in the parking lot were all filled with people enjoying their lunch, and a few pups enjoying the sunny day with their owners. Though there was always a line to order, the food came out pretty quickly and turnover for seating wasn't too bad. We waited under 10 minutes for our food, and by the time the food we came we had gotten a table. Service was very friendly and high energy. The highlights for us were the mushroom sandwich and the black sesame raspberry custard. All of the other items were good, but missing some salt. Overall, it was an enjoyable experience. If we're back in the area on a sunny day with our pup, we'd go back! Gotta try out the rotating desserts!

I have been here 3 times and will be back! I will usually grab a burger, Mac and cheese and dessert from here before a nice walk around the cliffs at the Ritz Carlton. The food is simple, high quality and fresh

There is always a line during busy hours so expect 30-45 minute wait times. They are pretty casual and easy going

Seating is limited inside, but plenty of seats outside. If you are someone whom needs ketchup, maybe bring your own

Must try spot in Half Moon Bay Area. Highly recommended

Had the hamburger sandwich after a day on the shore. The folks who run this place are super friendly and really thoughtful in how they interact with patrons. It was lovely to sit in the sun and eat a very decent sandwich with fresh, high quality ingredients. Happy to have a great lunch spot in Half Moon Bay!

What a beautiful weekend in Half Moon Bay! Boyfie and I just had to stop at Dad's Luncheonette before leaving. Right off the bat, the little caboose was very charming and the staff were very personable. We couldn't decide what we wanted so we went with the Happy Meal option which included one of each menu item (which is perfect if you want to try everything!)

The Hamburger sandwich was so delicious- beef patty was juicy and perfectly greasy, pickled onions for sharpness, tangy mustard to cut through the richness, wonderfully runny egg, and toasted buttery bread. The Mushroom burger had thick cuts of maitake mushroom, so if you're the biggest fan of mushrooms, I wouldn't recommend.

The homemade potato chips were decent. Sprinkled with nutritional yeast, they had a good saltiness to them but I felt like they did not go with the rich flavors of the sandwiches. The herb salad was light and refreshing, I would definitely order again. However, it has a very strong "herb" flavor, so if you are averse to herby-type salads, probably stay away. We were pretty disappointed with the mac and cheese. We felt as though we were eating just the al dente noodles and there was little to no cheese sauce. The soup of the day, black eyed peas and collard greens, was waay too salty for me but my boyfriend liked it. The rose and pistachio cookie was a new flavor profile for me but it was baked perfectly! The edges were crispy but the inside was soft and warm.

Overall, the sandwiches and salad were definitely stars and we really enjoyed ourselves. Definitely a must-try local business whenever you are in Half Moon Bay!

Fun roadside takeout restaurant with sandwiches and sides made with exceptionally fresh and locally harvested ingredients.

Service was super friendly. There is minimal indoor seating, though i found it more comfortable to sit outside as there was more space to spread out. Also perfect place to get a bagged lunch before picnicking on the beach.

Also, gotta mention that the herb salad (not pictured) was one of the best salads Ive had in quite sometime.

It was good. Not amazing. I'm glad we went. It was a solid burger and a fun atmosphere. Only outdoor seating, but it was a beautiful day.
No special orders whatsoever. They do a big, fast business and take no time to make your' special, which I also appreciated, actually.

Loved my experience visiting this cute train cabin. Everything tasted amazing. We came near closing so some items are out. Mushroom sandwich is packed with mushroom and veggies. Our Mac-N-Cheese had a thick layer of chives on it. The staff is also super friendly.

Cute lunch spot in Half Moon Bay. Be aware of long lines, and some items sell out!

We made the drive over to HMB on a gorgeous day, arriving after noontime. Sadly, they were sold out of their homemade potato chips... wah wah.... We were able to try their shroom sammy and their hamburger sammy. Decent, but not mind blowing, but a solid lunch... got a little soggy however.

Seating is to be had in a parking lot, or a shared bar-top like space inside the caboose like space. Awesome - quirky interiors; and friendly staff.

Dad's Luncheonette in beautiful Half Moon Bay is a local favorite. The highly regarded Chef Scott Clark hails from two Michelin starred restaurants in San Francisco, Benu and Saison. Chef Scott opened Dad's in 2017, while the menu is simple everything is homemade using local ingredients. The Hamburger Sandwich is served on white bread, the meat was cooked perfectly, slightly charred. The pickled red onions, lettuce, melted cheese, fried egg and Dad's special sauce were the perfect combination to make this one of the tastiest hamburgers I have had. A friend enjoyed the Mushroom Sandwich, the Maitake Mushroom was also served on white bread with lettuce, pickled red onions, melty cheese, fried egg and Dad's sauce. Dad's is open Thursday to Sunday 11am-4pm. Parking is available in the lot next to the caboose as well as chairs and tables for dining, a few tables available for inside dining. For classic roadside dining from a Michelin starred Chef look for the red caboose on Highway 1 in Half Moon Bay.