You heard it here first, Joplins has the best burgers in San Leandro, and I’ve eaten at enough places in San Leandro to know. If you like your burgers big and juicy – so big you won’t be able to finish them, so juicy you better have a napkin ready – this is definitely the place to go. And you should hurry, both times I went there, there were only a few customers for lunch, which concerns me as I definitely don’t want the place to close.
On both my visits I ordered their cheeseburger ($5), which comes with the usual ingredients (tomato, lettuce, onions) and is made to order. I already described it as being very good, so good that now every time I want a burger, I want a Joplin’s burger (a Val’s may be better, but they’re too far away). I want one right now as I type this, btw 🙂
Fries come with some of their dishes, but not with the burgers. An order of regular fries will cost you $1.50, but I’d advise you to go for the garlic fries ($3.50) instead. They are made with real garlic, not garlic powder, and they are out of this world. I should say, however, that I liked them better on my first visit, when they were skinny fries, rather than in my second, when they were the thicker wedge-type. I should have said something to the waiter; next time.
I went with my sister Kathy on my first visit, and she ordered the fried chicken wings ($5). These were quite good as well, nicely seasoned but not too spicy, and came served with sauce on the side (so this might be a good dish for little kids too). Our only complaint was that chicken wings are a pain to eat, we would much have preferred fried chicken legs. One more thing to tell them. On my second visit I went with my friend Aamani who also had – and enjoyed – the burger.
Both times service was very good, attentive and friendly.
My one qualm with Joplin’s is their menu. They have an amazing breakfast menu with things such as blueberry sour cream pancakes and bananasplit belgian waffles as well as several types of omelettes and combos – but their lunch menu is quite limited. They have some salads, a few sandwiches, a couple of burgers, friend chicken wings and shrimp, and, out of nowhere, some Mediterranean messe offerings (felafel, hummus, dolmas and salad). As much as I like their burger, I’d like to see more choices. On the plus side, all lunch offerings are extremely well priced, with nothing over $7.50.
Joplins opened a couple of months ago in the space vacated by The Blue Dish, on Victoria Circle in the Broadmoor. It’s name after a relative of the owner who used to be a famous Jazz musician. They have jazz for brunch on Sundays and I definitely want to try that – and then I’ll report back (on the food, not the music, as I’m tone deaf).
Joplin’s
585 Victoria Court
San Leandro, CA
510.568.5100
Joplin’s Restaurant is named after my great great uncle Scott Joplin who was the “king of ragtime” for the record. I’m sorry to hear that you’re tone deaf, but I think you would still enjoy the music anyway. I sing there every first, second, and third Sunday. I hope you will stop by.
Just wanted to let everyone know Joplin’s Restaurant now has a website in place. It is: http://www.joplinsrestaurant.com.
Also take a look at our NEW lunch menu with more choices. We will be having our live jazz buffett this Sunday featuring Joyce Grant and we will be opening for dinner starting this friday, March 30th. Hope to see you there!!
Went to Joplins because you said their bugers were good. Boy, were you were wrong.
And they weren’t that big either. Based on your description, I have to wonder if I went to the wrong place.
I’ll try breakfast.
Joplin’s Restaurant is a newly opened restaurant still in the process of going through personnel changes trying to find just the right fit. I believe that we have the “perfect” chef now. Our head chef Clarence comes to us with over thirty years of experience. He was previously at Biff’s Coffee Shop downtown Oakland (now closed). If anyone used to eat at Biff’s late night after going out on the town, you probably ate some of Clarence’s food. Please feel free to check out the burgers at Joplin’s NOW.
Joplin’s food has went downhill every since chief George left earlier this
year. I’m a big fan out their vegetarian omelette, I had it 2-3 times a
week, now it just doesn’t do it for me. With the new chief its gotten
better but its still marginal. The burgers aren’t the same, the sandwiches
are dull and fries are hit-or-miss. The fact that the salad are good tells
you something anit right. I know Joplin’s can have good food, cause I’ve
had it before. Please I don’t want to have to travel to get a decent bit
of food.
I went to Joplin’s again yesterday for lunch with Mike. As usual, we had their cheeseburgers. They were good, but not as good as in other occasions. They seemed smaller and less juicy, perhaps because they were not medium rare as we’d ordered them. Still, I think they are the best burgers in San Leandro (though Vila Cereja’s $10 burger is pretty good too) and I’ll continue to go here to feed my burger craves.
What did fail this time were the garlic fries, they were completely soggy and filled with what seemed to be canned garlic. I wish they could make them like at the beginning.
Unfortunately, it seems that Joplin’s has not made it. It closed some months ago and it has now become Mae’s Soul Food – under a different ownership. I’m sad, I really wished Joplin’s well.