Harry’s Hofbrau

Perfect place to go if you’re looking for some good comfort food. My boyfriend and I couldn’t decide what to get so we got the chicken dinner and roast beef dinner to share. We ordered to go and the portions were generous, they made sure to give us plenty of gravy — yum!
Out of the two I definitely would recommend the roast beef. Although the chicken was tasty the roast beef was SO GOOD. Thinly sliced and super flavorful. Get it.

Great place to eat but I love the beers they have on tap even more. Great place to have craft beers and they always have a good selection on tap. They offer brews from some of my favorite Craft Breweries such as Alvarado St, Altamont & Fieldworks.

The food is pretty basic homestyle like your grandma made it american food, but they have an excellent variety of ever changing craft beer, pretty good cake and comfortable booths. I come mostly for the large variety of beer on tap, but the cake is pretty good too.

Great medieval atmosphere, fantastic Renaissance faire style Turkey legs, using their catering company «Carvery» to cater our wedding

I love Harry’s, mostly BECAUSE its old and unhipsterish. Its big and noisy and busy and has been that way for years. My dad used to throw his company’s Christmas party here. My parents used to come here for a turkey dinner on Sunday afternoons. In a rapidly changing Bay Area its heartening to see a business like Harry’s still thriving.
The combination of good food, large portions and a reasonable price keeps ‘em coming back.
My personal favorite is the Santa Maria tri-​tip on Friday nights. I usually ask for a salad be substituted for the mashed potatoes. I also love their potato salad, sometimes I just get that…
I’m a bit of a potato salad freak.
Anyway, its really sad to hear that the San Jose location is closing. Better hit it while its still there.

FOOD: I liked the mashed potatoes and gravy for sure. Pastrami was good. Roast beef was decent, but had chewy parts that I spit out because I personally don’t like eating those chewy parts of the meat. Roast beef has an optional au jus type juice they put over it.
Cheesecake dessert was ok. Nothing gourmet, but I liked it.
Senior meal is $ 10.84 and comes with a meat of your choice, two sides, bread roll (white or wheat), and jello or ice cream. You can sub a pie or cake for $ 2.45 more. Pretty good deal if you ask me.
Adult meal is more expensive, but they fill the entire plate with meat! Look at my photo for reference. No dessert included though.
FORMAT: The lines get long at dinner time, but it moves fast so if you want to avoid a line then get there a little bit before 6pm to be safe.
Slide slide slip n slide! It’s like a cafeteria line like other people said. You tell the guy what meal you want and slide your tray to get your meat. They cover your meat so it stays warm. Slide your tray down the line for your sides and dessert. Slide more to get your drink. Slide more to pay and off you go to find a place to sit on your own.
To go boxes available if you don’t finish your food. The secure round aluminum containers.
INSIDE: is wood décor with booths and open tables. European décor photos on the walls. Bar area toward the back for your alcoholic desires. They serve masco mule drinks in a cool bronze tin looking cup.
OVERALL: A OK for me… came here for Paint Night and ended up eating here before the event started. Popular place to hold events. Food is decent and comfort type food. Older crowd probably due to their senior special meal. Easy to order and sit down on your own. Then you leave your dishes at the table when you leave. Inconvenient to get a refill on your beverage soda or water drink though. Either go back to the register or to the bar because they don’t have a self serve station. Big parking lot shared with Garden City so you can eat here then go gamble.

Thanksgiving dinner on tap ²⁴⁄₇ 365 days a year.
Who can argue with that???
Also, old people in the parking lot not stopping for pedestrians and more old people inside eating. It’s that kinda place.
Huge portions, musty smell, bussed and cleaned constantly.
Long biergarten style benches as well as booths so great for large groups. Bonus: cafeteria style pay-​at-​register so no split bills.
Most of the food is monochromatic. You don’t come here for salad.

Hearty or not so hearty food — it’s all good here. All white turkey breast with stuffing and salad, or you could do roast beef with dark gravy, mac and cheese, mashed potatoes and whatever else.
I was so surprised that at how big this place is. It’s almost like someone combined a cafeteria, mom and pop restaurant, and a bar in one. It’s awesome. Want comfort food, a healthy salad, an ice cold craft brew, or whiskey? They have it all, just pick a seat in the bar, in a booth, or at a table.
Don’t be turned off by the cafeteria serving style they have going on. It’s efficient because you get your food right away, and you get to customize your plates with no room for error. Kind of like the way you get your food made at Chipotle. Food comes out hot, and even though we ate here at 9pm on a work night, nothing was dried out or old tasting.
Portions are very generous, especially for the price. My turkey plate came with thick slabs of white meat, stuffing, mashed potatoes, salad, cranberry sauce, and bread. I ate only half my plate. Granted it was like 9 pm and my second dinner, but usually I can eat a full plate despite that.
Next time we come here, I want to try their entrée salads. I saw they have rotisserie chicken, sandwiches, dessert, and other goodies here, too. But I’ll probably come on a Friday or Saturday, when I can take advantage of their large beer and whiskey selection.

If you are hungry and not trippen about calories, come here! Place always has a long line. If you come hungry, it is nice to see what others order, and the specials they have. Servings are large and I never had a gross dish. I always try new things. There food is fresh. Service is great. If you enjoy craft beers, they have lots on tap including Lagunitas, and Firestone. This place is great for all ages. You have your old people, hipsters, families, and large parties for celebrations. There is lots of dining space. Bar is nice with many screens to watch local games while you get your grub on. I am getting hungry now just thinking about this place! LOL

Thank god my friend took me here! I can’t believe I’ve never been here! This place is big in space and lots of seating. It kind of reminds me of places from Germany or Ireland through TV food shows or movies. It’s pretty cultural.
The food here is served hot and fresh and given in a cafeteria style. You pick up your tray, order your meal, and choose sides. There are plenty to choose from so there’s lots of varieties. I chose their popular turkey dinner which was delicious! The meat was tender and moist; honestly beats all the turkeys I’ve had in life lol. Then they splat this large amount of creamy mashed potatoes with beef gravy! I loved their mac n cheese too! Everything was great in portion and filled me up for $ 15! A carved meal runs about $ 15 tops with a couple free sides. It’s a steal!
Overall, this place is amazing and they serve hardy meals that basically consist of soul/​comfort food. There is a nice long bar in the back that serves traditional Irish/​German beers with a full stocked bar. The atmosphere is wonderful with lots of people eating, drinking, laughing it up! Great vibes here. I’m definitely coming back.

Harryn’s Hofbrau (HH), has been around a long time. It offers home cooked comfort food.
HH has a variety of selection, from cold sandwiches to hot open face sandwich, to dinner entrees such as turkey, chicken, meatloaf, etc. are all reasonable price. My go to is the hot turkey open face sandwich with mash potato and gravy. Perfect amount of food and so good.
HH is self served and has plenty of seating. In fact, this place is pretty gigantic. If your looking for some good old fashion comfort food, HH is your place.

Hofbräu [hof-​brou] – an informal, German-​style restaurant or tavern.*
Harry’s Hofbrau (HH) is a family-​owned Bay Area chain of cafeteria-​style restaurants that has been serving up good, quality German and American Comfort food since their Redwood City location opened in 1954. This West SJ location has been in business since 1978, and is still going strong in a decrepit shopping center, while all the surrounding businesses are failing. For the last few years HH has become our go-​to spot for hosting Retirement and Holiday Luncheons, as they have the large reservable rooms we need and a fast-​casual dining experience that suites our style.
Food– HH serves up everything from Sandwiches and Salads to Dinner plates. If there’s one meal that epitomizes the HH experience it’s their Roast Turkey Dinners; they’re the next best thing to Thanksgiving at Mom’s, in my opinion. With over 1M lbs of Turkey served-​up every year, HH knows their way around a bird. Couple that up with their Mashed Potatoes and Beef Gravy and you’ve got a meal fit for a King! Tryptophan City here we come! Their Roast Beef and Housemade Pastrami ain’t no joke either, but I’ll take their Turkey all day. 4−5*
Drink– Like any good German restaraunt HH has a tremendous beer selection (
) that changes seasonally. Unfortunately, I’ve never been able to partake because I’m usually working while I’m here, but one day…
Dessert– Hard to pass up HH’s Dessert counter, as their fare is displayed evilly at eye-​level right before you pay. I can usually resist, but sometimes my sweet tooth gets the better of me. Their French Silk Pie and Bread Pudding are my two favorites. They’re nothing spectacular but they get the job done. 3−4*
Service & Ambiance– Service behind the counter is always fast, friendly and efficient. They run a really tight ship and I’ve never seen or heard of any smurf-​ups no matter how busy it gets. The décor of HH screams German Beer Hall with its high wood ceilings, wooden statues, Beer Steins, and Germanic flags and emblems emblazoning the walls. I really like the motif, but my one complaint is their awful yellow fluorescent lighting makes for awful picture taking conditions for our celebrations. 4*
Value– HH has meals to fit every budget, ranging from $ 8 for an open-​faced sandwich to $ 15 for a full-​on Turkey Dinner. They also offer a pretty sizeable Senior Discount and that’s why you’ll notice a large portion of their clientele is of the greying variety. 3.5*
HH has whatever you need, whether it be a quick meal with friends/​co-​workers, dinner with the significant other or a place to have a group luncheon. The key to their success will always be good food, great atmosphere and friendly service. Prost!
*Definition courtesy of
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Came here with some friends to enjoy a good german beer house and was not disappointed! They have a great selection on tap with patience bartenders, and the line for the food moves quite quickly for some very hearty heavy german american food. The space is large so you don’t feel piled up on top of people and the prices fairly reasonable for the amount you get.
I got couple stouts and the pastrami platter which hit the spot and induce food coma shortly afterwards.
Can’t wait to return again!

Two words: Cafeteria food.
The food here is O-​K. After awhile, you kind of get tired of it. The portions are decent in size here. I always get the turkey dinner, it’s not exactly like Thanksgiving dinner at home, more like the cafeteria food they serve you in grade school. I would say their carrot cake is pretty delicious and beer selection is nice.

I came here pretty late at night, so there wasn’t really a line. I heard this place gets crazy busy though! Warm atmosphere with lots of seating. The non-​booth tables have really big chairs!
They have a lot of good beer on tap, and they offer 3 size options. Love it. That way I can try a bunch of beers without spending too much/​getting too drunk! As for food, I tried their chipotle chicken salad. Generous portion and yummy dressing. They were out of avocado though :(it was understandable since it was so late at night. Will be back to try their meats and more beer! BEEEEEEER

Seriously old-​school beer garden that also happens to serve meat-​heavy American comfort food in a self-​serve, cafeteria-​counter format. While the food isn’t anything to write home about, you get what you pay for — heaps of filling, cheap, decent fare. You can also grab beer separately at the bar, and here there is quite a good selection of domestic and foreign brews on draft. There are sports screens around the bar area so you can kick back over a beer or two and perhaps some roast beef and mashed potatoes while you’re at it. Old-​school digs, fairly old-​school crowd, and old-​school experience all around — simple as that.

Came by for a casual dinner the other night and the clientele is definitely senior… Parking was somewhat crunchy in the private lot. Street parking was available!
Despite a long line to order, similar to a cafeteria, the process was smooth, quick, and efficient.
Turkey Leg meal was fantastic value at $ 7.29 which included 2 sides, a salad, and a dinner roll! …now if only domestic airlines would offer a similar meal! The turkey leg was huge, juicy, and flavorful. The gravy, mashed potatoes, and stuffing complemented the turkey leg quite well. Portions were huge!
The caesar salad was also huge, at least it was fresh!
$ 8/​person for a huge dinner!

I love me some craft beer, and comfort food. This style restaurant is a German style seating almost… (Big wooden Seats but booths instead of long tables.) You can’t argue with that. The food is great especially for the price. I’ve eaten here 3 times but today I got a:
Turkey wing
Mashed Potatoes
Stuffing
Mac & Cheese
Keep in mind this was all under $ 9.00
The prices here are great. The way you get your food is just like a cafeteria. You walk through and then you tell the guys behind the serving trays what you want. I had the roast beef here as well and that was amazing especially their Au Jus. The beer selection is pretty awesome … If you want to know what they have its right here.
For the price and quality/​quantity of food this place is totally worth it.

Harry’s Hofbrau is a true American gem.
I’ve heard stories of my grandparents coming here, and even to this day, the family comes here. It’s a true staple within my immediate upbringing; on holidays, we come here, and even on regular lunches or dinners, we come here.
Cafeteria-​style, you get in line and choose what kind of meal you want. Sandwiches are available, pastas are available, and cuts of meat are plentiful. I usually go with the corned beef plate with macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes, some sourdough bread, some pickle spears, and finally some really rich french vanilla ice cream to top it all off. While I go with my tried and true, all kinds of sides, salads, and soups are offered for a real customizable experience… It’s basically a comfort food extravaganza, and it’s incredible.
Booths and tables here are aplenty, and it’s a large factor in why my family chooses to frequent Harry’s. There’s various seating areas, with some in more closed-​off rooms, some out more in the open, and some around the bar area with TVs flickering.
The meat itself is always tender and perfectly cooked, and the sides are flavorful without being deadly heavy.
Mostly, it’s cool how efficient the workers here are. They have the whole assembly line thing down to Henry Ford-​esque levels of perfection. They’re also pretty nice, which is always a bonus.
With easy parking, awesome food, and a comfy atmosphere, Harry’s Hofbrau is here to stay – not only in my family, but in San Jose – for years and years to come.

I’ve eaten here several times over the years, so I was quite surprised that I hadn’t written a review about them yet.
Harry’s Hofbrau is a cafeteria-​style restaurant with a ton of seating room, and it seems to host parties or other large groups fairly often. For those inclined, it also has a bar that carries a decent selection of beers. Line up and read the menu (some items rest against the wall below the wall-​mounted menu), look at the day’s featured specials displayed behind the sneeze guard for a better idea, and pick something. Assuming you’re not taking it to-​go, they’ll give you a large tray with a standard-​sized dish to hold the entrée, as well as a hard plastic cover for the dish. Sides and salads are available further down the line, with desserts and drinks coming at the end.
The food has always been solid. Many of the entrees that I’ve enjoyed in the past, including beef lasagna and turkey a la king over rice, are generously sized, may include a side in the price, and can fill you up even for dinner. Today, I felt a craving for the pastrami melt ($ 8.94). It actually comes in a portion more suited for lunch, which suited me fine as I had other plans afterward. The sandwich is heated in a panini press long enough to melt the Swiss cheese (or you can choose jack cheese, but why?), but not long enough to make the rye bread really crunchy. The gooey cheese, tender meat, and the wonderfully caramelized onions all combine with the bread to make a surprisingly delicious take on the pastrami.
Some other things to know about this place are that they’ll carry your tray to your table for you (although I’ve always carried my own tray) and that they really don’t seem to mind if you linger for hours (but you may be able to notice the looping of the relatively small soft rock playlist). In that vein, the décor isn’t that much to look at, with dull colors and shelves lined with old books and kitsch (and some fairly cheap plastic decorations for the upcoming 4^th of July), but it won’t distract you either from the food or the conversation with your friends.
In my book, Harry’s is a reliable establishment with good food and a friendly environment, and I plan to keep coming back.