The Red Wagon Cafe

Definitely a spot to try out if you’re here. Home cooked food and great atmosphere.

A truly welcoming place to enjoy a meal with family, friends, or even just a quick bite to eat. The menu serves full plates and even their Instagram has special new menu items that they are trying out. It is my Go-To spot and I highly recommend to anyone.

Best place for breakfast other than home when I feel like cooking. The pancakes are bigger than the plates, they have daily specials, make sure you ask if they have cobbler. You don't want to miss out on that. Open from 5 a.m. to 1 p.m., you often have to wait for a table if you go after 9. The service is great and the food is better. The regular place for my dad my uncle and me. The chicken-fried steak is probably my favorite along with the cobbler.

Best club sandwich EVER! Great service and atmosphere. Did I mention they make the best club sandwich EVER? I was totally surprised at the high quality and great flavor of their food. Definitely worth the trip over there. Very clean. Even the bathroom.

Well this place is small but the food portion is HUGE along with the drinks are also HUGE it was my first time here and I love it the staff here is kind and friendly the cooks watch the regulars that come in and they know what they want, that right there brought a smile to me! This place is on top of my list to visit again and again

Excellent service and the food was amazing!!! It was worth it. Also going into the restaurant made me remember when I was a little girl and my mom took me in train to Guadalajara. Very nice experience

Great chicken fried steak mash taters and gravy and green beans.

If you have never been here, you are missing out! Great people and delicious food. They make you feel very welcome. It's a great place for breakfast and lunch!!

Small eating area but intimate setting. Food is affordably priced, portioned quite large, and incredibly delicious. If in the area and in the mood for standard simple breakfast or lunch faire, definitely stop here. You'll leave with leftovers. Cash only.

Loved it. The gravy was amazing. The waiter was very nice. It was small and felt like a nice small town diner. Definitely would come back.

Great food , great service Vanessa was are waitress today and her food recommendation was good . Also Francisco the manager was really helpful.

Bring your adjustable pants. The wagon is a great place for good old fashion country food, that is awesome in taste, but not good on the waist line. A must stop if you are driving through. One thing, check their facebook for open/close dates

This place is a landmark and a place to have a home cooked meal! Friday is all you can eat pinto or Lima beans with fried potatoes and cornbread! Love stopping by when I am in the area on vacation!

I love red wagon so small and cute and this is my second time coming it’s the best breakfast ever I will be coming again and again when my son gets older I will be taking him here thank you staff ! And cooks 😊

Still as great as I remember. Been awhile. Kool aid w/a Blu Cheese bacon burger. also Biscuits n Gravy, all up there w the best .

Been here for both breakfast and lunch . Both times did not disappoint... everyone is very friendly and it's a very homey environment ... I love it , it's an amazing deal for the portion and quality of food get

All the food was so good! The pancakes are huge! I really loved the biscuits and gravy. They weren’t overly powering. I got ham as my protein, and the portion was huge! Definitely love this place.

Delicious food. The new owners are very friendly and the food was cooked perfectly and had great flavor. I'm not a big breakfast potatoes person but I ate all of mine both times we went.

This place hits home for me! I grew up in the country side where you wake up every morning & walk down the streets to say hello to the whole town! A regular customer who probably live down the street enters & says hello to everyone especially all the ladies & topped it off with a hug. I felt like the only stranger in the room but it felt good because this spot is the true definition of a Ma & Pa joint! I love the unique coffee mugs that they serve with coffee. Every mug is different & has its own design. It's like opening my cabinet at home! I thought it was cute that I landed a Christmas mug in the middle of summer! I ordered the hash browns. It was truly perfection. Crispy on the outside & soft but yet firm in the inside. The best part was that it's not greasy. I had the Omelette which was made up of fresh ingredients & the eggs was cooked into a light & fluffy texture. I know eggs & if you overcook eggs; it becomes hard & gives off a slight egg odor.

This place takes me back to the 1950/60’s. Great service!!!!

This is a very small outstanding family ran café. They serve large portions at a very fair price. I ordered a double cheeseburger for lunch with macaroni salad and it was very good. This is one of my favorite places to go for breakfast

Breakfast! Get the breakfast and be hungry!!! Hands down great county gravy! But My God let's talk about the Chicken Fried Steak....crisp frying, delicious meat, impeccable seasoning. The potatoes were tasty, but I was so full!

1st time and I was glad I visited. These little holes in the wall are usually the best I was not disappointed. Ordered the Chicken fried steak and eggs. Gravy was excellent and the steak had a awesome fresh flavor. And was not drenched in gravy. Eggs were scrambled perfect, not to well or runny. Hash browns crispy on the outside tender on the inside. Space is very limited so arrive early. Some tables accommodate 4 others 2 if my memory serves me well there are only 7 tables that I saw. Unless there is a whole other area. Workers very polite and my coffee never ran out. I would definitely go back.

Beautiful little gem in lovely country setting. Our waiter was friendly and the pancakes and waffles tastes great.

Thank you again for b-fast. Been there before and with the friendly service and great food our family will continue to go. Today we had ham and eggs and hot links and eggs with their biscuits and gravy. Huge portions so either share or ask for containers to take leftovers.

Amazing food with friendly staff! Cant go wrong here.

A Shafter gem. Have to try the chicken fried steak & burgers 🍔

Julieta Torres

All the food was so good! The pancakes are huge! I really loved the biscuits and gravy. They weren’t overly powering. I got ham as my protein, and the portion was huge! Definitely love this place.

Cynthia Fosdick

Delicious food. The new owners are very friendly and the food was cooked perfectly and had great flavor. I'm not a big breakfast potatoes person but I ate all of mine both times we went.

Lynda Nguyen

This place hits home for me! I grew up in the country side where you wake up every morning & walk down the streets to say hello to the whole town! A regular customer who probably live down the street enters & says hello to everyone especially all the ladies & topped it off with a hug. I felt like the only stranger in the room but it felt good because this spot is the true definition of a Ma & Pa joint! I love the unique coffee mugs that they serve with coffee. Every mug is different & has its own design. It's like opening my cabinet at home! I thought it was cute that I landed a Christmas mug in the middle of summer! I ordered the hash browns. It was truly perfection. Crispy on the outside & soft but yet firm in the inside. The best part was that it's not greasy. I had the Omelette which was made up of fresh ingredients & the eggs was cooked into a light & fluffy texture. I know eggs & if you overcook eggs; it becomes hard & gives off a slight egg odor.

John Haberkern

This is a very small outstanding family ran café. They serve large portions at a very fair price. I ordered a double cheeseburger for lunch with macaroni salad and it was very good. This is one of my favorite places to go for breakfast

Michael Dillenbeck

Breakfast! Get the breakfast and be hungry!!! Hands down great county gravy! But My God let's talk about the Chicken Fried Steak....crisp frying, delicious meat, impeccable seasoning. The potatoes were tasty, but I was so full!

Martin driver 602

1st time and I was glad I visited. These little holes in the wall are usually the best I was not disappointed. Ordered the Chicken fried steak and eggs. Gravy was excellent and the steak had a awesome fresh flavor. And was not drenched in gravy. Eggs were scrambled perfect, not to well or runny. Hash browns crispy on the outside tender on the inside. Space is very limited so arrive early. Some tables accommodate 4 others 2 if my memory serves me well there are only 7 tables that I saw. Unless there is a whole other area. Workers very polite and my coffee never ran out. I would definitely go back.

Es Vdm

Beautiful little gem in lovely country setting. Our waiter was friendly and the pancakes and waffles tastes great.

Jassy Campos

Thank you again for b-fast. Been there before and with the friendly service and great food our family will continue to go. Today we had ham and eggs and hot links and eggs with their biscuits and gravy. Huge portions so either share or ask for containers to take leftovers.

Tino Garcia

Amazing food with friendly staff! Cant go wrong here.

Susanna Zamora

A Shafter gem. Have to try the chicken fried steak & burgers 🍔

Great place to stop by and get some great breakfast. Also they are really helpful.

Small location, great food!!

I love this place. It is under new ownership, and the new owner, Matt, the new chef, Miguel, and their staff are really friendly, prompt, and take time to listen and get the orders correct, which I greatly appreciate. And, the new ownership has made paying by credit card/debit card available (it used to be a cash only place), which makes it all very convenient. They make really great breakfasts and lunches. And it’s a really special feeling to have a meal while looking at agricultural farmland. The heart of America. It's one of those gems that one finds on the main roads less traveled, though CA State Route 43 is used quite a bit by locals.

A classic old school breakfast diner. Lots of good, wholesome food. I had the French toast smaller plate. Would recommend- especially if you want to feel like you are stepping back in time.

Steve Brodie

Small location, great food!!

Jessa Youngblood

A classic old school breakfast diner. Lots of good, wholesome food. I had the French toast smaller plate. Would recommend- especially if you want to feel like you are stepping back in time.

grinding gears

Great place to stop by and get some great breakfast. Also they are really helpful.

Dick Kerley

Looked this place up on google. Very pleased with the service and food quality was excellent. I highly recommend red wagon if your in the Shafter area. Even if you have to drive a ways it’s worth the drive. Will be coming back again soon. The price was right the service was great and I left happy and full. Thank you

Fred Herrman

I love this place. It is under new ownership, and the new owner, Matt, the new chef, Miguel, and their staff are really friendly, prompt, and take time to listen and get the orders correct, which I greatly appreciate. And, the new ownership has made paying by credit card/debit card available (it used to be a cash only place), which makes it all very convenient. They make really great breakfasts and lunches. And it’s a really special feeling to have a meal while looking at agricultural farmland. The heart of America. It's one of those gems that one finds on the main roads less traveled, though CA State Route 43 is used quite a bit by locals.

Home cooked meals that hit the spot.. had half a grilled cheese sandwich with a cup of Lima bean soup! Lima bean soup?!?! My boss didn't let me finish it but what I did have was delicious!!!!

Pancakes are huge, the size of a hub cap; the all meat omelette was good too. I always order bacon and egg with cool aid. It is in an old train caboose so space is limited.

Great place to eat stick to your ribs home cooking. Friendly and fast service. Would have liked the CFS cooked a little crisper

For a litte place off the beaten path its really good! Had the chicken fried steak with biscuits and sausage gravy... delicious 🎯💣

Will Wieland

For a litte place off the beaten path its really good! Had the chicken fried steak with biscuits and sausage gravy... delicious 🎯💣

Atmosphere was good. No high chair for babies. I ordered a ham and cheese omelet, which means it has ham, cheese and the eggs only. This one had bell peppers and onions inside it as well. Way too much grease was used in cooking everything. At least a tablespoon of grease was left on the plate. The omelet and hashbrowns were beautiful and looked very appetizing, but the extra ingredients and grease messed it up for me. Very disappointing. This was the extra grease that settled in the bottom of the to go container. This was 8 hours later.

Crista Alberson

Atmosphere was good. No high chair for babies. I ordered a ham and cheese omelet, which means it has ham, cheese and the eggs only. This one had bell peppers and onions inside it as well. Way too much grease was used in cooking everything. At least a tablespoon of grease was left on the plate. The omelet and hashbrowns were beautiful and looked very appetizing, but the extra ingredients and grease messed it up for me. Very disappointing. This was the extra grease that settled in the bottom of the to go container. This was 8 hours later.

New owners again?! Significant downgrade in food quality, although it’s definitely not the chefs fault! Good luck guys! 🤣

Heard good things about this place. Decided to stop for lunch. The service was great. The food is so so. My sister ordered breakfast and had the Woody special. It lacked flavor oh wait it did have a lot of salt. Portion was big. I ordered a simple cheeseburger, simple was the word. Tasteless and just lacked something. I had French fries which were cold. The serving was the size of a kids meal order of fries. This was $14.00 and not worth it. Nor was the drive out there.

Everyone stares, like if you are in the wrong place. And the food was poorly made, not what i ordered but whatever they felt like giving me which was not a real plate but whatever they had in the kitchen apparently . Did not like it at all . And was too expensive on top of the poor service . I won't be going there again.

I really wanted to love this place—it's got the reputation. For a spot that’s always packed, I expected better flavor and fresher ingredients. What really soured the visit was the service. My server was helped himself to a tip from my cash when paying without asking or confirming. That felt disrespectful and left a bad taste in my mouth, worse than the breakfast.. Hoping others have better luck, but I won’t be rushing back.

Scottasha

I really wanted to love this place—it's got the reputation. For a spot that’s always packed, I expected better flavor and fresher ingredients. What really soured the visit was the service. My server was helped himself to a tip from my cash when paying without asking or confirming. That felt disrespectful and left a bad taste in my mouth, worse than the breakfast.. Hoping others have better luck, but I won’t be rushing back.

Paola Quintero

Everyone stares, like if you are in the wrong place. And the food was poorly made, not what i ordered but whatever they felt like giving me which was not a real plate but whatever they had in the kitchen apparently . Did not like it at all . And was too expensive on top of the poor service . I won't be going there again.

Arlene Okida-Ross

Heard good things about this place. Decided to stop for lunch. The service was great. The food is so so. My sister ordered breakfast and had the Woody special. It lacked flavor oh wait it did have a lot of salt. Portion was big. I ordered a simple cheeseburger, simple was the word. Tasteless and just lacked something. I had French fries which were cold. The serving was the size of a kids meal order of fries. This was $14.00 and not worth it. Nor was the drive out there.