Johnston's Saltbox

We've been regulars at Johnston's for a long time, and it really never disappoints. We're usually here for brunch but dinner is solid as well.The food is great; the menu changes a lot. They offer eclectic twists on classic comfort dishes. Today we got the báhn mi chicken sandwich (fantastic) and the quiche (also really good). If you can get their scones (they run out usually before the afternoon), those are delicious too.Drinks are awesome, I always love their seasonal Bellinis. Coffee is great, they serve drip Sightglass.Service is super friendly too, they kept the coffee full and even offered some to go! It's a smallish place but it's pretty quiet and the patio is really cute.One of the best places on the peninsula for sure.

Parking - easy to find around that part of downtownAmbiance - we sat outside with our dogs. I loved that there is an outside window where you can order drinks and food fromFood - disappointed that they were sold out of scones when we came.French Toast - 4/5 stars - originally the French toast was delivered with a ton of liquid at the bottom, however the server was kind enough to have it remade for me. It made a large difference! The chicken that came with it was delicious. The butternut squash pairing made the French toast the perfect level of sweetness Mexicana bacon hash - 4/5 stars, especially with their homemade hot sauce!! Loved the flavor combination of this dish. Drinks: got an elderflower spritz and it was not great. I expect Hugo spritz to be a lot more refreshing, however there was too much syrup in this one.The service was good, however they were swamped. I often had to flag down staff for things like a fork and it also took some time for our water to come out. Over 3.5 stars, but I'll round it to 4.

First time trying this place, I arrived there at around 1 pm on a Sunday and waited for about 15 minutes, which is not too bad, very popular place. The brunch menu is somewhat limited. Overall, the quality is not bad and the service is friendly.2 scones for $12 which is a bit pricey. However, it's homemade with its own spin that includes dried fruits, nuts and ginger bits so it's not boring like your normal scone.I have kale salad that's loaded with a lot of healthy goodies such as roasted beets, cauliflower, carrots...etc. once you add protein to it, it becomes a little bit pricey.The leek soup is very tasty and thick. It comes with a big piece of toast with butter.I don't mind coming back to try their dinner items.

I recently dined at Johnston's Salt Box, and when I stepped in, the warm ambience was welcoming. The decor strikes a nice balance between cozy and hip, making it an ideal spot for both casual lunches and special occasions.The service was exceptional! Our server was attentive, friendly, and knowledgeable, making sure we felt right at home. It's clear that the staff takes pride in providing a top-notch dining experience.Now, let's talk about the food--specifically the bánh mì chicken sandwich. Its crispy fried buttermilk chicken breast, pickled daikon, pickled carrot, jalapeño, persian cucumber, cilantro, thai basil, and guava thai chili aioli was excellent. It was juicy, flavorful, and nicely seasoned. The combination of ingredients worked harmoniously. I substituted the fries for a fresh side salad, and it was impressive. The vibrant flavors and crisp textures made it a standout dish that complemented the sandwich perfectly.

Order and sit down spot. The quiche was okay, would've liked a flakier crust (it was too dense) and fluffier egg; loved the side salad it came with though - colorful, crisp, and not over dressed. Nice staff and comfortable seating indoors and out. Shout out for the large, clean restrooms, and also the handy extra sink outside in the patio for cleaning up.

Always a delight for brunch! We arrived around 10:15am with no wait (they don't take reservations). Outdoor covered patio had overhead heat lamps that helped offset the morning chilly breeze, and they offered blankets as well. Parking was easy on the street. The menu is seasonal and so hard to pick between the great options, so the trick is to go with a big enough group to all order something different and then sample a bit of everything! Our table of 5 ended up with two Saltbox in Paris (good well-rounded hearty brunch-lunch dish with some of the best fries I've had in terms of crispiness and consistency), one fried chicken banh mi, one Dutch baby pancake scram-bowl, and a winter dreamsicle French toast. Everything was amazing and I can't say enough how much I loved the French toast with the citrus (yuzu?) lemon curd. I was a little surprised that the braised short ribs portion was kind of small though for the price. Service is always top-tier as well.

A cute, modern brunch place with indoor-outdoor seating, serving fresh California cuisine. They have seasonal specials that you order and pay for at the counter, and are given a number to take to your table where they bring out your food and drinks. We were a group of 3 and got the pomegranate mule drink, guava lemon soda, autumn grain bowl, cauliflower soup and a pear salad with avocado (extra $5 add-on) The food was delicious and photo worthy, but the portions were small. I was hungry after finishing my lunch salad, and for the price, I don't think this provided value for the money spent. However, if you're looking for a cool place to hang out with friends and stick to your diet, check it out!

The food was great - had the Eat More Winter Veggies. Also was happy to have an NA beer (Athletic IPA). And we split some fries, which were fine. Ambiance was fine, not too noisy. Service was also fine. Main complaint was the price - it came out to $55 including tip, which, eh, the ingredients weren't expensive, so it felt a little high.

It's been a while since I last wrote a review for this spot, but today we enjoyed a wonderful lunch, and I made sure to take pictures before we devoured the food. My husband and I are big fans of the apple walnut scones. However, my son, who isn't fond of nuts, mentioned that they'd be perfect without the walnuts. I ordered the French toast, which was just okay. It was lukewarm and had been sitting in the sauce for too long, resulting in a soggy mess--quite disappointing.My son chose the short ribs with truffle fries and loved them, even calling the fries the best he's ever had, which is high praise coming from him. My husband ordered the bacon hash, which came in a generously sized bowl. He couldn't finish it, which worked out well for me since my French toast was a disaster.Overall, it was still a great lunch, and we'll definitely be back--just not for the French toast!

I'm so happy that we've made JS an annual tradition for brunch to celebrate my cousin in law's birthday. The menu changes with the season, so there's always a great reason to come back. But my favorite thing that's available year round are the scones. I would show up before opening and wait outside just to get the scones if I was craving one. I haven't found any solid scone places that I can even recall. While there are many good restaurants throughout the downtown, I would say this is in my top two for brunch/lunch. The eggs are cooked to perfection, while the lunch options are a savory dream. Ok, I'll stop writing because I'm getting hungry just thinking about all of the things I've eaten here. The ambiance is also photo op worthy so take all of the pics you need for the socials!