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    101 Diner

    4.3 (879 reviews)
    Closed 6:00 am - 2:00 pm

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    101 DINER ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Dogs allowed
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - 101 Diner

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    Reviews With Photos

    Breakfast - sausage , Egg and biscuits and gravy.
    Pina P.

    Food and service with a breeze of the ocean, it was amazing. Who could ask for anything more

    A nice French toast breakfast
    Fernanda C.

    I got the French toast, eggs and hashbrowns and all of it was pretty good. The outside seating was very nice and the waitress was an absolute gem. I definitely want to go back and try more of the menu.

    Cardiff Crack Benedict
    Zan L.

    I grew up in San Diego and went to high school in North County but for some reason, I had never been to The 101 Diner. During my last visit home, I decided to change that and stopped in for the first time. I was pleased to see it's a traditional Classic American diner with very fast service, a large menu, and fair prices. Inside is pretty small, which adds to the homey atmosphere. They don't have a ton of seating options but the lines here never seem to be as long as Encinitas Café across the street. Parking in this part of Encinitas is pretty easy because if there's not a space available right on the street, it's easy to find one in the neighborhood behind the businesses. Our waitress was very polite and everything that we ordered arrived shortly after we placed the order. Being a fan of Seaside Market I saw that they have a new Eggs Benedict dish called the Cardiff Crack Benedict, which has the famous tri-tip so I had to order that. I was very pleased with it and the eggs were done just as I like them. I would definitely order it again and would recommend. I plan to be back again next time I am in town.

    French Toast
    Veronica W.

    We decided to dine in closer to closing time. Seemed quite busy trying to wind down and clean up. The service was good, and we got our food pretty quickly after ordering. Eggs tasted fresh, french toast was classically done exactly how I enjoy it. We also tried the banana Nutella pancake. I was surprised by this, they actually mix the banana in with the pancake batter rather than just using it as a topping. This made for a lighter, more refreshing pancake. I really enjoyed it as pancakes can be a little too sweet for me. Highly recommend this spot for a good breakfast! I will say there were a lot of flies and the floors didn't look to be swept at all but I'm guessing this was because they were about to clean up before closing...

    Chorizo Scramble with Cheese
    Trevor T.

    Never have had a bad meal here. In the heart of Encinitas, 101 Diner has everything you would ever want and more. I LOVE their breakfast that typically comes with crispy potatoes. The staff is so nice and friendly which is their calling card along with the excellent food. You can sit outside and enjoy the people watching or inside where you are almost transported back to a simpler time. Yes you are reminded of the present when you see a surcharge for eggs due to what is happing today, but you also look around and see connections. People talking and conversing. Chatting with the staff and ordering verbally. No iPad in sight and it's a delight!

    Kayla B.

    Was super excited to try this place out for the first time, but unfortunately ended up being disappointed. Food was COLD. Flavor was good but still it being cold outweighed the flavor for me. Everything from the pancakes to the omelette to the chicken & waffle was cold (I had to wait 10 additional minutes for my waffle but that thankfully was hot & good!) Pancakes were also thin. Wish they were fluffier. If the food was hot, I'd recommend coming here. However you can probably find better spots nearby.

    Cardiff Crack Tri-tip omelette
    Rick D.

    Delicious breakfast, friendly staff, great menu, solid choice for great food. It's an older restaurant, kinda small, can get busy during the normal rush but I really like this place, it's the quintessential hometown diner. I had the Cardiff Crack Tri-tip omelette (cheese, peppers, onions, mushrooms) and home fried potatoes. This place knows how to make the real fluffy omelette with great tasting fill and perfect home-fried potatoes. I thought I was in a Midwest diner. One of the best breakfast spots In Encinitas! I left full, content, happy and wanting to return.

    Traditional Eggs Traditional Benedict with Sliced Ham and potatoes
    Brian M.

    I visit the 101 Diner every time I visit Encinitas and the food, service (Katie), overall experience is always on point. The eggs Benedict is great and get the potatoes that feel more like hash-browns.

    Atul S.

    Went here for our breakfast before returnning back to phoenix. Got outdoor seating and had pleasant time. Here are my takes: Food/Drinks: Overall it was decent. The beef meat was very chewy and maybe overcooked so I had to leave that too when it was recommended by server for being locally sourced and I decided to try. The menu is extensive so it was somewhat overwhelming to choose from. Service: There was a delay but overall no major setback during our dine-in. Ambiance: Great outdoor seating and that was the primary reason to stopped here for breakfast. Hygiene: Very small restroom and not the cleanest but overall it was decent. Price: Reasonably priced food and drinks. Nothing that was overpriced.

    Bacon  cheeseburger !!! So good and fresh .

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    2 years ago

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    Scott S.

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    2 years ago

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    Scott S.

    Thanks Jim! We also are glad you stopped in to the 101 Diner !

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    4 years ago

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    Scott S.

    Thanks Kurt! Our food is the smoke!

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    4 years ago

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    Scott S.

    Thanks for the great gem of a review Valerie!

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    4 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    Scott S.

    Magical review…thanks!

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    3 years ago

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    Scott S.

    Thanks for the great review Ryan. Stoked you enjoyed everything.

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    2 years ago

    Server looked pissed for no tip. I mean their food was expensive and not even that good.

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    Scott S.

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    8 years ago

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    Scott S.

    Helpful 5
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    8 years ago

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    2 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Menu is large, food comes out fast and fresh. The waitstaff genuinely wants your overall meal to be right, they are on it.

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    2 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    Scott S.

    Nice descriptions on the food…sounds amazing! Thanks for the review!

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    4 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    Scott S.

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    4 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    Scott S.

    Mahalo!

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    4 years ago

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    Scott S.

    Thanks Shelley!

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    2 years ago

    8.4/10. I think this place rivals Potato Shack as the best breakfast place in Encinitas. Really good spot

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    3 years ago

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    Scott S.

    Thanks for the great review! Christie is quite the gem!!

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    3 years ago

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    Scott S.

    This review is great! Thanks!

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    3 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    Scott S.

    Thanks Brian!

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    3 years ago

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    Scott S.

    Thanks Michael! Appreciate the review.

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    5 years ago

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    Scott S.

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    2 years ago

    Strawberry and nutella crepes were delecious! My friends ordered the French toast and Apple pancakes which turned out great as well!

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    Scott S.

    Thanks Conman7538!

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    4 years ago

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    Scott S.

    Thank you Robert for the great review! We appreciate the love!

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    5 years ago

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    Scott S.

    Certainly not acceptable Stephen. I’ll send you a private message

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    2 years ago

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    10 years ago

    Helpful 10
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    7 years ago

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    Scott S.

    Preach

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    4 years ago

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    Scott S.

    Thanks for the great review Jerson…we love bringing the heat!

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    7 years ago

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    Scott S.

    Diner Jackpot! Great food and great service!

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    3 years ago

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    Page 4 of 22

    Ask the Community - 101 Diner

    Is there a cut-off time for ordering breakfast?

    Breakfast served all day until closing!

    Is the Cardiff crack Benny always available? It isn't on any of the menus I'm seeing in the photos. Also, are mimosas available?

    Crack Bene hits the menu full time beginning this Friday! We do not have a liquor license as restaurant is small and serving mimosas would create very long waits for a table on weekends

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    I grew up in San Diego and went to high school in Solana Beach at Santa Fe Christian so all of my…read morefriends who lived close by in North County were all huge fans of Pipes and we visited frequently during those years. I myself am from La Jolla so I'm not close in the area, but I stopped in today after a 15 year break and it was just as good as I remembered it. It was quite busy on December 26 in the morning and even though it was packed, our order was made very quickly. Parking is really easy because you can just park in the giant Seaside Market parking lot right across from the restaurant. The menu is not very large, they focus on breakfast burritos and small breakfast plates, such as eggs and pancakes, as well as offering a large coffee selection. Pricing is extremely fair and the portion sizes are very large. The breakfast burritos could easily be split between two people and they will even split the burrito for you if you ask them when you're ordering it. Today I chose the #1 Sausage Breakfast Burrito and really enjoyed it. I especially liked the avocado and egg combo and just loved the simple and hearty flavors. Overall, it's a really solid breakfast burrito spot in a really pretty part of San Diego. I love how close it is to the water, I appreciate the casual vibe, and I was really happy to see that it was just as good as it was when I was much younger. I will definitely be back and would recommend.

    Great post surf breakfast burrito! Very hearty and friendly servers. Free water station, limited…read moreindoor seating and ample outdoor seating. Very chill beach town vibe.

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    Order counter and seating
    Order counter and seating
    Big breakfast with French toast
    Big breakfast with French toast
    Pipes Cafe. Front entrance and outdoor seating

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    Sunny Side Solana

    Sunny Side Solana

    4.4
    (530 reviews)
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    Super good! The house coffee is great (not burnt or old tasting!) and the food was delicious! So…read moreglad I found this place

    Our family loves coming here when we are on a staycation. Service is always friendly. We have…read moretried a variety of food and have enjoyed it. There's free parking in the back and street parking in the front. This place is known for their breakfast but their other items are just as good. We recently found out the Chicken Fettuccine Al Pesto is the owners Italian mother's recipe. My youngest son enjoys getting this dish. My favorite breakfast dishes are the chicken and waffle, country fried steak and french toasts. They perfectly bread the chicken and the homemade country gravy it adds that extra goodness to the meal. I also love their fresh-pressed juices, and I usually request a plantation iced tea -- iced tea mixed with pineapple juice. So refreshing! The decor is adorable too. It has a cozy farmhouse café vibe that makes the whole place feel warm and inviting. And the bread pudding from Sunny Side is definitely worth mentioning. I usually don't like bread pudding, but this is far from ordinary. It's made with croissants and chocolate, drizzled with chocolate sauce, dusted with powdered sugar, served with raspberries, and strawberries. You have to add the ice cream...cause why not? Absolutely indulgent and perfect for sharing. Totally worth those extra calories! Overall, we'll definitely keep dining here. Great service, delicious food, and so many good family memories every time we visit!

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    Sunny Side Solana
    Sunny Side Solana
    Cute little cup

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    Potato Shack Cafe

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    3.9
    (603 reviews)
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    It's been a few years since I've been to this iconic restaurant located in downtown Encinitas…read more Parking was very difficult on a Saturday around noon. Had to park across the 101 and trek it. Walking in there were no customers dining in but a couple of people on their outside patio at the entrance. The server was really nice and took our orders. We ordered the option C: A plain Manhole sized pancake with eggs & bacon and the Tuna sandwich w/ fries. Food arrived fast and was given salsa as well (which was delicious!). The manhole sized pancake was huge as expected and couldn't fit on the oval plate. The scrambled eggs were hanging off the smaller plate it was on with the bacon. The tuna sandwich was impressive. It was in what looked like slices of Texas Toast bread. The food was good and glad we didn't give up on the parking situation. They are still cash-only and thankfully an ATM inside. They also take Venmo.

    Old school American diner in all the best ways, diner coffee, pancakes are HUGE and fluffy, and yes…read morethey still have biscuits and gravy on the menu! Team there will get you food fast. It feels like a jump back to breakfast out with your parents in the 80s or 90s...put your phones away, be ready to pay cash, and it's still ok to enjoy stacking all the jellies into a pyramid even if your in your 30s or 40s with your own kids. Hope y'all enjoy one of the best classic breakfast diners in north county San Diego

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    1st time!!
    1st time!!
    Turkey burger! Really good!
    Turkey burger! Really good!
    2 egg over medium breakfast

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    2 egg over medium breakfast

    101 Diner - diners - Updated June 2026

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