Stopped in for breakfast today. We have been supporting our local small businesses who have managed to stay open during the pandemic. They have in and outdoor dining and taking all the necessary precautions. We had the #1, Sausage/Bacon and eggs. You might ask yourself, "well how can anyone mess up eggs, bacon and hash browns, but you'd be surprised. However, Antique Row knows how to make a great breakfast. This is one of those rare places that know how to poach eggs and when you ask for "crispy" hash browns they actually serve them just the way you ask! I had the fresh biscuit which was huge! These are fresh and delicious. Next time I will have with gravy. All-in-all this is a nice, clean place, with friendly and professional staff who have a sense of humor as well. They're reasonably priced and you won't sit waiting for a half hour for your food. Highly recommended. read more

Antique Row Cafe - Sausage and eggs. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - El Cajon, California

The location is 1 star. The food, ambiance, and service is 5-star. That's what matters. It's tough because the location is off a major road and unfortunately there are many unsafe conditions in the proximity and people (homeless transients), encampments literally within 15 feet of this place. As a father with young children, it's difficult not to worry and stress about entry and exit, as they're screaming, yelling, and creating an uncomfortable arrival / departure experience. If you get past that and get a parking spot directly outside entry, it's 5-star everything from there. Traditional 50's setting diner with home cooked meals and recipes. Very nostalgic. The food was incredible, every meal we ordered. The service was incredible. From greeting upon entry, they were pro-active in welcoming, not just the usual standing and staring. They were genuinely there to serve. Despite being a packed house (I can see why), we were seated immediately. The bussers and servers were so fluid and on their A+ game. Waters instantly, coffees and OJs instantly, and I wish I remembered the servers name, but after every time we would say "thank you", he would interject "Nooooo. Thank YOUUUUUU". It was special and unique and not only differentiated him from every other staff, but made him stand out. Everyone was super attentive. Shout out to the chefs in the back. The food was made to order so fast. I seriously think it was 5 minutes or less for a family of 4 with everything piping hot and unbelievably delicious. I wish there was an Antique Row branch off built closer to me in Santee. Outside of the external factors outside of the building, this place was a 10/5 stars. Beyond amazing. read more

Huge portions and great customer service. One of my favorite breakfast places Love all the wall nostalgia read more

Best place to eat. I have been coming here for about 15 years now. They are all family. Same servers from when I first started. I love the food as well! Big portions for a good price! read more

LARGE PORTIONS !! The food is amazing I mean we left NO crumbs. I chose to do breakfast here for my birthday and I truly enjoyed myself. The waiters interact with not only each other but the customers too. The comedic bickering between my family and the 2 servers was so fun! Definitely gotta have a sense of humor. It's not too big but the decor definitely makes the ambiance enjoyable. Would definitely recommend the Baja Tijuana omelet. read more

Definitely get the antique aspect of this place the minute you walk in. We were welcomed by the waiter immediately with such a buoyant attitude. I ordered the Giant Cinnamon Roll, not my favorite. For breakfast I ordered the Eggs Florentine with their home potatoes and was not disappointed. The serving size could definitely feed two people if you aren't that hungry. The price was fair for the amount of food and service your receive. If you are looking for a mom and pop place and not a restaurant chain definitely recommend this place. read more

This place had always been one of my favorites and I'm just now getting to the long overdue review! The food is super homemade and has a really good taste to it. You can tell it's cooked with time and care. The service is always fast and they're kind, funny while also being super helpful to offer suggestions to order and make it a good deal. I love going in because each time I'm at at a different seat I see different decorations that I haven't seen prior and dig the old vibe it has with all the old items around. read more

Hard to say this is a "5 star" type of place, but for the type of food, price, friendliness of staff it gets a 5. Came early on a Sunday with a party of 6 and were seated right away. Old school lunchy diner vibes with lots of vintage sports decor, adds to the charm. Had some French toast with added berries. Nice and fluffy. Came with a side of eggs and bacon. Coffee was pretty good actually, and we all liked the constant refills. No real creamer here (just tiny creamer pods). I like to know this detail when I read yelp reviews so I wanted to share. Also no alternative 'green' sweeteners, just brown, white and Splenda. Lovely place for a simple "american" breakfast. Also good for a hangover hehe. Would visit, If on a weekend I'd go early! read more

I can't believe I've never reviewed this quaint little cafe yet! It's a favorite spot for the locals as the one in North Park was as well. I always enjoy a restaurant with an old timey feel so it's always a pleasure having breakfast here with my East County friends. I usually never really stray from their one egg breakfast: egg's over medium with sausage, potatoes and toast. Or I'll go for their Monte Cristo. My girlfriend has a heartier appetite and loves their Steak and Eggs. I rarely see her order anything else so it must be good. Portion sizes are plentiful as well as affordable prices. Service is always sweet and accommodating. I feel like the staff has known one another for a very long time. Gotta love that family feel while enjoying great food! read more

Amazing place for breakfast. Super delicious and clean restaurant. The customer service is also amazing. Country fried chicken with biscuit and gravy is the best. two thumbs up. read more

We met our friends here from out of town. It had a great breakfast. It's like a traditional breakfast place. The service was excellent. The food was delicious. read more

Great service! buuuut....the food was ehhh... husband ordered the French toast special banana nut... he said the bread tasted old, barely got through one slice and couldn't finish the rest. My omelette was also ehh... it came with cheese but the cheese tasted like they used velveeta - ugh! there were too many small chunks of it and made the omelette taste weird. The home potatoes weren't bad, wished they were more crispy rather than just eating regular chunks of potatoes. Cute place and their house salsa was bomb! but sadly we weren't impressed with the food to come back. read more

What a delight! We were looking for a new breakfast place and saw the reviews so decided to try it out! Not only was the food something you would look forward to visiting grandmas house-made with love and all the flavors but the service is bar none! Ramon our server made it feel like we were with family plus he come with all the comic relief you can need. The ambiance is cozy and ugh tons of fun unique antiques to look at. read more

I would 100% recommend. The service was overtop amazing and the food was outstanding.

Good vibes all around. Excellent service. The staff were super friendly and our server Ramon was a top-notch jokester who put smiles to our faces throughout our dining experience. The food was exactly what we were looking for and I have to mention the spicy salsa bc it actually was spicy (habanero and Serrano) and it was the best salsa we've ever had from a diner-type location. read more

Excellent food. Great staff. The food came really fast and great portions for the price you pay. I strongly recommend. One of the best in east county. read more

Great service, very friendly. Great place to bring my senior parents when they visit from out of town. Food was good, banana nut bread fresh toast was delicious. read more

Outstanding food and service. Our order was on a Sunday the place was packed. The order came to use in 10 mins. At it was perfect the way we ordered it. Server was I think Ramon. I gave him a huge tip he was perfect. We will haunt this place for many moons from now. Keep up the great work!! read more

Excellent Breakfast to eat at. Great staff. The food was very good and it came out super-fast. Very affordable also. I would highly recommend. read more

What a convenient place to stop for breakfast when U're having Ur car serviced at Precision. The staff is friendly, family owned & plenty to see inside filled with nostalgic items from years past. The menu is reasonable & service of food delivery was quicker than having me make breakfast at home. I definitely will be back! read more

Antique Row Cafe - Antique Row cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - El Cajon, California

Fast service and the food is great! Salsa and tortillas!! Mexicans welcomed Difficult finding parking only bad thing read more

Tried this small diner out for breakfast and was very happy with the food and the service. I ordered the Baja omelette with hash browns and sourdough toast. The food was served up very fast and was perfect. I am happy that I decided to try this place out and if you are in town, I would recommend you too check those place out. read more

Antique Row Cafe - From my booth - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - El Cajon, California

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I've lived in El Cajon for 12 years and I can not believe I haven't check this place out! This is one of little gem we have for your go-to breakfast/lunch!! Definitely worth it!! For sure I will come back! read more

Antique Row Cafe - Steak and Eggs with house spicy salsa!! 100% Awesome! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - El Cajon, California

We really enjoyed this family-owned diner. Met the owner as soon as we walked in. He was friendly and shared a lot of his history, which made this more than a stop for breakfast...it was a moment to slow down and enjoy a slice of homemade nostalgia. If you live here you are fortunate to come often. If you're visiting drop by, you'll quickly feel like a local. Loved the service, the food, the prices and the atmosphere. read more

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I love this restaurant. I always get quick service and I love the coffee. About to order an amazing Philly cheesesteak and probably sleep in my truck after. read more

Antique Row Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - El Cajon, California

Can I give 6 stars?! Best service, food, and ambiance of any diner in San Diego! Portions are ridiculous, food spilling over the side of the plate... best omlette I've ever had, and Ramone is the funniest and most attentive server I've had. All of it bundled up in an eclectic little classic diner setting where the serving staff all know the regulars names. This is my new favorite place in SD. read more

My husband and I recently moved to the area. We've been looking for a good breakfast place to go to and hadn't found one we really liked before coming here. The staff here are nice and accommodating. It looks like a lot of patrons are older locals but it just adds to the comfortable atmosphere. The waitress we met is very sweet and she was very considerate of a couple who came in before us. The wife had difficulty walking, so the waitress seated them close to the door so the wife wouldn't have to walk so far. The portions and quality of food are worth the price. We ordered a veggie omelet and a pancake combo with bacon. All of it was very good and there was so much, we had to take half of our meals home. The veggie omelet was filled with veggies. The pancakes are thick and fluffy. The bacon was crispy, just like I asked. We really enjoyed our meal and the kind and friendly faces of the staff. I think this is my new favorite breakfast place. They also have lunch, but I like breakfast food. read more

Wow, cannot believe I have never been here before. This is an awesome East County experience. Wonderful service and outstanding food. I will be a regular here now. The biscuits are light and airy yet have a wonderful flavor. The coffee is spot on. The salsas are homemade and have excellent flavor. My California Omelette was huge and flavorful. I will be back again to try everything! read more

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Large portions of food but overhyped in my estimation. May or may not give them another shot; just didn't live up to our expectations. read more

We stop here every time returning from Sycuan. Staff is most friendly. Food portions huge and always great tasting. Served before you're half done with freshly brewed coffee. Anything you don't like is replaced immediately...with a smile. We've never been disappointed. read more

Proportions were huge. Food was good. My salad can feed me breakfast, lunch and dinner. It's like any average diner. Nothing really stood out other than the portion size. For some, that's a plus. For others like me, that's not so much of a great thing. Don't get me wrong, the salad was great but when there's SOOO MUCH of it, it was more a hassle having to ask for a separate plate so I can split it out first before I start eating. And like I said, for some, that's a 5 star. I prefer quality over quantity. If salad was half the size, had additional toppings like a side of pickled artichoke or a side of nuts, seeds or granola - that'll earn 4-5 star just for detail and consideration. But food was filling, my husband enjoyed his club sandwich, my kid enjoyed his fries and we had plenty of togo. They practice social distancing and wore masks. Solid 3 star read more

Antique Row Cafe - Ginormous Chef Salad - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - El Cajon, California

Really good breakfast restaurant for being in town. I've been here many times and have tried many dishes .Reminds me of a country breakfast restaurant. Very homey and family owned vibe. Worth trying it out and I was very happy with our meal!! read more

The place didn't look like much from the outside, but it turned out to be real cute inside--filled with all sorts of paraphernalia from the 50s. The best part, though, were the employees, who had a banter between them that could have been on a well-written sit-com! The kicker was when we ordered a "small milk" and they brought a tiny sauce holder with milk and half a straw. We could NOT stop laughing! The food was great as well. We ordered an omelet and a Rueben. Large portions and great taste! read more

Antique Row Cafe - This place was so much fun! This was the "small milk" we ordered. We couldn't stop laughing! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - El Cajon, California

This cafe is an excellent example of honest food, good price and neighborly service. From the coffee to the toast, it did not disappoint in any way. read more

First time in this restaurant and most definitely NOT my last!!! This family style restaurant makes you feel just like that... Family... Everyone is very friendly and welcoming. Our server Joey was AWESOME....GREAT customer service!! And the food.....MY GOODNESS!! Deliciousness!!! And the portions are plentiful!! I truly advise trying the Monterrey potato cakes... read more

Amazing customer service. Their servers deserve a raise and recognition . Food was great and portions were huge ! It doesn't look like much from outside but it's a hidden gem. read more

Nice breakfast diner in the area. Pretty crowded but we got seated relatively fast for a Saturday morning. Breakfast food is better than dennys for example and would go back :) classic diner vibes. read more

5 stars for Ramon our server, he was fantastic. Very funny guy. The food was great with big portions.

Today 10/11/18 was my second time eating at Antique Row Cafe. I like this small family owned restaurant. The restaurant itself is an ode to Route 66, Elvis, Frank Sinatra, Marilyn Monroe , old antique lunch pails etc. Its like looking back into time. The food itself is homestyle and very good. I like coming here because service is genuine and you are welcomed. A great neighborhood jewel! Parking can be a nuisance on the weekends. read more

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Stopped in for breakfast. I had a bacon and sausage omelette and topped it with their spicy salsa, absolutely delicious. The wife had the Belgian waffle, she said the batter tasted homemade, not generic. Best of all, the service was outstanding! Within 2 minutes of sitting down 3 people asked how we were doing and if we wanted anything to drink. Food came out fast and the servers were incredibly polite! read more