Everything you want in a brunch spot is here at Ball Square. The omelet I ordered was HUGE. The potatoes were yummy, plus service was great. Wish the place was bigger though because there was a wait and we had to stand outside when it was raining out so that wasn't super pleasant, but overall, great brunch spot if you have some time to potentially wait for a table. read more

Ball Square Cafe - Veggie omelet, loved how it came with avocado. Got the croissant instead of toast. It was tasty but didn't seem like it was made in house - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

Everything from the service to the good was excellent. Stopped here on a trip to Boston and felt like a local because everyone was so welcoming. Large portions and delicious food. Highly recommend! read more

I actually found this place off of a google search and it was the best decision I ever made! It's a pretty small place but it really packs a big punch! They hospitality is amazing, very warm and welcoming which made the experience that much more memorable! Now the food! I spent so much time contemplating on what to get because everything sounds so delicious and sure enough it was. No disappointment and the portions are hugeee! It's hard to leave this place without a smile! Thank you so much to the manager and the staff! Keep doing an amazing job! read more

Ball Square Cafe - Banana stuffed French toast - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

Absolutely love this place, the Owner is always welcoming and accommodating a plus in my book, but the best part is the FOOD!!! Delicious tasty from the pancakes to the eggs and even the coffee great.... many places around town but not many like this.... read more

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Mike has a million dollar smile but besides that the food is exceptional. I had traditional French toast with turkey bacon and eggs. I will def be back... The service was out of this world.... Saul was my server... Thanks again Mike food was Great. Til next time... read more

Ball Square Cafe - Blueberry (3)French Toast Turkey Bacon Two Eggs - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

Best meal we've had in the Boston area all week. Never had a better breakfast anywhere. Great atmosphere and the service was excellent.

I am sorry but they definitely don't know how to run a resturant. No attendants for those who come in, no list for those who are in line. They randomly pick parties that are easiest to arrange. Despite their years of running business, customer care is of their least priorities. At freezing temperatures, they freely waited people although they had tables available. You ask why? Because nobody cared! When we explained the situation to the waitress, she said that's how they do it!!! Disappointing read more

Ball Square does not earn five stars in my book, but TEN. I wanted to write this review as soon as possible so I don't miss any detail of the great experience I had. I was so stoked on coming because all of my friends kept saying how great the French Toast here was. Since it was my first time here, I was a little shocked and sad to see a wait outside Ball Square. My boyfriend and I didn't know whether you grab a number because it seemed like they were doing a "first come, first serve" seating basis. Anyways, as assumed, it was a first come, first serve system and we waited about 20-30 minutes in line, which is NOT bad compared to other places. While waiting, the owner, Mike, came out and told us the wait time and that drinks were self served. That's pretty neat that all of the coffees, teas, and water were self served. Once we were seated, we knew what we wanted to order. We ordered the coconut macaroon French Toast, the Tuscan omelet, and a side of fries. We also got a cup of iced coffee, which was very creamy. The food came out at a pretty good pace, which is always a plus in my book. But wow, let me tell you about the French Toast... It was AMAZING. Mike told us that it was the best seller at the restaurant and I can totally see why. The challah bread was soft and gooey on the inside, while the coconut flakes were charred on the outside, giving it a nice subtle crunch. The best of both worlds. Mike told us that we didn't even need syrup with the French Toast and we believed him!! It went so well with the three dollops of whipped cream that it came with. The whipped cream was dense, so it doesn't melt like usual ones. It had a nice vanilla flavor that paired nicely with the bread. On top of everything, it was finished off with some condensed milk and raspberry drizzle, which all went so well together. I love having both a savory and a sweet dish, so the Tuscan omelet was great to have to counteract all of the sweetness from the French Toast. It came with fresh mozzarella, mushrooms, basil, and roasted red bell peppers. I give mad props to places that serve mozzarella because I'm not a big fan of other cheeses. Everything was so flavorful by itself, that I barely needed ketchup, salt, or pepper. It also came with grilled mash, which was just a block of mashed potatoes, and 4 pieces of toast. We also ordered a side of French fries, which came out piping hot because they were freshly made. Overall, this was a 10/10 dining out experience. I'd also like to mention our server, Raul?, who was friendly, attentive, and always had a smile whenever he would come by our table. I haven't had a friendly server like him in a while. Mike also came by our table and had a small conversation, which really added to our dining experience. He's a great guy who makes everyone feel welcomed and as if we were apart of the family. Wish other restaurants would learn a thing or two from here. But I can't wait to be back to try other items because they all looked mouth watering! read more

amazing service and fast, food was amazing and huge for the price it was extremely good and the service was amazing

Love that they open at 6:30 AM because I was starving and woke up hungry at 6, and was able to come here and fill that void in my stomach. At regular brunch hours there's always a line out the door, but at 6:30 AM, this place was empty. And the food is surprisingly good! It's nothing creative or new - just very solid renditions of eggs (and probably pancakes tho I didn't try it). I got the Moroccan eggs and added mushrooms - definitely do that because the mushrooms added a nice bit of umami to the sweet peppers and tomatoes (which are kind of flavorless). Personally found the peppers / tomatoes here more flavorful and less mushy than Sound bites but maybe it's just cuz I had the added mushrooms. They give you A LOT of eggs, and despite my ravenous hunger, I couldn't finish more than half the food. I subbed out fries for fruit and was surprised by the diversity of fruit they had! There were kiwis and mango and pineapple and strawberries and watermelon. read more

Brunch here was amazing! We had to wait in line for about 40 minutes at 11 am on a Saturday but they were efficient inside without making customers feel rushed while eating. The drinks were self serve (including water) and the atmosphere was a little bit tight between tables but it was worth it for the delicious food. The portions were really big and the food was all cooked to perfection. I also got an iced latte with my meal that was really good. Would highly recommend coming here for brunch, just be prepared to wait in line! read more

Ball Square Cafe - Half Benedict with potato hash - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

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I try to visit Ball Square whenever Im in the Boston area. The food Ive tried is that good for me to return and there are so many things I want to try still! Service has always been friendly and I have to remind myself coffee and tea are self serve. They used to serve lobster benedicts many years ago, which was the first thing I tried here. They're known for their French toast and they make some of the best French toasts I've had. I'm not really a fan of shredded coconut either, but their signature French toast is the coconut macaroon flavor and I was amazed. It was delicious. They also serve a generous amount of housemade whipped cream. Next time, I hope I get to try their pear and goat cheese French toast. Come early or you're gonna be struggling to find parking and waiting in a long line. read more

Delicious breakfast food! Good ambience. We just moved to Arlington and this is the best breakfast spot we found in the vicinity so far. Parking situation is a little difficult (but not impossible) during busy time (Sat / Sun morning). They are very adamant about not sitting anyone until the entire party has arrived so be sure you come all together. read more

Sometimes you remember a place so deserving of an A+ rating that you have to come back to add a review four years later. This ain't no bull: this place is solid. I won't lie, moving to the Boston area after living in Chicago, Portland (Oregon), Portsmouth and a bunch of other awesome brunch places like Madison, WI, Detroit and KCMO, was...well...completely (f'ning) disappointing. :) I am not even joking -Boston your brunch game is kinda lacking, regardless of the pandemic. All that said, this brunch spot delivers. I imagine a time when the Boston area gets it's collective food game together. For inspiration- start here. And the fruit pancakes are highly recommended by my kids. read more

Thank you Yelp for bringing me to Ball Square Cafe & Breakfast on my last morning in MA! Such a quaint little breakfast spot and I wish they had something reminiscent of this in NY. So everyone knows that Sunday brunch anywhere can be a dream and a nightmare. I ended up calling ahead just to see what the wait was like and they said about 30 minutes. When I got there the manager greeted me and the cafe was completely full and he ushered me two doors down to "stay warm" until there was an open table for my party-- which of course, I thought this was not only the sweetest but so thoughtful. After about 10 minutes we were brought over to the cafe and seated. Our waitress introduced herself and brought us the menus. They do things a little differently here and majority of their drinks are self serve -- which is super cool. So after a while I got up and proceeded to make my tea, grabbed an apple juice from the fridge and got a cup of ice water. They have a machine that squeezes the oranges for freshly squeezed orange juice but only the waiters can operate that. We ordered and within a few minutes large plates began to overtake our table. Every time I go out to eat I seem to get all the stares from everyone dining because I always look like a greedy butt but what it really is is that I am so tempted to try so many different items knowing I don't have enough room in my belly to put it. Oh well -- YOLO .. We had banana fosters brioche french toast which was to die for. Banana pancakes that were about the size of my head. My daughter wanted this waffle and it had about 15 servings of fresh fruit piled on covered with powdered sugar and whipped cream. Eggs, bacon, toast, bagels, you naamme it! lol Yummy yummy in my tummy .. I fell in love with this little place. I swear if you weren't so far we would have a standing brunch date every sunday morning :) read more

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Ordered takeout, which was quick. Chicken and waffles and 'our favorite' were great. Will be ordering again and looking forward to trying in person. read more

Was excited to see a Crab eggs Bene on the menu, my all time fav since so many places just heat up a crab cake and don't offer the fresh crab. BOY was I dissapointed....Betobd disappointed, I felt tricked!! The "crab" came either out of a cab from the 1960's or it was spoiled, either way, the ladies at the table closest to mine wrinkled their noses when the waiter passed by because of the heavy "fish" smell, a tell-tell sign seafood is not fresh. I so read more

Many years ago I left a five star review on Yelp of Ball Square Cafe. I have been back many times since then, always enjoyed great food and service, but never left another review until today. I took my mom to breakfast there this morning. The food was served promptly and was delicious. The thing that prompted me to write this review was our server. He was so polite, friendly, and personable. Before we left I asked him what his name was to let him know how pleased we were with him and thank him. He then said it was his first day working there! Well this is for Domenic... keep up the great work; you are awesome! read more

Delicious food. Very elevated diner style offerings, with fresh fruit and other yummy side dishes like crusted hash brown mashed potatoes. Friendly wait staff, and efficient too! read more

I came here for brunch with a friend on a Sunday morning, and somehow we were seated immediately, which was amazing, so I guess it pays off to be a party of 2 when there are several large parties waiting. First off, I loved that iced coffee was a menu offering. I'm glad that places are catching on and including that on the menu these days. My friend and I decided that we were going all-out for brunch, and boy did we ever! We each got a breakfast sandwich, a side of potatoes, and a side order of one of the specialty French Toasts. We also got a side of hollandaise to throw onto our food because, at that point, why not?!? OMG, it was delicious! I was in a food coma for hours after leaving the restaurant. It was also my first visit, so I was unaware that a "side" of French Toast was basically a full order. Don't get me wrong, I'm very grateful for the three meals I basically consumed for breakfast, but I just didn't expect it. The food was delicious, and it was a great value for what you get. This establishment offers excellent, friendly service, and an amazing turnover rate. I'd come back! read more

I had the Moroccan eggs and it was completely tasteless. Not only that, the veggies were soggy and I asked for my eggs over medium and got over easy eggs. If you are going to order it I would add mushrooms like the other reviews say, that was the only thing that made this plate edible. Besides that the server was nice and they do have a nice selection of fruit if you choose that as a side. read more

The breakfast here is BOMB. I came here early on a Monday (holiday) with my friend. He said that we would have to go early or there would be a line out the door, so we did and he was right! We both got lattes to drink and it was good. For food, I got the Shaved Steak Benedict with the diced potatoes and he got the Broadway Blues. We both devoured the food. The shaved steak was delicious and tender. Well seasoned and the hollandaise sauce was different then what I have tried from other places. I loved it! It was creamy and YUMMY. I will definitely come back here for breakfast/brunch in the future. Probably one of the top places I have been to and not overpriced. read more

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I discovered this place while searching for somewhere to take my friend who was visiting from out of town. Going there for the first time it was definitely a little confusing figuring out the self-serve part of the restaurant but everyone was super informative and nice--not just our server. As far as the food--it was excellent! Their french toast might just be the best I've had! The portions were very large so both times I ate there I had to take food to go. I ordered a side of avocado and it was probably the biggest side of avocado I've ever seen at a restaurant! That being said, I'm giving them only four stars because while at non-peak times it is more relaxed, I visited when it was super busy once and didn't have the best experience we could have had. We were moved around from table to table and almost had too much interaction with the servers/host. When we were trying to get drinks we felt like we were cramped and in the way since servers were moving in and out of the kitchen, and it was just slightly stressful. I would recommend this place for a small group to grab breakfast or brunch. I wouldn't recommend it if you are looking for something super lowkey and quiet, because it is a small busy place. However, I'm almost positive they do takeout, if that interests you! read more

Cool little brunch restaurant. Quite small, and always crowded in the drink area. Self-serve coffee and tea for $3.50 unlimited refill was a very cool idea. They have great selection of teas. Coffee was only OK. I ordered the Mexican omelette, while my friend just got a breakfast platter with two eggs. However, they gave my friend's plate to another table, which caused us to wait a bit longer than necessary. I also found a avocado stem in my avocado inside the omelette, which I told the waitress immediately. I was slight disappointed at my experience as the restaurant has a very good review. read more

Ball Square Cafe - Avocado stem... - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

This was our first meal stop for our New England adventure weekend (except for Chik-Fil-A on the long drive lmao). We stayed with a friend in the area near Tufts and came here for brunch due to the MANY positive Yelp reviews. We were not disappointed. We found street parking very easily on a Friday morning pretty early. I assume it may be more tough on the weekends, but this little restaurant is in walking distance of the nearby neighborhoods. Our waiter was amazing. I loved him so much, enough so that we wanted to bring him along for the rest of our vacation. Lol. He was hilarious and friendly - wish I knew his name so I could give him a proper shout out. The food was delicious! My friend and I split the banana Nutella French toast. Incredible. And i got the eggs benny with the mashed potatoes. So delicious. It was also very affordable. I highly recommend this breakfast spot for out-of-towners and locals alike! read more

Ball Square Cafe - Banana and Nutella French toast - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

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Best breakfast around.... Only thing is the wait is insane so get there early. There French toast and omelets are amazing 10/10

This place is a great option for brunch, but not if you're in any sort of a hurry. When we arrived, it was raining and the wait list is done through a physical line outside. There's an awning with heaters, so we were tucked out of the weather a little, but if you leave the line- you're out. The line moved moderately quickly, but not so speedy. Once inside, it's bustling and homey with slightly cramped tables. The beverages are a self-serve system for coffee and tea and such in the back of the restaurant, but I ordered one of the few drinks that isn't self-serve, the hot chocolate, and I recommend it highly! They top it with real, homemade whipped cream which makes all the difference. As for the rest of the food, we had, between us, regular pancakes, an omelet (meat lover's), the coconut macaroon french toast, and a side of turkey sausage. The pancakes were good, but they lacked that butter-crisped edge like the ones at The Paramount downtown Boston (my other brunch in Boston on my weekend trip there) that really set above a GOOD set of pancakes, for me. The sausage was good, nothing extra-ordinary. The omelet was much better, in comparison to the Paramount, as it had that fluffy, incorporated texture that comes from a good technique and getting air into it. Then, the french toast really was delightful. The coconut macaroon element is a sprinkling of gently toasted coconut crust over it with a raspberry drizzle and lots of that homemade whipped cream. It was really quite delicious it you have a sweet tooth. I liked that the french toast didn't fall into that soggy, all-soft no texture fallacy of french toast sometimes. This was a well done dish. The service wasn't 100%, there was a lag between seating and getting to put our order and asking for the check and getting it, which in such a small space with a self-service element, I felt shouldn't have happened, but it didn't hinder the experience. I'd check it out if one was interested! read more

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Unique, friendly, yummy breakfast place! I came here for the first time the other day and left stuffed and satisfied. My gf has been driving by this place and always telling me how there's a line out the door- so we made it a point to go this weekend. Of course we had to wait outside but believe me, it is worth the wait. We get seated and the waitress was very friendly and explained how they work. Mostly all the drink are self serve which is different than what I'm used to. But it worked well and you can refill your water or coffee without waiting. There are a wide range of drinks in the fridge like bottled water, V8, and kombuca. A guy who seems to be in charge was constantly checking to make sure we could find everything. As for the food- considering how crowded it is- our food came out pretty quick. We split the tri berry Belgium waffle and the crab Benedict. BOTH were amazing. The waffle was the perfect dessertish plate , made with homemade whipped cream which was thick. The fruit was all fresh. As for the Benedict - YES!!! The hollandaise sauce must be freshly made. And the crab was thick pieces and just the meat. The English muffin was a little tough to cut into but it might have just been that one order. It was all around great. I highly recommend waiting in the line and giving t a try. Great food! They also have lunch menu too which sounded yummy but we haven't tried it yet. Definitely planning to go back. read more

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Ball Square Cafe has delicious breakfast foods! Their omelets have been the most enjoyable.

Busy busy busy!!! This place has a line. A long line. Very long. We legit waited for roughly an hour before we got seated, but there was a person (Mike?) conducting the line go make sure the customers waiting outside were happy and reassured that they would get seated soon. The other nice thing was the fact that they let us go inside go get coffee! I think you pay a small amount for limitless coffee. So you could go in, grab a cup, make your coffee and get back in line and stay warm while waiting! It was definitely nice. And mike was a charmer! Service: our server was super funny and very helpful. She was swift and took very good care of us even though she was literally flying through the restaurant, serving multiple tables Food: portions. Are. Huge. I honestly can't remember everything we got, but we should've just shared bc 4 plates of food was enough to feed 6!!! But no complaints there! It was delicious and well worth my money! Overall, amazing service, great food, kind workers. Highly recommend this place! read more

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What a great meal. We drove out to Somerville after many positive reviews. Plus they do gluten-free everything, making it possible to eat more than eggs. The Belgian waffles, pancakes and omelettes were excellent. Great service! read more

The French toast was delicious, although they forgot our whip cream and powdered sugar. I definitely recommend the marinated steak tip plate with mashed potatoes instead of the diced, scrambled cheese eggs and toast. I would suggest customers to pass on the crab meat eggs Benedict I found lots of crab shells in my meal while eating which made my breakfast terrible. Otherwise not a bad place to eat, just wouldn't suggest the crab meat eggs Benedict. read more

Ball Square Cafe - Crab meat eggs Benedict - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

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I love Ball Square cafe. only downside is the wait!

I went to this place because the amazing reviews from other customers and because I saw they had gluten free pancakes and Belgian waffles. The service was great, and they have self serve coffee and tea for while you wait and while you are eating which I really appreciate. The wait was not long-- my boyfriend and I were seated within 5 minutes on a Saturday morning. We ordered the strawberry shortcake Belgian waffle and the corned beef hash with two over easy eggs. I HIGHLY recommend the gluten free Belgian waffles here. They are crispy, yet fluffy and absolutely delicious. Although I asked for whipped cream on the side, I got it on top of the waffle. But the whipped cream is very dense so I could just scrape it off to the side. The corned beef hash was a HUGE disappointment. The corned beef was mush with very little flavor and there was very little potatoes in the "hash". The meat had a metallic taste which makes me think it came from a can. I was very letdown by this dish because after looking at other customers omelettes, Benedicts, French toasts, and breakfast sandwiches I think we just ordered wrong. The corned beef hash seemed like an anomaly in the standard product of this restaurant. I recommend this place, but DO NOT get the corned beef hash. read more

Ball Square Cafe - Photo of their corned beef hash to show the MUSH of it. The corned beef hash was a huge disappointment. I do not recommend. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

I was excited to eat here this morning based on the great reviews and was a bit disappointed. We were seated quickly but it took a while for anyone to come back to take our order. I ordered two eggs with toast and homefries and a chocolate chip pancake on the side. The pancake was just okay, I wouldn't come back for it. The homefries, which are grilled mashed potatoes, had potential but were cold when I got them. Overall, it was a mediocre meal. read more

From the breakfast to the service this restaurant is a must! The owner Mike personally came to introduce himself. He then took the time to personally meet us after he learned we are new to town. I love sharing and the amazing part was the ability to split my Benedict to half original half crab and then split my side to potatoes and mashed. The line can be long but moves very fast and is definitely worth the wait. No doubt, I will be back very soon! read more

Ball Square Cafe - Banana Bananas and Nutella Stuffed - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

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Ball Square Cafe was amazing. Got eggs, the crispy mash, & sausage. My husband got the eggs benedict. Everything was amazing. We shared the gluten free pancakes since i am gluten free. They were the best gluten free pancakes I've ever had! Love this place. Wish I lived closer so I could come more! read more

Best gluten free pancakes EVER! Period. Oh, and everything else is excellent too. Customer service is top notch!

We came on a Sunday morning around 10:30am and waited approx 50 min for a table. Wait was a little longer than originally estimated (20-25min). But the food was incredible! The Coconut macaroon French toast was to die for!! So yummy!! The portions are generous and I could take a slice home for the next day. The bottomless coffee is a self service bar and coffee is decent. I wish the wait was shorter but I would come back for an omelette next time. read more

Ball Square Cafe - Our Famous Coconut Macaroon French Toast - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

Ball Square is a solid brunch spot, but doesn't live up to the hype or merit the wait. There's a full brunch menu, with everything you expect in the way of pancakes, waffles, omelettes, egg sandwiches, etc. Plenty of good vegetarian and low carb options. Nothing was stand-out, but nothing was bad. We didn't feel hurried to finish/leave, and the service was super friendly and laid back in general, which we appreciated. I can see how it might be frustrating if you're in a rush, since the server wasn't constantly checking in, but it was perfect for a chill catch-up brunch. One gripe was that we were offered coffee while we waited in line (~30min on a Saturday afternoon), and then charged for it with our meal. Plenty of other popular, no-reservation brunch spots (like Neighborhood) offer free coffee while you wait -- and have it out on the sidewalk so you don't have to walk into the restaurant to get it, plus sometimes cut up some bread or muffins to taste while you wait. We were surprised to have been charged for three coffees (at nearly $4 each), but were in a hurry and didn't want to cause a scene. It just felt petty! Not a big deal, but certainly worth being clear about when you let people know they can drink coffee while they wait. read more