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    Brief Encounter

    3.4 (260 reviews)
    Closed 8:00 am - 2:00 pm

    Order Brief Encounter Takeout or Delivery

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    BRIEF ENCOUNTER ATMOSPHERE

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

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    Joe's Special & Country Hash
    Carol C.

    Delicious breakfast on the Eastside. My go to here is the country hash and eggs with house made corned beef and a biscuit. Diner feel. Service is quick and friendly. Located in a strip mall with available parking.

    Kim T.

    This place is a very small restaurant in the Bellevue area. It's a good spot as a back up place. If all of the other Bellevue brunch spots are full prices are definitely a bit expensive for what you get. I've tried the eggs benedict, the two egg breakfast and the cinnamon roll. All of them are pretty standard. Their hashbrowns are my favorite part. It's super crispy. Service is pretty standard as well sometimes they forget about you but it's ok. It's very accommodating spot for parties six or more so that's super helpful and there's a parking lot so that's super convenient! Hygiene could be better :,) utensils were a bit dirty

    Sabrina N.

    nothing too crazy, just a casual breakfast diner in bellevue. our food took quite a while to come out but everything tasted pretty good. if you're looking for a typical american spot you should come here.

    Burrito with condiment container for size comparison.
    Ramon M.

    Ordered a breakfast burrito for lunch... $14 for this? Gave it the benefit of the doubt in case it was the best tasting burrito ever and it is a meh burrito.

    Online menu- $16 price

    Oh so disappointed. I had been craving biscuits and gravy for two weeks but didn't have time to make them myself. My mornings have been hectic, and I kept missing breakfast at my usual spots. So, I decided to give this place a try. I called ahead for a pickup order, and the gentleman on the phone was polite. He asked how I wanted my eggs, but I didn't want eggs or hash browns. I asked if there were any substitutions, like fruit--he said no. I asked if I could just leave them out--he said no, it "doesn't change anything." That was frustrating, but I went ahead with the order anyway. When I arrived, I noticed the menu offered a side order of biscuits and gravy, which would have been perfect. Not sure why he didn't mention that as an option. Now, the food: * The online menu listed the meal at $16, but I was charged $18. * It was supposed to come with two biscuits, but I received two cold, rock-hard halves--so really, just one full biscuit. * The gravy was advertised as sausage gravy, yet there wasn't a single piece of sausage in it. * It was completely bland and also cold. I was so disappointed by this experience and will not be back. Save your money and go next door to Subway.

    a restaurant with tables and chairs
    Jennifer T.

    $23 for a scrambled egg, sausage and 1 pancake with a small cup of caffe was a bit to much. The service was off and seemed very disconnected from the customer experience.

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    11 months ago

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    5 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Nice people, pretty good breakfast spot. Haven't had their lunch items. I really like their biscuit n gravy and scrambles

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    2 years ago

    Small but wonderful food and very friendly service. True homemade breakfast and lunch!

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    3 years ago

    Affordable, good-sized portions, homey, comfort food. It shares space/management with a take-out charcuterie business.

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    7 years ago

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    Page 1 of 7

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    Blazing Bagels

    Blazing Bagels

    3.9
    (492 reviews)
    1.7 mi
    $$

    We loved our sandwiches! We had the sausage, egg and cheese and the Bernie Boodnick. They are…read moremiddle sized sandwiches, and would be nice to have a side with for lunch. All the ingredients used felt like they were good quality. We ordered quickly and got our food quickly. The workers were friendly. There is a small eating area that is pleasant to sit at. It was pretty busy but didn't get very loud. I also bought a package of day old bagels for 50%, which ended up being $8. I had one toasted the next day and it was still very good. I thought that was a really good deal. There is a large parking lot behind the restaurant. You have to walk down either a few stairs or a ramp to get to the front door.

    As they strip down their menu, I'll have to remove this shop from my favorites. No more bagel dogs…read moreof any kind, which is my number one reason for coming, several bagel flavors leaving, and not even the courtesy of taking down the menu or covering those options during their transition. Extremely disappointed. I posted the above earlier at 3-stars, but I was too hasty posting before getting our food, expecting that even though the menu changed, the quality wouldn't. Sadly the bagel sandwiches aren't nearly stuffed to what they used to be and even the orange juice had extra pulp. My biggest complaint is still that there were no indicators in the store until we were trying to order. It is so frustrating to try to pivot when we're standing in front of the cashier with drinks in hand just trying to be on our way.

    Photos
    Chevy bagel w/pepperjack, salami, tomato, garlic cream cheese-toasted.
    Chevy bagel w/pepperjack, salami, tomato, garlic cream cheese-toasted.
    Lox on a everything wheat bagel w cucumbers.
    Lox on a everything wheat bagel w cucumbers.
    Foodgasm.

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    Foodgasm.
    Cafe Aloe

    Cafe Aloe

    4.1
    (374 reviews)
    1.6 mi
    $$
    Family-owned & operated
    Kid friendly

    Ideally I'd rate this 4.5 stars, but in this case, I lean closer to 5 than 4 stars. The food is…read morecreative and tasty. The highlight is the HK sandwich, specifically the Musubi. The ingredients may seem simple, but the execution is top notch. The bun is the star. They bake it fresh. Soft and tasty. And the egg is fluffy and filling by itself. The spam and furikake rounds it out perfectly. The piggy buns are a delight. Tried all 3 and I prefer the custard and taro. The molten custard is good too, but it can be messy. The half-star drop is due to service. It's not bad, but it's just not the warmest. They are busy, so I do recommend researching first before you order. That will eliminate any awkwardness. But the food absolutely makes up for this. And the ambiance is great. It's clean and comfortable to wait. Parking can be a bit of a challenge, but that's the case everywhere in Downtown Bellevue. I didn't see a garage that you can park and get validation.

    Cafe Aloe is a little cafe located within the Stokely Apartments in Bellevue. I've been wanted to…read moretry this cafe out for quite some time and finally made the drive out. There isn't any dedicated parking for the cafe, but we were able to find street parking around the block. Once you enter inside the building and cafe, it is surprisingly spacious. There isn't that much seating available though. On a nice day, there is outdoor seating available. I ordered a Vietnamese Iced Coffee and a Mint Mojito Iced Coffee. These were drinks very basic. Nothing extravagant about them, especially the Vietnamese Iced Coffee. The Mint Mojito Iced Coffee was a tad bit better and you could taste the mint in it. If I were to return, I definitely would try other drinks or even their food items here. The customer service here was okay. Not very interactive. There wasn't any issues, but it was a bit awkward for whatever reason.

    Photos
    Honey walnut shrimp sandwich!
    Honey walnut shrimp sandwich!
    Black sesame latte and Black sesame Matcha latte
    Black sesame latte and Black sesame Matcha latte
    *peek

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    *peek
    L'Experience Paris - Bellevue

    L'Experience Paris - Bellevue

    3.7
    (267 reviews)
    1.6 mi
    $$

    They now offer dinner and so we went to try. Some things were great - the server was pleasant, the…read morebeef bourguignon was delicious! I loved how many fresh veg and garnishes were part of the dish (unusual for this dish in my experience). However, more mashed potatoes than stew. The chocolate dessert had 3 different textures and a lovely rich flavor. The dinner menu is very small. A couple of starters. Two salads but only one available. Four entrées but only 2 available. I wasnt a fan of the lemon tart. Too much crust and not enough lemon filling. The chairs are very uncomfortable and cold, especially with the cold breeze blowing through from the propped open front door.

    We loved coming to this place because of the excellent food by chef Giovanni, but furthermore…read morebecause the service was nothing short of outstanding. Sadly, it's the exact opposite now. Chef is gone and now the range of food and wine is drastically diminished. I'd advise on the quality of what remains but we literally got up and left due to the repugnant attitude of the waiter, who identified himself as the manager and was all too happy to see us leave after some unpleasantries were exchanged. I think this restaurant's days remaining in business can be measured in days or weeks, not months. It's sad because the owner obviously put some real creativity and money into the design of the wine bar side of the establishment, but as many restaurateurs have learned the hard way, the nature of the personnel can make or break a business, and this place has gone from one extreme to the other in that regard. I predict this particular manager will put the last nail in the coffin of L'Experience Paris with total certainty.

    Photos
    Jelly
    Jelly
    Cheescake
    Cheescake
    Espresso, Latte!

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    Espresso, Latte!
    Bellden Cafe

    Bellden Cafe

    4.3
    (683 reviews)
    1.7 mi
    $$
    Gluten-free friendly
    Private events

    Recently moved to Bellevue from Seattle and of course was desperate to find a new brunch spot with…read moreallergen-friendly options, and WOW. Bellden Cafe has it all, we've already gone several times I'm obsessed with the ube mochi waffle, it is soooo delicious (not too sweet, incredible texture and flavor). Their matcha is also lovely, I got matcha with rose syrup both times I went (so immaculate). I've turned into a bit of a matcha snob, so always looking for some good options and they hit the spot. The service is incredible, literally the people working there are the nicest people everrrr. Even on a super busy weekend morning, they were so accommodating, so friendly and even remembered us from just one visit! Really fantastic team, they really make the whole experience even MORE lovely. And the interior is jussssst so gorg!!! The decor is immaculate, there's lots of space (even when it was crowded), would be a perfect place to work from during the week, even their outdoor tables were very clean and cutie. Absolutely love, this has become a new staple of ours since moving to the east side! brunch girlies rise!!!

    Loved this place!!! I can't wait to come back. I love fresh, delicious, and well prepared meals…read morethat are made with love! Like you can just see and taste how important this establishment is to the owner. You can tell they care about their customers and their business! I really appreciate a good meal! I love the design of the cafe, the dishes they serve their food on, the strong flavor of everything we had. What ever it says in the title on the menu is what you actually taste. Thank you for a wonderful experience! My palette appreciates you! You get to experience the aroma of your food with every bite. It's pretty amazing. I want to try more items on the menu. I was reading the complaints about a server but I might know what is being explained. There was a server that may seem like she doesn't care but that's not the case at all I think it might be a language barrier that's all. The service was great!

    Photos
    Pink Avocado Toast
    Pink Avocado Toast
    House made Granola, 20 % of proceeds to PorchLight Men's Shelter
    House made Granola, 20 % of proceeds to PorchLight Men's Shelter
    Fresh Fruit Toast

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    Fresh Fruit Toast
    Gilbert's on Main

    Gilbert's on Main

    4.0
    (1k reviews)
    1.7 mi
    $$

    Stopped by Gabriel's for breakfast this morning. They have a good menu selection from breakfast ,…read morelunch, soup sandwiches and coffee options. The food portions were impressive. The bagels were delicious and toasted perfectly. It came with whipped butter and raspberry jam on the side. The pastrami omelet was very large and came with a generous serving of potatoes. ALso tried the pastrami and corned beef breakfast bagel, which was packed with almost like an omelet tucked inside a bagel. Also got a side of hand made chicken sausage which was okay. Tasted healthy. The one disappointment was the vanilla latte. It tasted more like it came from an automated coffee machine than a traditional espresso machine and lacked the flavor and quality I was expecting. Most things are self-serve here, including finding your own seating, grabbing silverware, getting water, and pouring drip coffee. As we were leaving, a live musician was getting set up to play, Which added a really welcoming atmosphere. The inside is nicely decorated and family friendly, with lots of children's books around to help keep little ones entertained. The prices are definitely on the higher side, but the portions are large. Food tastes good, large portions, cozy atmosphere, and live music, I'd come back again though I'd probably skip the latte next time.

    Gilbert's has been on Main Street as long as I can remember. They serve up deli style food in…read moremassive portions so even if the price seems kind of high, you are getting your moneys worth. All the food here is packed with flavor. The workers at the counter take your order and bring the food to your table. Its a nice cozy vibe regardless of the time of day or weather. One thing that has always stood out to me is that they serve Matzo Ball soup and an amazing Reuben sandwich. On my last visit I went around breakfast time. We ordered both the #7 Omelette: Nova Scotia Lox and the #2 Omelette: The Supreme Omelette. Of course both were such generous portions that we had leftovers. We also got the Reuben. The sandwich was so big it had to be deconstructed and eaten with a fork and knife.

    Photos
    Inside seating
    Inside seating
    Hot Pastrami and French Onion soup, boy were they both delicious! Can't wait to go back!
    Hot Pastrami and French Onion soup, boy were they both delicious! Can't wait to go back!
    Outside view

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    Outside view

    Brief Encounter - breakfast_brunch - Updated July 2026

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