The service was great! Super nice staff, very attentive. Great breakfast joint, small place with indoor and outdoor seating area. Food was just decent. The Peanut Butter and Banana Stuffed French Toast was a disappointment. It was very rich, but the melted peanut butter made it soggy. I wouldn't call it The Best thing that I ever ate. Breakfast potatoes was very delicious though, it was perfectly seasoned and cooked well. Chicken and Waffles was okay. read more

Cafe 222 - Peanut Butter and Banana Stuffed French Toast - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Diego, California

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Very clean and friendly environment. Long waits for food but worth the wait. Somewhat fair pricing. No parking. read more

Cafe 222 - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Diego, California

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What a great experience this morning. I was with a friend who had just gotten the weekend off by sheer luck so I looked for a nearby restaurant. Cafe 222 came up as a top choice and has lots of parking so that's how we decided to eat there. There was a slight wait but it was chill and people were in good moods excited about the holiday. We sat inside and both decided to order the chicken fried steak breakfasts. Mark was our waiter and he was great. We tend to ramble and he smiled and chatted which is a rarity anymore. Just enough to enjoy the experience a little bit more. We were talking about the fabulous teacup chandeliers with the dangling teaspoons, such a charming, whimsical delight. The owner came over and told how they came about. I won't tell you, go see for yourself, and enjoy the delicious food. Everything looked great and our meals were cooked to perfection. read more

Breakfast was delicious. Huge portion sizes. The drinks are significantly overpriced ($4 for apple juice). Pancakes were perfect! I'd eat here again. read more

OMG, you guys. This place has Oreo cookie pancakes. It's amazing. They just reopened after the COVID shutdown and I'm super happy they're back. They have banana peanut butter French toast, which was my go-to favorite before the shutdown, but I don't know, these Oreo pancakes might have just overtaken my favorite. Too many delicious choices! My husband has tried pretty much their entire menu, and of course I steal a bite here and there, and everything that I've tried has been delicious. I highly recommend this place. I've been all over this city for breakfast (10+ years of living here) and I've not found a better spot. read more

Cafe 222 - Oreo cookie pancakes! Yummmm! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Diego, California

When I first begin to wait in line, an older couple just begin to leave saying that the service was rude and disrespectful. I was hungry and wanted to form my own opinion, so once I got seated outside the waitress was great. However another server came out to the patio were I was sitting and became very confrontational with me having my dogs around. One of my dogs was on a leash and the other was sitting right by side. The jerk who decided to argue with me over my off leash dog that was sitting RIGHT next to me on THE PATIO *(not inside)* became very aggressive and argumentative and started asking me about other restaurants. Rest assured other restaurants allow me to have my dog seated with me or right next to me. Such poor service. Dog hater. Jerk for not even allowing me to get breakfast! The older couple was 100% right. As a local, I will never reccomend this place to anyone! I've never been questioned about other restaurants policy or had to leave because of having my dogs. I feel so upset at this restaurant, but I'm glad I know not to provide them with my presence or my money. I'm ashamed to have this restaurant in my naborhood. I love Mary Jane's for breakfast! They have cheaper prices, with great menu items and are pet friendly. I'm really hoping John gets a talking to on this one. I will make it a point to have my voice heard. read more

Service is worth 5 star i'll give it that~ and juice are real instead of water-down stuff. But when it comes to the actual food, i'll have to say just soso. We got the waffle, stuffed french toast and normal brekkie plate. Nothing too special about the waffle, you can prob make one at home. Stuffed french toast has dried up peanut butter and I had to add jam to add some moisture, if the bread is already dense, should stuff with something lighter like creme fraiche. Only thing good about the stuffed french toast is it won't be overly sweet even if you drown it with syrup, since the bread is rather nutty with a hint of bitterness. Just normal brunch stuff, with warm and welcoming hosts. read more

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Amazing breakfast. I had the peanut butter and banana stuffed French toast and it was great! This also has a great vibe.

This place was really close to the hotel...the customer service was so nice and inviting an Pleasant. If you're in San Diego is a messed stop read more

I'm a long time customer of this restaurant. I also happen to live upstairs in the same building. In the lobby of our building, is an entrance to the restaurant. I wanted to place a large order for breakfast, and I called the restaurant before submitting my order online. The gentleman I spoke to was very snarky with me. I had one request, and that was, if I placed my order online, because I'm disabled, could they possibly bring the food, when it's ready, into the lobby of the apartment building where I'd be waiting. The order would have been paid for in advance. The gentleman acted as if I had personally insulted him, saying no you'll need to go through the front. I again said, I'm disabled, I'm just trying to avoid the rain. He said there's no way to bring it to me in the lobby. I asked him if the restaurant entrance in our lobby had been closed and he said no, that there are people eating there. Honestly, it would have taken half a second to pass me a bag of food through the entrance door, by any waiter on the restaurant landing. The nice thing is there are several great restaurants nearby that will deliver, but having the restaurant downstairs with an entrance in our lobby seemed more convenient. Unfortunately, the gentleman's attitude has swayed me from ordering from Cafe 222 again. The really unfortunate thing is, I am a front desk / concierge at a hotel nearby, and we send hundreds of our guests to the restaurant every week. I will recommend other locations from now on. read more

We were looking for a breakfast place to eat and walk around downtown San Diego and found this right on our walking route. It is right of the main Gas Lamps District downtown and easy walk to Seaport Village & Convention Center. Waiting time was 30 minutes and we had a nice table outside. I ordered the Hash & Eggs with sourdough toast. The Hash was really good and had nice sized pieces of potatoes cooked into the hash. The Waffle was way under cooked cold and doughy inside. Nothing special here so we won't order that again. Food is pricey for the amount you get still very convenient to the Downtown harbour and the San Diego sites. read more

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such a good atmosphere. the food came out so fast, was a great portion, and was good. the people who work there are great as well. i would say the price range was primarily around 10-20$ each. read more

Amazing breakfast love all the food we ordered special for peanut butter banana french toast highly recommend read more

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Came here on a Sunday morning around 11am. I got a seat at the counter within 10-15 minutes. The venue here is medium size and it was already a small wait. I got the eggs italia and a latte. The meal was well seasoned and cooked well. The people here are efficient and super friendly. The food came out fast and the waiter checked-in occasionally. Overall a great experience. read more

Yummy pork patty egg Benedict. The potatoes were crispy and the inside was soft enough. The price is medium. The server is very nice and friendly. He noticed my water was only halfway full and offered to refill it without me asking. Although the place is busy, the food was served very fast. The restaurant itself had a fast pace feeling though. If you wanna spend a couple hours enjoying a cup of coffee or walk about the world, this place is not for you. Halfway after eating, the server handed me my check already and I thought why so early? The delicious food and the welcoming staff did compensate for how busy and rush this place is. I recommend coming by yourself because the place is very small and you would get in first if you're alone. Like me, I sashayed passed groups of waiters because I would sit at the one person counter by myself. read more

Cafe 222 - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Diego, California

Great local spot for breakfast or lunch that separates itself in a area with a sea of restaurants Great food, service and ambiance read more

I didn't care for the outside seating in the back, which was small, old, and offered very limited views. Their Golden Waffle was very disappointing; it lacked a delicate, crisp exterior and fluffy texture I was eagerly anticipating; instead, the consistency was similar to a muffin batter placed into the waffle iron; so, it was dense and heavy. The link sausage had an odd consistency and taste. This was a rare day that I left most of my breakfast on my plate. The service, however, was great: efficient, attentive, and friendly. Good coffee. read more

Cafe 222 - Golden Waffle and Green Eggs & Spam - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Diego, California

This place was a block from our hotel so we decided to try it one morning for breakfast. We wanted a table outside but not in the sun and they were able to accommodate us on their side patio. They actually had several outdoor spaces so there are plenty of places to sit. Our waitress came and took our drink order while we decided on what to eat. She brought the drinks in a timely manner then took our food order. I had the pumpkin waffle with a side of turkey bacon (no pork bacon here). The waffle had a very good pumpkin flavor, not too strong, just right. The turkey bacon was just alright. It does not match regular pork bacon. :) Mom had the strawberry waffle. It had fresh strawberries and whipped cream on it. It did not even need syrup. She also got a scrambled egg on the side. It was cooked fine. Definitely a good place for breakfast in the Gaslamp. Lots of options, especially a lot of Mexican options if you are in to that. read more

Cafe 222 - Strawberry waffle - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Diego, California

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Came here last Monday morning with my husband. We waited no more than 10 mins for a table. We ate outside, the weather was prefect. The kind waitress came, we ordered our drinks and food and enjoyed the scenery. The neighborhood is very nice and safe. We ordered pancakes, eggs, sausage, and a blueberry waffle. The food came and looked absolutely delicious. The taste was great and everything was as we ordered. I love how they put the cheese inside the egg instead of the melted slice on top. It was a very relaxing dining experience. Very satisfied Sidenote: parking is hectic. If you can't find parking on the street, you may have to pay to park in the parking lot across the street from the Cafe. (And no the price is not cheap at all) read more

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I am a screaming little fan when it comes to hole in the wall cafe spots , when I travel that's the first thing I look into because this little cafe spots have the hugest flavors in their dishes . And for San Diego I definitely recommend coming here . But unfortunately there is a waitress named Katie who literally kept looking at us eat and never asked if we needed anything else and shoved the check onto our table and asked to give us a to go box .. I felt rushed and judged .. yes I would definitely come here again 100% but I will not be pleased to have her as my waitress again . read more

Cafe 222 - Strawberry shortcake waffles Biscuit Biscuits and Gravy - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Diego, California

Highly recommend breakfast. Biscuits n gravy are phenomenal! Everyone really enjoyed what they ordered and the service was top notch. Definitely going back. read more

I ate here two mornings during my vacation. This place was decently fast, and the food was great. The first day I ordered the famous peanut butter banana French toast. I got huge portions here that filled me up until dinner time. The second time I got the rancheros. Both were super delicious and cooked perfectly and really aesthetic. Both times I ate outside, and I wondered if inside seating was for reservations. I also thought the drink menu was overpriced. The service was really nice and on top of it though. Overall, I would definitely recommend this place. read more

Cafe 222 is a neighborhood diner with sunny yellow walls, friendly and attentive staff, and tasty classic breakfast dishes like eggs, waffles, and French toast. That's unfortunately where the charm stopped for me. I think it is overhyped (probably by visitors, sorry guys), which has pushed the restaurant over its prime. They try to handle the massive weekend breakfast crowds through the yelp waitlist (which in my experience has been super helpful), but was unfortunately glitchy for us this morning and we had to speak to the hostesses twice and was seated well beyond the 30-45 minute wait we were told. They luckily have super high turnover so they go through the list pretty quickly. The quality of the food was great -- but they don't have 5 star WOW unique breakfasts. They are simply very well done classic diner fares with small twists. I tried the green eggs and spam which was a very tasty version of scrambled eggs (with spinach, jack, and spam), a side of toast and breakfast potatoes -- plastic pat of smuckers strawberry jam included. My friend ate the peanut butter and banana french toast (a mistake, I think. Peanut butter and banana are such strong flavors that you can't even taste the french toast part). But the part that stopped me from giving a 4 star review was the price. In total our 2 plates plus a coffee and tip (plus the 3% surcharge to support increased wages, which I'm am definitely in support of) came to $38. That's crazy for what is essentially a neighborhood diner! The coffee was $3.50!!! read more

Very cute little breakfast and lunch spot. Huge portion size. Service can be a little slow due to limited amount of servers it seems but everybody at the café was very friendly and helpful. I absolutely fell in love with the potatoes that accompanied my omelette and how well seasoned it was. Outdoor seating available. Parking in the area can be a little challenging however. read more

Cafe 222 - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Diego, California

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We love this place. We last visited there a few years ago, but not surprised she is still open and doing great. The food and service have always been great every time we go when we arrive in San Diego. read more

Parking: Hard to find on a busy weekend. There is one outdoor parking lot close by that was $10 for 12 hours, which is not ideal if you're just around the area for brunch. There are street parkings with parking meters available, but they were all packed! Be ready to circle around the neighborhood or parking a few streets down the place. I would opt out to Uber or Lyft. Wait: Came here during long weekend around 10AM. There were lots of people waiting for the inside tables with estimated wait time of 30-50 minutes. We opted for the outside table that only took 10 minutes because no one wanted to sit outside because of the chilly weather. Food: We got the Pork Patty Benedict and Country Fried Steak with sourdough. The Pork Patty Benedict was the WORST egg's Benedict I have ever had in my life. The poached egg on top was pretty much two hard-boiled eggs, not the runny yolk that I was expecting. They didn't put much Hollandaise sauce on top. Both of those combined, the Pork Patty Benedict was dry as wood that I had to wash down with the coffee. The Country Fried Steak was okay. The batter on the outside was weird - greasy, soggy, and not crunchy at all. At least, the gravy was good. The grilled potatoes were okay. Some of them were super huge - I think it would've been better if they cut them smaller. Service: Quick and friendly despite the restaurant being busy. They made sure to check on us multiple times. Overall, the food was a 2-star but the friendly service made this a 3-star review. I was really excited to try this place out after reading all the reviews on Yelp. I am very disappointed that I did not have the same experience! read more

I had lunch takeout from here. I think the real gems are the brunch and breakfast fare so I hope to come back as I've never tried it before, but the lunch was pretty A-ok. I really don't have anything bad to say about it, but it wasn't memorable. I had the buffalo chicken melt, which was your standard grilled cheese with chicken and buffalo sauce. It came with a small side of Caesar Salad as well, which was nice. I think it cost around $14-15 dollars, which was not so nice. I am sympathetic as the rent in downtown must cost a lot, and the current recession is not going to keep things cheap. I wouldn't get lunch from here again (I could get a far better sandwich from somewhere else), but I'm still considering eating breakfast/brunch here as I work a block away. read more

Food was amazing and fresh Small joint but you can join the wait list through yelp which makes it quicker. Loved the food.... I got the peanut butter French toast and wifey got the 2+2+2 Give this place a try it's really good and has good vibes read more

Cafe 222 - Peanut butter French toast - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Diego, California

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Lovely food. Great service. We got a table on the upper patio which was cozy and also had good privacy.

Bobby Flay says we should eat there and I do whatever Bobby Flay says. So, I popped in to Cafe 222 and had their Bobby Flay approved peanut butter and banana stuffed french toast. I'm a big fan of peanut butter and banana sandwiches and, separately, french toast, so I figured this would be the best thing ever. It was . . . ok. Don't feel like I HAVE to ever have it again, but I enjoyed it. The accompanying scrambled eggs and sausage were mostly routine fare. read more

Cafe 222 - Peanut butter and banana stuffed french toast - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Diego, California

This cafe seemed nice and the food was really good! My only peeve is that the parking in the area cost $$$ and the wait for a table of 6 was about 25 minutes without shade on sunny day. If there were one or two umbrellas for shade and a free parking lot for the establishment then I would have no complaints. The waitress yesterday was kind and helpful even though some of my friends were more on the 'rude customer' side so I tipped her more on behalf of them. One of my friends accidentally tipped over a water cup and ice went everywhere, and the waitress was very quick and efficient at cleaning up our mess. She definitely deseves a raise! The hostess placed our party on the west side outdoors with shade from the building itself, so that was really nice! However, there was a creepy old man on the sidewalk who passed our table and made a racist comment to us (even though we were a very diverse group of 6 women), but that's not the restaurant's fault by any means, it just slightly killed the vibe we had (we were celebrating a birthday). The food itself was very good, typical breakfast/brunch foods nothing too special. I ordered a Super Biscuits and Gravy and it was one of the best that I've had. I would recommend this place for brunch for non-broke college students (not me) or a semi-annual type thing because of the price point. read more

Cafe 222 - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Diego, California

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Their peanut butter banana French Toast is so good that even Bobby Flay himself has said its the best thing he's ever eaten. Bobby Flay knows what's up! This was the best French toast ever! The perfect amount of peanut butter and banana. It was so delicious I destroyed the entire plate and didn't think twice about. I then walked 4 miles around downtown San Diego immediately after! If you haven't tried Cafe 222 for breakfast yet, I highly recommend it! read more

Cafe 222 - Peanut Butter Banana French Toast - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Diego, California

Solid 4 stars! Food was amazing and the wait wasn't too bad. Only reason it lost a point was because there was a bug that kept flying around and bugging us. And the table we got for three was only meant for 2. It was a little cramped. read more

Cafe 222 is located in Gas lamp - parking can be very tough! Come early, otherwise you'll end up paying for parking in a lot. Save yourself the time and Uber! I recently found out they have a Yelp waitlist - I'd recommend signing up for that ahead of your visit. Their 'famous' PB and banana French toast was not that great in my opinion. I think they use low quality Pb (like skippy) and it just doesn't pair well. The eggs and potatoes were delicious though!! My absolute favorite part of the meal. Their service was slow but the server was SOOO FRIENDLY! He won me over because he was so nice! They are also dog friendly! I'll definitely be returning! read more

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Okay so I just moved down the street, this cafe is the perfect little spot for the neighborhood. The food is so good and very reasonably priced for downtown. They have corn tortillas for celiac/gluten people. Vegetarian and vegan options, the coffee is good and CLEAN. I love this place. Kelsey was my server, she's sharp and humble, great recommendations. Cory was at the front, great memory and very welcoming. This place has a great quality staff and EXCELLENT food. Tastes very clean and headstrong. I recommend Eggs italia for brunch(with the corn tortilla) they cook the potatoes just right, fast, fresh, and tasty. This is a locals spot that tourists can only dream to know beforehand. Come try it out Thanks guys! Update!!! September 2020 This place is my favorite breakfast place in SD. Even though I no longer live here I had to come back and have my classic Eggs Italia and catch up with the servers who are all first class incredible individuals. Keep doing what you guys do best! Miss yah! read more

Food and service never disappoints. Each time we visit San Diego we enjoy this little gem.

What a great spot! Came here on a weekday afternoon for brunch and was not disappointed. I had the breakfast hash and I cleaned my plate. The gentleman working yesterday was wonderful. I highly suggest coming here if you're in the area! It's a gem. read more

What an awesome place to grab some breakfast. There may be a line sometimes, but they have an outdoor coffee station so you can grab a cup and fill it up with coffee to drink while you wait. The food is really good. I had the Super biscuits and gravy which came with eggs and sausage, and was more food that I probably should have had for breakfast, but it was just really good. I would come back for breakfast next time I am in the area. read more

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oh man. i hate to pile onto a bunch of 5 star reviews, but as the 35 minute wait here would attest to - this place is GOOD. my mum and i split the banana + pb french toast and the vegetarian frittata, and everything was elite. the french toast was almost too sweet for breakfast (i regrettably left some on the plate as a result), but the frittata was SUBLIME. like, how have i never thought of putting sour cream ON my eggs? and how did they do the potatoes so well that they somehow outshone the very good eggs??? that NEVER happens - potatoes almost always taste like a side dish. but not at cafe 222. they put their hearts into every dish, and squeeze them fresh into their pulpy, bracingly tart OJ. a strong contender for best breakfast ever. it cured my hangover, and that's saying something. read more

Went here few years back and it was nice. Not anymore. Rude hist whim made us sit at counter even though he said he had a table when we entered. woman whom asked for a table behind us got it and there was still one more available when we ordered at counter. Eggs Benedict had soggy muffin and eggs were overcooked. when told waitress i got a sorry, rather then, can we fix that. Coffee was awful and quality no worse than Dennys. Breakfast potatoes were decent though. Worst Birthday Breakfast I've ever experienced. Don't waste your time here, so many better options all over downtown. I've been in restaurant business my entire life and this is not how it should be done. read more