Had breakfast here. Great service and the food was very good!!! I enjoyed it a great deal! read more

See all

Tucked away beneath high-rise apartments in downtown San Diego, Cafe 222 is easy to miss but hard to forget. This cozy spot, with its slightly retro charm and casual vibe, draws in mostly locals and few visitors alike for a hearty breakfast or brunch experience. I discovered this place by accident. The menu makes one thing clear right away: "No modifications due to kitchen size." That disclaimer almost had me turning on my heel, expecting a rigid experience. But to my surprise, I was able to make several changes to my burrito--no sour cream, no refried beans, no smothered gravy, and yes to guacamole. That kind of flexibility, despite the warning, was a pleasant contradiction that set the tone for the rest of the visit. The food itself? Delicious, unpretentious, and portioned just right. The burrito I ordered came out flavorful and satisfying, even without the usual fixings. The ingredients were fresh, and the preparation felt thoughtful despite the cafe's tight kitchen constraints. This burrito gave me enough substance to endure walking around for 5 hours at the zoo. Service was friendly and efficient. The staff managed the small space well, there is limited outside dining..Limited off street parking. However diagonally across is a paid parking lot. Even when busy, the atmosphere stayed warm and welcoming. It's clearly a neighborhood favorite, with a steady flow of regulars and curious newcomers. The cafe does charge a 4% convince fee. You can pay by cash or card. One single bathroom used by all genders. Overall, Cafe 222 offers a solid breakfast experience with a touch of personality. If you can look past (or navigate) the no-mods rule, you'll likely leave happy--and full. read more

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

Best breakfast in San Diego, possibly anywhere. Food is terrific, coffee is great and the people are amazing. The manager, Senad, may be the nicest human being on the planet. We would probably go just to see him, but the breakfasts are off the charts good as well. We have been customers for over 20 years. read more

Ordered: Blueberry Cornbread Waffle (~$15) + Combo (~$8): comes with 2 eggs (over-easy) and 2 strips of turkey bacon House-baked Buttermilk Biscuit (~$4) Orange Juice (~$6) Aya's take: Now this is a breakfast! I don't think I've ever had a waffle made with cornbread before but this Blueberry Cornbread Waffle was delicious. You really taste the crunchy, corny batter in every bite that's nicely complemented by the sweetness and tartness of the blueberries. Making it a Combo was worth it to me as it adds some savoriness to the breakfast. The Buttermilk Biscuit was golden brown, buttery, and a bit flaky too. Using that to make a breakfast sandwich would be so bomb! The Orange Juice wasn't fresh squeezed (I don't think) so ~$6 for this small glass was not worth it, in my opinion. Other than that, the food is definitely worth a try if you're in the SD area. read more

See all

This is a pretty late review, but my boyfriend and I visited Cafe 222 as the very first stop on our trip to San Diego. We didn't plan to visit Cafe 222, but saw it as we drove through Downtown SD, so we decided to give it a try. They were not too busy since it was a weekday, and our waitress was extremely kind. It felt very homey and welcoming. We ordered the Huevos Rancheros and the Eggs Benedict. The Huevos Rancheros was super good and one of the more authentic takes as compared to the overly hipster versions we've had at other places. The Eggs Benedict was pretty good too. The hollandaise was more tangy and lemony which I know is more accurate, but I prefer a more buttery, rich hollandaise. Thats just personal preference but I would still order this again. We're from the OC area, and the prices here were pretty similar to what we're used to. The interior of the restaurant was super cute and the service was great. We will definitely consider stopping by again next time we visit San Diego. read more

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

See all

I love a diner and this was a really good one. We came here on a Sunday morning and it wasn't too busy when we came (we were up early for a flight). Service was great and our meal came quick. We tried 2 different waffles (blueberry cornbread and pumpkin) and both were excellent, though I'd give the edge to the blueberry cornbread ones. Food's great, prices were reasonable, and service was great = an excellent diner. read more

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

See all

We were looking for a casual brunch spot and came across this cute little cafe on the corner. The host sat us quick on the little patio area and our waitress was quick to take our order! They have lots to choose from; from breakfast classics like waffles and scrambles to more creative dishes, like tamales with mexican gravy. My blueberry cornbread waffle was cooked perfectly and was very tasty! I also got a side of breakfast potatoes that were equally as delicious. I would definitely return! read more

Cafe 222 - Top: Eggs Benedict Bottom: Blueberry Cornbread Waffle and Griddles Potatoes. $41 altogether - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Diego, California

Location is a little off the beaten track but with pleasant outdoor seating and bustling, cozy and cheerful indoors. I came for the waffles at late morning. Had a churros with a side of scrambled eggs and an o.j. Really, really good - I devoured it. It is obviously a local favorite and I could see why. The service was the epitome of pleasant and efficient. I would love to go back! read more

Service is amazing, went here with family and the server was on his stuff amazing. I recommend the breakfast burrito but ask to add chorizo. My mom got the green eggs and spam and didn't say a single to word to me the entire time. It's Padres yellow, but it's cute and quaint as well, all the staff wear Padres gear and are super respectful. if you're in san Diego and find yourself near Cafe 222 do not hesitate to stop there. read more

I loved breakfast here! There was a little wait but I think it was worth it. The owner is there and was so nice! The blueberry waffle was delicious and the pancakes were perfect. Will definitely return read more

Short & sweet - the service here is phenomenal. I was greeted by a gentleman who was genuinely welcoming. At that moment I knew the hype was real. He was able to find my order in seconds, and although the interaction was brief, it helped start my day on the right track. I order a la carte - ham, potatoes, a biscuit, and one egg. I asked that they put it all in one container as to not create more waste than necessary and they happily obliged. The food was one of the best breakfasts I had in San Diego! The biscuit was soft and buttery, the ham was juicy, the potatoes were crunchy and well seasoned, and the egg was fresh. I wish I had another day added to my trip to go back for more, but at least I was able to commit this meal to memory. read more

Cafe 222 - Ham, 1 Egg, Griddles Potatoes, and a Terryls Homemade Angel Biscuit - ordered a la carte - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Diego, California

Great little cafe with friendly staff and good food. I had the breakfast burrito (no gravy) and half was more than enough. Delicious too!

First time here. Was spending a birthday day in San Diego and decided to come here for breakfast very very good if I'm back on this side of town in the future, I will definitely come here the waiter very very friendly the food amazing good service great coffee. A+ 1000 times read more

Cafe 222 - Breakfast pancakes, eggs, hash coffee - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Diego, California

It has been many years since I visited the lovely city of San Diego. I dined in Café 222 then and I estimated that might've been 25 years ago? Here I am again on December 30, 2024. It is clear that Cafe 222 remains a favorite of both locals and tourists as well. I can't comment on parking because I walked here. I had the eggs Benedict, and as I told a friend, my search for the best hollandaise sauce in the world is now over. It's right here! This is top-notch food that very reasonable prices. Wonderful, friendly and attentive staff, and I enjoyed dining outside read more

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

See all

Great waffles, very fluffy. I really enjoyed my breakfast. The service was exceptional.

Great breakfast. The pancakes are amazing and they give you a lot. Their eggs are amazing also. Highly recommend eating here

Very nice out skirts of down town SD there is metered parking across the street. Portions are very big would recommend sharing if coming with a family overall great food waffles are good and toppings are heavily included read more

Quick service. Food was very tasteful and plenty to eat. Would definitely go there again

Excellent service. I had the Huevos Rancheros and it was good. It's a nice space with outdoor seating on the sidewalk.

At 10am on a Monday between Christmas and New Year's there was already a wait, but we were seated in about 20 minutes. We sat inside which is fairly tiny but had a nice local diner vibe. We had the peanut butter and banana stuffed French toast, waffle, with strawberries and whipped cream, and smothered potatoes. There were mixed reviews on the French toast, the waffle was good but fairly standard, the smothered potatoes were outstanding! I could've just eaten smothered potatoes and nothing else for sure, licking the plate at the end. read more

Cafe 222 - Peanut butter Peanut Butter & Banana Stuffed French Toast, Waffle with strawberries and whipped cream, Smothered Potatoes - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Diego, California

The verdict is in-- and there is just no way the peanut butter banana french toast is the "best thing" bobby flay ever ate for breakfast. The bread is a stodgy, heavy, mushy mess. The odd flavor of the bread fought with the banana and pb. The dish was only redeemable when doused in syrup. The staff was incredibly friendly and the sausage links were good (a bit spicy) But my latte was terrible and their espresso machine was down. The restaurant itself was visibly dirty on the day I went. Not filthy, but definitely not clean. read more

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

Service was great from the time we called to confirm they were open on New Year's Day. Upon arriving, we had a short wait, and we directed to what we were told was the best seat in the house. I see why they said that. It was the only booth and a corner booth. This is a diner style spot, and it doesn't have too much seating, but they are fast, and the food was excellent! The kids had hot chocolate and loved it. We ordered a waffle and French toast for the kids, and the kitchen offered to bring them precut for the kids, which was a first and much appreciated. We also had the blueberry cornmeal waffle, and that also had excellent flavor. They don't serve alcohol, so no mimosas, but we overall enjoyed our meal. My only other observation is that it was busy and a little hard for our server to hear us when we called him a few times. This is definitely worth a stop if you love breakfast! read more

See all

Walking down the street looking for a place to eat, we found this wonderful little place ( CAFE 222). Oh my gosh I was delighted by the service. The food was excellent. Our server was excellent. The food was made fresh and fast. What can I say? I fell in love. The ambient is cozy, relaxing And welcoming. Hope you guys get a chance to visit. read more

Cafe 222 - Chicken Fried Steak and Eggs - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Diego, California

What a great place for breakfast! The cafe may be small, but the food is wonderful, and the serving staff is excellent! It's a little hard to find underneath a condo or high-rise apartment building, but it's worth checking out. We had the Green Eggs and Spam and The Golden Waffle. The Green Eggs and Spam was a tasty combination of Spam, eggs and spinach with jack cheese and it was delicious. The star was The Golden Waffle, which was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, just the way we like it. The taste reminded us of a hint of vanilla - fabulous! Even the coffee was fantastic! We wish we lived in San Diego just for this place - defintely worth the stop! read more

I normally don't eat breakfast, but after an early morning workout and having to kill time until the Navy Exchange opens, I checked Yelp for a nearby breakfast spot and found Cafe 222. Their Peanut Butter and Banana Stuffed French Toast and their Biscuits and Gravy were foodie heaven. I probably wasted my workout, but it was so worth it. The grub, the notable customer service, and vibe made my first time visit memorable and I definitely want to eat here again, but with my family. Cafe 222 is located in downtown San Diego specifically on the corner of Island and Second Avenues. It's just down the road from a Ralph's supermarket and within walking distance from the San Diego Convention Center and Seaport Village. I visited on a Saturday around 8:30am, so street parking was free until 10am. Cafe 222 is not a large restaurant, but it does have indoor table seating, indoor countertop seating, and outdoor covered seating. There is plenty of natural light, the vibe is cheery with the walls painted yellow, liked the chandeliers with colorful mugs holding faux candles, and the painted mural was a nice touch. My waiter Senad provided friendly and attentive customer service. Loved his positive disposition and he hustled while I dined there. Cafe 222 has a wall displaying their Zagat awards and California Restaurant Association Gold Medallion accolades for Best Breakfast, so I was expecting to dine on some delish food. After my first time experience, that would be an understatement. It was divine! I ordered the Peanut Butter & Banana Stuffed French Toast and a half order of their Biscuits & Gravy. The PB & Banana Stuffed French Toast was featured by celebrity chef Bobby Flay on Food Network and the Food Network tv show "The Best Thing I Ever Ate." I'm a peanut butter aficionado, so even though I wasn't trying to eat too much, I just had to order this dish. From the first bite to my last, it seriously was one of the best breakfast items I've ever eaten. The French Toast was cooked golden brown, it had a crispy texture, and it had the perfect amount of peanut butter and bananas when combined with their syrup just made every bite so enjoyable. I ordered a half order of biscuits & gravy, which come with one buttermilk biscuit and potatoes smothered with peppery pork gravy. The next time I visit, I want to order a full order because it was that yummy. The biscuit was soft and hearty, the potatoes were slightly charred and thick cut, and with both smothered by their addicting gravy, I savored every single morsel of that dish just like I did with the french toast. So blessed that I had time to kill before the store I wanted to visit opened. Although this unbelievable meal ruined my workout, I can categorically and unequivocally say that Cafe 222's Peanut Butter & Banana Stuffed French Toast and their Biscuits & Gravy were so worth the extra calories. read more

See all

The food here is very good. It's a small place and we eat outside. It's a neighborly vibe and really enjoyed it. I ordered chicken fried steak and was very tasty. My wife ordered pancakes and portion is huge. Well worth the money. The service was quick even though they were busy. read more

Amazing service. Quaint and food was delish. Servings are large and likely enough for 2 people read more

See all

Small but quality breakfast spot with indoor and outdoor seating. Friendly staff and great food. read more

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

It was closed for remodeling, no mention of it on the website. Drove over an hour only to find it was closed the week we were in San Diego. Maybe next time we're in town. read more

Nice quant diner style breakfast spot. They adapt well and provide great service!! Lots of variety on the menu. I had the American breakfast with a side of tasty tamale. Alll was good!! Hot chocolate was good aa well. read more

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

Great find! The family was in downtown early and needed to get some breakfast. Thought of Richard Walker's but they're line was stupid long. Yelp to the rescue! A very short walk away was Cafe 222. Yay Yelp! One of the things that caught my eye in reviews was how much Yelpers flowed about the friendly service. They were right! We were seated immediately outside which given the state of transients in downtown was a little worrisome but the corner was actually fairly quiet. Our waitress was super cheerful and checked on us frequently despite running multiple tables on the inside and outside. The second thing that caught my eye was their Peanut Butter and Banana Stuffed French Toast as it was given some love by celebrity chef Bobby Flay in an episode of "The Best Thing I Ever Ate." Loved it. It sounds simple but this was so well executed. Creamy, crunchy, salty, sweet. The kids zeroed in on the fact that the waffles at 222 have been featured in Gourmet magazine and they do love waffles. They got the Strawberry "shortcake" and the Churro. Demolished. Definitely would visit again. read more

See all

If you are in San Diego this is a great spot for breakfast or brunch. Good and friendly service too.

If you are in the mood for an old school breakfast diner feel and food, you will love this place. The service was very friendly and good. read more

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

See all

Solid food and great service. They still charge a 4.0% pandemic surcharge so watch for that. Oatmeal was a 6/10. Tasted a bit grainy but right amount of sweetness and real bananas. Only seem to offer turkey bacon and not too great. Prices were quite high for breakfast that's not in the harbor or Gaslamp. read more

Great place for breakfast, if you like eggs benedict, they make their Hollandaise sauce from scratch which is very rare. Also they have great pancakes and waffles here. If you're in the mood for a great breakfast downtown, check out this place that's been around for years! read more

I cannot recommend this place enough. Sara the hostess and Sinat (one of the waiters) are always smiling and super friendly. Sinat is going to check on you constantly making sure everything is perfect and your coffee is always full. The food is amazing with generous portions. This is the kind of gem everyone loves to find. The little local hole in the wall serving great food, prepared quickly and served in a lively, friendly atmosphere. Try it once and you'll get hooked. I promise! read more

Cafe 222 - Front counter with t-shirt options for purchase - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Diego, California

Came here early Sunday morning (715). Didn't wait for a table. Place seems pretty small, but they do try with scattered seating. Food came out fast and tasted great. I went with country fried steak, peanut butter, French, toast, and biscuits and gravy. Very solid size portions not too much not too little. I liked how the country fried steak was nice and thin. But beware that doesn't appear to be any bacon on the menu just turkey bacon, which I find odd because they still have ham and other pork products on their menu. Overall pleased with this spot would recommend you get there a little early as I can fill up pretty fast, but I will eat here again. read more

See all

Amazing service and delicious food. You can taste the homemade aspect of the food. Loved every bit. read more

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

See all

I have walked my dogs past this cute cafe more times than I can count and we finally made it over for breakfast this morning. So happy we did - wish we had done it sooner. It's a small cafe with (as I counted) 7 tables and six counter seats inside and another 7 tables outside. We were fortunate there was no wait for a table inside. Atmosphere feels a bit crowded because you are right on top of the next table over but that's more a space issue and trying to fit more tables in than anything else. If you don't like others hearing your conversation this isn't the place for you. That being said the service was fantastic and the food was scrumptious. We had the Biscuits and Gravy and it was probably the best I've had in San Diego. Tastefully peppery and plenty of gravy for the dish. It also comes with potatoes covered in gravy which I've never really experienced before but were good. I might ask them to skip the potatoes and give another biscuit or two next time as the potatoes seemed heavier than the fluffy biscuits. We also ordered the Breakfast Burrito covered in "Mexican Sauce" (read red Enchilada Sauce) and served with retried beans. My partner loved this dish and I had a taste and concurred it was tasty. It has green chiles inside which are mild. My partner is super picky about anything claiming to be Mexican so the fact it was a positive review on that is saying something. Couple other menu items we are interested in trying next time are the Waffle with Fresh Strawberries and the Stuffed Banana Peanut Butter French Toast. We saw both dishes coming out to other tables and they looked delicious. read more

See all

Let me start by saying that my wife and I go to café 222 every time we are in San Diego. I am a biscuits and gravy guy. They have a pork patty benedict, and you can substitute a biscuit for the English muffin which I gladly do. I ask for lightly poached eggs and for them to substitute gravy instead of the hollandaise sauce with sliced tomatoes instead of potatoes. Senad puts up with me and all my substitutions, and I am a happy OLD man. This trip our waitress brought out my order with hollandaise sauce, I turned into that grumpy OLD man and said that I had asked for gravy instead of the hollandaise sauce. (my Wife said it was my fault because I did not explain it correctly, she is right like 99% of the time). The waitress took it in stride (lucky for me she did not demand that I get up and leave the Café). She took my order back inside and must have talked to Sarah who came out and explained to me that all their benedicts come with the hollandaise sauce. I said OK, no problem I will eat it that way. She said no (I might have heard a hon in there) we can make it the way you want it. I told my wife to go ahead and eat so hers did not get cold. To my surprise the next person who brought my order out was the owner Terryl (I think) and talked with me for a minute. The "Country Benedict" that I had them make for me was perfect. The only thing left on the plate was the silverware. Thanks for making this grumpy old man feel special. read more