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

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

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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

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

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

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

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Back again on my annual trip to San Diego and as usual each day eat breakfast here. The lovely waitstaff remember me ... and even our sweet discussions from previous years, and the outdoor spot in the morning sun where I like to sit! They welcome me in the warm embrace of their caring and joyful energy and absolutely delicious meals. Nourishment for the body, and really also the SOUL! Feeling the LOVE! ‍ read more

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

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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

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 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

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

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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

I wanted to try a breakfast spot just a short 10-minute walk from my hotel, and it was a great choice! The atmosphere was cozy, and the service was impeccable. I started with a hot cup of coffee to wake me up and, as always, had to try the corned beef hash if it was on the menu. This one did not disappoint--I cleaned my plate! The added onions and bell peppers gave it great flavor. Definitely a place I'll revisit next time I'm in San Diego! read more

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

Came on New Year's Day after a long night of celebrating and it was the perfect comfort food for the morning after! All the workers were super friendly, they have indoor and outdoor seating. The vibes gave off very cozy, small town diner style. The food here was AMAZING! I loved their blueberry cornmeal waffle, the flavor was spectacular. We also got the breakfast burrito and typically I'm not a fan of a "wet" burrito style but this one tastes so good. This was our first time trying this place and would definitely come back whenever we're in SD! read more

Everything was amazing at this place. We got the breakfast burrito and the strawberry shortcake waffle. The burrito was incredible. The waffle was fresh. The service was so wonderful. Gonna come back one more time before we leave tomorrow. It has a very small town feel inside. read more

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

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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

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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

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The food was very good and the establishment was quaint. There is street side dining as well as indoors so take your pick. Highly recommend. read more

Came in on a Friday morning for breakfast and was sat quickly outside. It was a bit cold but they have outdoor heaters so no worries. Let's get to the good part, here's what I had: Breakfast burger- double sausage patty, egg, with cheese on a hamburger bun. 4 of 5 stars Smothered potatoes- This Is Delicious! The potatoes are smothered in sausage gravy and cheese sprinkled with bacon bits. Wow! I'll come back next time I'm in SD. read more

Cafe 222 - Smothered Potatoes- this was delicious! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Diego, California

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Waffle with Fresh Fruit and Yogurt, Green Eggs & Spam This is a super cute place downtown. Already bustling at 8am on a Saturday! I was lucky to get a seat pretty quickly. The servers are the nicest people, and are so dedicated to the customer experience. I really loved this golden waffle, lightly crispy outside, fluffy and not too sweet inside, but maybe whipped cream would have been better than the yogurt haha. The fruit on it was excellent, super fresh and sweet. I really enjoyed the green eggs and spam too! Went great with the sourdough toast. Next time I want to try this place's famous peanut butter and banana stuffed French toast!!! Interior is adorable, with teacup chandeliers with little dangling spoons. read more

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

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Definitely recommend! The food was served hot and absolutely delicious. Our server inside was attentive and friendly, and the host was also very welcoming. You can tell the cooks work hard--everything came out fresh and tasty. The place is small but cute, which makes it feel cozy. A great spot worth visiting! read more

Cafe 222 - Super biscuits and gravy, all American breakfast and buttermilk pancakes - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Diego, California

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While parking may be tough to find as usual in downtown, this cute little cafe is worth the visit if you enjoy chicken fried steak and waffles. The strawberry waffle was one of the freshest and tastiest waffles I've ever had. Make sure to take a quick snap and eat right away because it's best as soon as it comes out. They have both indoor and outdoor seating areas and dogs are welcome on the outside area! Very simple diner feel on the inside. Perfect place for brunch and they also have fresh fruit bowls piled high. I'm excited to visit this place again. read more

Been a fan since they opened in the early 1990's. I visit every chance I get since I no longer live in San Diego. My go to are eggs and sausage. Try their tamales or French toast. Expect a wait on the weekend. Small interior with limited seating. Service and food are always top notch. read more

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Always consistent with their great food and excellent customer service. I often wonder what the servers and the owners are eating, because they are always happy and more important happy to serve you. Very unpretentious atmosphere where you can relax with "gourmet" food. Thanks to our server (sorry - can't remember his name) and the rest of the team at Cafe 222. PS. Eggs Benedict rate as 1 of the top 5 we've ever had (and we've been to a lot of places)! Just be careful of those biscuits and pancakes - you'll be addicted. read more

When I knew I was moving to San Diego, I remember this place being featured on the best thing I ever ate episode with Bobby Flay. I finally got to try this place today for breakfast. I got their peanut butter and banana stuffed French toast (Bobby Flays favorite) and a coffee. Without tip it came to about $20.00. Pros: -friendly staff -outdoor seating had heat lamps -close walk from the convention center trolley stop. There's also metered parking nearby. Cons: -n/a Overall, a solid choice for breakfast. read more

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

Worst service ever, won't be coming back. Waiter took to long to seat us. Food came out so slow.

Holy smokes this is in the top 3 of breakfast meals I have ever had. You can literally taste how fresh and from scratch all the food is. I'm blown away. Also the owner is ridiculously nice and personable. I would give more stars if app allowed me read more

What you need to know: The food is really good -- throw any idea of a diet out the window and just give in to the dark side of the Peanut Butter and Banana stuffed French Toast (Solid -- though my dining companion said it needed syrup, I thought it was fine as is), the Huevos Rancheros, corned beef hash (excellent), biscuits and gravy (very nice), Granola Waffles and the Strawberry waffles. Coffee was too bitter for me (normally I'd dink a star... yeah, I'm tough, but in a good mood today). Staff is crazy friendly and makes you feel at home. Ambiance is bare bones, but in a polished way. You wouldn't want to hang out for hours, but you don't feel rushed. A Very Solid breakfast choice! read more

No notes, this is breakfast perfection. Greeted and quickly seated by Sarah, who literally whipped up a table for us on the upper patio out of thin air. She let us know Jessy would be our server, and the specials of the day. Jessy was at our table within minutes (the restaurant was still slow, we ate around 9, not San Diego breakfast time). She had hubs tea and my latte out to our table super quickly, and we were literally "waffling" between two waffle options, she helped us decide on the blueberry corn (SO GOOD). Hubs and I were trying not to gorge, so we ordered country-fried steak and eggs, sourdough toast, side of sausage links, and aforementioned waffle. She brought us sauces, and like poof! Magic! Our food had arrived. If you haven't had their potatoes, you haven't lived. The gravy is amazing; and "secret recipe" sausage, aka sausage cooked on a griddle with butter (restaurant style) is KILLER. Speaking of killer - Jessy is so warm, fun and friendly, you'd swear she was already a member of your family, that's how insanely good she is at giving world class service. I could see her in fine dining, she's so attentive and good at reading her tables. But I'm glad she's here because Cafe 222 is one of our faves. Hubs summed it up perfectly as we were leaving "we never go wrong with Cafe 222" today the potatoes were awesome, and we had a great time with Jessy. So great that you forget the mob of construction workers a table away from you who forgot their manners at home and literally invented new ways to use the "f" word for half an hour, Or the guy who blew his date acting like a bro. Food so great, the entertainment is just a bonus! read more

Cafe 222 - We dug in so fast, but country fried steak with amazing gravy - blueberry corn waffle. Not pictured: Jessy the amazing server - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Diego, California

A limited space dining experience. I dined on Sunday@11ish. No wait time which was quite surprising. My meal included the frittata breakfast which is good. If Popeye had eaten here he would have enjoyed the spinach frittata. Coffee could have been better. Service was exceptional. For the breakfast I received I would say the prices are inflated for the menu. Not much ambience as the space is tight. Street parking for free if you can find a spot otherwise paid parking with meters or a parking lot. You are the master of your own circumstances encourage yourself each day. read more

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What a cute little spot and an even better experience. Owner was simply great and really made it a fun and personal experience! (Not something you'd expect from a busy breakfast cafe!) food was delicious, golden waffle was outstanding, granola pancake was perfect and the Mexican scramble was also very good. Great coffee. Enjoyed spending time and money here! read more