I came for a weekend trip to San Diego and left on Monday. We came here as the last breakfast spot. We tried to go to another place, but the line was ridiculously long. I looked this place up on yelp and decided to go here instead. For some reason it said there was a 30 to 40 minute wait time, and that was offputting, but we decided to try it anyway. To our happy surprise, we saw parking right near the front of the establishment and there was no way at all. I don't know if there's something wrong with the yelp analytics but I was originally going to look for a different place based on the estimated wait time. I'm glad we drove up and check it out first. The place is small inside, keep that in mind, so strollers or other mobility, assistive chairs might be cumbersome to maneuver in there. The good news is they have outdoor seating as well to enjoy the lovely San Diego day. They have cute decorations reminds me of like the 50s, but vintage Barbie retro with the chandeliers and magnets and the color palette. For the food, my son had a single order of the small pancakes and orange juice. I had the corn beef hash with the over medium eggs and rye toast. My travel partner had the Mexican scramble but surprisingly, the scramble did not include chorizo, which I think is out of the norm. We opted to pay extra for adding chorizo to the Mexican scramble. The food was very good. However, I noticed that my eggs were not actually over medium and were actually turning over hard. The waitress was a young girl, and she was taking all of her tables into consideration with good service. It seems that the owners also showed up as well later in the afternoon before they closed. I think this is a good family establishment and alternative to other more popular dining places if you're ever in town. read more

Cafe 222 - Corned Beef Hash with over medium eggs - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Diego, California

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I came here with my kids to get a good eat in before we hit Comic Con. I'll tell you the food is good but the service is fantastic, our Server Mari was phenomenal. Just the service alone makes it worth it. Thank you Cafe 222 job well done! read more

Food good. Very expensive for the atmosphere and the added surcharge added onto the bill without any explanation is just not ethical. read more

Cafe 222 is one of my favorites in San Diego !because their food is off the hook and the service is good. It's tiny, but the quality is top notch! read more

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I would give a zero star if this is a choice. The owner and the receptionist are extremely rude. No sure if this is because we are a bunch of asians who they think we don't understand any restaurant rules and need to be lectured on. I would not go there. The waiter, a gentleman, on the other hand, is very nice. read more

The waffles and pancakes were amazing, the super biscuits and gravy were outstanding, and the egg Benedict was perfectly cooked and perfectly tangy read more

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

The waffles were amazing. Small but very friendly and cozy. Definitely bring my friends .

Hands down, the best Biscuits & Gravy, dare I say, possibly anywhere. town (prove me wrong). I'll definitely hit this place for breakfast, whenever I'm in town again. read more

Highly recommend this breakfast joint. Friendly service with a hearty menu. The cornbread waffle with chili and cheese is my favorite savory dish here. The banana and PB stuffed french toast is my favorite sweet dish. A must try when in Downtown SD. read more

Cafe 222 - Cornbread waffle and chili and cheese - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Diego, California

Don't come here. We called and they would pick up the phone without answering. I can tell they place the receiver on the counter bc I can hear them talking. No one ever get back on the line to answer. I called 3 time and they did this each time. They must train their front host better or have a better system. I understand if they are busy but this is so unprofessional. So many other choices to choose from in the Gaslamp area. Do Not come here read more

I used to come here with my family religiously when I was a kid, so when I found myself in the San Diego area, I had to stop by my old childhood spot! We arrived at 9:00am and were lucky enough to grab the last table outside before the breakfast rush. I ordered an Espresso and my boyfriend got a hot chocolate. Mind you, I am not a coffee connoisseur at all, but I was surprised when I took a sip and my Expresso was cool. It was cold outside so I was looking forward to the warmth my Expresso could have provided. My boyfriend was also disappointed by his hot chocolate, citing it was too watery. I got the Strawberry Shortcake Waffle and it was tasty. My boyfriend got the Oatmeal and Fresh Bananas and said there was not enough brown sugar, so it lacked flavor. We also split a buttermilk biscuit, which was underwhelming. Would we go back? Probably not. read more

Cafe 222 - Oatmeal and Fresh Bananas & Strawberry Shortcake Waffle - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Diego, California

Went here for breakfast on Sunday. The food was fine. We sat outside, and were having a meeting with a medical associate from out of town. We were there for about an hour and a quarter. The waitress took the bill and said " no rush". A short time later the host came and took the ketchup etc. We still had drinks AND some food left, when he returned and said that he had a line of people waiting. So we left. As we left , this "line of people " was two people in line. We went back to our car, and drove past the restaurant . The table that we were on was occupied, but the two tables either side were empty. This was the first time this has ever happened to us, and was such a shock at the manner in which is was done was really arrogant by the host. Food was ok, but nothing special. read more

Came here based off the recommendation of the Yelp community. Off all the reviews I figured it would be amazing and super delicious, but I have to say it was average. I ordered the "famous" banana French toast and it wasn't nearly as good as others made it out to be. The French toast was very soft, almost mushy, which gave it a weird texture. There was barley any peanut putter, I tasted it maybe every third bite. Overall it was meh, just another French toast breakfast and not much more. The staff was very friendly and helpful, I was seated within a few minutes of putting my name on the list and the waitress brought me coffee right away. I'm not sure if I'd come back for breakfast, if I did I'd probably try something else. read more

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

Good food and good service at this small cafe. Too expensive for what this is now. A popular place that might be best for smaller groups. Coffee is very good and the food quality is good. Still we are just talking about waffles, pancakes, and eggs here. The prices are too high now to make this a regular visit. read more

If you're in the mood for biscuits and gravel, this place will not disappoint. Biscuits were fluffy and they give this a beautiful little grill before pouring the gravy on them. And the GRAVEY! So so so good. They know what they are doing. Small corner cafe with quaint outdoor seating. Super casual and public parking across the street. read more

Cafe 222 - Super Biscuits and Gravy - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Diego, California

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I really enjoyed my cute brunch at this hidden gem of a restaurant. The server was quite attentive and the hot chocolate was good at first but had a lot of syrup and tasted really malty toward the end--would recommend another drink. The meal I got was much larger than I expected, the combo was way too much for me to finish. The Oreo cookie cakes were ok, at times too sweet and other times not sweet enough/borderline bland. The sausage and eggs were perfect and very tasty! I would try this again if in the area and would be remiss to not mention their waffles are quite famous--will try one next time!! read more

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

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Cute diner with friendly service. Food was good, but not great, portion size was good and it was filling. I would come back to try other dishes. read more

Cafe 222 - "The Mexican" egg scramble - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Diego, California

Sooooooooooooo yummmmyyy!!! We stumbled across this amazing cafe, and are so glad we gave it a chance. The food, and vibe, and price. 10/10.

Visiting from Ny..what an amazing gem this place is! The service was super friendly, quick and on point. Nice cool ambience. I got their famous Peanut butter banana stuffed french toast, and it was delicious! Also the veggie omelette had great flavors. The waiter/server really went out of his way to make it a memorable experience. read more

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Food was so good. Had the breakfast burrito with sausage and it was full of flavors. The staff were so friendly and even though busy took no time serving! San Diego is my favorite city and Cafe 22 is another reason why! Potatoes were the bomb! read more

Cafe 222 - Breakfast Burrito and Ham an Swiss Scramble - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Diego, California

My food was as good as the last time I ate here (years ago) but the prices are insane. The waffle was delicious but I expected to be full with a $20 breakfast. The eggs were good but had too much cheese. At some points, you are just eating clumps of Swiss cheese. Service was great! Seating was nice. The outdoor heater was a pleasant surprise. I'd like to go back for the waffle, but I don't think I could afford it too often. read more

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I'll start on with the bad...My children and I arrived and were greeted by a "Wait Here" sign at a podium, so we waited...and waited. I started looking around and noticed a man chatting with someone look over at us and continue his conversation. I figured he was a patron so I passed the pad out and began looking for someone to assist. The man finally decided to stop his conversation and come and talk to me. He was incredibly rude and told me I needed to wait to be seated. I let him know that's what we did but no one came to greet/assist. He disappeared and came out to tell me they were clearing a table. The Good: We were finally seated and we sat down and were approached by our server who wasn't exactly the friendliest person, at least not with us. A older gentleman sat next to me and we quickly struck up a conversation, as he was a combat veteran and a lovely gentleman. We chatted and we paid for his breakfast, as he made our experience a nice one. The server came once to ask if we were ok right after we received our meals. She didn't come back after that, only to bring the check and didn't say a word. She was more than happy to refill our new friend's water when my glass was almost empty. The Food: Mediocre at best. According to the server, they're famous for their waffles, but we wanted something different. Blueberry pancakes were soggy and lacked flavor, the eggs Benedict were "ok" according to my son and my standard breakfast of potatoes, eggs and turkey was greasy and overcooked. I wouldn't go back again. If I wanted slop on a plate, a chain restaurant would have been better with friendlier people. I'm giving 2 stars because the combat veteran's company made the experience tolerable and it was a pleasure to meet him. read more

OG friends in town and we decided to meet here! It has been way too long! I had first met Terryl when I worked at Johnny M's so long ago! It was great to see her and my friends had also met her when they lived here. The place still has that welcoming vibe and I can understand the wait! Ok, so now my OGs are vegans and they were able to accommodate them. Of course that didn't stop me from having chicken fried steak with extra gravy! Scooter ordered the pecan waffle. I really wanted a pumpkin waffle which I remember oh so well, but that will have to wait for another visit! Everything came out in a timely manner, and I loved the steak, potatoes, and eggs! Especially that gravy, and you can never have too much gravy! Again, great atmosphere! The table next to us had the chili cheese melt which looked soooo good and apparently was cause it was gone! LOL! I can't wait to come back! Thanks Terryl for being one of the best mainstays downtown! read more

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Amazing food!!! The prices are reasonable and the place looks like a cool small breakfast spot! The service was very friendly too. I wish there was more seating and wish they cleaned up the streets a bit but oh well! Highly recommended!!!! read more

This was a great place for us! Food was really good, service was great! The server caught details that we might not have noticed (I needed gluten-free and she was right on top of it!). Will definitely go back when we are in town! read more

Great food, service and people watching from locals to tourists. Highly recommend. Stay away from the decalf, but the regular is delicious read more

Cafe 222 - Golden waffle best , soft and pillow ..delish - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Diego, California

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First time here! I loved my food very much because it was delicious, the service was amazing, the ambiance was really neat, and I also enjoyed listening to the songs Budapest by George Ezra and Island In The Sun by Weezer. read more

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

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The food was delicious, I got the strawberry shortcake waffles and the waffle was perfectly crispy and the strawberries were so fresh. The workers were so sweet and attentive, we had the nice older man named Senad who checked in often if we needed anything. It's the perfect place to people watch, and the cafe is so nice and cozy. read more

Cafe 222 - The Golden Waffle, Strawberry Shortcake Waffle, and Churro Waffle - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Diego, California

A small brunch place with a cozy family atmosphere located in downtown San Diego. It has high ratings on both Yelp and Google Maps. You can tell just by looking at the decor that they're famous for their waffles. I've been craving waffles for a long time, so this really hit the spot! As soon as we walked in, we were struck by the strong family atmosphere. We were seated at the bar, and our server was an elderly gentleman who we soon realized was the soul of the restaurant. He exuded warmth, kindness, and politeness, and it was hard not to be infected by his energy. Because of him, we gave this restaurant a rating of at least 4 stars. I ordered a waffle with yogurt and fruit, and for an extra $7, I could make it a combo, which included two eggs and two bacon strips (or sausages). My boyfriend ordered gravy and biscuits, which also came with eggs and sausage. I used to love going to the cafeteria for biscuits and gravy when I was studying at UCLA, so we were both very satisfied with our choices. As soon as the food arrived, we were immediately filled with satisfaction. It looked and smelled amazing! Especially my boyfriend's dish - the texture of the biscuit and gravy was different from the usual. The biscuit was not as dry, but rather soft. However, the taste was really good! The fruit on the waffle was very generous, but it would have been even better if there were more berries. The waffle itself was pretty good, but I regretted adding yogurt because it was cold, and it cooled down the waffle, losing the hearty feeling that I had imagined. I really recommend this brunch place! Next time, I want to find a homey breakfast place, and I'll definitely come back here! read more

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Cafe 222 is a fun discovery that we will be adding to our rotation whenever we're in downtown San Diego. The food is fantastic. They nailed the eggs benedict (a dish I commonly use to judge the quality of a breakfast/brunch restaurant); it was much better than usual and had just the right amount of lemon. My partner had the breakfast burrito, which they feature prominently on their website, and he loved it so much that he ate the whole thing in one sitting! The service is attentive and knowledgeable--everyone was great. And Cafe 222's ambiance is quirky and fun. It's a small but bright space that allows diners to share a good time with others. We greatly enjoyed interacting with the next table over! Also, the Cafe sells humorous and kitschy t-shirts right in the restaurant. We will definitely be back! read more

Must try the French Toast with banana and PB!!! It was delicious soft sweet savory and side of yummy coffee!!

Awesome service. The atmosphere was friendly and inviting. Delicious food. What more can I really say. Go get some ;)

Had to take a picture of their chandelier! So adorable! Food was great! Delicious and great portions! Service was impressive, fast and friendly staff. Atmosphere was definitely casual. read more

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

That peanut butter and banana French toast was a major skip for me. I literally like nothing about it. The regular French toast with strawberries and whip cream, that whip cream tasted HOMEMADE. The regular French toast in my Yelp Jesika opinion was leaps and bounds better than the stuffed peanut butter and banana French toast . The cafe is cute, waiter was very helpful and I loved that aspect. read more

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So good!!! There was a huge wait so we came by first to put our name down and then walked around the area. For some reason I never received a text but we came back around the estimated time and heard them calling our name so I would go back earlier just in case - Strawberry shortcake waffle: 5/5 SO GOOD - Joe's special: 4/5 because the potatoes were way too salty to eat but the rest was still delicious read more

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

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Heard about this place from a few folks through the years, so I wanted to check it out. Walked over here while on a lunch break attending an event at the Convention Center. Caught them right before they were about to close, but they very graciously invited us in. Had an amazing breakfast with eggs, sausage and potatoes. That sausage patty is something special! Restaurant is clean and intimate. Service was fast and very friendly. I would go here again. read more

Amazing service, such great staff Anda the food is top tier. Can't wait to come back! read more

Cafe 222 - My daughters waffle without Nutella and super fresh strawberries and bananas - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Diego, California

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Stumbled across this quant little cafe this morning. WHAT A HIDDEN TREASURE! For a Sunday morning at 9:30am...there was no wait but you could tell the restaurant was busy. The inside of the cafe definitely made me feel like I was thrown back in time with a beautiful pop of colors. Extremely clean and great service. I ordered the Super Biscuits and Gravy. Hands down the best I've ever had. The biscuits were still light and fluffy, the gravy was bursting with flavor and the potatoes were cooked to perfection. DO NOT PASS UP THIS PLACE! read more

Cafe 222 - Super Biscuits and Gravy - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Diego, California

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Yuuup! The hype is real! The waffles here are soooo amazing! I want to try them all! They didn't even taste like waffles, as other reviews have said. Tasted like straight up corn bread that happened to be waffle shaped! Plenty of choices for breakfast but we kept it simple. Had the Corn Beef Hash which came with toast & 3 eggs any style. This dish is definitely shareable, as well as the waffle, but you probably won't want to share that! We got an order of their famous Blueberry Waffle (most popular thing on the menu) and it did not disappoint! We didn't have to wait long for a table for two. Got seated inside which was a pretty crammed. Our waiter was nice enough, but he seemed rushed which in turn made us feel rushed. The food did come out in a timely manner and folks were in and out, but I kind of wanted to sit there and enjoy a little more, if that makes sense? Just seemed like a 'fast food' sit down. That's why the review is only 4 stars. If we felt a little more at ease, we probably would've enjoyed our breakfast a little more. All in all Cafe 222 is a great breakfast/brunch option! Try their amazing waffles! read more

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I came back after 3 years for breakfast to give it another shot and the service was impeccable, the food was delicious and they were very friendly to my dog as well and brought him a water bowl. Will come back! read more