I had an absolutely beautiful birthday breakfast with both of my boys who live in Santa Monica down the street from Café 50s. I live in Bakersfield and will be coming back to to eat soon. I will be back soon, as I come down a few times per month. My boys will be joining quite a bit, either in the restaurant or takeout. The menu is very incredible. The hours of operation is fabulous the service was class A. I definitely recommend going in to the sweet diner and looking at all of the antique photos from the 1950's. Thank you again to the crew. read more

Cafe 50's - This is an old telephone booth from Wayback in the day. A beautiful antique. As we all join the community of using cellular! - Diners Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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My first time here and Ramon made us wait like 10-15 minutes before he sat us, very rude and not paying attention to our specific ordering details! Took our drink orders and we waited another 15-20 minutes before we got our drinks, then would walk away before we could ask him something else, or he was totally paying attention to something/someone else!! The bus boy brought us our drinks, and I felt bad for him because he looked confused as to which one of us ordered regular ice tea n flavored ice tea. The Ramon came back took our orders and left, waited an additional 30-45 mins maybe longer for our food to find another young man bring our food to the table along with the bus boy, and our order was not correct, the kind young man with beautiful eyes came and dropped off another order and I told him I asked for a certain side item instead of the one on my plate and he so kindly said I'll be back with that for you! You can tell he genuinely felt bad for all the mistakes that Ramon did, we really NEVER saw our waiter until we paid at the register even then HE STILL DIDN'T PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT WE WERE ASKING FOR PAYMENT OPTIONS, we split the bill in 3 parts and paid with cards and told him specifically what amounts to put on each card and he did what he wanted on each of the cards and said it was the registers fault for not doing it, um hello HUMAN error. Overall the food was great but Ramon will not be our server next time! read more

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Just left from celebrating my moms bday with the family. Victor and all of the support staff are so very nice and accommodating that because of them, this has become our birthday tradition. My 4 year old just has the best time with balloons, the toys, the phone booth, the juke box, and the delicious food. My family loved the salads, the turkey dinner, the soup, and most of all the shakes. Thank you again for being so wonderful and fun! Fast service too read more

I loveeee it here, I'm also just a sucker for diners. The staff is amazing and the vibe is awesome always.

Great service was provided and the food was delicious. Will be returning in the future.

Perfect pancakes! So fluffy and light.Had the blueberry pancakes and their famous warm chocolate cake with ice cream. Pancake was amazing after putting some nutella on it but the warm chocolate cake was so heavy that I couldn't even finish. Staff was amazing.5 stars goes to them!! read more

Cafe 50's - Sweet Potato Fries Warm Hot Fudge Chocolate Cake Blueberry Pancakes - Diners Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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MONTE CRISTO SANDWICHES! Real ones, where the entire sandwich is battered and deep-fried. Just like at Disneyland! That's right, bread and turkey and ham and melted cheese--all inside something akin to a donut--and don't forget the strawberry jam! To the uninitiated, this might sound questionable, bordering on grotesque. But--in the right hands--and the chef here has the right hands--it's a magical flavor bomb for your mouth! There are few places left where you can get one of these wonders of the culinary world, but they make real ones here that are real good! Whew, I'm glad I got that off my chest (and into my mouth). When you're not blinded by the beauty that is a MCS, you'll notice was a charming place this is--it's not a kitsch pseudo diner, it's a real-life classic 1950's diner that's been lived in and loved. The staff, none of whom were born in the 1950's, still all have that kind of perky helpfulness that's warmly welcoming and much appreciated. The prices aren't 1950s, either (but where are they?), but at $13, this complicated and filling sandwich is a deal. Street parking was easy, and there's a metered lot in back. I will definitely return! read more

Found this place in 2011 when I moved to LA from the Bay Area. Went here probably once a week. After I moved back to the Bay, I would come to Cafe 50s everytime I came to SoCal. Now that I'm living in LA again, it has returned to be one of my favorite places. The food is delicious, the customer service is great, and the atmosphere is amazing! read more

Service was great last night. The attention to the little guy by the waitress was amazing. She made him star center and he was happy. I had the turkey burger with turkey bacon and added avocado! Sweet potatoes fries and coffee. Come by for the ambiance and the friendly staff. read more

Cafe 50s has been in this location for decades now, qnd for good reason - their perfect diner menu! No matter what you may be in the mood for, Cafe 50s has it. My particular favorite is their large handmade shake/malt menu. It's hard to make a decision with all of the options available! Also, it is a great spot for breakfast- get there early to avoid the weekend crowds. The kitschy 50s decor and music is fun; the service on point; and if you are ever feeling nostalgic for an airplane restroom, check out the ladies room. Honestly, it's airplane sized! Just another reason why their is no other place like Cafe 50s! read more

Cafe 50's - The 2+2+2 - Blueberry pancakes, scrambled eggs, and turkey bacon. Perfection! - Diners Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Really delicious breakfast burritos and milkshakes. The peanut butter and banana shake is so good and I don't even like peanut butter usually! The breakfast burrito is very filling and has a good balance of the different ingredients (not just primarily egg like the way some restaurants make em), and worth the price. I am picky with burritos and this is one of my favorite breakfast burrito spots! I also really love the 50s decor, even if I only get to enjoy it during the few minutes of ordering. I'm looking forward to being able to dine in eventually when it is safe to do so and indoor dining is a thing again! Lots of cool stuff to look at. Staff is very friendly and welcoming. Food gets prepared pretty quickly! I love the little postcards baggies they gave out with the order. Very fun. read more

it's a greasy spoon diner with a ton of old interesting stuff on the walls. but really - the folks who take care of you at Cafe 50's are the reason this has quickly become my favorite comfort food spot in Santa Monica. =] read more

Stepping into this place is really like a blast from the past. There are parking spaces in the back of the building in a lot. You do have to pay to park. If you go after 9PM, parking is free. There are also metered parking spaces along Santa Monica Blvd. The interior is full of old black & white pictures of celebrities. Some are signed by the celebrities themselves. For some odd reason (or people like me), they had some framed pictures on the ceiling! It was nice for conversation, seeing who we recognized in the pictures. I liked seeing the little table top juke boxes, not sure if they work. There's also an antiquated telephone booth with the phone in it. I know this is called Cafe 50's and it really does look like it hasn't been updated at all since then. I don't know when this place opened up, but it could be spruced up. While sitting and waiting for our food, I noticed how small the space where the fryer & grill were. Very little to no space for the guys to even turn around. There were kitchen items on the counter where diners eat, but it was near where the napkins & condiments were, so I guess they think it is not visible. My take is that they need more room! Also, I saw the Frozen bags of Onion Rings & Chicken Tenders just sitting out. Don't they need to be placed back in the freezer? Since we got there about 10:15PM, we got free parking out back but missed out on the Tuesday special of the day. The daily special ends at 10PM. My friend and I both got the Frisco Club, which is basically a BLT with Turkey. The sandwich itself was delicious and not dry. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the sandwich and it had REAL turkey slices in it! Oh yeah!! The plate came with garnishes of a small slaw & a dill pickle spear. These aren't sides, so no substitutions. Our meals (2 sandwiches) came to $26.05 including tax. We only got water to drink. I think it is a little pricey! We were dining so late that we opted out of trying the milkshakes which I hear are excellent! So, next time, I want to try one. This place is continuously busy! I was amazed at the steady stream of people. Lot of to go orders and a lot of diners eating in. I hope they continue keeping the masses well fed! read more

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This place is freakin' awesome for breakfast!! I swear those were the best blueberry pancakes I've ever had! And the eggs were cooked to perfection. And those potatoes are to die for! Highly recommend:) read more

Tons of shake options at Cafe 50's, but it seems like they shift most of the ingredients around to make different combos. That being said, the S'more Shake was good (chocolate ice cream, marshmallow topping, graham cracker, and chocolate syrup). It comes in a tall glass with whipped cream & cherry plus a half filled stainless steel container. Love the extra container. Come here for a traditional shake (with many flavor options)! read more

Cafe 50's - S'more Shake - Diners Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I grew up loving this place and the food, but was very disappointed when we were told the kitchen was closed at 11:26PM! I've made online orders later than that. My bestie (who had just gotten to LA from a 10-hr flight) & I ended up ordering milkshakes to-go instead-- as we saw some dudes making to-go orders and we all waited for their food together.. :( read more

Definitely gives you a 50s vibe when you're inside. It's the last diner on Route 66 and had fantastic breakfast food with large portions. Staff was very friendly too! read more

Cafe 50's - Mexican breakfast - Diners Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I order frequently through DoorDash. They always get my order correct, always on time and will even give extra! They leave cute goody bags for their consumers love every interaction. So personable and warm heated. Truly an establishment that cares for each costumer. read more

So it was sanrio expo/ small gift day, and my stomach whispered to me the night prior that I absolutely had to find a monte cristo in the santa monica area. I have been searching for a real, none of that french toast impostor of a monte cristo for months and found cafe 50's. Upon entering, you're immediately bombarded with 50's retro decor in every square inch of this establishment. I even remember old school cigarette ads hugging their walls, while potentially offensive, I totally thumb'd up. I didn't bother to look at the menu. I ordered my monte cristo and side of green bean fries. We also ordered deep fried mac n cheese, chicken strips, and a bacon avocado burger. The montecristo was what I had hoped it would be. Coated, fried and sprinkled with a healthy dose of powdered sugar which looks like an addictive substance which we won't bother to name. The one thing I did find pleasant, was that it wasn't, well, greasy. Like the excess grease had been dabbed away prior to plating. Green bean fries were meh. I've had better at TGI friday's. The green beans had lost their crunch, and they were slightly burnt. The jbox mac and cheese bites were far more superior to the ones served here. Chicken strips were ok. I heard the bacon avoc burger was delicious though. The overall dining experience was just alright. Wouldn't make the drive all the way out here for it. Loved the ambiance and monte cristo, a sighed disappointment in everything else. read more

Cafe 50's - a forreal monte cristo + green bean fries - Diners Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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As soon as we walked in we were seated. Followed with being asked with what we would like to drink. Soon after or waiter came by to let us know he would be taking our orders. We placed our food order and our was out of a fairly good amount of time. With that being said the service was great. Cute diner with a true 50's theme. Would definitely recommend this place and will be back. read more

5 Stars isn't enough!!! Every single time I've dined on or ordered out my meals have been perfect! I'm very picky and ask for lots of 'special instructions' so when I actually receive the food I asked for that says a lot about a restaurant. The staff and cooks have always paid attention! Our food is even still hot when DoorDash delivers!! Love Cafe 50's and the delish home cooking they prepare. Oh, and the Lemon Lime Pie!!!!! read more

I just ordered takeout and I got stickers and candy and a postcard. Soooooo cute. Love small businesses. read more

Cafe 50's - Diners Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Who can say no to FREE!?! The last WED of every month, they have a PJ party. You show up in your PJs and you get a free meal with the purchase of one drink. We showed up here last month.. on WED and the place was packed with people. One thing though, they seat the regular people first, before they seat the cheapo people who go there for a free meal :P Anyway, once we finally got a table.. actually we sat at the counter, I ordered the omelette with mushrooms and swiss cheese. It was good. Just a regular omelette. Although, they put too much cheese in it. There was cheese IN the omelette and there was even cheese ON TOP of the omelette. To save myself 100 calories, I just scraped off the cheese that was on top of the omlette. Too much cheese anyway. The waitresses were nice. But there was one waiter who was not very friendly. read more

Cafe 50's - Menu for free entree for their PJ party - Diners Near Me - Los Angeles, California

This is a fun place, especially for kids. The decor is obviously an attraction but the food is better than average and our service was terrific. There's so much 50s memorabilia on the walls (and ceilings, honest) that you simply cannot be bored even if you're not thrilled with your company. We were seated in the cigarette advertisement corner, which sounds nasty, but was fascinating in a sociological way. Parking is difficult. Don't bother driving round and round. Just try and find metered street parking either north or south of Santa Monica Blvd. Kids get a coloring sheet and a balloon and I can vouch for the yumminess of the mac n cheese bites. The shakes are great, too. We had the Snickers shake and it tasted just like you would think. It had tons of pieces of a real Snickers bar in it. My bacon/blue cheese burger looked sad. The lettuce was almost translucent and so was the tomato. I was going to take a photo of it for Yelp but thought that would be mean. But after removing the sorry veggies and taking a bite, good news! The burger was flavorful and, of course, mixed well with the bacon and blue cheese. Now, it could have used a tad more blue cheese and, frankly, I would have liked a nice piece of lettuce and tomato, but it was still very good. (Dear restaurants: Tis better not to serve tasteless or colorless food at all than to serve it and have it ignored and returned. Really.) The fries were very good and so was the coleslaw (with a nice touch of sweetness). I also sampled the Monte Cristo sandwich which I normally hate anywhere because they can be too greasy and/or too sweet. This one was great and truly decadent if that's what you are looking for. It's not my go-to but some people really like them. The mini-jukeboxes at the table (2 bits a song) really do work and are fun. Our service couldn't have been better. We were attended to by several different workers and they were all pleasant, fun, and attentive. It's a fun place with good food. read more

Cafe 50's - An interesting ad on the wall near us. And those doctors are now all dead! - Diners Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Went on a Sunday morning, Short wait to sit inside. Traditional diner menu with all the usual savory and sweet offerings. We got a banana French toast and an omelette or some kind of eggy veggie scramble, both delicious! Coffee was refilled promptly and generously. We live close and will be back. read more

Best atmosphere, epic shake selection, frankly incredible onion rings, and everyone who works there is really nice. I've always liked this place. read more

BRING YOUR COUPONS HERE!!!! They have great coupons once a while, such as $10 off for eating in (not alone), a certain % off, and such. They also have great daily deals, such as half off burgers on a certain day, cheap basic shakes on another, kids eat free Wednesdays, etc. I stress the deals and coupons because if you're paying full price here, OMG SUCH A DISAPPOINTMENT!!! The decor here is amazing. The theme is consistent, and decorations at Cafe 50's really gives what Cafe 50's is all about. It is a great place to go with family or after a night of hanging out with friends. The food itself is meh and overpriced. Once a friend and I went here. We each ordered a different burger. Her's was supposed to come on a sesame bun and mine was supposed to come on a wheat bun. What did we get? Half wheat bun and half sesame bun. WHAT?? Their veggies here are very pale - none of that bright romaine lettuce green stuff, but more like pale iceberg lettuce and barely pink tomatoes. The burgers are around $10 each without add-ons, but the quality and taste really classifies them as $5 burgers (hence where the coupons come in, haha). Their burgers/sandwiches come with pickle and coleslaw. If you want fries instead, it's an extra dollar. The coleslaw is a super tiny portion, and it's way too mayo-y. Yuck. The milkshakes are decent, and they are one of the few "worth-it" items here. If made right (not just ice cream and milk, but rather with more more more toppings), then it's a very great shake. Oh, service. Okay or horrible. Once our food took a very long time, and it took even longer to find the waitress to process our check/payment. *sigh* I'm sure I'd give this place 4 stars if I were drunk every time I came here though... :/ read more

Cafe 50's - Really? Sesame top and wheat bottom??? - Diners Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Would give a zero star if I could. My wife and I went here for the first time with expectations of a good experience. We sat and waited for an hour to finally receive the mediocre food. 3 separate parties were seated, served and finished before we even got what we ordered immediately upon being seated. Service is horrible. Our server knew that something went wrong and promised us a discount from the manager which was never applied to the final bill. Major disappointment, support all the other nearby establishments. Will never return here. read more

I'm a sucker for cute diners and this is one of them! Came here with my girlfriend and we both got the chicken fried streak and super double burger. Both were very good but let me tell you, that burger is definitely super as in super huge! It's been a while since I've seen such a stacked burger. The shakes here are also so good and there's so many of them. Recommend this place if you're looking for a diner. read more

Such a cute little spot. Our family and friends loved it this past Saturday. The staff was beyond kind to my toddler, they kept her busy with balloons and all sorts of things. They paid attention to our tables needs and where so quick. I had a mimosa with biscuits and gravy. It was so so good. We will definitely be back read more

Hallo Craig, we came across your little, stylish diner couple weeks ago when we stayed in LA. Everyone absolutely loved it! Our server was the cutest and told us you come from Germany - well, we all do too! Unfortunately you came in later than usual that day but we will make sure to stop by when we are back in LA to check on if your German is still up to date, haha Bis dann und viele liebe Grüße aus Deutschland read more

Cafe 50's - Diners Near Me - Los Angeles, California

EXCELLENT SERVICE!!! Ordered fries and a grill cheese which was just what I was craving. My husband and I were able to sit outside to eat with our baby in the stroller. Food came out quickly and nice and hot. While we were finishing up a gentlemen came over with a ballon for the baby, which I was very happy about to entertain our lil one that had just woke up so we can finish eating. It was so nice of him. Will definitely continue to go. read more

Food is incredibly greasy and bland. I got a simple burger and the meat tasted like cheap pork. The bathroom is back kind of inside the kitchen area which is a little gross since it's right next to where they keep food. Also everything caked in questionable black dust around the kitchen with a big fan blowing it everywhere and towards where they prepare food with open containers. A miracle I didn't get food poisoning... Service is great though and really friendly read more

great cherry pie, decor is authentic and good customer service. enjoyed the music playing

What a GREAT place and pleasant surprise as I popped in for a quick breakfast before my appointment. EXCELLENT service - the woman here just greets everyone so genuinely. Aside from this excellent service, their food is WONDERFUL! True breakfast spot - they don't make them like this anymore. The breakfast burrito was HUGE and filled with eggs, bacon, cheese. Most places nowadays, you get mostly tortilla, but not here! Overall, everything was a 10/10....will definitely be coming back! read more

Food. Service. Ambiance. All 10/10. Would recommend. A delicious blast from the past. Make sure you get a milkshake! Our waiter was victor and he was awesome. read more

Cafe 50's - a long hallway with red lighting - Diners Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Good food, friendly service, themed atmosphere and reasonable pricing. A fun place for breakfast lunch or dinner. A classic "hole in the wall" old style dinner. read more

I recently revisited this restaurant and it's still a favorite. The crew is very nice, the food is fresh, and the shakes are super yummy during peak hours except to wait and right now with the heatwave it's on the warmer side seeing that the kitchen is in the front but I definitely recommend you to try it out if you've been curious. Parking is on the street and they have an outdoor option. My kids loved it. read more

Yummy food and great atmosphere. Friendly staff too. The bathroom has a cute vintage 1950s theme and the decor is fantastic.

My favorite spot since 2004, food is great, staff are super friendly and shakes are just the greatest. I enjoy the atmosphere and all the wall design. They have so many different games and very cool activities. And you get toys if it's your birthday read more

Cafe 50's - My favorite poster on the wall - Diners Near Me - Los Angeles, California