After a morning of errands, I found myself longing for a real, meaty hamburger lunch. I found CAFE BELEN tucked into a strip mall on Santa Monica between Brockton/Armacost. They served a wagyu beef burger with all the trimmings and sumptuous sweet potato fries. This was a grownup burger, not a fast food burger. With a drink, my total came to $25. What a bargain these days! I could tell from the quality that I received that their salads and other offerings would be excellent as well. It's a small, well-cared-for neighborhood place with seating inside and out. Great service. Try it! read more

I can see why this place held its 5 stars rating. Well deserved. Upon entering, I could feel the warm welcome. We got seated and took our time looking at the menu. Friendly waitress came by to take our orders. She made sure that our orders were placed correctly. We got the steak & eggs w/sunny side up eggs. We got it medium rare w/sourdough toast. We also ordered the salmon Benedict w/potatoes. I rarely order salmon when eating out because I don't trust the quality. However, people tend to order the salmon Benedict here so I decided to give it a try. I enjoyed the salmon Benedict more than the steak & eggs. I liked how they went easy on the egg like how it should be. The sauce was delicious. Potatoes were seasoned well. It was a perfect brunch plate. Steak was not seasoned at all. It was a plain steak. Didn't think it was that juicy. However, it was good. It was tender and not chewy chewy. Will return when in the area read more

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Ok, here we go, The food is really good, the service superb!! The young men are just amazing people, super friendly, prompt to serve you and they do it with a smile. I had their huevos rancheros and it was delicious!! read more

Cafe Belen - Huevos Rancheros, very well presented and balanced flavors. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Los Angeles, California

We love Café Belen. They have the best salads. They also have a full menu which is great, but we really go for the salads. Their Chicken Quinoa Salad, which is grilled free range chicken, organic baby arugula, endives, red organic quinoa, avocado, cherry tomatoes, red onions, and feta cheese all tossed with champagne vinaigrette is ever so great. We also get the Chopped Cobb Salad which has chopped hearths of romaine, avocado, bacon, hard boiled eggs, blue cheese, red onions, chopped tomatoes, and ranch dressing. I hate ranch dressing and they are very nice to give me the dressing I like. The service there is great and the place is just beautiful. The prices are fair and they will take very good care of you. Besides their salads try their burgers, they are great, especially their bacon cheese burger. They even have a kid's menu and they are kid friendly. There is nothing not to love here. read more

Cafe Belen - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Parking is a nightmare. The restaurant is in a corner strip mall and it is smaller than I imagined. They have outdoor seating, which is in the parking lot but has shade. The food and service though were really good. Other patrons seemed to be locals and frequented the restaurant. The server we had was very friendly. I had the lomo saltado, which was a special, while my friends had the mango salad and salmon bowl. read more

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Cafe Belen is truly one of my favorite spots in LA. Somewhere I can always recommend to someone visiting and know they are going to LOVE it. Breakfast, lunch, dinner- flawless. Juices, smoothies, coffees- fabulous. Also they serve breakfast all day! It's so hard to find good restaurants that do that. The food is FRESH. On my recent visit, my partner (with a mouth full of food) said "wow, this really is what food tastes like when it's made with love." We love the smoothies, so many of the dishes, my faves being the pancakes/waffles/french toast, and the egg sandwich (hold the bacon wink wink). The space is small but done so well. It's cozy and I love sitting out on their patio. Parking is free in the shopping center! And lastly, all my love to the owners, Juan and Julio. Thank you for bringing your heart and soul to the community and giving us this beloved cafe! See you soon! read more

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My last review was for 2 years ago. 2 yars later and they are as amazing as ever. I'm not much a fan of eggs and never liked breakfast burritos bc it has eggs. Then one day I decided to give it try and Tried their breakfast wrap. OMG it was so good. Their owner and staff are amazing, very sweet, friendly and professional people. This place wont disappoint you. I can say its litterly the gem around the corner. read more

Cafe Belen - Avocado Toast - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Los Angeles, California

This review is for a delivery order - for reference Cafe Belen is about 1 mile away from the delivery point. Delivery was about 35-40 minutes. Of the two items ordered, I'd have to say the guava lemonade was my favorite. It was perfectly sweetened and tart. Very refreshing. The Cuban bowl was also great in flavor but a bit too soggy. Perhaps it collected too much condensation before it got to its destination? The thin cuts of chicken were flavorful, not dry, and well seasoned. The plantains were sweet and well cooked as well. The bed of rice and beans were unfortunately too wet to be enjoyable, but overall great flavor all around. read more

Cafe Belen - Guava Lemonade - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Came here for breakfast. Located in a small strip mall. There's parking in a lot so that's a plus. Honestly, I think this place is overpriced for what it is. The food wasn't bad but I wasn't blown away either. Everything was fresh but just bland for $20 a dish. But cost of living is going up so maybe this is the new normal? read more

Excellent food excellent capacino Highly recommend I have been there twice and will return. read more

The cafe is located at the middle corner of a small L shaped strip center. There's free parking in the small lot, but also metered street parking around. If you don't mind the walk, there's free street parking further up the neighborhood. A homey cafe with friendly service. Staff were courteous and attentive. They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner with the dinner menu being served after 5pm. The menu is quite extensive and diverse. Breakfast items include Benedicts, avocado toasts, traditional American-style breakfast combos, toasts, pancakes, waffles, oatmeal, breakfast sandwiches and Mexican-inspired dishes such as Huevos Rancheros, chilaquiles, frittata. For lunch, there's salads, sandwiches & burgers. During the day, they have wellness shot drinks made from fresh fruits and spices, smoothies & shakes to give you a healthy-boost of energy & vitality. For dinner, they have filet mignon, ribeye steaks, seafood dishes, pastas/linguini/fettucini, and bowls. They also have wine with dinner. My bestie and I came for dinner so this review is strictly for their dinner only. We tried the following... 1. Cafe Latte (5/5) Very strong coffee that's neither bitter or sour in flavor. It is on the darker roast side and definitely quite bold. If you are sensitive to coffee, this might be too strong for you. As a coffee connoisseur, it's perfect for me. I like that it's very creamy as well - good ratio balance. 2. Belen Chicken Linguine (3-4/5) The presentation of this dish was nice. It came out piping hot, so be careful before taking that 1st bite. The garlic bread that comes with it seemed a bit stale. It was nice to dip the garlic bread in the tomato-like creamy sauce of the dish. The noodles were al dente. The chicken was a bit on the drier side, but with the creamy sauce, it was ok. I felt the sauce could use more depth of flavor and savoriness, but my buddy said it was "decent and creamy." 3. Blackened Seafood Bowl (2/5) It didn't seem really "blackened" to us as there was no charred taste at all. It contained Spinach, cabbage, carrots, and broccoli, cauliflower with tiny shrimps and small pieces of salmon. It's more vegetables than seafood, so didn't feel like it was worth the price of $24. Flavor was kind of bland; ok dish, but nothing to rave. Wouldn't get it again. 4. Bacon Cheeseburger (4/5) They supposedly use wagyu beef with smoked mozzarella, arugula, grilled onions, bacon and sliced tomatoes with aioli sauce served between brioche buns The overall flavor was quite pronounced. It would best be described as being "meaty." The bacon added a nice crisp and savoriness. The fat from the bacon and beef made it quite juicy. The beef patty was beefy/meaty, but not sure if it's truly "wagyu." I personally found the patty to be way too salty, but my buddy didn't think so. The brioche bun was crispy and toasted well, but was a bit on the dry side. The bun itself lacked that doughy "brioche-y" taste that I'd hope for. Overall, decent experience. I'd come back to try their daytime menu. read more

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The breakfast and cafe mocha was delicious. Parking is a little challenging because there are other shops sharing the strip mall lot, but don't let it scare you away. The service was wonderful. read more

This Gem of a find was pure Yelp. I'd have never have done this if not for this app. We (2) got sat immediately in a small dining room mostly 2 top tables. With a simple dining menu of only a few choices per category it was easy to decide. This was a rainy day in The LA so skipped the great Wine/Drink list and I started with a Caffe Mocha. We ordered the Chicken Marsala $27 and Belen Chicken Linguine in a pink sauce $19. Everything was fine dining timed and delivered. Marsala came with creamy mashed potatoes and roasted root vegetables they nailed it. Linguine with blackened chicken, large chunks of vegetables, and garlic toast points all textures were spot on and flavor was great. I'd have never thought about coming here but have now recommended this place twice already.... will be back for Breakfast read more

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The shake cost around $9-$10. It was very expensive for around 16 oz of shake. The shake is delicious. But it was more of a smoothie than a (milk) shake. read more

Cafe Belen - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Los Angeles, California

2nd visit and it was just as I remembered. Looking for a "meet in the middle" restaurant with a solid menu and parking. Fond 1st visit memories led me to recommend this spot and everyone loved it. This is a small(ish) restaurant in the corner of a little shopping center. This visit we dined outside as it was a pleasant day. Service was great, food fantastic, and when the sun started to neat down on us, they lowered the shades. A pretty hidden gem in my opinion. read more

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Happy I found this spot for breakfast today! There were many meals on the menu to choose from for breakfast & lunch. I ordered the Protein Breakfast Bowl and was very satisfied! Not too sure what sauce they used in the bowl but it is very flavorful. I got chicken as my protein. The staff is very kind. They greeted me as soon as I walked in. Decent amount of seating inside and there is also a patio with garden decor, very cute. read more

Cute spot for dinner. I preferred the all day menu rather than dinner menu. Dinner menu was all meat. Our servers were friendly and quick. The food tasted fresh. The fresh lemonades were made from fresh fruit as opposed to concentrate or syrups. I enjoyed the ginger lemonade and my friend loved her strawberry. The tofu bowl comes with feta but I made it vegan by requesting it removed. My friend loved her Cuban bowl. We will definitely come back! read more

Cafe Belen - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Just tried the Belen sandwich and it was honestly great. The sandwich was perfectly toasted with a nice crunch on the outside, and the layers inside were fresh and well balanced. The egg was cooked just right, slightly runny, which made every bite even better. Paired with the crispy breakfast potatoes on the side, it was a really satisfying meal. What really stood out, though, was the service. The staff was super friendly, welcoming from the moment I walked in, and the food came out fast without feeling rushed. You can tell they're well organized and actually care about the customer experience. Definitely a spot I'd come back to again solid food, great service, and an overall enjoyable visit. read more

Cafe Belen - Belen Breakfast Sandwich - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Los Angeles, California

À true ripoff ! The avocado bacon breakfast sandwich was not worth the 20 minute wait! It was soggy, and the cook skimped out on the bacon. There were two itty bitty tiny strips of bacon on the entirety of the sandwich . You're best buying frozen farmer John's sandwiches at the grocery store than pay about 20 times of that here. The only reason I'm giving this à 2 stars is the place is cute and the workers appeared friendly. The food was certainly much less than expected . read more

Cafe Belen - Egg Breakfast Combo. Low-grade cut of bacon. About 3 small strips . Ridiculous . - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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I've been to Cafe Belen multiple times (dine-in and take-out). This cafe is a MUST VISIT. I have nothing but good things to say about the service and food. While I typically walk here, the cafe is located in a lot where you can park. The spaces are kind of tight but there's a good amount of parking and street parking. The cafe has a lot of indoor and outdoor seating! Every single staff member I've encountered has been SOOOO nice. They always check in to see how your food is, ask if you need anything, etc. They all seem to get along well and there's a very family vibe. The food is amazing!!! I like to replace banana with mango for the protein smoothie which is very delicious. They have a very large variety of food. I've only really had the breakfast items but they've always been so good!! HIGHLY recommend!!! read more

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Lovely place to come have breakfast or brunch! I enjoyed the pancakes and huevos rancheros. Staff are friendly and genuinely look like they are happy to serve you. They also have a parking lot! read more

Cafe Belen - Walnut Butter Milk Pancakes 10/10 - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Came here on a Tuesday brunch with a large group of friends after finding this place on Yelp searching for something more taste focused than instagrammy. This place is definitely a hidden gem! Super home kitchen vibes which was pleasant. Service was pretty good, you could tell they were super busy. Prices were definitely LA prices... lol But the food ended up being really really good. I got the salmon benedict and didn't regret a single bite. The portions were solid and everything was delicious. I also grabbed a fresh squeezed orange juice which tasted amazing. I also got to try my friends' plates (pancakes, waffles, etc) and they were all equally as delicious, which was a great surprise. Everything was seasoned and toasted perfectly and exactly what you would have expected from a breakfast place. I'm really glad to have found a solid go-to brunch spot if anyone asks for recs in the Sawtelle area. Definitely will be back! read more

Good service, I just didn't love the food I ordered when I came here. I got the Avocado Toast and was pleasantly surprised to see it came with eggs, usually it's an add-on. In the end though, I was pretty disappointed in it and wish I ordered something else. Everything was cold which I don't think is normal and the flavors just weren't there for me. I thought it was odd there were pieces of romaine lettuce on the avo toast. Appreciate health-ifying it but I think when you start to add sandwich toppings, it makes it more of a cold sandwich than a warm breakfast dish. I prefer the version I make at home. My friend got the protein breakfast bowl and really liked it. So it just depends on what you get! read more

Cafe Belen - Avocado Toast - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Got the tuna salad, BBQ quesadilla and a BBQ salad. Everyone loved their dish and the staff was also very warm and friendly

Amazing food and super great people! The french toast, bacon cheeseburger, and protein breakfast bowl was so good. My boyfriend who has had many bacon cheeseburgers at different restaurants said this one was the best one with super crispy bacon. The french toast has a citrus note and is extremely good even without syrup. Great ambience and super kind and happy service. We will definitely be back for breakfast/dinner! read more

Cafe Belen - Bacon Cheeseburger, French Toast, Protein Breakfast Bowl - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Los Angeles, California

there's a parking lot, but don't count on it to get a spot. street parking is somewhat available, dependent on your parallel parking abilities. it's a pretty small place, there's indoor and outdoor seating, but it's easy to make a reservation and they get your seat quickly. the music inside is the perfect volume to not be annoying but loud enough you can't eavesdrop. one interesting feature is there isn't a smell really. i like this a lot, as a vegetarian i don't love when a brunch place smells strongly of bacon or other meat stuff. it's just a vague coffee smell, very enjoyable. i appreciate the little signs they have, it's very millennial live laugh love and i much enjoyed. service was fast enough, all our food came out at the same time so maybe it was that. the server was really nice, which is appreciated. i got the walnut buttermilk pancakes, very good but they only gave me one little pat of butter and i'm simply too fat for that to be enough. the check took a hot sec to come out, but it's joeever. they can only split the bill up to 2 cards, unless you download some random app. they kicked us out right after we paid, straight up 'sorry we have people waiting'. read more

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Kind of tucked away so I'm glad we stumbled upon this little gem. The outdoor seating is a great option if you go early and it's not too hot out. Owner was super sweet and kept checking up on us throughout. All the food was delicious and came out fast. Sweet potato fries are for sure the way to go. Amazing service , would recommend! read more

Cafe Belen - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Great foods, service and atmosphere. Free parking in front of the restaurant is big plus! read more

Cafe Belen - Walnut Buttermilk Pancake - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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I came for breakfast around 11am the staff were really friendly and get the food out fairly quickly. I did see some reviews with people having issues with parking but parking was not an issue. This place would have gotten 5 stars if they were to give bigger portions. The fact that their menu said it included eggs and pancakes I didn't think I'd receive 1 single egg. Coulda scrambled at least two eggs. Don't sell people short. read more

Cafe Belen - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Los Angeles, California

There's parking in the lot and the cafe gives a mom n pop feel-- that I absolutely love. Strawberry mimosa tasted like fresh strawberries! My partner got the Hulk green juice and loved it. We had the salmon Benedict, chilaquiles + pancakes-- all amazing. The service was warm and attentive. There's an outdoor seating area that's surrounded by greenery-- love seeing it through window of the indoor seating area. Thank you for having us for a lovely brunch! read more

Cafe Belen - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Got the protein bowl with eggs and tofu to go, and it was really good! My only complaint is that the salsa was already on the bowl, so by the time it arrived via Uber Eats, it was a little more like soggy I guess? But the eggs and tofu and veggies were so good. Reasonably priced for LA ($18?). Wish there were a few more veggies but loved that it included avocado. Will go back! read more

Delicious FRESH food with friendly attentive service in a clean casual environment. Honestly, I'd be here every week if we lived in town!

located in a small parking lot with plenty of adjacent neighborhood parking, this cafe served homey american/mexican style brunch food. servers were friendly and it was definitely a favorite for me ! every dish we tried was absolutely delicious and the vibe of the restaurant was casual and laidback. they also had a lot of protein shake options that i wanted to try but wasn't able to. 10/10 restaurant would definitely recommend this spot! Salmon Benedicts a smoked salmon benedict topped with sauteed garlic spinach, this dish was well balanced and every ingredient perfectly complemented the others! the egg was poached perfectly without being at all overcooked, and you get a choice of side as well (we got the breakfast potatoes). French Toast ohhhh man. i have only found once place whose french toast i LOVE, so i was very surprised at how much i enjoyed cafe belen's french toast! it was nice and simple but the textures were perfect being crispy on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside. it wasn't too sweet and the fruit servings didn't feel skimpy. this might tie for my favorite french toast :o Huevos Rancheros from their special item, it was my first time trying this dish! the eggs were cooked perfectly and the salsa and guacamole tasted fresh. thjs dish didn't stand out to me too much personally, but in terms of quality and execution, if huevos rancheros are for you, this spot is worth a visit! read more

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Breakfast was still available at 3:30pm. Everything was yummy. Be specific with your order and remind them of your preferences to avoid delays in service. Steak had good flavor, eggs were tasty, and pancakes came with real maple syrup. Fruit smoothie was very nice. Dishes run from $17-$26 for breakfast and lunch. read more

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I love it here best food best service best ambiance. My favorite! I eat Cafe Belen at least once a week if not twice! read more

Cafe Belen - Salmon Benedicts - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Cafe Belen is a hit! My favorite is their breakfast sandwich. The lettuce, tomatoes, eggs are so fresh and crisp. The sandwich is a great size and very filling - plus you get to pick a side with it (sweet potato fries, salad, etc.) Only con about this place is the parking lot. I wish they expanded to another location with a larger lot or more ample parking! read more

Stopped here with a friend on a Sunday afternoon on a whim since it was one of the closest brunch places near my friend's apartment. Super good find! We ordered the french toast and asian chicken salad to split between the 2 of us. The french toast was really fluffy and good, and had a bit of a sweet orangey citrus flavor that really added to it. The toast was not too heavy and came with some berries that went really well with the orange flavor. The asian chicken salad was very fresh, what you would typically expect from an asian chicken salad. Service was friendly, and they have a cute outdoor patio area for dining al fresco. +1 for the very cute Halloween decor they had in the patio. read more

Cafe Belen - French Toast + Asian Chicken Salad - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Cafe Belen is always a reliable brunch stop for me. I've been here on two separate yelp events and then I have had the chance to stop in more recently as they are located near my partner lives. Their French toast is rich and citrus-y and served with a great amount of fruit. Their fruit smoothies, this time I tried the berry and mango, are clearly made fresh though this one was banana heavy in flavor, if that is something that bothers you. Their service is always impeccable and the staff are beyond kind. The ambiance in the cafe is great with indoor and outdoor seating, music that's not too loud, and spaces to just sit, maybe get some work done, or enjoy a nice meal alone or with some friends. read more

Healthy | Price = $18 | service = average | cleanliness = average | interior = cafe style, wooden, casual |parking = decent but gets busy Order the blackened chicken sandwich with side of fries for $18. A hidden restaurant but Cafe Belen seems to have a good selection of food and mix of breakfast and lunch. The sandwich was absolutely delicious. Some places make their chicken too blackened but this wasn't the case at Cafe Belen. Do you must avocado and the sandwich was a perfect addition to add some additional healthiness to it. The shoestring like fries were crispy and done very well. The way that they do it is how french fries should be done. Cafe Belen seems to have a healthier focused on many others. That makes it a great choice to eat at this restaurant and try the other foods on the menu as well. read more

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Walked over for a quick weekend breakfast around 10:00 am and got seated immediately. We ordered the breakfast sandwich which was amazing and the french toast. Ample indoor and outdoor seating, although it might be important to note that there isn't any a/c inside? Or maybe it was broken that day? But it doesn't matter because outdoor seating seems like the way to go with how cute the decor is on their patio! Service is very friendly and helpful. Will definitely be returning for the breakfast sandwich! read more

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