Three-star food, five-star view but hey, isn't the view what we're all in Big Sur for anyway? With the limited food choices in Big Sur, Cafe Kevah is a perfect pre-hike spot to get in a real meal before heading out to Sykes Hot Springs. Make a stop and soak in the scene - it's spectacular. Just watch out for those birds... read more

This review is only for the drinks: Cafe Kevah is known more for their brunch, we but we came here around dinnertime and the place was packed with wait time of up to 40min. We got a place by the bar and ordered tea, hot chocolate and the Dreamy Delight (hot chocolate with Bailey's and Amaretto). All three were delicious, and I loved the hot chocolate because you can really tell it didn't come from a cheap package and it wasn't overly sweet - it was the perfect amount of cocoa and milk. The Dreamy Delight was my favorite, and the tea was cute because they give it to you in a little teapot so you don't just end up with one cup of tea. I think there was a good three or four cups in the teapot. The standout of this place is of course, the view. It overlooks the forest part of Big Sur as well as the ocean - it's seriously one of the most gorgeous views, ever. Parking can get a little big hectic though so beware! read more

I arrived too early for Nepenthe so I settled in to Cafe Kevah, worried that it might not be as good as the much more spoken of Nepenthe. Well, it was great. I got a great table with an (obviously) amazing view and the breakfast was so good, it actually blew me away. The scrambled eggs were delicious, the rye toast was delicious, the bacon was delicious even the potatoes (which I normally don't care for) were delicious. I ate everything on the plate (except for the grapes, which were a tad dusty with dirt) I really enjoyed it and was pleasantly surprised at the quality, given you might think they don't have to serve delicious food with a view like that. But they do! My breakfast was about $12, no beverage. read more

SCHPECTACULAR VIEW! JUST SCHPECTACULAR! Here's whatcha do. Take your flabby can up the Ventana Wilderness trail - i only head in 5 miles, but 7 miles takes you into the hot springs where i hear nekkid wet folks abound. Do this when it is hot, and make sure you spend at LEAST one night, preferrably youll pack in only what is necessary - a bland meal and a few power bars. Also, dont overdo it on the water, cause you need to work up a thirst to go with that appetite. Ok, so you head out, hike it on down to the lot, drop your pack in the car and head to Cafe Kevah. Wrap your crackly lips around the straw that sticks out of a delicious and refreshing smoothie. Regain your strength by brunching upon any number of tasty omelets, sammiches, and salads. And do this all while enjoying one of the best views the coast has to offer. One of the best afternoons of my life was spent just this way! :) Love, Sara read more

THE TEA!!!!! the cheese plate, the service, the whales.. the crab benedict. WHAT??!!! got there super early midweek and kicked back on the premises watching some woodpeckers and got right in at 9. two hours later, ....... hit the road. was so good. met nice people looked at whales enjoyed the suggestions of the woman running the show... so much that i ended up back there tonight for dinner at Nepenthe upstairs.. and she was there again! great person. everyone was happy and cool .. will be back... the tea the tea the tea o and the cheese plate well .. let's just say i took that with me and it lasted a couple days after for the price it was incredible. really cool iberian themed item. YUM. and FUN. read more

Absolutely loved this place. Awesome view, not too crowded of a place, and seriously some of the best food I've ever had! (At not too crazy of a price either). Bacon was definitely the best bacon of my life. read more

Cafe Kevah - Vanilla latte was delicious, and look at that view! - New American Near Me - Big Sur, California

Decent food and way less crowded than the neighboring restaurant. You definitely pay for the amazing views here! Worth it if you came to the area wanting good scenery and a quick bite. read more

Cafe Kevah is a good alternative to Nepenthe upstairs especially if you don't want to fork over the money for the expensive food or the 30 min wait. CK is a more casual version of Nepenthe with mainly brunch foods and you still get equally AWESOME views. My boyfriend and I split the scrambled egg brunch with bacon, roasted potatoes and toast. The wait for the food took FOREVER, when it finally came I was a little disappointed that there wasn't much scrambled egg. ($15) The place has a whole neo-hippie, zen vibe to it. My stars mainly go the location and the ambiance, if you can do without the $15 scrambled eggs, just stop by and enjoy the view and browse the shop downstairs. read more

This place is breath-taking! Their patio has spectacular views of the coast. I am going to knock off a star for the pricey food and coffees but with a view like theirs it's hard to do so. I highly recommend this place! read more

I honestly wasn't expecting much when I was following a friend up the stairs from the parking lot to the patio where the cafe was situated. "It's just another outdoor cafe", I thought. "How special could it be?" Pretty damn special, apparently. The menu is actually pretty limited, covering several types of salads, sandwiches, egg dishes, etc. I ordered the rosemary grilled prawns because I have a weakness for shellfish (and unique menu items). It actually took a little while for the food to come out, which is fine because the environment is so pleasant. But when the food comes out... oh man. So, so tasty. The prawns that I ordered weren't too special (pretty much as expected), but I sampled quite a bit of my friend's Cafe Kevah Eggs Benedict, and it was absolutely criminal how good they were. I went with quite a large group, and pretty much anyone who didn't order the Eggs Benedict wished they had. I know I did! But that isn't the end of the story. Once you're finished with your meal and you're sitting back and enjoying the afternoon sun, it suddenly hits you that the view is absolutely incredible. Seriously stunning. You're perched high up, and you can see the vast Pacific Ocean framed by trees and rolling green hills. And so, drinking from a cup filled with a delicious strawberry and banana smoothie and basking in a view fit for a king, you realize... at that moment in time, you are content. Okay, so I might've gone overboard with the hyperbole, but Cafe Kevah is absolutely worth a visit if you're in the area. Order the Cafe Kevah Eggs Benedict. read more

A nice stop along what can be a big tourist path during summer months along Highway 1...so all the better to do this drive off-season while it's dry and the hillside remain intact! Anyway, if you want to sit still for awhile and take in a great view, the Cafe offers baked goods, coffee, hot chocolate and teas for a not too pricey price (considering the location). I didn't realize till this recent stop that they have a pretty good menu with some heartier items (like egg bennies) on it. read more

I had the misfortune of only driving through Big Sur on my way down the coast. We made several stops for a quick photo or two, but I saw most of the area from the passenger seat of my car. The only time we spent really soaking in our gorgeous environment was at Cafe Kevah, where we stopped for lunch. I ordered the French toast with berry compote and a soy chai tea latte, and my boyfriend got the breakfast burrito (eggs, cheese, potatoes and bacon). Everything tasted great after a long drive, but what made the meal infinitely better was the cafe's setting. The cafe (and its sister restaurant, Nepenthe) are built high and scoot up to the ocean. If I had to rate Cafe Kevah just on food, it'd be more like a 3.5. My berry compote looked like frozen fruit, and its cold temperature took away a little from the warm, French toast (made with really great brioche). But even if the food was awful, I'd probably still order something just so I could sit and stare at my beautiful surroundings. read more

Ate here for lunch on a bright sunny day in Big Sur. We were suppose to eat up top at the restaurant but there was a weight and we liked the menu at Kevah better. My girlfriend had the reuben panini and salad and I went with the crab benedict. Both were really good, especially my order. They put a generous amount of crab on top and their hollandaise sauce was some of the best I have had. Everything meshed together really well and my stomach left satisfied. While I think it's a bit pricey, the food was good and you do get to enjoy a great view while eating. read more

Cafe Kevah - Our food, wrong sign. - New American Near Me - Big Sur, California

Perfect place to stop for brunch on the coast. You walk up to order and then choose your ocean view seating on the deck. The food was good, but not great. 4 stars definitely includes the atmosphere and view. read more

This cafe may have nice views, but that's all it has to offer. Very racist rude service. Seemed that only white people received service. The Asians specifically Chinese were talked down to. The food is also terrible. Awful herbal tea. Orange walnut bread was so hard it was painful to eat. Skip this place. read more

Back in August, my sister and I decided to take a week off work and drive up the coast. We stopped at Cafe Kevah for lunch. I had the Cafe Kevah Benedict and a cappuccino. Both were absolutely perfect with the gorgeous view. I'm a huge crab eater and the blue crab and avocado were super yummy on the eggs benedict! The hash was delicious with the Pepper Plant hot sauce they provide. (We're not from the area, so we ended up buying a bottle from the shop downstairs.) I was in a euphoric state as I sat there eating my food. The weather was perfect and I really could have sat there all day. Aside from the strange woman at the next table glancing over at us way too often, my lunch here was wonderful. My sister and I had a great time here. Unfortunately, since I've had Cafe Kevah's eggs benedict, I can no longer order eggs benedict anywhere else. The others just don't compare anymore. I get this urge to ditch the adult life and drive up to Big Sur every month or so and Cafe Kevah is now one of my must-stops for lunch/brunch while in Big Sur. Side note: On our way there, we mistakenly ended up in a parking lot across the road, not knowing where we were in relation to Nepenthe/Cafe Kevah. When we got out of the car to scope out the area, this woman ran out and gave us directions. I guess we were taking up parking space in the lot of what she said was an art gallery. So don't park there, but maybe check out the gallery if you get a chance. From the outside, the place looked pretty cool. read more

I love this place. The views of Big Sur are amazing from here and they have some pretty good eats for being a "cafe". It's all outdoor seating and you seat yourself. On my recent trip I ordered the crab Benedict and it was pretty good. Very generous with the crab and it tasted fresh. Their breakfast potatoes is not good. Has a funny taste that reminds me of bad tap water. Good cookies. Sometimes parking is super bad. I've been here twice. The first time there was no issue with parking but this time it was so crowded in the middle of the afternoon. We actually wanted to eat at the Nepenthe Restaurant but the wait was an hour long. Not sure why it was so crowded that day but you just never know with this place. read more

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-Views are quite amazing. -Staff is friendly. -Quite a decent parking space. -Nice place to relax for a while, if you are in a road trip on CA 1. read more

We absolutely loved it here! We are from Fresno, ca and I was surprising my boyfriend with a day trip to the coast. This was my first stop of many stops, and to this day we tAlk about it. Food is good for a reasonable price! read more

I'm not gonna lie, from the road, this place looks scary. Scary in an overly-touristy-hippie-granola-type of way. With names like "Nepenthe," "Kevah," and "Phoenix" visible from the road, I thought this place was a new age wellness center, not a restaurant. Out of curiousity, we stopped here for brunch. I sent the bf up to do a recon mission to let me know if it was too weird. He gave the go ahead, and we walked up the stairs to the cafe...and one of the most amazing views of Big Sur. I felt immediately relaxed. Compared to other places in Big Sur, it's totally unpretentious, food is solid, and people are friendly. If you look around, everyone is leaning back, smiling, and totally in the moment. I don't usually write touchy-feely yelps like this, but something about this place -- whether its bohemian vibe, its storied history, or perfect location -- is pretty special. read more

Get the crabs egg benedict!! If you're an eggs benedict fan like me, this is a must try. Soooo good and so different from your typical eggs benedict. The crab meat alone was super flavorful. I also ordered the cafe mocha, delicious and creamy! When am I coming back?! read more

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Im giving this place 5 stars for the VIEW!! Oh sooooooo MAGNIFICENT!! We were on a road trip to L.A & decided to stop here for breakfast .. We yelped and found everyone raving about this place!! We came when they were just opening .. so there was hardly anyone there .. we ordered our food and let our little boy run around .. he loved it. Yess... the view .. the view .. the view .. i cant tell you enough how beautiful it is .. we took lots of pictures and had a relaxed breakfast .. i ordered the scrambled egg burrito which was delicious.. so was the fresh orange juice .. i particularly liked the fact that they presented the dishes so nicely with a bunch of grapes & a slice of orange on the side!!.. so sweet!! :) Anyway .. i dont mind driving down 2 hours just to eat breakfast here on a weekend and yes enjoy that VIEW!! :-) read more

We happened to be at this place on Valentines and as expected it was pretty full. It has open seating with a seafacing view. The menu does not have many good options for vegeterians. However, the food is good. Its good to be there on a day when its not crowded. There were a lot of people from Napenthe( restaurant above this) waiting here for their turn to come. Also, since it is open seating, most people block your view while waiting for a table to open up. Recommendation: To fully enjoy the view, go when its not crowded and around sunset time to grab a quick bite. read more

We stopped for brunch here when we we're heading down Hwy 1. The cafe is located on top of a gift shop and down the hill from the lunch restaurant, but the views, needless to say, are absolutely stunning. We got a crab benedict, which was delicious and had some of the freshest crab I've tasted, and a breakfast burrito, which was also wonderful, stuffed with eggs, potatoes, bacon and cheese. The orange juice was good and fresh squeezed and the lattes are very creamy. The one issue I had was with the service, the place has a walk up counter and the queue took a while, which is fine, but when I got up to order, the cashier took off and left us standing there while he made at least 4 drinks, no one was available to put in orders real quick apparently. I would fully recommend this spot though if you're looking for a bit more casual eats in Big Sur. read more

Visited on a recent weekday... Staff were friendly, the food prompt and the view spectacular. I had the Eggs Benedict, which were far above average. Wife had a poached egg, which she liked as well. Highly recommend. read more

Must try the crab eggs benedict with avocado. It is superb, but at $17 in the cafe I would say it is a little on the pricey side. The restaurant is situated on a cliff right above the Pacific ocean in Big Sur, so the views are spectacular to enjoy while you dine or stroll around the grounds. I gave it a 4 star only because although the food is very good, it is rather expensive for what you get. The gift shop is stocked with many unusual items, but several things I found there I also came across in other shops in Monterey or Frisco, however the markup was almost 2x the cost as compared to those other locations. read more

the less expensive cousin of Nepenthe. Same gorgeous view, just casual. Beware of the dive-bombing aggressive Stellar Blue Jays.....you blink and they are on top of your breakfast! Fun, casual place, we enjoyed the breakfast burritos and the calm. No one tries to rush you out of here, which is one of the best parts of Big Sur. read more

This was my favorite breakfast place of all time. What happened? I would tell my friends about the greatest breakfast in existence. Crab eggs benedict with God's view of the Pacific Ocean. The buttery goodness of succulent crab atop fresh avocado and an english muffin. All smothered with a silky dollop of hollindaise sauce and accented with crispy fried potatoes and fresh fruit. The view of diaphanous mist pluming from the sea, catching the sunlight as it cascades off the bluffs into the Redwood forest above. Perfection. I hate to give a bad review of Cafe Kevah (hence the sugar coating above) but I went here with some friends this past weekend and it was a great disappointment. It was not because I had high expectations (I did) it was because the food was barely edible. The crab came out about room temperature and the potatoes were overcooked and mushy. My eggs benedict had a shell in it, I'm not sure if it was from the egg or from the crab. The potatoes I had once savored to the last crumb were grotesque and tasted like paste. My friends had similar a experience. This ruined my amazing memories of Cafe Kevah and I really hope that this was just a bad day or that there was some other explanation. I couldn't even finish my meal. The view was still gorgeous and awe inspiring. This review is tough love. Please change back to the Cafe Kevah I know! After I have recovered from my last visit I will return. If you are back to your good old ways I will change my review to five stars in a heartbeat. read more

Great comfort food. The view, once again, is the limelight. Not a fan of ordering at counter; but, food was delivered to our table. Fresh orange juice. My partner had the breakfast burrito. They made it veggie style for him. I had the eggs and bacon. Perfection. read more

Cafe Kevah - Bacon and eggs - New American Near Me - Big Sur, California

Best crab Benedict I've ever had! Chai latte and chocolate ganache jelly donut. Great spot, amazing view. Watch out for the birds, they will grab your food if you leave it unattended for a second. read more

Cafe Kevah - Best crab Benedict I've ever had! Chia latte and and chocolate ganache donut. Great spot, amazing view. - New American Near Me - Big Sur, California

We stopped by for tea. Wished I lived closer to the Big Sur because I'll stop by for tea as often as I wish. The earl grey was phenomenal. Just like how they had it when the Brits introduced tea to their colonies, one of which was my hometown. The raspberry filled butter cookies were rich and of good buttery butter taste. Just the way cookies should be, instead of the sugary junk found in most American stores. The view. The view. No need for words. read more

I had a terrible experience at Cafe Kevah in April 2018. I was told to visit Nepenthe for the beautiful views. I first went to the Phoenix Shop and was told that Cafe Kevah was a less formal place to have lunch with my two young daughters. I also had my small dog with me, who was in a carrier on my shoulder. After I placed and paid for my order at the Cafe, the clerk noticed that I had my dog in the carrier with me and said that they had recently had an issue with dogs and did not allow them (which was not posted anywhere). (I had assumed that, since there was no posting and it is an outdoor cafe, dogs would be allowed, but I brought him in the carrier, just in case.) The clerk said he would ask his supervisor if it was okay for me to have the dog in the carrier. I asked him to box our meal if he determined it was not okay, so that we could take the food to go, and so that it would not be a problem. A little while later, a server brought our food out to a table and we began to eat. Midway through our meal, the server came back and instructed us to leave since our dog barked a few times. I was appalled and embarrassed. My dog was not barking incessantly; he literally barked three times. In fact, two ladies sitting in an adjacent table remarked to me that he was a very well behaved dog; they also remarked that they could not believe that we were being kicked out of the cafe because my dog barked. The server brought out to-go containers, and I had to shovel our leftovers into them and leave. This is unacceptable. I instructed the server to box our meals if he thought it was going to be a problem. They could have done that from the beginning, rather than embarrassing me and my two daughters and ruining our lunch because my dog barked three times (literally). He was not bothering anyone and was in the carrier the entire time. If they want to have a policy regarding dogs, then they should formally post this on their website and in the Cafe. I will never go to the Cafe or the shop or the other restaurant again. This is TERRIBLE customer service. They should be ashamed of themselves for treating a family like this. read more

Cafe Kevah is an awesome place to stop on Highway 1. I ordered the fresh-squeezed lemonade and the cheese plate. Although this place is pretty pricey, the cheese plate was worth the $18 I paid. It came with three types of cheese, crackers, olives, chorizo, quince jelly, grapes, and an orange slice. If you're not salivating yet, it's at least worth the stop to grab a drink and check out the view. read more

Cafe Kevah - Cheese Plate - New American Near Me - Big Sur, California

I enjoyed eating here with my wife. The food was expensive, but delicious and the view is unbeatable. I love driving down highway 1 and I would recommend this place to my friends. The gift shop is full of interesting items. read more

We camped out in Big Sur all last weekend and did all of the cooking ourselves, breakfast, lunch and dinner. However, on the last day we packed up pretty early and cleaned everything so we decided to stop somewhere and grab breakfast. Cafe Kevah popped up on my buddies phone and had good reviews so we decided to check it out. Deliciousness! My buddy ordered the crab eggs benedict with avocado that looked and was amazing. I'll give him props, he definitely out-ordered me this time! Everyone's food was delicious though. I had a bomb omelet, my buddy had a pretty gnarly sandwich and there was also a pretty bomb breakfast burrito at our table. A must visit if you're passing through Big Sur. Great service, great food and good prices. read more

The views were incredible but the food was not. $16 for a chicken Caesar salad and I barely got more than two bites down. Chicken was at least two days old, dry and tasted almost rotten. I NEVER complain about food and never return anything but this was truly awful. Between the salad and my husband's mediocre pastrami sandwich for almost $40, not including a drink, we were needless to say disappointed. read more

Great food and incredible view!!!! Only problem was that we had to wait ~15 minutes to order our food (don't arrive starving) and finding parking was difficult. Other than that, it was a great experience!! Highly recommend as an awesome lunch spot with a view. read more

Saw this place online and knew I wanted to try to have breakfast here overlooking the Pacific as part of a camping trip to Pfeiffer Big Sur state park with my wife. We passed by on a Tuesday afternoon and the upper parking lot and roadside overflow lot looked packed. Obviously a very busy and popular place. So when we came back on Friday for breakfast we got there pretty early, maybe 9:30, and there was plenty of room in the upper parking lot and the cafe was not crowded yet. The view was breathtaking, and though it was sunny above, a low heavy fog covered the ocean like a down comforter- one of the most beautiful scenes. The staff took our order at the counter, and we selected a table near the edge for a great view. Your coffee and drinks get served at a counter where you go pick them up, and your food is brought out to your table for you. My eggs Benedict was quite delicious and included home fries and fruit. My wife enjoyed her breakfast burrito, custom ordered with the tortillas on the side, so it looked more like a frittata. The food was good, but what makes the place extra special is the incredible setting on a deck hovering over the cliffs with dramatic views of the ocean, hills, and coast to the south. You must also check out the Nepenthe Restaurant above, with its own beautiful setting and views. We will definitely try to stop here again on any future trip to Big Sur read more

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This would be known as the place that serves a $4 soda with a Million Dollar view. Well, $3.52 to be exact...but I had to toss SOMETHING in the tip jar, right? I didn't get the chance to check out the menu, as it was 3 in the afternoon and way too late in the day to have lunch. The upstairs Nepenthe cafe was packed with people enjoying mostly burgers, wine and mixed drinks. I wish I had arrived here earlier in the day to be hungry! What you notice is that almost everyone around this amazing place is all smiles, whether it is the guests or employees. It probably has something to do with the stunning views of the Pacific Coast shoreline meeting with the rolling hills above. This is a fantastic place to stop and recharge if you are on a long, senic drive up or down highway. You HAVE to stop here! Cool gift shop below with lots of wind chimes and things that went GOOOOOOOOOOOOONG!!! I will pay four dollars for that soda...thank you. read more

Amazing view!! The food was good not great, but enjoying your coffee next to a view like that is the reason to go