This is a classic cafe/diner experience with booths, a long front dining counter, and hearty American food fare (along with a handful of classic Mexican entrees). A group of us went for dinner and I had the Western Burger and fries. The burger had good flavor with the ingredients tasting very fresh. The conversation was good, so I didn't pay that much attention to what others ordered, but everyone said their dishes tasted good. Our food arrived quickly and I would definitely come back again to try one of the other sandwiches or burgers, if we are in the neighborhood. The only drawback to this restaurant was that they close at 7:30pm daily, a bit early for my dining habits. The location is conveniently located on Grand Avenue, not far from the Hwy 101 off-ramps and on-ramps, and they have a large parking lot that is easy to pull in to. read more

After moving to the south county I heard this was the diner to go to for breakfast. Total disappointment! The service was lacking. Lots of bussers running around but seemed like only 1 waitress. From the time we ordered our food it seemed like eternity till we ate. I quickly realized that our food probably sat on the ready counter for a significant length isn't time. I ordered biscuits and gravy with bacon and two eggs over easy. The biscuits were ok at best, Gravy lacked flavor and my eggs were as cold as the weather outside. My GF ordered a sandwich, that did not come with fries. That was discovered once the order arrived. We were told they're playing with the menu. ‍, sounded weird but ok. She also god a side of mozzarella sticks. Those two were cold. Like they took a string cheese and rolled it in breading and heated in the microwave for about 15 seconds. So disappointing. I hope they figure out their staffing issues and lock in the menu. Seems like a decent spot but I'll find another breakfast place. Don't waste your money, plus I heard the tips are automatically added to the bill. I didn't look that closely because there was only 3 of us eating and I'm not used to auto tipping unless you have a large party. If they do auto tipping, my waitress hit well more than deserved because I tipped on my own as well. The table we were sat, was out of little jam packets. Seems like a trivial thing to bring up but details matter. What else are they skipping...? Do they even wipe down a table when it's reset first the next guests? McDonalds is down the street. At least their food is hot! read more

Today I had the worst customer service experience at CJ's Cafe in Arroyo Grande. After six years of coming here for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, I recently told a close friend who just moved to the area how great this restaurant is. I even mentioned that after the new owners took over, the service still seemed just as good. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case today. After being seated, our drink order was taken right away. We already knew what we wanted, so our waitress promptly took our food order as well. Shortly after, a large group was seated. As we waited, we watched food being delivered to several other tables, including the large group that had ordered after us, as well as other tables that were seated after us. At one point, another employee topped off our drinks, and I asked if there was an issue with our order because I had noticed a BLT sitting under the heat lamp for quite some time. She spoke with our server, who went back to the kitchen. After a brief discussion in plain view, our server returned and apologized, explaining there had been a mix-up and our food had been given to another table. She also mentioned that the new POS system may have contributed to the confusion. She asked if we still wanted our food and said the corned beef hash meal would be remade and ready in about six minutes, adding that it would be comped for the inconvenience. Since my BLT had just been placed in front of me and I was hungry after my morning hike, I agreed. The BLT was okay, but by that point the experience had already been disappointing. My friend ended up boxing her meal to go because the visit was no longer the enjoyable experience I had promised her. To make matters worse, when our server brought the bill, she informed us that the manager would not be comping the meal after all. Instead, only the tea and cranberry juice were removed from the bill. When I asked why, her response was simply, "He said no to taking off one meal but your tea and cranberry juice are on the house." Then we asked why would she offer to comp a meal when we're ready to walk out after a whole hour of waiting. She gave us a blank stare. Then I handed her my card to pay and I had to wait even longer as she served other tables holding my paid bill. I eventually had to go up to the counter to ask for my card back. I'm extremely disappointed with how this situation was handled. Mistakes happen, but how a business responds to those mistakes matters. A sincere apology and honoring what was promised would have gone a long way. Based on today's experience, I don't believe the previous owners would have treated loyal customers this way. 1 out of 5 stars. I'm sorry but I hope other people have had better experiences with these mistakes here. read more

Just a thought, put some butter/oil in the pan for home 'fry' potatoes. Ours were dry as a bone. Also, the waitress brought out our cinnamon roll before the breakfast. Usually people eat the sweet dessert stuff at the end of the meal, not the beginning, but she didn't care. Now I am sorry I gave her a 15% tip, she did not deserve it. And the food did not deserve it. read more

Great food, friendly service, awesome prices!! Yelp recommended this spot, so this is our first visit. I ordered chicken fried steak for dinner, and my wife ordered the pork loin. Both were served with mashed potatoes, a medley of veggies, and garlic bread. My CFS was terrific, very old school in a great way! The sausage gravy had bits if actual meat, and was very flavorful. The steak itself was a large portion, served piping hot! The mashed potatoes are garlicky; not keen on sausage gravy on them for next time. The pork loin is also a large portion, snd it as well done as ordered. It was well seasoned and also piping hot at the table! The garlic bread was simple and delicious. A large slice of french bread, very buttery and a garlic flavor that stood out but did not overwhelm. Service was not lightning fast, but still very good, and especially friendly. We heard people raving about the turkey dinner and the meatloaf, so we'll have to come back and try those! Dessert also caught our eye; they're homemade onsite! We'll definitely be back soon! read more

The food portions are large so come hungry The service was nice they were fully staffed for a busy morning and everyone was working as a team! The ambiance is typical American dinner. Most of the menu is available all day, especially for the little ones or picky eaters, read more

See all

Always good. Breakfast anytime. Big selection of lunch and dinner items. A friend swears by their Chicken Fried Steak. I'm a big fan of their basic cheeseburger, and my wife is a Chili Verde burrito addict. Servers are down-home friendly and eager to please. I think it's an old Dennys or similar building but it's been CJs for a looonnnggg time, and Corcoran's before that. You'll see locals every time, and at every hour. The servers know many of them by name. read more

Hubby and I are on a clamping vacation. We went to one of our favorite spots and had a laye breakfast. As usual it was a busy popular place but we ordered, took a long while to wait for our food. But when it arrived it was good. My has browns a Lil mushy inside, but we were starving and ate away.my husband really enjoyed a fresh homemade warm muffin.. he had to take a photo Until our next visit read more

CJ's Cafe - Fresh, Warm and yummy blueberry muffin Just needed a cup of coffee, but we were done - American Near Me - Arroyo Grande, California

We got seated and ordered 2 basic breakfasts, we waited 57 minutes for our meals, other people came and went. We asked about our breakfast several times and was told "it's coming up" finally got our meal I asked for a new milk since the one I got was an hour old. I was half way through my meal before they brought a new milk. The pan cakes seemed raw, the sausage and scrambled eggs were something you would get at a motel free breakfast. Really disappointed in the food and obviously the service. read more

Breakfast is great and we adore the pineapple coconut muffins. Cafe ambiance with attentive and friendly wait staff. Another great deal is their famous early bird dinner menu served between 2 to 5 p.m. for $15.95. You get salad or soup, entree, veggies, a side, and garlic toast. Plus dessert. And on Thursday, there is a full rack of ribs for $21 or half a rack for $18. But call first to make sure they are serving and what time. read more

See all

This is a solid place for breakfast. Great customer service. Food tasted good, it came out quick. Definitely will be going back. read more

CJ's Cafe - Eggs Benedict and pancakes. - American Near Me - Arroyo Grande, California

Have been a customer for years. Went for breakfast this morning looking forward to our usual wait staff and great meal. What struck us as unusual at the outset was how empty the place was! I started to look forward to seeing the usual staff, however there was just one familiar face. Asked for coffee. Really weak. We didn't get spoons with our silverware so we asked for two. We were told to just use our knives because spoons were being washed. (Really, no spoons for breakfast coffee!) I ordered my usual favorite (pancakes), they were nowhere even close to the originals. I understand that new ownership means change, however the old adage still is applicable "if it ain't broke, don't fix it ." Unfortunately, we won't return to our " walkable" diner! read more

Great weekday lunch spot. Lots of great menu options for a family with two kids who eat very differently. A few craft beers and wine available as well. Staff was super friendly. Food came out quickly and everyone was very satisfied. I highly recommend this spot. read more

The food is still good, but portion sizes have shrunk and service is strange. Why no spoons? Spoons are a requirement of a civilized society. Bring back spoons! read more

Still love this place for breakfast. Thought it wouldn't be too crowded but it was. Only waited about 10 minutes. I got coffee right away and my husband go water. My husband had the chili verde omelette with fruit and English muffin. Sad it could have had more meat. I had the breakfast burrito with bacon and the hash browns on the side. Great salsa and sour cream. I always need more napkins which isn't a problem. Great service read more

See all

Went in at about 5 o'clock and tried the 7pc fish and chips and the CJ's Ocean Platter with a milkshake and piece of cake all for $60! It's worth it for every single thing in here and for the service and the calming environment you got yourself a weekly dinner or lunch or even breakfast (because they do it all!) spot! It's the place to be, thanks CJ's! read more

CJ's Cafe - American Near Me - Arroyo Grande, California

See all

Fish and chips, cold not good. Patty Melt hard and over cooked. Service was weak at best. Not going back.. read more

Overall, CJs is a great little cafe/diner in Arroyo Grande. Our friends highly recommended this place and it did not disappoint one bit. We came here early on a Saturday morning and the service was quick and friendly. My husband and I both ordered veggie and bacon omelettes and they were quite delicious! Their biscuit and gravy were also very good; the gravy was rich and creamy with the perfect consistency and thickness! Overall, I would absolutely come back here again for breakfast/brunch as it's a great locals spot with friendly service and wonderful food! read more

See all

CJ's is already our go-to for a weekly date night and frequent brunches w/family & friends-- but now it's also my favorite CATERING service. We just hosted a buffet dinner for 25 people, and Brad Sears and his catering team did a fantastic job for us. Multiple platters-- meats, cheeses, fruit, veggies, rolls, charcuterie, dips & sauces-- they did it all, with generous portions, vibrant and fresh plating, delicious food. It was all fabulous, beautiful, exactly what I ordered and even more. All my guests raved about the array of platters and the quality of the food-- a huge hit! Brad was easy to work with, good communication, and spelled out everything (with options) for our agreement. Cost was super reasonable, especially after I saw what he brought! I will happily call on him again for future occasions-- what a great addition to the popular cafe. read more

See all

Busy place ! Service was slow food was not hot :( I do think it's family friendly with the amount of choices on the menu however I didn't like what I ordered it was tasteless and my drink was flat. read more

See all

We've tried this 3 times and the first 2 were not very good, but after this last time, we will not return. We shared the fish and chips. It was so greasy we couldn't eat it. The salad had big chunks of lettuce and bowl was so small I couldn't cut it up. The fries weren't good either. My baked potato was good. Veggies weren't cooked enough. The bread was tasteless. Ice cream was okay. read more

Long time customer of CJ's Cafe. The all american cuisine makes me feel at home. My church group likes to meet there once a month for breakfast at 8:30. We receive good customer service and it's amazing how the cooks get our orders out piping hot! Sometimes we have 12-14 and other times it's just 3. They won't seat the group until everyone is on hand. I really appreciate the new waiting area by the front door. That was a great decision. Reduce the congestion by the cashier. We always hated to wait because when it's a bigger group it gets annoying to the other customers as well we get anxious too. We still love CJ's for breakfast lunch and dinner. FYI. DINNERS SPECIAL 3-5pm. M-F read more

CJ's Cafe - I like this diner a lot. My favorite is the pick chop dinner. - American Near Me - Arroyo Grande, California

CJ's is the ultimate Old School Diner. The counter reminds me of the friendly small town restaurant. The menu has lots of classic American meals and covers Breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We come here often after church on Sunday, but also stop in for breakfast or lunch during the week. The menu item pricing is still affordable and the portions are generous. The service here is stellar! Always friendly staff and helpful with suggestions. My go to breakfast item is the Eggs Benedict, and my lunch item is the BLT + Avocado. So good. This place is great. Cheers read more

See all

Excellent food (especially the breakfast menu)! Friendly service! Classic coffee shop /diner atmosphere. I'm disappointed that toast/biscuit/muffin is no longer included with my fancier favorite breakfast (the western skillet)! It's a sign of the times (and inflation) I suppose. Still great, but I'll be visiting less often now due to the increased cost. read more

My friend had been here before & we were looking forward to a delicious meal. She ordered a BLT w/extra crispy bacon. she received a sandwich w/bacon that was tough, more like jerky. The tomato was unripe & too thick. She basically ended up w/a lettuce sandwich. I had a grilled ham & cheese. My sandwich was awful! I'm still not sure how to do a bad sandwich, but CJ's succeeded. The bottom of the sandwich was soggy - not because I let it sit too long before taking a bite, but because... well, I don't know how other restaurants keep their sandwiches crispy, but CJ's does not know that secret. BUT their service was just fine and they had some beautiful looking cakes on display ... although after our unedible meal, I thought the cake might be a crapshoot. read more

Way too much gravy on their open face turkey sandwich. I'm talking 3 times the amount of what would have been sufficient. Ruined the dish. Retraining your cooks on this would be the right thing to do. read more

Everything was great! Thanks for cleaning up our spilt milk and making my son a new one with whipped cream great customer service!

We have been going to CJ's for years and the quality of food has gone down consistently. But more than that, the service is generally very slow. The staff all seem unhappy to be there especially at the register. It is sad because we used to love going for breakfast on the weekends but had to find another place to eat because the experience at CJ's has become one we do not enjoy. End of an era. read more

We spent 8 days in Pismo Beach and C J's Cafe was our go to place breakfast, lunch or dinner. Their dish selections are massive with plenty of choices for anyone. During our stay we tried Breakfast, lunch and dinner on different days and we were thoroughly satisfied with the quality and amount of food served. Also a great selection of deserts with the cherry pie being my favorite. The price base for all our selections was reasonable. Finally and an important part when dinning out was that all of the different wait staff were friendly and very attentive to our needs helping to make our dining experience at CJ's a memorable one and ensures that we will recommend them to family and friends. read more

Been eating here for many, many years. Since it's changed ownership, it's different. Went for lunch today and had fish and chips which was very greasy. The bread was soggy like it was dropped on something wet. The vegetables weren't properly cooked and were hard and raw on the inside. I had coffee and water and had to ask for refill. There were no less than 4 or 5 young men by the register, laughing and making jokes. Not once did anyone ask how my food was,not if I needed anything. I usually meet a friend from Lompoc for lunch there but I'll be looking for new place. I may go back but it will be a while.. read more

The food was decent for breakfast food. We did sample the chili. It was a no for me! Glad they let you sample things here first. The waitress was wonderful, friendly and very knowledgeable. Good size seating areas with booths and tables. read more

CJ's Cafe - Chicken Fried Steak & Eggs - American Near Me - Arroyo Grande, California

See all

I would have to say that Yelp really helped me in finding this fantastic restaurant, the Yelppers with their pics and reviews did this place justice for sure, along with the food pictures and written reviews it was a great experience. Service is the big thing here and it makes all the difference when visiting a different town, friendly and prompt is the norm and I tipped accordingly, absolutely no waiting and coffee was on the table within minutes of being seated. Conversation was everywhere along with other happy noises and smiles abound. It goes without saying that the food IS delicious and please bookmark TJ's....you'll thank me later, enjoy read more

See all

The food and the staff were amazing got the breakfast burrito. It was perfect. Great flavor great taste. Everything was fresh well cooked and huge. They also have a ton of baked goods. I just had no room. read more

I'm a regular customer of CJ's for lunch. Today, my server was very unpleasant. I've had her a couple of times before, and she's usually brusque and not particularly friendly. I had a muffin, which I always eat at the end of my meal. Today, the muffin was so tough I could barely cut through it, so I caught her attention. Although the restaurant was nearly empty, she continued chatting with other servers. She finally came over when she was done talking -- and then blamed me for the muffin being tough and inedible. Apparently, she expected me to eat it the minute I received it. When I asked for another, she seemed unwilling. I asked her to remove it from the bill, but she refused. She eventually agreed to give me another, but then decided to be "cute" and asked if she should heat it up. I asked how she usually serves it. She replied that she wasn't going to take a bite of it. After this nonsense, she served it blazing hot. Unfortunately, the muffin was still inedible, as it was extremely dense. I left it after one bite. I paid my bill with Apple Pay. In the years I have gone to this restaurant, I have NEVER been asked to sign -- the Apple Pay receipt doesn't even have a signature line. As I walked out (she wasn't getting a tip), she yelled at me to sign. I went back and signed the receipt. This ill-mannered, rude waitress has ensured that I will never return to CJ's again. read more

I love a great coffee shop. Breakfast anytime and extensive menu of sandwiches and entrees. Excellent service and generous portions. Skip the chain places and support this local business. read more

CJ's had great food. The bus boy was right on it giving us coffee and took care of our needs before the waitress was available. She made up for the delay with her freindly manner. d a g read more

Quality of the food is not as good since the original owners sole it. Named after their son. Been going there for twenty plus years. read more

Young waiter was extremely rude. Menu didn't match online menu. Was one of my favorite restaurants but has gone downhill since my last visit. read more

We were passing through on our recent trip and decided to stop at CJ's based on the great reviews. You will notice right away that it is an old establishment with regular dining here. Our wait was only about 10 minutes and were seated ahead of the expected wait time. Ordered the huevos rancheros and chicken fried steak and eggs. The food was good, the staff was friendly. The inside and furnishings is a bit dated which shows the age of this business. We enjoyed our breakfast but definitely will try other ones when we are in the area again. read more

CJ's Cafe - Huevos Rancheros - American Near Me - Arroyo Grande, California

See all

Food was disappointing, ordered eggs over easy came out hard. Very little effort to butter toast, wife country potatoes were burnt. Service was fine. I want to like CJ so bad, food is in decline, frozen burger patties. read more