Every time we come here there's a crowd so we end up going somewhere else. I knew I ate here once several years ago but I couldn't remember how we liked it. We finally decided that we'd wait because, hey, they must be doing something right. Turned out, I forgot that it was a great big meh. My huevos rancheros we so smothered in cheddar and mozzarella cheese that I lost my appetite. I couldn't even find my eggs in all of that cheesy soup. The hash browns were almost translucent with grease. Everyone else's breakfasts were also disappointing. They use some kind of cheap, low melting point cheddar cheese that has no flavor - and they use a lot of it! The ham and cheese omelet went uneaten. And I took one bite of a slice of bacon and immediately set it back down. You know there's a problem when my family won't eat bacon! The home fries were just chopped up new potatoes cooked in oil. Not even salted. Come on, man, make an effort! Throw a little garlic and rosemary in there or something. Now that I'm writing this review, I see that I posted a photo of an omelet back in 2015. I wasn't impressed back then, either. I should have checked yelp first! We had originally been heading to Francisco's Country Kitchen, which does a solid diner breakfast and rarely has a crowd, but they had relocated and we were on our way there when we decided to give CJ's a shot. Next time we'll check out Francisco's new digs. And Lil Bits is also right nearby. Yup, too many good options in the area for mediocrity. read more

CJ's Cafe - Blech. There's eggs in there? - American Near Me - Arroyo Grande, California

Just came for graduation brunch. Bacon avocado omelette was barely warm, cold unmelted cheese and very (!) little bacon. Hash browns were barely brown with no crisp. I asked for it to be cooked more. Came back in 20 secs with still unmelted cheese. Toast came at the end. We'll never go back. read more

Just tried CJ's for the first time. Our breakfast was pretty good and the portions were large. Their homemade salsa and muffins were yummy and their prices were reasonable. The service was good and the ambiance was that of a typical diner. We'll definitely go back the next time we're in town. read more

Food was amazing and the service was perfect. I would recommend for anyone passing through or visiting.

We have enjoyed CJ's food and good service for many years. However, the last couple of meals have been sub par. Today, I ordered their breakfast rib-eye, with fried potatoes. The steak was cooked as ordered but the potatoes were hard on the inside. I informed our waitress, who did not apologize, but turned around and headed for the kitchen. She came back several minutes later to let me knew the cook said it would be a "long time" for extra crispy, and would I rather have hash browns? I reluctantly agreed to the hash browns. She came back with burnt hash browns and a plate of what looked like extra crispy potatoes. I accepted the fried potatoes, only to discover that not only had they been deep fried, but were still hard on the inside. I mentioned this to our waitress, who said she told the cook they weren't done and "I don't know what else to say." She was defensive and unapologetic. In fact, she didn't apologize until I started to get upset. Neither did she offer to reduce the bill...she offered me a muffin...for a $20 diner meal, half of which was inedible. We've been eating at this location since it was Corcoran's Restaurant in the 1970's, but have decided it's time to find a new neighborhood cafe. read more

Great little diner. Caters more to seniors but the food is great. My mom and I shared a grilled chicken salad and they split it for us and my son had the kids spaghetti which was a very large portion and came with either fries or applesauce which I thought was weird. Why not offer a veggie?? Anyway, great food, great service! read more

CJ's Cafe - Spaghetti in the kids menu was a large helping and came with either fries or applesauce. - American Near Me - Arroyo Grande, California

Overall bad experience Bad FOOD !!! came out Starving had to go to A different restaurant Hope THEY GET Cooks that they Know what they are doing!!! would NOT RECOMMENDED to friends or Family read more

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

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The breakfast burrito is sooo good as well as the chicken Caesar wrap. The fries are amazing!! Everything was fresh and hot. The staff is so friendly as well. read more

Back again enjoying a great dinner with family. CJ's always accommodates are lg group. Service is on point,everyone is fast and friendly. Thank you CJ's for a good experience. read more

CJ's Cafe - My delicious food gone. - American Near Me - Arroyo Grande, California

Excellent breakfast friendly staff enjoy food..would love to return ... Country Fried Chicken read more

We had dinner here during the week and were pleasantly surprised. The staff, I mean ALL of the staff was so kind. Cole was our server and he was awesome! I have to admit I didn't have high hopes when we walked in. I know I am generalizing, but in this area a lot of local places are staffed with young college (highschool??) kids and they just don't care about customer service or doing a good job. They are usually distracted talking to each other or joking around- doing the bare minimum and making you feel like you're really putting them out for showing up to the job they chose. This is not the case at CJ's Cafe! These "kids" seem to enjoy their job. They were all smiling, greeting customers and appearing to be happy to be serving their community. Either they're all great actors or the owner is doing something right for their employees. I know now I just come off like I'm typically a grumpy old woman, but I was very appreciative of the welcoming local feel that you want in a diner and glad to receive that here! We ordered a little of everything, because there is a large menu! The burgers are giant and delish, tasty mozzarella sticks, giant portion of spaghetti and of course you cannot go wrong with their huge, fluffy pancakes! Thanks again, Cole! Keep up the good work! Our family will be back soon. read more

A friend of ours introduced this lovely old school coffee shop 30 years ago. Been here 3 or 4 times since we finally moved up here just over a year ago. Since my husband had mobility issues, the waitress and a customer helped keep open the door when we were coming in or leaving. Expect good down to earth service. This place is popular with locals and tourists. Breakfast is served any time. One of my favorite dishes is their Western Skillet with diced potatoes, onions, peppers, mushrooms, and cheese. You have a choice of 2 eggs fixed however you want and 2 pieces of toast, your choice of bread type. I also like the chicken Florentino toasted sandwich with grilled chicken, spinach and mozzarella. 2 slight suggestions though. Their coffee was too bitter, and it took a long wait for a chocolate malt. If you get seated in the back room, enjoy the large photo murals of local landscapes. They were taken and printed by the brother of the owner. They also support the local high school surf team. read more

Thank you Heather for such sweet, efficient service a few days ago. My friend and I were waiting on an auto repair during our recent road trip up the coast - and got a great recommendation from our mechanic for breakfast here. The restaurant was clean, quite popular, and our breakfast was really tasty. What's not to love?!? I'd come back in a heart beat! read more

Came here for breakfast, Food would have been good if it wasn't stone cold. Disappointing

I came at the end of breakfast rush and there were two tables for two by a door that were unacceptable as a location. There were three tables for four unoccupied. I waited for 15+ minutes. During that time, two booths for two were vacated (watched them empty for more that 5 minutes) and finally prepared. Two of the three empty tables for four originally noted were never occupied during my entire visit. (The place emptied out during my stay.) A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush - deduct one star for that decision and the unnecessary wait. Waitress efficient, courteous, but not genuinely friendly. Breakfast - all the usual offerings. Cinnamon swirl French toast thick and yummy, crisp thick cut bacon (most places cannot get this right) crisp and not overdone, and eggs over easy. Good food, service - meh. read more

Food was good with a good choice of options on the menu. Love the layout of the restaurant and the Atmosphere. The waitress was very friendly and helpful. We will be eating here again. read more

Good food! Lively atmosphere filled with friendly locals but it is a popular place! If you want somewhere where you waitress could be as cold as your meal.... Go elsewhere! I have been coming here for about 8 years. Most reasonably priced since I came back for a visit in Spring of 2023. Some days, there is an abnormal wait, If your already hangry, walk away! read more

4:23:22 we had scramble eggs, with hash, bacon,: had corned beef hash with overeasy eggs, toast- delicious. We had a breakfast here twice a month and staff are friendly and fast. We missed cj's now for the past 6 months. We will be back soon. Thank you for the food and kindness. We moved to Portland Oregon and have not found CJ's equal. read more

I highly recommend CJ's. We go often & have never had a negative experience. Staff is friendly & service is quick. Food is great, the fresh baked muffins are delicious & they have so many options. The breakfast burrito is delicious as well! Highly recommend read more

CJ's Cafe - Chicken Wrap *substituted grilled chicken for chicken tenders* - American Near Me - Arroyo Grande, California

We went here for lunch yesterday and the food and service were both good. They're was about 10 groups in front of us but we got seated in about 15 minutes. The French dip was good but the garlic part fries were an amazing upgrade for $1.50. Super crispy fries even with the garlic. Some of the best French fries I have ever had. read more

We have lived in the area for years and never eaten here before. We're sorry we didn't come in 10 years ago! I had the mushroom, spinach omelette, hashbrowns, and toast for $12.95.It was perfect! The service was fast, The waitress personable and the restaurant was clean. The teamwork of the staff was incredible !! We'll be back! read more

We came here for our Anniversary weekend the service, food, and atmosphere was phenomenal. I had the eggs Benedict with hashbowns. Amazing and my husband had the combo with ham, bacon and sausage 2 eggs hashbrowns and a muffin of his choice. Delicious. Ww will definitely definitely be back. read more

Great food, prices, service and ambiance! The waitresses were very friendly and they keep the place very clean.

Best diner in town. Great portions. Good pricing. Outstanding food. The service is great.

This is my 2nd time here and the service sucked tonight. We sat in the back next to the door. My waitress was slow. It took 15 min for her to take our order. When she brought our food she forgot the toast. We had to ask multiple times for the toast. Finally 10 min later she brought it. All the food should be brought together. The waitress was young about 5'2 with brown wavy hair. She needs to be trained better. One person in my party ordered a ham and cheese omelette and ended up with severe food poisoning. I won't be back. read more

Idk how this place is rated so high and always packed. It's a glorified Dennys in my opinion. Food was VERY mid. The service/staff was very nice though, I'll give them that. It's a one and done for me, I gave them their chance. read more

The owner of this establishment does not care about her customers. My family has been frequenting this restaurant for decades, through more than one proprietor, and sadly we will never return while this vile, rude woman owns the business. Under her leadership, the food has devolved into mediocrity, so no loss on my end, but hopefully she will see the error of her ways and think twice before alienating good customers. One thing for certain, I'll be sure to spread the word. read more

Fantastic breakfast place. Crew is always polite, friendly and helpful. My go-to breakfast joint.

I ordered a $20 burger. They charged me $30, and gave me the wrong order. They refused to refund me the difference. They obviously tampered with my food. It taste funny and the tomatos have bites in them. read more

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

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We had breakfast here on a recent visit to Pismo. My wife ordered a breakfast burrito and enjoyed it very much. It was very large and came with salsa. I ordered the chicken strip basket. It came with fries, fresh vegetables, a slice of garlic bread, dipping sauce (I paid extra for a second sauce) which included a choice of barbecue, ranch, or honey mustard. The ranch had that wonderful homemade taste, the barbecue sauce was tangy and somewhat spicy but not too much, the chicken and fries were crispy and the vegetables were fresh. The toast was thick like Texas toast. It also came with a soup of the day which was a variation of a spinach recipe made in house. The soup included two sides of crackers. The soup was not spectacular but edible nonetheless. The food was very filling and the restaurant was packed. There was a line to get in but the wait wasn't long. Our server was very nice and friendly and didn't bother us as we ate. Her experience was evident as she approached the table when we needed her but left us alone otherwise. I recommend this cafe and will eat here again next time I visit Pismo and stop through Arroyo Grande, as it's cheaper to get a motel a few miles down the road. read more

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After reading some of the bad reviews I felt compelled to write a review for CJ's. I live in Pismo Beach and eat at CJ's about once a month. One thing I think people forget is you have to align your expectations with the establishment. I see one star reviews for Taco Bell saying cheap food, well yes you are at Taco Bell. CJ's is a DINER/CAFE, it is not a 5 start restaurant. If it was a 5 star restaurant my review would be that this place sucks the food is awful, but come on people it's a CAFE!!! I have never had a bad meal here. Yes a side salad is mostly iceberg, but it's a CAFE. When I've gone for breakfast it was always good and made as as I ordered it. I did have an issue once with under cooked hash browns and the waitress asked if I wanted my entire breakfast remade, so everything was hot, or if I just wanted new hash browns. My daughters love their burgers and pasta. One time we went and my daughter asked for "kids pasta" and they brought out a plate of pasta that could have fed 2 grown men and only charged us $10. Bottom line, if you want a nice romantic dinner, CJ's is not for you. If you want a good meal at a fair price than you should give them a shot. read more

So delicious! Was so happy we found this great cafe! Our friends contractor recommended as well!

OMG! I ordered a grilled chicken sandwich and a side salad. I asked the server to please bring my side salad before the sandwich was ready to be served. He forgot. He also forgot the kind of dressing I ordered (write it down). He handed me the salad (after I requested it again) with his hand touching the salad (so unsanitary). Halfway through the salad that was drowning in water, I found a hair in my salad. The chicken sandwich was horrible as well. The chicken was exceptionally dry. I was a server in college, so I know the deal. This place use to be good. I have had numerous meals here and attended many large gatherings here as well. I hope the owner reads my review. This was a horrible experience. There is no excuse for this. read more

We came on a Sunday morning with a party of 5 during the brunch rush (around 10 am) - we were seated promptly in one of the booths with an extra chair. The service is mostly young ladies, all of them very nice and prompt with coffee refills, requests, etc. The vibe is classic old hometown diner - comfy booths, lots of natural light, and friendly waitresses in aprons. The food is pretty much the same - cheesy, carby, and satisfying without really taking any risks. I ordered the Huevos Rancheros (~$10, w/ corn tortillas or toast). The plate I received looked more like a chili dog (which I also would have been ok with), but I eventually found my eggs underneath a heaping pile of tomato sauce, peppers, and *cheese*. So much cheese! Too much cheese, actually, but the overall dish was tasty. Definitely the gringo-iest Huevos I've ever had (they came with a side of hashbrowns), but they were alright. If you request jalapenos expecting pickled slices, you might be surprised by having an entire fresh one, seeds and all, mixed into your breakfast. Kind of intense! :-O I'd return in the future, though I definitely wouldn't go out of my way for this one. If you're in the A.G. area and need a cozy brunch with a couple friends or family, though, check it out. With breakfast and lunch served all day, there's something for everyone. read more

CJ's Cafe - Huevos Rancheros (~$9.50) - American Near Me - Arroyo Grande, California

The food is gross in there it tastes like it is old food , the service is ok, I guess, but the inside smells bad.

After a road trip to Arroyo Grand during the wee hours of the morning, the kids woke up with hungry stomachs so we hopped on yelp for advice. My son originally wanted to hit up one of the national chains, but seeing how many choices we had to choose from so far as local diners - I pushed for something local. When we pulled up at 8:30am and the place was full (but we had no wait - yay!) we knew we'd chosen well. I went with the Ortega omelet which came out exactly as I'd hoped. I asked what the waitress prefers between the home fries or the hash browns and went with her choice, the latter. I also did as she suggested and mixed it with the omelette for a perfect mixture with every bite. Eggs were fluffy, cheese was gooey, ortega chiles were flavorful! These breakfasts also come with a muffin which I don't usually eat but I grabbed a muffin thinking of a 3pm snack by the ball field. My growing son wound up going with steak and eggs once he saw that on their daily specials. My daughter went with the 2 egg combo breakfast and it has everything she wanted. The perfect amount to fuel her up before her softball tournament. While they didn't win the tournament, it was their highest scoring game in a while and I'd like to think this had something to do with it. Our Three-thumb review is 3 thumbs up. I drove here looking for tasty food that would match what we were craving and found just what we were hoping for. My 11-year old daughter wasn't crazy about the butter on the toast but mowed through her eggs and bacon and her chocolate milk. My 14 year-old son ate so fast and so much that it put him in a food coma and it took him a while to recover. But that is a testament to how good it was because usually he eats about 1/5 the amount of food for breakfast. We plan to return to the area soon and know that this will be a tried and true fave! #ThreeThumbReviews read more

CJ's Cafe - Ortega chile omelette! - American Near Me - Arroyo Grande, California

We have been regulars at CJs for years, but as of recently the service and additude is very poor. I wholeheartedly recommend the Village Cafe in Arroyo Grande. It's not too far from CJs. Their food is like homecoming and the staff is way more friendly and appreciative of your business. read more

My wife and I come here usually at dinner time when we're in the mood for some breakfast at dinnertime. I recently went on a keto diet and like getting their linguica omelette with added avocado. Service is always friendly. The local paper reported the May 2022 health inspections and CJ's got a perfect 100 score with no violations! read more

Local dinner. Fresh ingredients, good food and friendly services! We ordered breakfast to go. A corn beef hash plus eggs, and an omelet. All good and all the extras that went with the dishes were carefully packed - it is nice to have the attention to these details! If you are visiting in the area, this is a good place for breakfast ! read more

Tried to order ahead as my husband was post operation and wanted pancakes, but they don't take phone in orders on weekend. When I drove by it was almost empty. read more