The wife and I had some extra time before a baby check up. With our extra hour, we popped in for breakfast. We were well pleased with our experience. Food was timely, and very tasty. I ordered the Pastrami Hash, my wife the Avocado On Whole Wheat. Very positive experience, will eat here again. read more

Got Uber eats worst breakfast I ever had. Should have got McDonald's would've been half the price and taste better

Although others may recommend this spot, we don't. The food was over priced and not that great. Our waitress did mention to us that she was new and we are understanding about that; however, the owner and/or manager was there reading a newspaper and he didn't try to help her out or make sure his customers were taken care of.....And the coffee was bitter! Thank goodness she didn't offer us a refill. read more

If could id give them 0 stars. The worst customer service from the second we stepped in to the restaurant. What upset me more was that we weren't greeted until 5 minutes of us just standing there (restaurant was not busy). The food was soggy and my guacamole was brown, it's upsetting because a $15 dish should be presented well but it looked like it was just thrown on a dish without care. I've been at this restaurant before about two years ago & actually got real quality food but I guess they just lost their drive. read more

The first time Chris and I came here, we had an awful experience with some of the worst service ever. My husband pretty much refuses to go back to places once he's had a bad experience, but since it's so close to home, he decided we should give it another try. Whatever the problem was years ago, it's been resolved. The service is always good when we go in, the waiters are cool, and the breakfast is amazing. I prefer the Apple Cinnamon french toast and Chris gets the creme brulee french toast, which are both delicious. We love going back there now and I recommend it to everyone for breakfast/brunch. I'm not sure about dinner, because we've never been there for it, but I'm re-addicted to french toast thanks to Crest Cafe. Oh yeah, they have great coffee, too. read more

Friendly servers. Great food. Open late. What more could you want? Vegetable lasagna, deli-fresh sandwiches, veggie burgers and homemade vegetarian chili makes this place an unassuming haven for vegetarians and/or vegans when the specialty places charge too much or have closed up early for the night. The portabella mushroom sandwich is amazing and they always give you LOTS of food (falling off the side of the plate). PLUS, now they DELIVER to your HOME for FREE! A nice alternative to pizza. This classic Hillcrest fixture will never get old. Yummy! read more

I have been here a number of times with my husband and/or small groups of friends. It is wonderful. The food is made with very fresh ingredients, the portions are satisfying, and the cuisine is unique and delicious. That being said, I can only make these claims about the breakfast fare, as I have not ventured from those menu options on my trips to Crest. The last time I dined there was Monday, and I had the shrimp scramble with hollandaise. This is the second time that I ordered it, and it was delish. The hubby had the Sam the Cooking Guy French toast, and when he was done, he threatened to order another serving because he thought it was so good. In the past, I've had the Hangover (delish) and the Salmon Scramble (very good), and both were tasty. The salmon scramble did need a little something, though...maybe more seasoning? But it was fresh and tasty overall. The coffee is okay, and they have a great selection of hot teas. The service for me has always been good. The food is served quickly and the staff always brings you whatever you ask for in a timely manner. I have never had any rude encounters that I see in these reviews. I do think it is a bit crowded in there. I don't know that just because you can fit that many chairs and tables in, that you should fit that many chairs and tables in. You know? Overall, I like it here. And I now that I'll be back. There are a few things on the menu that I am eager to try. :) read more

I have never had a bad meal. Everything is yummy. Highly recommend. Breakfast, lunch or dinner. Great food.Always have had tasty wonderful meals. portions are large. Service may be a bit slow, however meal is worth it. read more

Stopped in for dinner with a couple friends last night. Service was pretty good -- very friendly, accommodating, and on top of the drink refills. The food was a bit hit-or-miss, though. For example, we shared the mac and cheese (with added broccoli and chicken), but it's definitely not enough for an entree as listed. It is, however, delicious. The basil vinaigrette is outstanding. We also split the brie and mango quesadilla. Great idea, but the execution fell short. The mangoes could have done with some grilling or carmelizing, because crunchy mango with creamy brie just doesn't do well together. I ordered a salmon burger, expecting a nice flank of fish, but what I got was a charred, dry patty. I sent it back in favor of the chicken picata my friend had gotten. It's doused in capers, which is a big plus for me. Super moist chicken and a delicious chardonnay-lemon sauce. The desserts we had were superb -- lemon cake and apple crunch. Overall, this place is pretty good, and I'd come back if I was already in Hillcrest, but I wouldn't go out of my way for it. read more

I love love love this place, in the morning. My husband and I live nearby, and absolutely love this place, they have really fantastic food and great staff. I would not suggest coming late at night, I don't know why, but it seems as though the cook is just kind of like 'meh' and doesn't do as well as the morning chef. We went there one night, because sometimes you want breakfast food at 11 p.m that isn't iHop, and I can't remember what I ordered but I know it was on a croissant and it was just awful. It was tough and stale. Other than that, this place is amazing! read more

For being featured on Diner's Drive-ins and Dives I'd have to say that this place didn't live up to its reputation. I do like the decor and the service was great. We had Cesar. He was very attentive, knowledgeable, and on point with the water refills for our large party. Service gets 5 stars but the food I'd say is 3. I had the breakfast chicken enchiladas. They weren't really anything to write out about. There were waaaay too many beans on the plate and the enchilada itself just wasn't that great. I did, however, love the hash browns. I guess it would be more appropriate to order an actual "diner" item from a diner. I can't expect awesome mexican food from a place like this. I'd definitely come back to crest cafe. I'll take the servers suggestion and try the club omelette. Great job Cesar! read more

SO delicious! I got the Yucatan Tostadas: eggs, chicken, black beans and mango salsa. Perfect portion and sooo good, well prepared. Crisp tostada and fresh fruit. My boyfriend got "Two Eggs Any Style With Potatoes and Toast" which also included sausage and bacon and for only $7 it was a lot of food! Our server was a doll (petite Latina) who was efficient and sweet. 8/3 (Sunday morning) Highly recommended. read more

The food was amazing! My bf and I went on a Sunday afternoon and I ordered the Chicken Cobb omelette and the bf got the meat lovers omelette. Both were delish (of course I had to try his!) the hashbrowns were cooked perfect and it was so much food that neither of us finished our plate. Service was great as well, the only complaint was that it took a while to get a refill but otherwise, great place, still worth five stars read more

Crest Cafe - Chicken Cobb omelette! Delish - Cafes Near Me - San Diego, California

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Blaaaah. Ordered delivery tonight. Ate as much as I could since there was no other food in my kitchen. Fried chicken with zero flavor and just a bunch of jalapeños thrown on top, mashed potatoes and gravy I'm pretty sure were instant/from a jar, and a side of rubbery flavorless veggies. Also got a mac truck grilled cheese, again...no flavor. Just a mouthful or bland bread and noodles. Bummer! read more

Their linguine isn't linguine. They fry their food with peanut oil so the food tastes like peanut butter. Their beer batter isn't beer batter. They don't do anything for birthdays so my 8 year old was pretty disappointed. They don't split the bill so they make you do it. NEVER COMING BACK. read more

Wow. Until today, I didn't see Crest Cafe's owner's nasty response to the moderate review I wrote here on YELP three years ago when I recounted a recent unfriendly experience I had with her. I felt it was important to share at the time because how ownership of an organization conducts itself is generally an indication of its overall attitudes toward employees, suppliers, the community at large, and most important: its lifeblood - its customers. I am not writing this to belabor the unfortunate event, however. I am writing this because the owner lied in her response to my review. She stated that I shouted and "interrupted [her] repeatedly" which couldn't be further from the truth. I uttered (not shouted) in an even-toned manner one six-word statement only to incur her unwarranted wrath. Then I wiped my dripping wet hands on my shirt and left. To reiterate, I made ONE six-word comment to her (in normal speaking voice) about a hygiene deficiency that existed in her place of business, wrote about it on YELP, eliciting from her a wildly fabricated response describing her version of what had happened. There's just something wrong with that. As I opened the bathroom door with my wet hands that day, I stood not more than four feet from where she sat in her office with the door wide open when SHE initiated eye-contact with ME which I took (perhaps mistakenly) as an invitation to speak. My one sentence, "your restroom has no hand towels" evoked a hostile outburst from her that psychically knocked me back on my feet. That she could have recollected the event differently from how I do is conceivable, but her untrue embellishments describing my behavior and the course of events IN A PUBLIC FORUM is inexcusable - unless, of course, she is prone to hallucinations. I was and remain flabbergasted that someone who owns a busy restaurant that employs wait persons whose jobs are to be constantly interrupted would respond to a patron like she did to me. As a retired executive with many years' experience in business, boardrooms, restaurants, and everywhere in between (including public restrooms), I don't need someone with impulse control issues describing to me what common courtesy looks like. I can tell you what it doesn't look like: it was fulminating not more than four feet away from me in a dank little hallway at the back of the Crest Cafe three years ago. While someone who owns a restaurant where I like to eat doesn't need character references, I would still like to know they have some level of integrity. After reading its owner's disgraceful response to my review, I can't imagine ever being able to stomach another meal at the Crest Cafe. read more

Food wasn't all that. I ordered the crest cafe special that says eggs, potatoes & choice of toast or short stack SERVED WITH choice of bacon, sausage etc. for $12. the waiter insisted it said choice of toast, short stack or meats. I told him "that's not was it says but anyway give me the short stack". He said "yes it does say your choices". I didn't want to get into it with him. The menu needs to be modified then in my opinion. I looked online for the menu and it doesn't even come up. It's the 1st item on the actual menu. This wasn't the 1st either that they advertise something and when I ask for it I'm somehow corrected on what they really meant to say. read more

The vibe was off or different - Not very welcoming. There's a lady who was walking around who liked talking about her sweater and it being backwards but was wearing it correctly. Not sure if she was the manager or what but she walked to my table to take dishes but didn't bother asking how my meal was or a simple hello, more like clean the table to get people out. So maybe she wasn't the manager? The food was not awful but not great compared to the local businesses in hillcrest area. The table layout is crowded. I think they serve the locals more than tourists so they have a dedicated bunch to fill their seats. The waitress was a nice gal but very busy! read more

I watched Dine and Drive and wanted to try the butter burger that was featured in the show. It was delicious, buttery, and something new that I have never tried. The cafe was cozzy, and had a great a menu. I will most likely drop by again when I'm in the area to try their other items on the menu. read more

Crest Cafe - Cafes Near Me - San Diego, California

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My bf and I were staying in Hillcrest for the weekend. We had no idea where we were, and where to eat. It was ten pm so there were limited of restaurants open. We walked around Hillcrest and found that everything was absurdly over price. We finally stumbled upon Crest Cafe. I was hesitant at first because I thought the menu was going to mimic the decor, boring cafe like food. Even though I was unimpressed by the decor I saw that the menu was not completely boring. I ordered the Curry Chicken Salad; the chicken curry had thinly slice carrots, thin slice almonds and cilantro on a bed of lettuce. I kid you not; there was a pound of chicken curry in there. It was so good and the portion was huge. I couldn't finish it; I took home what look like a full order. My bf ordered the club sandwich with French fries. The sandwich was so big that he only finished half (he normally has a very hardy appetite). He thoroughly enjoyed the sandwich as well. The restaurant closes very late which is good too. I give it three stars because I felt like it could have been cheaper and the service was okay. read more

The place was just as advertised. Good food nice staff and wonderful location. I got no attitude from the servers. They were pleasant and professional. Everyone was eager to help. Was brought in and sat right away. The food did not take long at all. The service was overall good. The crème brûlée French toast was delicious. I really enjoyed that. My wife enjoyed the black bean Mexican Chilaquiles. The tangerine juice and coffee were great. read more

So good. We went on a Sunday morning around 10 a.m., got a seat right away. The service was prompt and friendly. The food was so good. If you can't find a spot on the street, park across from the restaurant at the bank lot - cheap and easy. read more

It's a great place to have breakfast lunch or dinner for comfort food. My husband loves hangover omelette and Spanish omelette. Their home fries are amazing crispy and delicious. It's a Saturday or Sunday morning there is always a wait. However it's worth it. read more

Amazing!!! I highly recommend this for breakfast! The Tuscan Benedict was perfection and my husband had the hangover omelet... We both had clean plates. Very cute diner atmosphere, good music and everything is served on Fiesta ware, which is just a nice addition :) read more

Crest Cafe - Cafes Near Me - San Diego, California

Really enjoyed eating here - we came in on two burger Tuesday, medium rare, great burgers. Big salad, friend had the potato salad, all great. Craft beer to go along with the jalapeno burger, yum. I liked the combination of comfort and upscale foods, the atmosphere was casual, we had a great time. Big menu, I will definitely return. read more

Found this place through food network's triple D. Cute lil diner with pretty decent size menu from all day breakfast and to our surprise, beer drinks. Free street parking after 6. Since we ate dinner here, we found parking right in front. Servers were really nice and friendly. Great service We wanted to try everything, but we ended ordering chicken & waffles and grilled pastrami. Chicken & waffles were good with just enough kick to the chicken. Might be spicy for some kids unless they like it spicy. Chicken was served a bit oily for me, hence the 4 stars. The grilled pastrami was good with lots of thick meat slices. We'll probably be back and try butter burger and creme brûlée French toast. read more

My favorite breakfast of our entire trip to San Diego. Service was great and the food was fast and so flavorful. We came here for the blueberry biscuit french toast that was fantastic. We had several other egg dishes that were very good as well, but the French toast is crazy good. read more

I've been Door Dashing breakfast from this place regularly since the quarantine began about three months ago. Not kidding, at least three to four orders per week. It's my go to place in the morning at the office for breakfast, specifically omelettes. They have a variety of excellent choices, and I've tried many of them. My favorite is probably the hangover, with the chimichurri sauce on top and stuffed with jalapeños, chicken sausage, and jack cheese. Delish. The Ortega is similar though they sub in Ortega chiles instead of jalapeños and include pico de gallo. The western is their version of the Denver omelette. Mushrooms, cheddar, ham, scrumptious! I always ask them to sub out the potatoes for black beans and sliced tomatoes or cottage cheese. Remarkably, they have never screwed this up. Just to change things up, today I ordered a veggie omelette made with only egg whites. I had to put this into the instructions because there was no option to do so otherwise. And they delivered! Exactly what I wanted. They even included a little tray of fruit as a courtesy. So considerate. Speaking of which, for a while they were including a nice little note in each order thanking their customers for support during this difficult time. That was a nice touch. I have to say, I'm pretty impressed with these guys. They've been consistent and reliable, for breakfast at least, for the last few months. You've earned yourself a loyal customer. Keep up the great work! read more

Eeeek! No manager in the building at 8pm on a Saturday night?!? There was an issue with my food being made but no one there to resolve it. The server tried to make up for it after he dropped the check without any sort of attempt to correct their mistake. I expressed how it was common courtesy in restaurants to make sure the guest was taken care of if something went wrong. He went to text the manager and came back with a $5 coupon for next time. Sorry, but I don't think there will be a next time, especially since they could not fix what happened in the moment. I ordered an appetizer, salad, dessert and coffee. $35 for one person. I paid for the whole bill and declined the $5 coupon because it's just bizarre that no one is here running the place on a weekend. I feel bad for the server because his tip suffered in a big way by not being able to make sure I left happy read more

San Diego Hamburger Experiment: Crest Cafe, Butter burger 1. BJ: Burger Juiciness: 8/10 Wow! So much butter making it EXTREMELY JUICY! Butter in the burger and butter on the burger under the cheese! Might have been overkill... 2. BG: Bun Goodness: 4/10 I'm a slow slow eater, so all the butter melted soaking the bottom the bun in butter. Eating butter bread. 3. BF: Burger Flavor: 7/10 EXTREMLY JUICY! 4. BV: Burger Value: 5/10 5. S: Service: 7/10 6. FS: Fries/sides: 6/10 Hog Heaven French Fries: with pulled pork, caramelized onion, cheddar cheese & BBQ sauce. Could have been it's own meal! 7. P: Presentation: 5/10 8. RE: Restaurant environment: 6/10 TOTAL SCORE: 48/80 Def a unique burger. Messy burger. I think my food tolerance is changing as I get older. This burger knocked my out... needed an after lunch nap and felt like eating a salad for dinner! read more

Butter burgers!!! A must stop for us while in San Diego. Other items are good as well. Staff has always been nice and attentive.

Like lots of others, I went here because Guy told me to. He hasn't let me down yet, and while this was no exception to that, I wasn't quite "wowed" like I was by our other preferred breakfast spot. That's not saying Crest was bad, by any means, but it wasn't good enough that we'd pick it over our other favorite. That being said, its a cool place. Felt like a lot of the folks in there were regulars,seeing as it was fairly early Sunday morning. Our waiter looked way over worked, but he was still very nice. I had the chicken and waffles, which was covered in a spicy honey/citrus sauce. The chicken was very good, but I'm not sure it worked for breakfast... just a little too spicy, even for me. The waffles were, well, waffles. My husband's meat lovers omelet was much better, and it was huge. He was stuffed well past lunch time. I might consider trying it again for lunch, if I was in this area for some reason, but it just didn't wow me like my other favorite breakfast spot. I probably should have ordered one of the crazy looking and huge French Toast options instead of what I got, so maybe I'd come back and try that. read more

Their turkey club wasn't what I expected from a club sandwich. I've been trained to expect those silly triple stacked triangles held together with toothpicks that are too large to fit in your mouth and then crumble all over your plate seconds after you try to take a bite. Instead this club was like the best grilled cheese sandwich ever invented. In fact, I think they should change the name to just that. It was toasted bread, soft melted cheese, thick carved turkey (like Thanksgiving turkey! None of that gross pressed deli meat stuff), crisp crunchy bacon, fresh lettuce and tomato. I ordered it with fries and had to box up half of it. It made for delicious leftovers the next day. They also have this salad that comes with chunks of artichoke and slices or chicken or steak and big slivers of parm cheese and wow, it's so good. I always keep eating it long after I'm full and wind up with a stomach ache but I don't care. It's worth the pain, trust me. The place is really cute. The art on the walls is for sale and it's always neat to check out. The servers are great. Quick, friendly, and if you come here often enough they recognize you and make jokes or chit chat. Prices are average, serving sizes are above average. Since they're right in the middle of Hillcrest, parking isn't the easiest. It's worth walking a few blocks to eat here though and the walk will help you burn off some of the excess calories you're bound to consume. read more

Best tuna melt around. Soggy Fries. Awesome basil dressing. Overall this place is decent. And they are one of the only places that's open for lunch at/or after 3pm on the weekends, so in my eyes that is a HUGE plus and hard to find in these parts! read more

This place had the most amazing breakfast food I've ever had. My girlfriend had it recommended by her mother, so we decided to try it. It was well worth looking for. The food like I said is amazing, and the service was really nice too. I had the chicken and waffles. It's really easy to find if you know your way around hillcrest also, directly behind the Brassrail. read more

Crest Cafe - Chicken and waffles - Cafes Near Me - San Diego, California

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I was here last Tuesday night for burger night! The stuffed bbq bacon was my choice, Amazing that's all I can say... my friend had the butter burger, put it this way he went back Friday night to have another !! This place never fails, after 20 plus years; ) I grew up in south park but bought my home in spring valley a few years ago... I'll never leave San Diego County! !!! read more

I saw this cafe on "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives", and I've wanted to eat there ever since. I'm a big fan of "comfort food", and I truly believe butter makes everything better. So do they. Their "Butter Burger" was amazing. One of the best burgers I've ever had and I've had 'em all over the world. (Hope you caught the Godfather reference). Warning - Do not eat here if you have heart disease! The first bite of my, aptly named, "Butter Burger" sent a stream of juices along my forearms to my elbow! That's a good thing... The butter they use reminds me of the "Cafe de Paris" style butters you'd expect from a gourmet restaurant. They don't just stick a chunk of plain butter in the meat, they expertly craft butter... then stick it in the meat. Oh, and the toppings are fresh, and the bun is adequate (nothing to write home about, but not out of place). For 12 dollars, you'd be hard pressed to find a better burger. One drawback... the fries. Yes, you can tell they came from an actual potato (I know, my parents ran a diner where they hand cut the fries before deep-frying them.) but they are soggy, and pretty bland. Maybe I caught them on a bad day? Honestly, if I'd only tried the burger, I would have given them a five star rating. read more

Delicious. We've been here several times. Huge portions and great food. I've been here for breakfast lunch and dinner. All awesome. I got the Yucatan tostadas the last time they were amazing the mango salsa the perfect accompaniment. Yum read more

Crest Cafe - Yucatan tostada. - Cafes Near Me - San Diego, California

We went on weekday 9pm. No waiting. Parking available right in front on the street. We found this place through Tripe D (Diners, DriveIns and Dives). It is quiet disappointed. This is the 3rd time we take Tripe D's recommendation and all 3 times we were disappointed. Food is just okay. Definitely over-rated. Not worth the money. The wooden bench we sat on was really dirty. It should be 1 stars for food and environment but the server was very nice. She kept checking on us and refilling our water so I will give her 5 stars. So average out is a 3 stars. read more

Havent been here in awhile, but their new addition lauren is an amazing server, attentive, friendly. Made my visit there a great experience..good job great with hiring on lauren..I'll be back read more