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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As I was walking through Hillcrest i happened to see a certain coffee brew i very much enjoy and this place so happened to sell it. Excited to see if they can serve me a large cup of coffee to go one of the employees (very rudely) told me no and that it was better to go to Starbucks for such amnesties. I was in no rush or hurry to go since that coffee is a favorite of mine. Baffled i left coffee-less and dumbfounded. I will never come back & wouldn't recommend this place to anyone. read more

I had such high hopes for this place & had been looking forward to this visit. Apparently this place is NOT toddler friendly as they were obviously annoyed we brought our 2.5 year old to eat with us. We received an incorrect side for my daughter & the server was not happy to fix it. I had the chicken & waffles which was a major let down. It was coated in a sweet, spicy, vinegar-y sauce that just didn't go well with the waffles. Unfortunately this was our first & last visit. read more

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

This restaurant is just fine. Nothing was particularly bad. We went as a family of four with two kids. The kids' menu is for 5 and under. They did not enjoy it at all. It was SO loud. When we walked in, there were 8 Uber Eats orders on the counter waiting to be picked up. I had the apple, bacon, cream cheese French toast from their specials menu. The bread was hard and dry (read stale) while the maple cream cheese looked like cottage cheese. I don't know what happened, but it looked awful. It tasted ok but not good. The rest of the food was fine. Overall, I wouldn't go back. It was $58 for two adults and two kids to be disappointed with the food and the experience. I think Guy would be disappointed if he went back. read more

Our go to for chicken and waffles! Being from Long Beach, Roscoes is hard to compare to but this is my favorite San Diego spot to get my fix. The sweet and spicy sauce on this chicken is just so good! We recently discovered this gem on DoorDash and now we order it at least twice a month haha actually just got our order this morning with a sweet note from the owners expressing their gratitude and a 20% off coupon, we will definitely be using that lol thank you Crest Cafe! read more

Great place to meet friends for breakfast or lunch. The staff is friendly and to food is fabulous! Must try!

generally speaking，i don't think i will visit this place again. the burger recommended by the waiter is less tasty than in-and-out. French toast is just soso. machaca is ok but a little bit too salty & nothing special read more

Sunday morning, my husband and I come in here for breakfast. We're siping on our coffee and OJ waiting for our meal and a cockroach runs on the corner of the table, to the wall and behind the molding. I jumped up in disgust and ask my husband to cancel the order. The waitress did not apologize and asked us to pay for our drinks!!! She just went on like it's no big deal, clearly not a surprise to her. Disgusting! 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

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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I live a few block from this place and I never really thought about eating here until someone told me they have breakfast all day. And what a pleasant surprise!! It is SO good! I got the the Mediterranean breakfast specialty since that's what the waiter recommended and it was DELICIOUS! The coffee is great too! read more

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

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 had late breakfast with my wife at Crest On October 2, 2010. Overall, 3.5 stars out of 5. Here is my tally of the visit: - My eggs Benedict were great, cooked just right, and the hollandaise sauce was really nice and lemony - My wife's lemon-ricotta-buttermilk pancakes were probably the best pancakes one can get in San Diego - My espresso with milk (like cortato more or less) was great - My wife's drip coffee was sorely lacking in flavor and caffeine. That lead me to believe (i have zero evidence to corroborate) this may have been a second run for the same coffee bag. - Service was fine. At the table next to us, I saw a person eating Carolenas Corn Tortilla. This also looks like a winner. I will definitely come back for the pancakes and for the tortilla. read more

I love the Crest Cafe. The service is great, the food is tasty, I'm sure someone likes the decor. Everything is served on Fiesta Ware. I usually get the Orange Pulled Pork Sandwich. So good, somewhat spicy. It is big and plentiful. I get the side salad instead of frys. It is a good size. They have homemade salad dressing, I get the honey Jalepeno. I highly recommend the burgers too. They are also big. My wife sticks with the Veggie Burger. She gets the Basil Vinaigrette on her salad. I also get Red Seal Ale, its a great beer that's hard to find. Overall a great place to eat. There is usually a BOGO coupon in the downtown magazine that makes it even better. read more

Love, love, love this place. If you love comfort food (who doesn't?) I would definitely recommend the Crest. They have a huge menu with many dishes that are unique. For breakfast, I get the Breakfast Chili Veggie mess..... its chili, with potatoes, avocado, salsa and you can add chicken sausage (I do) The chili is very fresh. They have really good burgers too. I've also tried the East Texas Fried chicken for lunch. It's got some garlic and Tobasco in it.... yum! They also have a cold meatloaf sandwich. The portions are large and the prices are reasonable. The wait staff has always been very courteous. It's a cozy, hip little place. Frank Sinatra was playing in there one day... I definitely would give it a shot! read more

This is my go-to restaurant for breakfast. Great coffee, amazing food, and friendly service. I always ask for extra this and none of that and they make it perfect... Every time. The Tomatillo Salsa is to die for!! If I don't make it for breakfast, Crest is still top of my list for lunch with their juicy, flavorful burgers (the Butter Burger makes me salivate just thinking about it!) and yummy salads and sandwiches. Turkey and Brie with home style fries or a chicken artichoke salad with that delicious basil dressing?! It's so hard to decide, I just have to keep going back!! read more