After being pleasantly greeted by a server at the door, he allowed me to read the specials board and then showed me for a perfectly placed table in a quiet corner of a beautifully decorated cafe. He then brings me a water with a lime AND lemon so that I didn't have to choose (so cute!). While looking at the menu, I tell my server that I'm vegan and he informs me that the owner is vegetarian and that they have vegan cheese, sour cream and tons of other options for me. LOVE! I have a vegan quesadilla with spinach, tomato, corn, salsa and vegan sour cream. I also have a cup of the BEST DAMN GAZPACHO I have ever had! Everything was cooked perfectly and the service was amazing. The owner was so pleasant and came to my table to say hi and talk to me about their brunch (which I will definitely be attending). They only accept cash, which is awesome. Banks make way too much money off of restaurants already, so I'm glad to see someone not giving into it. Pricing were low considering the vegan ingredients I had added into my meal and the cost of the nice Togo box I had. Portion was huge so an office buddy got half of my meal. The whole office loved it too! I absolutely love the concept behind this eatery, the atmosphere, the food and I love to see east gainesville businesses do well! read more

Word of warning: the restaurant is cash only. I can respect that. My mom owns a deli and has to shop around every year to make sure the banks aren't charging her an arm and a leg for every swipe. As a small business, she wishes she didn't have to but, to each his own. I have heard a lot about East End and was excited about going. I didn't realize that their weekday breakfast would be different from their weekend brunches but, I knew with the power of the Internet, I could have anticipated that. I ordered the blueberry waffle with poached eggs and bacon. The eggs were a tad overcooked to my taste and the bacon was unevenly cooked. I'm not picky but I do love crispy bacon. My friend enjoyed his veggie omelet but loved my blueberry waffle even more. When a waffle is done well with fresh fruit, it's pretty evident. East End does a fine job, but then again, can a waffle be anything but great or gross? My expectations were higher for sure. I was hoping for an ambitious menu with daring choices. I'm a big supporter of local businesses, so if you're ever craving for a good ol' breakfast, East End is not a bad choice. read more

Healthy food, small portions, only take cash for payment. A bit of hassle in modern times if one forgets to go to the ATM before hand. Food, so, so. read more

This is our neighborhood breakfast and lunch spot and I honestly don't know how we ever lived without it! The lunch specials are great with a fine selection of everything from good old comfort food to vegetarian and vegan options. Breakfasts are also stellar, with one of the finest selections of omelets and benedicts in down. They also serve French press coffee, which is a personal favorite! read more

Wonderful Sunday brunch at this ovely comfortable restaurant!!! Couches, books & magazines & games in waiting area. We had mushroom & smoked Gouda omelette as well as asparagus & eggs Benedict. Crowded homecoming weekend but good service & not too long of a wait. read more

Although I don't live in Gainesville, I visit the city twice a year. Breakfast at EEE is a must on those visits. Simple breakfast fare but very well done. Good coffee too. If you're gluten-free, as I am, they have g-f bread. Beware that it is a cash-only establishment! read more

Went for brunch yesterday, and wow - this is a GREAT building and location. Kids area inside, gorgeous outdoor tables, everything clean and nice. Some might even say Asheville - esque. The food was good, very clean flavors and ingredients. I think this is a wonderful place for any picky eaters (you know who you are) - you know what you are getting here and it shows. A highlight was the wall of boardgames - this is the place to go to play board games while you wait for food! It is very laid back and casual as well, and the rumor is they will start having dinners in June, and maybe beer and wine? Keep up the good work folks! read more

My boyfriend & I stopped in town for a few days to visit family, and happened upon this place through yelp. When you first drive up, it looks very quaint and homestyle, which is totally my style. When you walk in its a very simple but sweet decor, small staff, but extremely pleasant atmosphere. We were greeted, and although there was plenty of seating in the main area, he took us to a more secluded spot without us even asking! It was a wonderful mini breakfast date. My boyfriend ordered the special Strawberry French toast with poached eggs and bacon, and loved every bite. I ordered the Florentine Benedict with Potatoes, and was very pleased. (It's a smidge garlic heavy, so if that's not your thing then maybe request light garlic!). Coffee was great, decor was relaxing, overall a great experience! read more

East End Eatery - The Florentine Benedict (added provolone) with Potatoes! - American Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

Wow, what a great place! Let's start with the most important, the food! We went for breakfast and we very happy with the food! Everything was home made and had interesting aspects...not your typical dishes. Eggs Benedict was perfect and tasted great. The french toast with fresh blueberries and strawberries was out of this world good! The blueberry sauce was so great and really was more fine dining than cafe dining! The coffee was very good also. Now on to the atmosphere. This place is so cute and really decorated so warmly! If you just want to go for coffee, they have a seating area like in any coffee shop. If you want table service, they have the also. Finally, the service. Super friendly is putting it mildly. Not the over the top, make you sick friendly. But more the 'nice guy, makes you laugh' friendly. Will be back many times! read more

Despite paeans to recyclability and sustainability, East End Eatery would do better to improve their food quality via sourcing local ingredients and non-corporate food suppliers. Yet that decision would cut into the bottom line in a way that may not be justified by professed ideological penchants. In terms of food quality, this outfit proffers fresh, clean flavors, and it semi-succeeds. Q.v. those who order the meat-filled quesadillas may want to think twice about eating them because there is a very strong likelihood that the meat has been re-purposed. Regarding the Mediterranean Plate: the hummus is a failure in taste in texture and would do well from in infusion of tahini from Falafel King, who offers the creamiest, freshest tahini short of Jacksonville. The tabouli is not worth mentioning. If you want good tabouli in Gainesville, go to Farah's where it is made by a Farah family member, or to the aforementioned Falafel King. The grape leaves are canned, as one familiar with canned grape leaves would easily guess. Call me picky, but I don't go out to eat canned foodstuffs, and I can't offer sympathy to chefs who foist them on customers as home-made. This is disingenuous and an insult to those who spend the time to properly prepare them. For indecisive types, the roast beef sandwich is suggested. The horseradish sauce is watery and both lacking in horseradish flavor and cream. This sort of kills it for me, because the highlight of a roast-beef sub, other than possibly jus, is the horseradish sauce, which is not difficult to whip up. The gazpacho is a peppery mix that more resembles a cold Indian sambar than a Spanish classic. It might be good for a hangover or as a Bloody Mary mix or ceviche base. Any uses beyond those are a stretch of the imagination. Where East End Eatery succeeds it in its atmosphere, a mise en scene of Martha-meets-Ikea. The magazines and cookbooks are a great touch. Yet one desperately wishes the cookbooks were consulted more vigilantly for the cuisine. Tis a pity, tis a shame. read more

Stopped by for a quick to-go breakfast thinking I could get in and out within 15 minutes. Wrong. They took our order and were really happy to take our money but when it came to getting our food, we had to sit there and wait for 45 minutes to get TWO breakfast burritos. Plus, at $9 a piece, I was expecting way more. Obviously, I got irritated and showed a little annoyance towards whoever took our order, and all he did was give us attitude back and say that there is a 20-person table outside. First of all, we are a to-go order so that should already be at the top of the list. Why else would we order to-go? Second, we only ordered breakfast burritos that probably take less than 5 minutes to make, if even. Cool decor inside but with a staff like that, they need to learn how to prioritize and manage their time. read more

One of best local places to eat in Gainesville! Their brunch especially is really fun. They have a good variety of vegan, vegetarian, and omnivore options, and have never been disappointed by any of their dishes. Highly recommend their french toast or their benedict for brunch, and their peachy keen turkey panini is scrumptious on their lunch menu Some menu or featured items come from local farms, and that's always a plus. Really fresh tasting food and extremely charming and knowledgeable service (I would say their server Robbie is one of my favorite servers of all time). The ambiance is quaint and cute. I've heard good live music there during brunch, they offer old school board games, and the patio seating is relaxed and pleasant. Best place for a relaxed lunch. read more

Gosh I like the idea of this place. A nice fresh local eatery using conscious ingredients with friendly staff. All of this is true but the execution is just off. I really like the owner that I met and think the interior is great but every time I order I am just not pleased with the flavors. The menu seems pretty good with nice looking specials but usually my party and I leave with similar dissatisfaction. If you are involved in the restaurant and reading this, PLEASE change the recipes. Northeast Gainesville is dying for more variety and the thought of us having the healthiest and most conscientious restaurants in town is awesome. The community is ready to support you, we just need a little tweaking. read more

One of the better brunch options here in Gainesville. Like the decor, has a very homey and hipster vibe to it. Really enjoyed the board games they had to play while you waited for the delicious food. I ordered the Florentine eggs Benedict and did not regret it one bit. Loved them actually and would recommend all first timers to choose this dish if they love Benedict's and spinach. Was a little annoyed at first when I ordered the special of day, which was the fiesta Benedict because was told after ordered that they were sold out. Other than that really enjoyed brunchin at East End Eatery. Oh and PSA: Cash only!! (A bit of an annoyance as well) haha read more

East End Eatery - Florentine Eggs Benedict ... Recommend 100%! - American Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

If I could give this place zero stars I would. Here's a list of why you shouldn't go to this place: 1) they don't take cards 2) service sucks 3) the server was the rudest person I've ever met This was my partner and I's first time going to this place. It was fast seating however once our order was placed, our server never came to check up on our table. After 40 minutes of waiting for our food, I decided to check yelp to see if anyone mentioned anything about the long wait and I saw someone with a post saying they don't take cards. So I decided to ask our server if this is true and he very dryly responded yes. Obviously this was an issue since we weren't carrying cash. I decided to say something to the server about the longevity of our order and about the cash issue and instead of being apologetic he was blunt and rude saying that it's not his duty to say something to me and that there was a post on the door stating they only take cash. He also told me to go use the ATM to withdraw money. He also denied that we were waiting for more than 30 minutes. I am very disappointed in the way this place handled this and think there needs to be a more apparent sign that states they take cash. read more

Maybe I just came on an odd day today because there is usually a lot of hype about this place but today was one of the WORST dining experiences I've ever had. You can tell that the restaurant and servers are not organized. Server was rushing us from the moment our name was called off the list- we didn't even sit down yet before she asked us if we were ready to order. I get that it gets busy but please don't treat your customers like crap. Be prepared to wait 45 mins for your eggs. By the time my food came out it my eggs were lukewarm and the biscuit was cold and stale. They offered to remake the dish which was nice, but when they brought it back there was a hair in my food. I decided just to ask them to take it off the check because at that point, I lost my appetite. Also, the cherry on top was finding a bread tag in my water cup!! The owner was really nice and apologized for the experience but still I would never come here again, everything was really off-putting. read more

We couldn't decide where to go for lunch on a Sunday after getting back from a trip - browsing the internet I was reminded of East End Eatery, a place we'd been meaning to try for over a year. We decided to go there when I found a Facebook post about them offering gluten-free blueberry waffles on Sundays. My hubby had some delicious-looking french toast, which he finished and said was very good. The bacon was hot and crisp, but not greasy at all - perfect. The gluten-free waffle was also very good. Coffee was also very good. Service was great - I was worried that it would be very busy, but we went kind of late (1:30) and got a table right away. Tables are spaced kind of close together, but the space is larger than I thought it would be. Nice colors, open and airy. While we were there at least two folks walked in and were greeted by name - a rarity now, and a pleasure to see. At the end of the meal one of the owners came over to talk to me, since I'd ordered the GF waffles. She shared the name of the cookbook they use for a lot of their GF stuff, let me know that they always have GF options (and can make many things on the menu GF and/or vegan), and told me about a local GF community resource. It's hard for me to get to the east side of town in the middle of the day, but I'll be trying sometimes just to support this place - and I'll be back for Sunday brunch, for sure!! Thank you!!! read more

The service is pretty bad. The waiters in here don't know what they are doing. They made us wait for like almost an hour for a table and they also made us wait for another half hour for our food to come out, it was crazy. None followed up with our drinks either. Food was pretty bad too. The fried potatoes came almost like charred .. NEVER COMING BACK HERE. read more

A little off the beaten path is this fantastic spot! The atmosphere is absolutely charming, warm, and inviting. Art from local artists are displayed throughout the cafe and there is a quaint area for children to play with toys (supervised). The dishes are well made although my eggs florentine had a bit too much lemon (which is saying a lot since I LOVE lemons), but I ate every bite anyway; especially of my smoked gouda grits. My fiance had the huevos rancheros and ate every bite as well. Plus, staff were very attentive and treated us very well. Loved this spot! read more

East End Eatery - So yummy! - American Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

I loveeee this spot! Came in on my 21st birthday after recently moving to Gainesville. It was weird for me- first time away from home & my family drove up from Miami to be with me on my day. I came here because of all the reviews & pictures of eggs Benedict (my fav) & this cozy little spot did not disappoint! I am definitely going back ASAP for another eggs benny & a side of French toast, which is literally the best I've had, ever. It's made on French bread & is absolutely delicious. The decor of the place is cute & has a home feel to it. Very inviting! Loved this spot so much. Definitely give it a try if you're considering a good breakfast spot. read more

Not sure what the hype about this place is. I was pretty disappointed after reading all the great yelp reviews. Poached eggs came out like hard boiled eggs and our server was totally rude. Maybe it's just too hipster for my taste. Sodas are not your basic coke or Pepsi products but like a totally different company that was not even good. I would t actually recommend this restaurant for breakfast. read more

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East End Eatery is my favorite brunch restaurant in Gainesville. I have tried couple other brunch places, but this one tops all of them! From the exterior of the restaurant, I was skeptical a little bit but when I went inside, it was much different in a good way. The shabby chic southern style interior is very comforting and easy to eyes. The ambiance of the restaurant is excellent especially when they have live bossa nova on Sunday mornings. Usually, if you don't call to make a reservation, you have to wait quite a while especially on Sundays, but even that is worth it because I love their food! They usually have a great selection of daily specials and I pick the special menu almost always! So if you have not been here and you are a brunch lover, I highly recommend it!! :) read more

East End Eatery - The Copenhagen eggs benedict - American Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

I really thought East End couldn't get any better. Then I had the bacon and pancakes. Damn. We don't have many mornings free, but we try to go to East End every chance we get, and are always thrilled with the specials. I also wanted to say I find it frustrating when folks give great local businesses like this particularly negative, or one-star reviews. Sometimes a place can't live up to your expectations on one visit, and that's unfortunate and I'm sure the owner would be happy to make it right. At the very least, give them a chance, as reviews really do matter. We don't have a ton of nice things here in Gainesville, and try to value the folks who are making our lives better...and getting us the hell away from Butler Plaza. read more

Great place to eat breakfast. Food was delicious. Came here with friends and family and had a great time. Plenty of choices and every dish was delicious. read more

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Nice ambiance with good food. They have brunch on Sunday and the blueberry waffle is, according to my husband, the best he has ever had. The smoked gouda grits is surprisingly light and tasty. They also have outdoor sitting in a rustic garden and bonus points is given to the fact that it's dog-friendly. It's cash only so be aware. read more

What a jewel on the east side of Gainesville! I can't believe it's been open for five years and we just discovered it. Hubby and I went for Sunday brunch, and it was fantastic. I wanted something savory, so I ordered the ham and cheese omelette with a side of bacon. (Yes, ham AND bacon. I know.) Hubby got the Satchmo, poached eggs on sausage, and the smoked gouda grits. Our food arrived hot and cooked perfectly. (I asked for my omelette to be well done, not runny, and it arrived just the way I like it. Hubby is a stickler for hot eggs, and they were.) The service was great. The ambiance was lovely. There's a seating area (couches and chairs) by the front door with reading materials and a kids' nook as well with dolls, books, and toys. (What a great idea!) They also have some lovely items--dishes, etc.-- for sale. I look forward to perusing more next time we go. And, of course, we ran into some of our friends. This was our first visit. We will definitely return! I highly recommend East End Eatery. read more

Wonderful kids play area with reasonably good food. Choices are limited, including coffee options, and the hours are even more so.

High quality food. Very calming atmosphere with a relaxing vibe. Service is usually really good. Good wild caught fish available and local ingredients. Oh yeah... Every board game you can imagine. read more

Love the meatloaf so good. People working there were really friendly. I love the location it's such an aesthetic

Tasty gluten-free panini. Fair prices and yummy sides. Nice staff. Would definitely eat here again to try more menu items. For gluten free ask for the gf menu. read more

I stopped by yesterday randomly to try something new with my friends and we were immediately seated despite the parking lot being full. We immediately fell in love with how dainty and bright the interior was. My friends and I could not stop commenting on how cute the place was, and we were even more delighted to find out that there was a whole wall of board games available (my friends and I love going to places like this). In regards to the food, I ordered the breakfast burrito with the combo inside. The burrito itself was really tasty and filling. I also ordered the Gouda grits on the side because I personally love cheese and grits and that's apparently what this place was known for. Unfortunately, I found the grits to be rather bland, the cheese on top was very limited, and I had to put salt to make it better. The prices here aren't too bad, I just wasn't very impressed with the side dishes. All in all, I would recommend this to students looking for a cute place to study or hang out, or to families looking for a place to grab breakfast. read more

I really enjoy the East End Eatery, from the bright and charming interior to the well-cooked food served. The menu may look small but the options have something for everyone, and while meatless choices aren't large in number they are thoughtfully composed and nicely prepared - whether vegan or vegetarian you'll definitely get something more filling than a plain salad here. Service can be a little slow sometimes if it gets busy but you can tell they're doing their best for everyone; my main nitpick food-wise is that the iced tea could be a little stronger, but I feel that way about a lot of places! The gouda grits are wonderful, with the smoky creaminess of the cheese pairing nicely with the coarsely textured grits. I recently had the tempeh scramble and really liked it; the tempeh chunks were cooked perfectly and very flavourful. Parking is tight and when it gets busy it's worse but persevere, because the eats are worth the effort. Cash only, too - I know people like to complain about that, but is it really such a hardship to carry actual money these days? No credit card fees = lower cost of doing business = lower costs for the customers. Their prices are super-reasonable already, so if cash-only helps them be profitable then I'm all for it. The people at the EEE have done a lot to create a community-oriented business in a neighbourhood a lot of people tend to overlook, so show your support and treat yourself to uncomplicated food done right! read more

Really liked our first meal here - I had breakfast blue plate special, he had tofu huevos rancheros, which he said were amazing. He was still talking about them hours later. Very nice space, good service, good coffee, good food, happy sweetie - that's 5 stars! GO. EAT. read more

East End Eatery - American Near Me - Gainesville, Florida

- Took a long time to be seated and a party of the same size was seated before us - Cash only with no warning from the server or posted prominently; no ATM in the restaurant (next door) - Our food was cold when it came out and my order was incorrect - I was charged $3 for a "large milk" that they only filled halfway and never offered to refill - Server never came to check on us - Parking is tough to find read more

This isn't the breakfast place we knew but a really great source of take Monday to Friday. We've done take out 3 times now, it is one of the best and easiest plus it is LOCAL. Check their Facebook site and you will find their menus then order and you won't be disappointed. read more

Pretty good breakfast. Friendly service. Tasty food. Kinda mixed interior with old stuff but nice modern looking tables. Parking next door may be required. Many variations of eggs Benedict. The thick bacon wasn't that thick, it was juicy. CASH AND CHECK ONLY read more

Great place ! Good food and decent prices. Lately Gainesville has turned into a bunch of crappy restaurants with south Florida prices. There are just a few spots in town like this that are good eats for locals and college students read more

Good local fare. Fresh and delicious. Attentive staff. Cash only so be prepared. My mom Loved the fried green tomato BLT. I had the fish and chips. Really good fresh fish and fun house made waffle chips. read more

I don't understand why East end is closed on the weekend... I feel opening on the weekends would be very beneficial for the business and the customers. There is a high demand for good breakfast spots on Saturday and Sunday. read more

The tempeh scramble was a spiritual experience. Unbelievably good. Easily the best cooked tempeh I've had in my life.