I'm sad to say this place has gotten a tad overcrowded and understaffed which means service is very, very slow. Twice now, our orders came out about 1 hour to an hour and 15 mins after ordering (for a party of 3). A party of 7 received their food before us even though they came in 15 mins after us. On one trip, our table had no silverware or napkins and asking for any extra sides proved to be a hassle since it was never brought out to us. The server seemed stressed, overworked and rude- as if she was upset that we came in to eat at all. The only time she was pleasant was when we were handed the check to leave (we still tipped). Our food came out so late, that it was barely warm. The once-amazing-bloody Mary is mediocre and I don't even think they include alcohol in it anymore. I'm so sad to write this review. I used to love coming here... but after the pandemic, it seems to have suffered in service tremendously. I'm hoping it gets back to how it was in its glory days. read more

French toast was delicious. Pancakes dry. Veggie omelette tasty. Biscuits and gravy, nothing in gravy.

My grandma ordered the chicken noodle soup & it looks like someone just threw up the soup, i ordered french dip & just was very plain jane. I personally do not recommend coming here but appears people still like it here read more

Can somebody please celebrate Stacy?!?! 4th of July, my daughter slept in 90 mins past her breakfast. Boyyyyyyy. That was a mistake. Cue walking into the restaurant and being seated. She starts wailing wanting waffles. (Horrible mom on my part, I know) Stacy super womans in a bowl of fruit and immediately my embarrassment turns into relief. And with a wink, I know she sees me as a human and makes me feel at ease. Thank you Stacy. It was my first time coming, but I will be back because of you. read more

Great service. Standard diner fare. Seems like the staff really know their regulars and take their time catching up without making new customers, like me, feel neglected. Standard diner ambiance. Breakfast burrito was bigger than my face so I couldn't finish it all, even though it was pretty good. Great portions and prices. read more

Disappointed again Plus they don't secure the food in any way, all the bags and boxes open. read more

Friends Cafe - This don't look normal They don't even secure the food for delivery - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Tustin, California

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Been back a few times and tried different t items each time and they never disappoint. Their chilaquiles are sooo good but my favorite is their waffle. Crispy outside and yummy!! read more

Best breakfast in Tustin. I recommend almost everything on the menu. Excellent service from Kaitlyn and staff on top of it all. I had the chicken fried steak and eggs along with a michelada after a long Friday night. read more

Friends café is the typical local American diner where the area high school kids work on the weekends- Great atmosphere... Great service... The food was Good but not fantastic... Personally I hate when you order french fries and you get those seasoned fries, and that's what I got so it kind of turned me off - Omelette was huge and fluffy which made up for it. Wife's eggs Florentine were a little over cooked but the sauce was nice. They have a great and gigantic menu so I'm definitely gonna go back and try one of their specialties they have a number of them indicated on the menu but I just went for something I was craving... It's a really big room but they don't cram the tables together , So it feels nice and open which is a concern in this post Covid age, and I appreciated it. The parking lot is hell... If you can walk there from where you are it's a better option. read more

They've always been good for breakfast and lunch but they recently opened for dinner. Good food, good value. I suggest you check them out. Not too many places opened until 10pm. And they have pizza oven so perfect for adults or kids sports team after league games. read more

WORST EXPERIENCE EVER!!Came from Costa Mesa for a birthday breakfast. Was seated right away, cute inside. Waitress got our drinks, coffee n o.j No silverware spoon for coffee. Finally i asked. She came to take order..ok. normal pancake n egg, husband ordered a skillet plate. We waited 27 minutes cuz i checked us in on f.b. Still no food. People next to us came in AFTER we did and got served and left and we STILL HAD NO FOOD.!! I asked the waitress, did you forget the order?? She said, it be just a minute more..and proceeded to take other orders to tables. Then brought us fruit in a cup. Oh heck no..i told her to forget it and we walked out!! They weren't that busy, open tables, no one waiting for seats. She never came to say, so sorry for delay..nothing. if they had good food, I'll never know cuz I'm never going back!! Ended up at Dennys down the street, free bday breakfast and eating before I even finish with this review. Friends Cafe...I am not a FRIEND TO YOU. ZERO STAR read more

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We tried Friends Cafe this evening for the first time. Our server, Mary was friendly, kind and provided excellent service and menu recommendations. The chicken penne alla vodka was delicious. The Greek salad was full of fresh crisp ingredients. We will be back to try their breakfast soon. read more

Friends Cafe - Chicken Penne Alla Vodka - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Tustin, California

This is one of go-to spots. Very friendly service, the food is really good and consistent, the pancakes are easily the best in OC, and the wait is never too long with plenty of seating. Prices are just right and the portions are perfect. The only thing I would improve is maybe the coffee quality but that's if I had to pick at something. I hope it stays around a long time cause it's our family spot for weekends. read more

Arrived about 645pm last Thursday. "Gentelman" was on the phone at the front desk. No greeting, not even a nod. I seated myself and sat . . .and sat. He remained on the phone for at least 5 min longer. No menu, no water, still not even eye contact. Another "gentelman" came in. They proceed to converse walking in/out of the kitchen & bar area. I sat a few minutes more before gathering my things and heading to the door. The second man said, "how are you doing?" as I walked out the door, never to return. The ratings on this place are perplexing. Would give zero stars if possible. read more

We love Friends Cafe! Very warm, homey cafe/diner. The staff is always very friendly and welcoming. The food is great each time. We've been numerous times for both breakfast and dinner and everything we've tried had been delicious. We absolutely love their pancakes! On top of it all the prices are very reasonable! We will continue to be loyal customers. read more

Service was TERRIBLE! Server was RUDE and not helpful. Place needs a good cleaning. Bacon was terrible tasting. Until there is a change stay away. Where is the manager???? read more

Have always loved the breakfast there, and they have some of the best pancakes in Orange County. I ordered a combo pizza from them the other day, and it was outstanding, great crust, sauce, grape cheese, and toppings. It was crispy and delicious! read more

Delicious!! Highly recommend the penne aka vodka pizza and their other pastas as well.

Found this place on Yelp. Came in for a Sunday brunch with the girls... fitting for the name of this cafe. Almost hidden at a corner of this plaza, didn't quite expect it to be this roomy inside. It was already getting busy when we got there around 9AM. Your typical breakfast joint. Got their steak and eggs. Steak was good and the portion size was decent. Their country fried steak was also okay. A little too much breading for my liking but the flavors were good. Toasts were buttered perfectly. Coffee is way too watered down. It's almost water with a hint of coffee. LOL. We asked to have it replaced multiple times but I guess they said that's just how they make it. Good service. Clean establishment. Family friendly. read more

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This place is very delicious and the portions are more than shareable. Their fry's are deliciously crispy. Came to eat here with my 2 kids and they really enjoyed their Alfredo pasto , I got a deliciously large Buffalo chicken wrap Can't wait to come back! read more

Super friendly service! Our server was really nice and attentive. Food is just okay though. I got a scramble and eggs were dry and flavorless. The pancakes are very good though. My daughter got chocolate chip and I ordered the aloha. Aloha has pineapple and cinnamon which was a surprise since usually it's banana?? But tasty nonetheless. read more

Friends Cafe - Mimosa Flight. Orange, pineapple, and cranberry - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Tustin, California

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Came in here on a Friday morning and was craving Country Fried Steak,I immediately was greeted by a warm hello by the hostess Tracy. I sat down and wanted to look over the menu even though I was pretty certain about what I was ordering. I sat down and looked over the menu and made my selection. There were two amazing servers that also helped out at the bar. Their service,food & atmosphere were amazing. Thank you Tracy,Laura & Lizzie for a wonderful dining experience. I will definitely be back. read more

the most amazing blue berry hot cake I have every taste. And i grew up in Blue berry county. The price are supper reasonable!

I will start with, the food we order is always tasty. However, their pricing, delivery, & transparency (especially thru the SLICE app) has diminished greatly over the past few years. We started ordering from Friends during the pandemic when we made a conscious effort to keep our favorite local businesses in business thru the uncertainty of the time. Prior to the pandemic, we had been to Friends many, many times. We celebrated different holidays & it was a go-to when family from out of the area wanted to get together in a stopover to Tustin. We've always enjoyed the food & the variety of offerings on the menu. However, recently we've shifted to a more delivery based experience. In the last 3 times we've ordered, we've been quite disappointed. First was the time that we ordered 4 meals & only received 3. When I called to report the fact, I was met with a non-apologetic, almost aggressive person on the other end. We received the 4th meal, but long after the other 3 of us had eaten with a lackluster apology from the driver. The next experience was when we ordered & 2 and of us opted to substitute zucchini for fries. All arrived accurately, but we were surprised that our substitution of a full of order of fries equated to 3 zucchinis. Tonight, approximately the same with the same substitution. This time I got phone call saying that my substitution of fries to zucchini would result in a $2.99 up charge. When I responded that "That is new" the man said no this has always been the case. I chose not to argue & agreed to the additional charge, assuming it would be added to my card. However, when it was delivered, I was asked the pay $6 in cash for the upcharge. I know for a fact, that I have never been asked to do that. All this being said, I still would've been okay. However, when we opened our meals, we each received 4 zucchini. I don't mind paying extra when the portion I'm paying extra for is comparable to the portion of the "normal" side. I didn't like being told this had always been the case, when I 100% knew that it was not. So, my take home, is that I may not stop ordering from Friends, but I will not pay for future substitutions, where we pay more for less. If I want zucchini, I will absolutely go elsewhere. read more

We were down in Tustin for an appointment, and decided to try Friends Cafe. It is in a little shopping center, with both indoor and outdoor seating. We put our name in and were seated within about 10 minutes. We were put in a little cubby to the left inside the door. Unfortunately, our server, a nice young man, wasn't aware. Still, he came to the table within about 5-7 minutes. My wife ordered eggs, bacon, and toast, and I had the breakfast burrito. Both were tasty enough. So was the coffee. The server did a good job and with a very pleasant attitude. We would come back, if we were in the area again. read more

Just an average coffee shop. French toast was ordinary and small. Two slices cut in half. Egg dish was ordinary. Decor was plain. Servers were nice. read more

Great service and excellent food. I would recommend this place to people of all ages. read more

I am a foodie. I prefer the independent restaurants over the chains. My first experience with Friends Cafe was opening weekend post pandemic. The service and food were great. My friends and I came here for breakfast after our Santiago Canyon home. We liked the service enough to return two weeks later. Definitely recommend this restaurant. read more

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This place is great ! The food is amazing and the service is 10/10! We love coming here on weekends to enjoy some yummy food! !

I've had Friends Cafe twice now but this was my first time dining in. Because of covid, we dined outside on one of their six or so tables available. They had adequate outdoor space and the tables were far enough apart we felt comfortable eating there. All of the employees wore masks as well. Part of their outdoor dining occupied the handicap spot right in front of their building, not good for anyone needing the spot who wants to dine there, but they removed that section of their outdoor dining a few hours before they closed and freed up the spot. The food was good, nothing spectacular but it was still good. I had the ham and cheddar skillet while the BF had eggs, sausage, hash browns and a banana pancake. My skillet was a little bland and needed salt, pepper and ketchup to help it out. We will definitely come back again and I'll try something a little less basic next time. Overall the service was good and the entire dining process was efficient. read more

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This was a nice little find for some quality home-style breakfast. In an age where people make their dining choices based more on the Instagram worthiness of the food rather than taste, it's refreshing to see a small business that still puts value in the basics. This place serves up generous plates of all your breakfast favorites in a clean and appetizing way, without any of the unnecessary frills. You won't find any fancy benedicts stacked with pork belly here and the spartan interior just doesn't compliment a good duck faced selfie. But what they do offer is a solid country fried steak and eggs, served with a friendly smile. read more

Friends Cafe - Country fried steak and eggs. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Tustin, California

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Sorry, but I do not recommend it. Went for breakfast. There is nothing special about the food. Burnt edges on the toast. We had to ask our waitress for everything. The place is old and run down looking. Our bench seat was old and shabby. read more

I thought the food was really good. I came in on the 4th of July after noticing the place a few times whenever I go next door to get my nails done. Every time, there has always been a crowd waiting outside to get in, so I thought it would be worth checking out. I think this location was formally a Lampost Pizza and it's quite a large space. While there was no line to get a table, it had a pretty good crowd going and the poor place was understaffed. The waitresses and the person bussing tables were running around like chickens with their heads cut off but that's the service industry these days and we never felt unattended to. I ordered one of their breakfast platters that came with two eggs, a choice of meat and blueberry pancakes and it was all melt in your mouth delicious. The coffee was also very good and I was pleasantly surprised to see they have a full liquor license and can make cape cods and other cocktails. They have a breakfast bar you can sit at and watch sports and plenty of booths where you can wind down and talk. The decor is simple, but I think it would be nice if they had more photos of Tustin rather than beach photos of Newport or The Hollywood sign. read more

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Excellent place to eat . So clean ! So fast in serving and cook to order. Food is so delicious, fresh and light . Above all the friendly ambiance,the chef and Mina are very kind and very attentive . Highly recommend this cute and clean cafe'. read more

Friends Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Tustin, California

Not a fan. First and last time I go into this place. They should change their name to the opposition instead of "friends". They refused to accommodate anything while keeping immaculate eye contact. They even noticed I was with my better half and even then they chose their way over the customer. read more

Had a daddy and son date here. Son says he likes it better than the other places. We are everything. Big portions. Good quality. - pancakes were ginormous and fluffy - country fried steak was crispy and Gravy wasn't too thick - hash browns were perfect. Yup come back. read more

My daughter and I went in the early evening to have dinner. We tried the pizza which is to die for! It was SO tasty, and my daughter asked when we could come back before we were even half done. She thought it was the best pizza she has ever had! The owner came to our table to find out if everything was ok and if we needed anything. The wait staff is very friendly and attentive. We will definitely go back. Nancy & Ashley O. read more

Wonderful place for family! Thanks for all staff for being amazing and such wonderful hospitality

I visited Friend's Cafe to meet a friend for breakfast. I was seated immediately and offered a menue. the selections were excellent and I was given an opportunity to substitue few things. The breakfast arrive promptly and served nicely, Everything tasted very good. The Friendly Cafe will be my spot to meet friends and family. The Friends Cafe is located in the sopping center which my required you to search for it, but there is ample of parking. Check it out, you will not be dsappointed. read more

We have tried this restaurant twice and more recently, on Sunday morning. First, it took awhile to seat us, in an empty restaurant, as the hostess asked each server who got the last customer. The customer shouldn't have to wait and the hostess should know who she seated last (especially when the restaurant was empty). Our server was mediocre. We are not huge breakfast people so we ordered the French Dip and PCH (chicken sandwich). The French was awful- 3 slices of cold cut meat on old bread. Owner, have the cook make this and you try it and honestly respond if its edible or should even be served. You charged $10 for garbage food. The seasoned fries were the only decent, edible item on that plate. They need to remove this item off the menu or actually make it right. The au ju was over salted and probably made from beef broth in a can. The PCH sandwich was on cold, untoasted sour dough bread and came with 4 onion rings. I brought half the sandwich and left it at Chevron in case a homeless person needed it. $25 total for disgusting food and mediocre service. We will not be returning and will not recommend. This is not a covid "staffing" issue as there was plenty of staff in the restaurant (1 hostess, 4-5 female servers, 2 men cleaning up tables and 4-5 people in the kitchen is what I saw). This is a quality and serving decent food issue. read more

Friends Cafe - PCH sandwich - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Tustin, California

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