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Galley Cafe

4.1 (496 reviews)
Closed 7:00 am - 2:00 pm

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Business Info

GALLEY CAFE ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Casual
Dogs allowed
Good for kids

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Recommended Reviews - Galley Cafe

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the menu
Zan L.

Open since 1957 I would say that Galley Café is one of my favorite breakfast options in Orange County. Perhaps my favorite of the diners. It's located right next to the water, near the boat docks, so it has some really great views. Inside is quite small and there is usually a line to wait to be seated but the tables turn quickly because service is very fast and efficient here. We had to wait about 15 minutes on a Saturday morning @ 10:30 for a party of two. There is a lot of free parking along the water so parking is very plentiful and close to the restaurant. Both of our servers were extremely polite during our visit and everything that we ordered came out very fast. I really love how cozy it is inside, all the seating options are either booth or counter seating. The menu itself isn't very large, but has a lot of great classic diner dishes on it. For my first visit, I went with the Chili Cheese Omelette and added avocado and chorizo and I thought it was absolutely fantastic. I would highly recommend the combination to anyone and already want to come back again soon to get it again. Pricing is also fair and overall it was a wonderful experience so I would highly recommend to anyone in the area or passing through.

Double bacon cheeseburger - decent
Simon K.

The bacon cheese burger is decent. I got a double, but that it totally unnecessary as the patty is thick to begin with. Next time I would ask for it to be cooked Medium as it was a bit dried out. They didn't ask how I'd like it cooked. It does not come with fries. I choose the coleslaw but it needed more mayo and seasoning. Next time I'd try the potato salad. Regardless you need to order fries separately. They're nicely hand cut thin. They give you a huge pile enough for at least 2 people to share.

Just a coffee!
Brian W.

Love it! Adrian is always spot on and the place delivers just what I want! My kind of place! Get here early if you want a table!

View from our booth inside Galley Cafe.
Cynthia C.

Cute, cozy neighborhood, family owned breakfast and brunch spot in the Balboa Harbor area since 1957. Came in on a Friday morning about 9 and seated immediately at one of the 3 booths along the window. From here we could see across to the docked boats. Lots of locals streaming in and out with cheerful greetings and salutations of "Happy New Year!" from the friendly staff. Hubs ordered the 2 eggs hamburger patty breakfast with hash browns and toast. I chose the Combo with 1 egg, 1 pancake and 1 protein (ham steak). Everything came hot and steamy. The pancake is a true griddle cake made from scratch. It was light and fluffy, but not as much flavor as I prefer and I could definitely taste the griddle. I heard a repeat customer tell his family to "definitely get the pancakes, they're amazing!", but I think pancakes are a very subjective food. I'm sure these would satisfy many people, but I delight in a dense, thick, sweet pancake, so I would pass on these next time. The slice of ham was good and the egg was also. Hubs enjoyed his hamburger patty and eggs and his coffee was steaming hot. They are also known for their scratch chili and I heard a few people ordering that for breakfast. It must be good! lol I counted about 6 small booths and 1 large corner booth that sat a family of 6 snuggly. There was also a long counter that seated 10 and I noticed a couple of times people "scooched" over to make room for others which was very kind. Immediate parking in front of Galley is 4 spots, but I'm sure there are more spots in the area. Bathrooms are located around the back of the kitchen by going outside. If we are in the area again and wanting a simple breakfast served by cheerful staff, we will think of Galley Cafe fondly. Cheers! "CC"

Erin T.

Always feel welcome here, food is always consistent and what a lovely neighborhood diner... shhh, let's not tell everyone!

Meat Lovers Omelet
Scott B.

Breakfast by the Bay. The meat lovers omelette with loaded jalapeños was a plateful. Quick service by a very friendly and efficient staff. You will never have to ask for a coffee refill. Awesome diner feel & experience. The staff knew what all the locals were having before they even sat down. My new favorite breakfast spot in Newport Beach.

Meat Lovers Omelet w/ homemade applesauce ($15.99 | inc toast not pictured) winnahzzzzz
Joe P.

Galley Cafe is another bfast & lunch institution in Newport Beach. It has been in biz since 1957, and serves hearty bfasts and good chili. In addition, one of their specialties is homemade applesauce. I was pretty hungry after golf, so I ordered the meatlovers omelette. It has bacon, ham, sausage & cheese, and it is massive. I ordered applesauce as my side. The omelette was outstanding. It was massive, and packed with meat. In addition, the applesauce was nice & smooth vs the crap we get at the store. Regarding the ambiance, its small & quaint with some counter seats and a few tables. I came on a weekday around 1 pm, and it was busy. We were lucky to get a table for 3. This place must be packed in the morning and on weekends. The service was friendly & warm, just what you would expect from a family owned place that has been open nearly 50 years. If I lived in NB, I would definitely be a regular here. I will solely have to settle for the Galley being on our rotation after golf.

Sausage, egg, pancake, orange juice
Genesis M.

Came to breakfast here looking for a more relaxed place that was by the ocean and I'm so happy with my breakfast here. It's a small dinner that reminds me of Al's in Minnesota. I went with 2 sausages an over easy egg and a pancake with fresh squeezed orange juice. The pancake was very fluffy and delicious. My brother ordered a chili cheese omelette and WOW! Now I know next time to order that. The flavors worked so well in an omelette version and there was cheese that was melted and the chilly was just delicious. That was definitely a unique dish I would come back here for that. You are able to park on the street as there is no parking lot but we got lucky with a spot right next to it. You have the option of sitting at the bar or the booths. Really great place that has history and great food!

Eggs Benedict
Sherma F.

I stumbled upon this gem randomly during a work trip. Probably the cutest diner I have ever been to. It sits in the harbor with views of the water / boats. You can tell the patrons are regulars. Just a very magical + nostalgic feeling the minute you step foot inside. The service was wonderful and the Eggs Benedict was delish! Will definitely be back the next time I'm in town!

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2 years ago

Food and service was great, they make old school cokes and malts... definitely recommend checking this spot out

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2 years ago

You've gotta try the chocolate coke!! It's What the gallery cafe is known for. I get it every time it's amazing. Can't get it anywhere else!

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3 years ago

The best!! Service, food, atmosphere. Great spot for a laid back intimate breakfast!

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1 year ago

My go to breakfast and lunch spot. Love the food and service. I've been going to the galley for 17 years and really enjoy this café.

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Beachfront vibes, amazing food, and dog friendly what more could you ask for?…read more Dory Deli has so much going for you. The location right on the water is unbeatable, and the service is impressively fast you're never waiting long before you're enjoying your meal with a great view. The buffalo cauliflower is an absolute must-order. It's one of those dishes that keeps you coming back, and it never disappoints. The chicken and waffles are a total hit too fun, satisfying combo that hits every time. On my last visit I decided to step outside my usual order and tried the beef bowl and wow, I was pleasantly surprised. It completely exceeded my expectations and has officially earned a spot as a new regular order for me. Don't sleep on it! Oh, and if you're a dog parent bring your pup! Dory Deli is dog friendly, which makes it even more of a perfect spot for a casual, laid-back meal by the water.

This review is specifically because of their insane price increases. Today I went in and ordered a…read more16 oz side of poke. I ordered it two days ago and it was $16. Today, it was $25. I would have understood a couple bucks, but $9 is insane. The 8 oz poke went from $8 to $15. Service is great and I love the staff. Edgar especially has been a great addition to the bar team!!!

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Swagyu Burger

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This burger place is a gem that more folks need to know about. They have a small parking lot at the…read moreend of the block. There are several tables inside as well as a counter. When I visited on a weekday for an early lunch I was the only customer sitting inside but there was a near constant flow of people getting to-go orders. You order either at a kiosk or at the counter. There was only one guy working, doing everything, while I was there. He was amazing. I ordered a cheeseburger (minus onion), sidewinder fries, and a salted caramel milkshake. They make everything to order so it takes a few minutes (especially when there's only one worker) but it's worth the wait. He delivered it to my table when it was ready. My American waygu burger with melted cheese, pickles, lettuce, tomato, and secret sauce in a potato bun was one of the best burgers I've had. While all the toppings were fresh and delicious, I think the flavorful, perfectly cooked, high quality beef is what put it over the top. The thick sidewinder fries were really great too. They're thick like steak fries but curved like a snake. I was provided ketchup and "secret sauce" for dipping. And my salted caramel shake was incredible. I've had a multitude of caramel shakes elsewhere that just tasted like sweet vanilla, but this one had a vibrant caramel flavor and you could see gobs of caramel swirled within the shake. I loved the massive amount of whipped cream on top too. What a great meal! Thanks to Yelper Amy B. who brought this place to my attention. Give it a try the next time you find yourself in the Newport/Balboa area.

I was looking for a place to take my bro in law for his bday. He loves burgers and I saw this on…read moreYelp so I recommended it to him. This is a small spot located on a main street. They had a parking lot around the corner and it wasn't very hard to find a spot. The gal behind the counter was friendly and helpful in informing about their menu. We got 4 different burgers, fries, onion rings and sweet potato waffle fries. I'm a sucker for sides and these were very good! My bro in law's burger was epic! It had pork belly in the middle and it was yum! We all liked the flavor of the patties though I expected a bit more from wagyu beef patties. I wish I tried a milkshake but glad I didn't order it because I was so full and couldn't even finish my burger. I'd definitely come back and check out other menu items in the future. Hopefully by then their fountain drink dispenser will be back up and running.

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Great evening at The Shorebird! Huge place with plenty of indoor and patio seating with beautiful…read morebay views. SERVICE: Excellent service. Our server was super attentive and put up with our nonsense ;) She provided great suggestions for food and drinks! FOOD: As you can see, we ate a lot of different things. Our favs? Balboa roll, Salmon Mignon, and those crispy potatoes!! Great place for a group dinner or a nice date night!

We were so excited to finally try Shorebird and made the drive down from Tustin, only to be met…read morewith what can only be described as a subpar and confusing service from the hostess, which left us with a disappointing dining experience the rest of the night. We arrived a little after 7:30pm on Thursday 7/23, and were greeted by nobody. So we waited...and waited. And waited some more before walking to the bar and asking if we were supposed to seat ourselves. The friendly bartender that night told us that there, in fact, was a hostess, but she was probably seating another party. When she finally arrived some time later, she made no attempt to greet us, apologize for the delay, or even smile. Not even a simple "Hi." The first words out of her mouth were an annoyed "How many?" I told her 3, and then she proceeded to inform us that they were no longer seating walk-ins for the night. There was a slightly awkward silence as I did a quick glance at all the empty 4-seater booths around the restaurant. Why ask how many in our party if you are no longer seating walk-in customers? She then told us that we could try to find seats at the bar, which we proceeded to do, passing by 2 empty tables on the way. By this time, more than 10 minutes had passed since we stepped foot in the restaurant and stood there waiting by ourselves at the front. We proceeded to sit at the bar, and only after getting our menus, asking questions about dishes, and placing our orders with the bartender, were we informed that our 13 year-old son could not actually sit at the bar. We told him that the hostess directed us there, and he allowed us to have one of the open tables next to the bar. And so we moved to the table--the same empty table that I had glanced at after the hostess had told us there were no more seats available for the night, the same table that we had passed on the way to the bar. The rest of the dinner was uneventful, the food was decent, and our server and bartender ended up being extremely kind, attentive, and friendly. Here's the thing that everyone knows though: first impressions matter, and ignoring us and then shuffling us around like second-class citizens made us feel unwelcome and made us question if we were being treated differently because we looked different than the rest of the guests. It sucks to be excited for a restaurant, then have to think about questions like that during dinner. We still left a 20% tip on the $200+ dinner because the waitstaff was hard-working and great, and also took this as an opportunity to remind our young teenage son the importance of treating everyone with kindness and respect in every social interaction, and in all that we do. Disappointed is the only way I can describe our experience, and the food, unfortunately, could not make up for that. We will not be returning.

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Galley Cafe - breakfast_brunch - Updated July 2026

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