This is a neat little experience. You can watch the airplanes land and take off. The food is surprisingly hearty and tasty. I enjoyed my plate of corn beef hash and eggs. They have breakfast fare, burgers, and sandwiches. There is some alcohol here as well. I drank a mimosa on a lazy Sunday brunch with my meal. read more

Gillespie Field Cafe - Corn Beef Hash and 2 Eggs - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - El Cajon, California

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Cafeteria food at best. Went with my Bestie for lunch and it was meh. Had the senior half sandwich and soup. Nothing to write home about and the soup was loaded potato with just a gob of pepper and bacon thrown in. Included a package of saltines. Maybe it would be better atmosphere on a sunny day? But I'll never know, not planning on returning. The vibe wasn't especially friendly. I was excited to try it out because I love the Cafe at Palomar Airport in Carlsbad. This definitely was not that. read more

A lovely situated Cafe on an air strip in El cajon/Santee. My kids love seeing the airplanes take off as we eat our breakfast. The service is usually prompt but sometimes they can be a little behind even when it's not so busy. My main issue was with there food, it is subpar. I ordered the chicken fried steak and eggs and was really disappointed. Everything was bland and the gravy was a bit runny. I ordered cheese on my potatoes and they had just sprinkled cheese ontop of the potatoes without melting it so it had a weird texture. I've worked in restaurant kitchens so I know when people cut corners and this was definitely what happened. I might give this place another go around because of my kids liking the place. But I'll be weary about ordering that same plate again read more

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I have lived in Lakeside all my life, how have I missed this wonderful cafe? Great food, fast service and a fun location. The prices were on par with other local restaurants. Seeing all of the planes up close, there doesn't seem to be any other place near Gillespie field that you can watch planes any longer. The patio is a great place to sit. The only thing I would recommend is to sit inside if you are sensitive to fuel smells. I assume if you get there early in the morning you don't have any of that. I will definitely be back! read more

Nestled in a corner next to Gillespie Airfield you'll find this small but delicious Cafe. I had no idea this Cafe existed until my friend brought me here for an early morning breakfast. Walking into the Cafe, I was immediately greeted by the kind staff who were tending to their customers. We opted to sit outside where you'll find plenty of patio seating. After sitting down, our server was quick to come outside and welcome us again and ask us what we'd like to drink. After providing us their menus, I found that there were plenty of breakfast items to choose from, such as pancakes, omelets, traditional breakfasts and more. I ordered the California omelet with a side of hash browns and toast. While waiting for the food to come out, I really enjoyed the fact that this Cafe was adjacent to the airfield. You can see the pilots walking out to their airplanes to get them ready. You'll also be able to watch planes land and take off. For anyone who loves aviation this will be a big plus. Now the food was really good. The omelet was filling and absolutely delicious! The toast was toasted just right and the hash browns were crispy and delicious as well. I will certainly be coming back here in the near future try out their other breakfast items. If you're in the are and looking for a a cup of coffee and delicious breakfast then please come check out Gillespie Cafe. read more

Great food + quick & friendly service. My family loved watching the planes take off! Ordered the corned beef hash with country potatoes & toast, delicious! read more

Always enjoyable pla enjoyable to eat. Bring your dog and eat on the patio. If you like airplanes it's the place to go. Food is good too!! read more

Gillespie Field Cafe - Patio area - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - El Cajon, California

Tasty food, great ambiance. Watching planes leaving or arriving while having lunch was an awesome experience!

On the upside, cool spot for aviation buffs especially to have lunch next to the airport with great views of the planes and the runway. The Chinese chicken salad was excellent and tasty. Unfortunately I made the mistake of ordering something off of the "senior menu". What I got was literally a fragment of a sandwich with virtually nothing in it. It came with a cup of soup which was decent tasting though not especially hot. Unless you want basically 1/4 of the food , if that, for 2/3 the price of a full entrée do not order off the senior menu. I should've returned it as I saw lots of other food going by that looked good And this was embarrassing to serve in any restaurant. The whole idea of a senior menu is to give a slightly smaller menu item for a good price but this was a terrible representation of that. You're not doing your customers any favors by having that as an option and frankly should remove it from your menu. read more

Moved here about one year ago. Tried Gillespie Cafe on a whim, had a hard time finding it!!!It became my Go To restaurant for me and my visitors. I've had breakfast and lunch and the service is exemplary and the food is cooked to order. Love that it's so close to the idle planes for the most part. Don't go for supper as they only do breakfast and lunch. Very clean restaurant with excellent serving staff! read more

The food was good. Awesome views. The service is a bit slow but it's ok. I really enjoyed the experience

Food is great and staff is friendly. Love sitting and watching the planes take off and land while enjoying my meal.

Been wanting to try this place after reading a few Yelp reviews and then the opportunity suddenly presented itself when the wife said I needed to help by dropping the grandkids off at school in El Cajon.....as if it were meant to happen, I arrived. I was struck immediately by the municipal diner feel, small, quant, curio cabinets, and a view of the aircraft. Plenty of open air seating outside welcomed a throng of customers while indoor tables hosted a few in a cool, comfortable setting. Lisa and another girl managed the customer experience with great efficiency while cleaning and disinfecting after each patron. I ordered the biscuits and gravy special Gillespie style - an open moist biscuit topped with scrambled eggs, smothered in creamy savory white gravy with bits of sausage. I opted for the hash browns as a side served crispy golden brown and tender underneath. My order came out within minutes of ordering. So, as a first timer I am fulfilled with an experience that met all expectations, in fact, was exactly as I had imagined. Highly recommend if you are looking for that comfort food experience with a touch of diner ambiance. Looking forward to exploring the menu! read more

Gillespie Field Cafe - Menu - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - El Cajon, California

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Since I moved to El Cajon this has be my go to spot for breakfast esp if I have friends visiting from out of town! Like always the service was phenomenal! Jess is the best! Nice, courteous and always checking in w our table to see if we needed anything. Tried the new breakfast special...the Bomber omelette. A omelette with a chicken fried steak inside and covered in gravy & chopped CFS, side of cheesy grits and buttered wheat toast! It was freaking delicious! Keep up the great job Gillespie Crew! read more

Gillespie Field Cafe - Bomber omelette - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - El Cajon, California

Service is good. Location is good for interesting backdrop. Here is why I keep coming back: I am a HUGE fan of their Eggs Benedict. The hollandaise is lovely and the eggs have always been perfectly cooked, allowing that liquid hold to pour when first cut. Today I finally tried the Sausage & Biscuits. OH. SO. GOOD. That biscuit! Tender. Delicious. Dang, I should have asked for an extra one to go... read more

We always get amazing, friendly service and the food is amazing! I highly recommend this cafe! read more

Gillespie Field Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - El Cajon, California

This is my toddlers' favorite place in all of San Diego. If they had a choice, it would be Gillespie Field Cafe, Legoland, or the zoo every day of the week. Roxanne and Peter are the absolute loveliest people, and I wonder what the world would be like if everyone were more like them. We love seeing the little planes take off and land every minute, and it feels so friendly and safe on the patio. I LOVE the Philly cheese steak, especially if you ask for the hoagie well done!! It's the only thing I have ever ordered since the very first time, so I can't speak to anything else. For one piece of critical feedback, service can be a little hit or miss -- for example, in recent memory, the service was AMAZING on March 10 with a wonderful woman who really loved kids, then the service was pretty bad on March 18 with two different women who seemed irritated at everything and didn't take our order until 26 minutes after we sat down. Then today, on April 20, the service was stellar again with a really sweet server and Peter the manager who were both incredible. Things happen, and serving is hard work, so I understand there are ups and downs. We will never stop coming here! It's an absolute hidden gem. read more

This place is a great spot to bring kids for breakfast. The service was nice, we didn't have to wait to be seated, and the food was delicious with generous portions. Also, prices are reasonable and they have a few vegetarian choices. read more

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Good food, ambience and the service was great. I ordered scrambled eggs, bacon and hash-browns cooked as requested the planes were an added treat. Sever was very attentive. Will be back again. read more

Second time here and enjoyed it yet again. Off top the view of the airfield makes the ambiance different from your average restaurant. This spot is tucked away between airplane hangers and warehouses, so it feels private. The food was good; the omelette was filled with a good amount of spinach/tomatoes/cheese, the blueberry pancake is a must and my girl's patty melt was delicious according to her (she devoured it before I could taste it haha). And my son's plate was a basic bacon, egg, and pancake breakfast but they shaped the pancakes like Mickey Mouse so that made it cool. Our server was nice, attentive, and knew what she was doing. Recommend this spot for indoor or outdoor seating (outdoor is dog friendly so that's a major plus). read more

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We had a breakfast this morning , the pleat was delicious full of taste and nothing missing , I love the team how they work truly amazing you feel you didn't left your home , best customer service, happy face when I asked who's the cook the manager said it's Petro , thumbs up for you , and the waiter Bryce she's the best, smile face, nice voice, very patient. She understands what I want to order and she let The cook to make it exactly how I want it. We really enjoyed our breakfast and we recommend to you to try it, thanks for your service team read more

Gillespie Field Cafe - Vegetarian Omelette & two eggs with bacon and sausage - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - El Cajon, California

Sat on the patio facing the planes. Enjoyed the senior breakfast options. Every discount helps these days! Half order of biscuits and gravy with scrambled eggs and hashbrowns was plenty for $11.95. We had asked for crispy hashbrowns and they came out perfectly cooked. (We can't stand undercooked or burnt hashbrowns.) Wait staff was friendly. Food was tasty. Beer menu could use the addition of Modelo or similar. Also, we did not see the breakfast special on the chalkboard until we were leaving. Maybe let the guests know what the special is. read more

Had a Burger & Fries and watched the planes fly away to some distant place. My food was delicious surprisingly only one other couple was there so it's a good place to stop by. read more

Great place. I don't know what it is about commuter airport cafes but they are always great and this one didn't disappoint! Great food - loved the biscuits and gravy and the breakfast potatoes. Friendly people and service staff. Met the nicest couple that been coming there for 45 years. read more

Wonderful experience. Very unique and quaint space. Staff (and customers) are all super friendly. Food was much better than expected and large portions. Highly recommend! read more

We wanted to try something new . This restaurant is near the Gillespie air field. Sort of a hidden gem. I have eaten this dish before at other restaurants, thinking it's going to taste the same. Boy was I wrong. If my taste buds weren't awake for this, now they are! The seasoning was just right and the chicken fried steak was moist and the country potatoes were fully cook and full of flavor. This place has become my new favorite restaurant. read more

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Great food, excellent service. Love this cafe at Gillespie Field! It's nice to watch planes taxi by!

Absolutely loved the food here. I came in with a friend who is a regular here after his stellar recommendation. I had the tuna salad sandwich with potato salad. Super fresh tasting and the potato salad is made fresh on premises. Couldn't have been happier with the food and our server Bryce was absolutely wonderful! Can't wait to come back! read more

We had a great lunch on the patio. They have a friendly and hard working staff. The pancakes were fluffy and the link sausage were very good. Their homemade clam chowder quite tasty. read more

Great service. Big portions. Food was delicious Allow dogs on their patio. Watching the airplanes land and take off is great entertainment. read more

I used to come here often decades ago when we would fly out of Gillespie field or visit the pilot supply shop. It was a great memory that I wanted to relieve. The location is great for watching planes take off and land especially now that the former watching spot on the other side of the field is closed down. I was happy to see they offer veggie Pattie's so I was able to eat more than just a salad. The food is a solid 3 nothing to go out of your way for, but the attraction is definitely the location. The waitress wasn't overly friendly, she looked downright unhappy but the service was ok. The other waiters looked much more lively and attentive than ours. I would come back merely for the nostalgia and the location and the food is edible. read more

October 2020 we came for lunch at the Gillespie Field Café. Roxanne the owner came out and talk to us. It feels like the first day of fall. This is such a great place to eat. I got the three blueberry pancakes two eggs and bacon. They also have a great iced tea.The food is great and all. But the very best part is sitting outdoors and watching the planes land and takeoff there's such a fantastic view of the mountains in the hills and then seeing the planes coming in and landing on the runway is really great it's hard to have this experience anywhere else in San Diego. read more

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Great view of the airfield and planes. Food is good, coffee excellent! Great service!

This was a great Sunday morning spot. Unfortunately it was raining so the planes weren't taking off. They have a nice outdoor dining area with heat lamps. The indoor dining is small but very clean and neat. The staff were all friendly and welcoming. The food portions were perfect, and service was quick. The waitress continuously filled my coffee so it never got cold, I really appreciated that. I would like to come back and bring my grandson for lunch on a clear day when the planes are taking off and landing. The cafe is right next to the runway. It's a hidden gem, I didn't think my GPS directions were correct because it was hidden from the street. read more

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The food here is great and the views (up close and personal on the active runway at Gillespie field) are unmatched. My midwestern born and raised aging dad specifically requests their chicken friend steak on special occasions (nobody else's). Service could be improved. Everyone's so busy and rushed they can't bother to crack a smile. Not exactly the vibe that keeps people coming back. read more

Came here while on camping trip. Great flavorful food, great view and staff super nice! Great place to eat.

Great food, nice atmosphere because of the planes taking off and landing. Great little cafe spot.

Great calm place to grab a quick breakfast, unless you go on a weekend, but still it's a cosy Top Gunish type spot. read more

Gillespie Field Cafe - Food & Views - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - El Cajon, California

I've been coming here once or twice a week for the last year or so and it's always been excellent. Good food, great service, awesome location. read more

The service here is always spot on and the food is great. My kid enjoys seeing all of the airplanes come in and take off as we eat.