Cool spot for those El Cajon OG locals. I literally thought driving here from my business partners airplane hangar i was driving though El Paso Texas on my way to meet El Chapo. I had the bbq pulled pork and jalapeño scramble with hash browns sans the bread. The pulled pork was Smokey and delicious and the eggs needed about 2 more to be a solid portion but overall the flavors were there. The only issue is my business partner who was an active duty SEAL and i were joking about wearing a mask to our table and how we used to be a free country. And someone who obviously didn't want to live another day kept smirking and shaking his liberal high and mighty head like he was shaming us for our position. I had to remind my business partner that this guy probably wouldn't fit in your trunk anyways so we should just be nice and smile as being a good citizen is more important than flexing on someone sometimes. But I digress. Go to Izzys for breaky, the food was good. read more

My new favorite breakfast spot. The food was everything I want and expect from a diner. The service was fast, friendly, and knowledgeable. This cafe was comfy and the staff were working like Energizer bunnies. read more

Izzy's Cafe - Their ham steak was wonderful, eggs were properly cooked, hash browns were crispy, and the biscuit and gravy was just right. - Barbeque Near Me - El Cajon, California

The basic dinner what America was build on good food served hot and good quality. Amy was our server and did a great job tough to find the good old waitress that has a good interaction with costumers. read more

Came here for brunch with my elderly parents. There is plenty of parking and has parking for handicapped which worked out for us. Then it's only a few steps through the back door. They were very busy but they sat us immediately at a table for the 4 of us. We were greeted by the friendly staff and they brought us water and coffee right away. I ordered the baby back ribs and I'm so glad I did. The eggs and hash browns were cooked exactly how I like them and the ribs were incredible...the best I ever had!! They are smoked for about 14 hours and the meat is so tender and falls off the bone. I love the BBQ sauce they make..it has just the right amount of sweetness with a mild kick. My parents tried them and liked them so much they took Home a full rack!! I love that for $1 more you can get a couple pancakes when you order a breakfast entree. They were light and fluffy and delicious. Everyone in our group enjoyed there meal! The service is excellent and friendly! They filled our water and coffee without having to ask them. Our waitress even brought us a small sampling of the beef brisket to try...definitely want to come back and get some next time! The place is very clean and the decor is cool all decked out with Route 66 pictures and old license plates on the walls. I can't wait to go back!!! read more

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All of the above. Food like grandma made the service on the ball very clean. Old school restaurant 60's style

We had a fantastic breakfast here. The food tasted really good. Our waitress Julie was so attentive and sweet. We sat outside on the patio with our dog, which was spacious and the inside is really homey. Great all around! read more

First time coming to izzys Cafe workers were so nice and polite I ordered something that I never tried it was called country fried chicken and it was huge but ate it all also ordered one for my brother he also liked it guess we will go back for another one real soon P.s the country fried chicken was so good it knocked me cause it was so good read more

Izzy's Cafe - Barbeque Near Me - El Cajon, California

Love their breakfast! Finally came in to eat with family and we enjoyed our food! I cant recall name but poached eggs with sausage on top of biscoand hashbrowns. Soo good read more

Izzy's Cafe - Ordered the benny with sausage.. - Barbeque Near Me - El Cajon, California

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Machaca and eggs for breakfast is great! For lunch-Best BBQ ribs I've had in San Diego. Also pulled pork sandwich w/ Cole slaw is delicious. I have been back twice since my first visit. Don't hesitate and remember-they close at 2:00 pm. Service is friendly and efficient. A great spot for singles, couples and families! read more

Great BBQ and beans. Everything was good. Our server was outstanding and comical. Baby Back Ribs read more

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If you want an amazing service and food. This would be the place to go. It's delicious the service is friendly and fast. Give it a try you won't regret it. read more

Decent cafe with decent sized portions at a decent price. Nothing too fancy or out of this world here. The dining area is small and feels a bit cramped, but they make it work. There is street parking nearby and parking in the back of the business. They have your classic fare of pancakes, omelets, sandwiches, etc. The flavors were good but nothing out of the ordinary or spectacular. If you want a reliable meal and you don't have to worry about the quality or price then Izzys should definitely be on your list. read more

Finally able to eat at Izzys aafter a long time due to the virus. It's very different but the food is just as good as it ever was, fewer tables but spaced apart the way they should be, the waiter that was there today tall thin young man was amazing. He was flying around there because he was the only server when we first walked in I've never seen anybody moves so fast. Update: I ate there again with a friend and I ordered the eggs Benedict for breakfast which I've done in the past. But this time it looked as if an entire can of canned hollandaise sauce was poured all over my eggs Benedict, it was very thick and bright yellow, I couldn't see the egg or the muffin or the ham, it's was spread all over my plate, actually it filled my plate. It really was terrible and I hope that they will take note because it was just disgusting read more

I really enjoyed the pancakes and my husband's French Toast was also really good! The hashbrowns and service were also both great. Minus one star for no alternative to pork (like turkey sausage or turkey bacon). read more

Woohoo...we got to dine with the Duke of Izzy's himself and his lovely wife! I'm giving Izzy's the 5th star even though we had to wait quite awhile for food as they had just put in a food order for a party of 25, but to make up for it she gave us big plump warm muffins on the house. I had the zucchini muffin thinking it was the "healthier" choice, but who am I kidding? The only thing healthy I tasted were the nuts. At last the food arrived and it was worth the wait. You can order lunch at breakfast or vice versa. While everyone raves about the country potatoes, I'm a hash browns girl and these were done perfectly...no skimping on the oil and piping hot and crispy. But I tasted those hand cut fries and they rank up there with the best. I got the brisket sandwich which was loaded with beef and topped with cheddar cheese and avocado on a perfectly grilled sourdough. Perhaps the only thing it could have used were a few jalapenos to cut the bbq sauce....why didn't I listen to the Duke? I got to try the ribs and the pork butt and the smokiness comes through on both of these items. The ribs were moist and fell right off the one. The icing on the cake was literally... the ice cream on the fried pies....just like Soo H. says in his review....feel good food and pure nostalgia. read more

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Good food, good service, good prices . Casual atmosphere. I'm handicap and they were very friendly and helpful

I love this place. Best breakfast/ lunch spot in El Cajon and EC! Their soup is always a treat. Great omelets. Their California Tuna Sandwich is a favorite and all the salads are fresh and yummy (Izzys chicken salad!!) It's a great family atmosphere. Love Izzys! read more

This place is amazing, came for breakfast and wish we could have stayed for lunch too !!! The food is deliciosu everything made from scratch , amazing muffins, biscuits, etc. Our omelet was stuffed , scrambled eggs and side of ham delish! Fresh OJ .. Its cozy, oldfashioned and incredible value.. Our waitress Leslie was beyond helpful and fun , great service and the busboy Antonio was there with refills , attentive and went aboive and beyond... Cant wait to go back .... read more

Probably the best diner i have had. The hot cakes just taste so good almost caramelized. Bacon is sturdy and crispy, sausage isnt low end like dennys etc. Standard hashbrowns and eggs. read more

Izzy's Cafe - 2 bacon, 2 sausage link, eggs, hashbrowns and a short stack of hot cakes - Barbeque Near Me - El Cajon, California

Came back for breakfast and was sorely disappointed that they did away with tje ason jar glasses this was one of my favorite charms of the place. Food is great and reasonable. Menu is huge so lots to choose from. Management needs to tell male waiter not to talk so loud when he's bashing customers very off putting. Will be back but bring the mason jars back!!! read more

Izzy's Cafe - Disappointing glass - Barbeque Near Me - El Cajon, California

Stopped here on the drive from a camping trip on my way back to OC and wanted to just mention how great the bbq meats were and the coffee was top notch coffee. read more

Try the Brisket and Eggs. To die for. Soooooo much better than steak and eggs. Waitresses were delightful too!

Melt in-your-mouth pancakes, bomb dot com corn beef hash, eggs & bacon... are just some delicacies this classic diner where you will see vintage license plates and pictures of Elvis on the wall while sitting on comfy booth, tables, or at the bar! The service and cooks are on top of keeping the food delicious and hot with coffee refills nonstop. Izzy's Cafe is one of San Diego's best Cafe's !! read more

Nice people and great food The best food in town. Go support them! patio dining only for now

The pancakes had crispy edges. The eggs to perfection, the potatoes mwah!!!! I forgot to take a picture because it was so good!

Never knew this gem existed in El Cajon. I have bookmarked it for about 2 years now and finally made my way today. I am so glad I did. This place is amazing. What we you do, order yourself some sweet tea. It's legit. Brought some memories for Tim and I. Last time we had some this tasty non diggity sweet tea was when we visited his FAM at Tennessee. For breakfast I had the Country Biscuits. Scrambled eggs were layered on top of the biscuits and the gravy sauced over it. It had sausage and bacon. Creamy gooey goodness! On the side I had Country potatoes. Tim had scrambled BTA. Bacon, Tomato and Avocado. He had hash browns and pancakes with it also. I tasted it all and all I can say is that the pancakes were fluffy af. My lil mama couldn't get enough of the pancakes. Place was pretty crowded. Tables seemed filled at all times. We had a bit of a wait. Like 5 minutes. The family in front of us actually told us we could just grab any open booth or table. And we did just that. Service was excellent. Drinks was always filled. They had crayons and sheets of coloring book for the kiddos. For the 3 of us we paid $30.37. I've paid $20 more for mediocre food elsewhere. We will definitely be back. Nothing better than southern comfort in East County SD. read more

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I've gone 3 times. The first time wasn't the greatest but it's a breakfast place and in the area. I took my mom for Mother's Day the second go around and it was freezing outside and the waiter wanted to seat us outside. I wasn't super happy about it but it is what it is. He then kept seating all other guests inside. He was really rude. It took 20 minutes for him to come and even set the table he was seating us at. We just got up and left. We went a few months ago to try again maybe it was a bad day. Same guy, same poopy attitude. Definitely won't try again. read more

After driving past this place for over 15 years, I stopped in yesterday for breakfast. I'm so glad that happened. I awoke craving a big bowl of grits, but I was too lazy to cook, so I called around to see who makes them by the pot instead of opening a little paper packet per order. Izzy's was the first place I reached to say "We do that!", so I jumped in the car and drove 20 minutes to check them out. I sat at the counter, which was gratifying, as their counter seats are set back far enough to accommodate my girth. It's as though they knew I was coming. I was served by two ladies: Rae and Jackie. These are professional waitresses, proud of what they do and accomplished at the job, which shows in the way they understand their menu, their kitchen, and their customers. They guided me through the somewhat overwhelming menu, helping me to decide on something I might otherwise have missed: Brisket and Eggs, biscuits, and my big bowl of grits! Jackie knew to offer me extra butter for my grits, instead of milk and sugar and fruit and the other unusual add-ins that San Diego restaurants proffer, not understanding how the dish should be served. The grits themselves were creamy and fully cooked, a sign that someone in the kitchen stirs the pot frequently... just like my Mema used to do. My soft-scrambled eggs were perfectly done; the biscuits, though a bit bready for my taste, were light and flavorful; and the brisket was so moist and fork-tender and served in such a large portion that I took a sandwich's worth to go, and enjoyed it this morning, with more eggs and grits. A telling sign of Izzy's quality: two patrons, other men seated at the counter, took time to encourage me to return for dinner (weekends), and one even hauled out a menu to show me what he'd order, if he were me. Breakfast is easy to plan and a bit less easy to execute well. Some places hide their ineptitude with gimmicks and sauces and strange or intimidating service. Some just don't give a damn and dish out whatever they want, and if you don't like it, you can just leave. Izzy's gets it right, nicely. read more

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Friendly staff , clean , did not wait long food came out fast and hot. Definitely found our new family breakfast spot ! Jessica our server was AWESOME read more

One thing I have learned over the years is not to judge a book by its cover. This philosophy, if you are lucky, can be applied to restaurants as well. When I approached this place, I kept saying to myself, "don't judge....don't judge," so I did not. I walked in and right away noticed it was packed, so I took a seat at the counter. I was there for breakfast, but the waitress let me know that they also serve BBQ during breakfast. "Wait, did you say BBQ for breakfast?" Right away, I knew I had to get something with BBQ for my breakfast. They have all kinds of stuff, including smoked brisket with eggs, ribs, and BBQ pork for breakfast. I decided to get, get this, smoked carnitas frittata with tomatoes, scallions, and avocado. (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/pm8LyQdQlnct_aUABJ495g?select=cGnadtyPFUrSqYO3MVuSvQ) It sounded like a carnitas taco with eggs so, Jack got to have it! Instead of toast, I opt for their biscuits and gravy, and finally I had the country potatoes for my side that came with my frittata. The frittata was super. It was very nice having the crispy smokey pork (see pic) mixed in with the tomatoes, scallions and properly cooked eggs. This was a big hit! The biscuits and gravy, to my surprise, came with bacon in the gravy instead of sausage. (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/pm8LyQdQlnct_aUABJ495g?select=jbA_xJu3eoogZI4x0B42_g) The gravy was creamy and slightly salty because of the bacon, but it went well with the moist biscuits. I enjoyed them and finished off the whole bowl. The potatoes (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/pm8LyQdQlnct_aUABJ495g?select=S7okjO24yF6jHmuqG4xoiw) were good but could of used more seasoning. They were rather plain but good. Believe it or not, my meal only cost $8.99. That was a great price for the amount of food I ate. I am so glad I opened this book and ventured inside. I will need to come back to try more smoked BBQ. BBQ InSiDe! read more

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Great food and service, Dasha is the best!! Very welcoming and was great with our dog as well

I'm giving it 4 stars because if you are looking for a simple and easy breakfast they do it well. It's not a mind blowing kind of place but more a good local breakfast place that's good read more

Veggie scramble and country potatoes extra crispy? Yes please! Awesome breakfast, full plate of down-home cooking. Nothing fancy, just a good honest diner with excellent service. Quality ingredients, decent prices. No wait mid-morning on a weekday. read more

Went there for lunch today September 26, 2023. It was the worst experience I've ever had in my life. The barbecue ribs were burnt and the waitress substituted brisket. The brisket smelt and I don't think any of the food is cooked daily anymore. It seems like old food Just thrown on a plate. The potato salad was overloaded with sour cream. At least I think it was sour cream. What a horrendous experience unfortunately ! I should have known when I didn't smell barbecue like I used to smell years ago driving by there! Very, very disappointing! read more

Easter weekend! We decided to hit up Izzy's cafe for brunch. The cafe is just a drive down the road and only our second time there. Let's get to it. First time we went I ordered the brisket breakfast. This time around I ordered the shredded beef omelette. I love putting a variety of stuff in my omelettes so I was kind of skeptical to order the shredded beef bcuz it only contained a few ingredients. My first bite into it I was SURPRISED. Didn't know exactly how to feel bcuz it kind of just melted in my mouth. Felt like I wasn't eating beef bcuz of the texture. This wasn't a bad thing. I ended up mopping the whole plate. Super delicious, must try. Comment here if you try it and feel the same read more

Izzy's Cafe - Barbeque Near Me - El Cajon, California

Country fried steak has been changed from in house hand battered steak to pull it from the freezer and dropping it in the fryer. We visit Izzy's at at least once a month and often with family and friends. We go to Izzy's specifically for the country fried steak Hopefully they will bring it back. Please don't change your gravy!!!!!! read more

Izzy's Cafe was recommended for dining by My Friend Lu Ann Slay - I had the Vegetable Omelette with Spinach Mushrooms Tomatoes And Swiss Cheese Sourdough Toast and a Cup of Fruit - Wonderful Menu Choices and Great Customer Service read more

Izzy's Cafe - Vegetable Omelette With Spinach Mushrooms Tomatoes and Swiss Cheese and Fruit - Barbeque Near Me - El Cajon, California

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Great service and food. We come here for breakfast every weekend. To us, John is one of the most efficient, fast moving waiters, who takes his job seriously. Keep up the good work, John. The other waiters/waitresses are very friendly and are also attentive to customers. read more

IZZY'S IS EXCELLENT if you're in the area, stop in. The food is cooked to perfection and the people are very friendly.

Izzys cafe is trash. I ate there a while back and was unimpressed to say the least. Like the true masochist that I am, I decided to try them again. I called to place an order. The lady said, "whoa hold up" or something along those lines and set the phone down. I could hear her interacting with people. I waited for a while and eventually hung up. I tried to call again a few minutes later and they did not answer. Im at subway now, about to pay $5 instead of $15 for a sandwich and I don't have to deal with that rude lady at the register. I'd say this is a win, but a definite loss for Izzys Cafe. I will not be giving y'all any further energy or money. read more