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Janet's Montana Cafe

4.5 (927 reviews)
ModerateAmerican
Closed • 7:00 am - 2:30 pm

Janet's Montana Cafe Photos

Business Info

JANET'S MONTANA CAFE ATMOSPHERE

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

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Recommended Reviews - Janet's Montana Cafe

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Killer breakfast.
Greg C.

Quite simply the number one reason to visit this small town assuming you don't already have a reason to be there. Excellent in almost every way and humble all the way. Food to service and decor to menu knowledge; really worth your time.

Chocolate milk
Tony A.

Wife has been wanting to visit Janet's for a while now. We walked in and were immediately greeted by the hostess, and had our names taken down for a table. We were seated fairly quickly, and taken outside, and he staff is super friendly and welcoming. So why 3 stars? I rated this place somewhat average for the food. I ordered the cheeseburger with onion rings. I don't know how long the cheeseburger sat before being brought out but it sat long enough for the bottom bun to become soggy and messy. The onion rings were delicious but it would've been nice to send them out with some sort of dipping sauce. I didnt try my wife's sandwich but she was happy with it. My daughter however, was not a fan of the Mac and cheese, I even noticed as she was eating it, it looked really dry and not cheesy. So the food I'd rate as just ok, but the service and overall feel in the cafe were great.

Amanda V.

Cinnamon roll, homemade blueberry muffin and sides of bacon for breakfast at this quaint little roadside stop. Service was decent considering how quickly the place filled up while we ate. We ended up coming back for lunch- I got the BLTA wrap and the chicken wrap for my partner- not my favorite type of fries might suggest trying a different side next time. Will be back for sure. outdoor and indoor setting rustic cabin like.

Peach iced tea & Cream of Wheat
Joanne P.

It's been years since I came to Janet Montana. Never knew about this place until my friend from Temecula recommended we come here for breakfast. So, in the past- I'd meet them halfway on I-15 south- and we'd bee line here for breakfast. Typically arrive here about 30 minutes before opening time, to lock in our motorcycle parking. There's a small private parking lot that's shared with some other businesses. Two entrances/ exits leading to the lot and things can be a bit jammed. Luckily enough, plenty of street parking as well. No reservations. First come, first served- make sure to check in with the hostess. I forgot how huge the portions are! My gosh! We arrived for the lunch crowd on January 2nd. Thought we'd be waiting longer than expected- barely 5 minutes! There's no fancy electric paging device or text message. The hostess will scream your name a few times. When our name was called, we walked in front of the pie display and was hoping to have room for a slice. We got a cozy booth and since it's the holiday season- I enjoyed a nice hot mug of pumpkin chai! Peppermint mocha is another seasonal drink offered. I figured on having something "light". So, why not get a HALF Sandwich Special? Well, the first half of my order arrived. Soup. A HUGE bowl of corn tortilla chicken soup! I didn't realize the menu said BOWL! This is what happens when you skim the menu and expected a measly cup! LOL. The soup was hearty. Crispy corn tortilla strips and huge chunks of chicken breast. My second plate arrived with the HALF sandwich: tuna melt on marble rye. I swear I was just having a conversation earlier this morning about how much I LOVE marble rye! I looked at the "half" sandwich... and it looked like I got the bigger half ! The tune melt just floweth from the bread! My first couple of bites, tuna melt chunks just fell onto my plate! So tasty! Creamy, cheesy, and with lil diced celery. I opted for cottage cheese as my side. And the monkey dish, with my cottage cheese- was a big enough portion! Good lawd! I looked at my FIL salad- and they sure as heck don't skimp. The black olives pile on his plate is basically what you buy a can of from the store! Janet Montana's must have 55 gallon drums of ranch dressing back there because wait til you see how much ranch dressing you'd get! Sadly to say- I had no trim for a slice of pie. I had a food coma! Staff is amazing as I remember. One toilet fo the ladies room.

Inside  4/26/25
Marcia R.

Third time here quick service and very friendly Old ranch feeling here. We had a table for 6 of us. Some had breakfast and others had lunch, are food came out in shifts, but altogether which was fast. Drinks and food We sat outside with heaters, and we were warm It's rained a little but we we were fine It was busy on a Saturday Parking lot is a large lot And there is a gift shops And other stores Very cute place here

One egg breakfast plate with hashbrowns
Grace C.

I must try if you are visiting Alpine! Their breakfast plates are delicious and the biscuits and gravy is a must. The gravy is so flavorful and the biscuits are the perfect texture not dry at all. I got the one egg breakfast plate and upgraded to the biscuits and gravy, and it was super filling. The ambience is 10/10, I recommend eating outside if the weather is nice. Parking was full when we came at 12:30 PM so I recommend getting there earlier or park on the street which wasn't too bad. We'll definitely be coming by again!

Breakfast burrito with pork chorizo
Brooke T.

A lovely diner with a real quaint cozy feel. Exactly the kind of place you'd expect to find all the way out in Alpine. Went with a large group of friends and were able to be seated quickly outside. Portions are absolutely ginormous. We paid $6 for a cinnamon roll and my friend's jaw dropped when she saw how huge it was. We were all able to share it with her. I personally got the breakfast burrito with pork chorizo, which came with a side of refried beans which I actually didn't know about, and it was delicious. Was able to be full after half of the burrito. Everyone was super happy with their meals, ranging from pumpkin pancakes to eggs benedict to eggs and bacon. They kept raving about how we'll have to go back again and how they haven't had real diner food done right like this in a long time. I also overheard someone in the bathroom line saying they take a yearly trip to the area from the East Coast, and Janet's Montana is always a must-stop for them. Unfortunately, we came on a rainy day and we had to cut our meal short as we got rained out of our outside seating, but the staff was apologetic and there was nothing they could really do about it. I'd opt for inside seating next time in general if you can since the inside was really cute!

Country Fried Steak
Nolita N.

Came here with my little sister for a late breakfast, and I am so glad we stopped by. The ambiance was really cute, very rustic-cabin type of vibe, and the food was definitely comfort food at its very best. So we were both very happy. What we got: - Country Fried Steak: this came with a stack of pancakes, making it a very substantial order. Very comforting, hearty meal. Personally, I added a little hot sauce, and it made it even more delicious. - Cinnamon Roll French Toast: perfectly sweet, and not too eggy of a French toast. - Eggs Benedict Country Style Overall this place is really solid, they were pretty busy, but we were seated instantly. The waitstaff were all wonderful as well.

The front of the building with a bear on the roof.
Doug B.

We were out in the boonies in El Cajon for almost a week and wanted to grab breakfast on the way home. With not a lot of places nearby, I looked on Yelp and with good ratings we selected Janet's Montana Café in Alpine. They are open for breakfast and lunch, no dinner. This is a popular place and they were packed around 11am on a Sunday morning. When you pull into the parking lot and see the restaurant, it looks like an old town lodge with an all dark wood exterior, wood walkways and wood railings. It is a hard to miss the building with a big bear on the corner of the roof. The parking lot is on the smaller side, but there is also some street parking, and the parking lot at the tavern next door doesn't have any "customers only" signs so we ended up parking there. There are two dining room areas inside as well as outdoor patio seating. Right inside the front door is the waiting area which reminded me of a barn with red wood walls, wood floors and benches and, a tin roof. There is a display case with delicious looking freshly baked pies, cakes, and other bakery items. One dining room is pretty much floor to ceiling all light wood with antler lighting fixtures overhead. We ate in the second dining room which had wood tile on the floor, with wood planks on the ceiling, and log cabin style walls. This is definitely not your average café, and is a neat and cozy environment. Their menu is a good size, and has many classic breakfast and lunch items, as well as a specials menu. The portions are generous and prices are very reasonable. I just had a two eggs and bacon combo which came with four slices of bacon, a big portion of hash browns, and two slices of sourdough bread. My girlfriend had the French toast. The slices of toast were pretty thick and as good as it was, she could barely eat half of it. The other member of our party had the strawberry pancakes. The pancakes were huge with a generous portion of strawberries and whipped cream, and she could only eat about half of it as well. Unfortunately, my phone battery died right after we sat down, so no food pictures on this review. For as busy as it was, service was fast and friendly and it wasn't overly noisy in the smaller "log cabin" wall dining area where we sat. This is definitely a cool place to check out and dine at.

Fruit bowl

Delicious! Friendly service and food came out so quick! Outdoor seating is beautiful!

Enchiladas
Corina I.

Enchiladas ARE SOOOO GOOD. I had it for my birthday breakfast. Great taste highly recommend. Restaurant itself is nice and cute, definitely eat at the outdoor patio seating :)

My turkey club
Laura K.

Wow, this is a FIND! The exact type of place you hope to stumble upon when visiting a city off the beaten path. We started with nice salads (I had the Caesar and my friend had the Mediterranean; both were perfect!) I had the turkey club with steak fries and onion rings, my friend had a burger with fries and we had an order of banana cream pie to try. Service was fast and the food was fantastic. Decor was rustic and fun. We sat on the patio on a beautiful December day. Recommend!

Breakfast spread
Kylie C.

The parking lot is really small and there's going to be wait but it's worth it! Friendly service and a nice menu selection. Hubby and I both went for the Sausage & Eggs breakfast (2 eggs, 3 sausage links, and a generous portion of hash browns). We also got a side of pancakes. Delicious!

Eggs and bacon with home fries

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6 years ago

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3 years ago

Best food in Alpine. Great staff! Great prices. Must try if in town. Our favorite place for breakfast.

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6 years ago

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2 years ago

Food is fantastic. Service is excellent and location is fabulous. It's a long drive from home but worth it.

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3 years ago

Good comfort food, great breakfast. Great place to meet family and friends before taking on the days adventure!

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3 years ago

Our go-to spot for breakfast in alpine! We love the pumpkin pancakes and I love the breakfast veggie wrap!

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7 years ago

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3 years ago

We had a great time here. Friendly service. We enjoyed the turkey dinner and crepes. The brownie and chocolate cake were yummy, too.

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Page 5 of 24

Janet's Montana Cafe Reviews in Other Languages

Ask the Community - Janet's Montana Cafe

Can a whole banana cream pie be bought, how much would that be? I would need it by Thursday morning.

yes we buy whole pies and cakes there all the time. Prices vary

Do they take reservations?

No they don't.

Anyone know the holiday hours?

Do they have gluten free options?

The gluten free carrot cake is to die for. And we are not gluten free people. The regular carrot cake is also delicious. Just love that place!

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Mike Hess Brewing - Alpine

Mike Hess Brewing - Alpine

3.7
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1.0 mi
•$$

My husband found this cute brewery while walking the dogs on our recent trip to Alpine. Outdoor…read morearea was so inviting and pet friendly that it was a no brainer to try it out. Our waiter, Nolan, not Simon... was funny, helpful, and even though they were busy he handled everyone like a champ. Nolan recommended a few options, which we took his advice on and ordered. I had the HOP CLOUD HAZY, very good and my husband had the GOOD TO GO IPA (2) so obviously it was good. The pretzel bites were delicious! We split the Jalapeno popper burger and fries. Very yummy, and a bit spicy but followed it up with my Hazy and it was all good. Highly recommend this place and kudos to Nolan for making it a great experience for us.

We were really excited to come here after we saw that they were offering, tallow fries, so we…read morefigured let's go here for Valentine's Day . We wanted just a fast little dinner . We ordered the jalapeno burger and chicken sandwich with fry's and wings and everything was so so so bad server was kinda weird and acted slow , they seemed very short staffed , a couple left because no one came to their table. The chicken sandwich was burnt and so dry and all falling apart the burger was just a bun, jalapeños and 2 patties . My bf never complains about food and he was saying how bad it was . Don't wana bash their business but also at the same time would love to give feedback . Maybe people come here for the drinks and not the food ? I'm not sure. It's a bummer bc the atmosphere is great and the firepit etc. maybe they just need new cooks d

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Jay's Southern Cafe

Jay's Southern Cafe

4.7
(352 reviews)
0.4 mi
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First time at Jays Southern Café and wow... what an experience! Vi was a whole vibe--super sweet,…read morefriendly, and really helped my hubby and me decide on what to order since it was our first visit. She made us feel right at home. Now let's talk food... the brisket was out of this world! Tender, flavorful, and just the right amount of smokiness. Paired with the coleslaw (so fresh and delicious) and their BBQ sauce that was sweet but not overpowering, the whole combo was dynamite. I even had to snap a "before" pic of the plate--and let's just say the "after" pic didn't survive because it was THAT good! They were out of dessert during our visit, but I'll definitely be back to try that cinnamon and lemon pound cake that customers around us were raving about. Big shoutout to Vi and to Penelope (I believe she was the cook that day) for serving up not just a meal, but an experience. The layout was super cool and very clean. I never knew this place was in Alpine but I found my new barbecue spot. Definitely come and support as they are a hidden gem We'll 100% be back soon--thanks again for the warm hospitality and amazing food!

Hey, Yelp Community! If you're looking for the BEST BBQ and Soul Food restaurant in East County,…read moreJay's Southern Cafe is the go-to spot. My brisket sandwich with a special BBQ sauce was hands down the most amazing brisket sandwich I've had. OMG, that BBQ sauce was an added yummy flavorful touch along with the fresh creamy coleslaw...the combo sooo finger-lickin' good. The young man's customer service was top notch with a smile. I didn't have to wait. Thank you!! Whenever you're in the area, you have to stop by to eat some delicious authentic Southern food and support a local family-owned business. It's Alpine BEST kept foodie secret.

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Jay's Southern Cafe

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Grand Ole BBQ Flinn Springs

Grand Ole BBQ Flinn Springs

4.3
(1.3k reviews)
4.7 mi
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Always the best spot for BBQ, it never disappoints. Tucked away in Flint Springs. A little out of…read morethe way but worth the drive. Today I had the Double Wide BBQ Burger It came with chopped brisket. This burger also comes with fries. Everything is freshly BBQ'd. Also had the George Strait Fried Pickles. (I ordered these just for the name)!!! Also very good. The house pickles are great and they're complimentary. The best Go-To place to visit

This is an extremely family friendly restaurant. Inside seating for those who don't have kids, but…read moreoutside is prime. I would say the kids are a bit younger, maybe 18 months to 3. There must have been at least a dozen kids or more. I told my 7 year old son not to bring balls but of course other kids did. If you park in the back there is no doubt your car will get hit. But it's softballs, not baseballs. Service is legit. Fast, friendly. They're like get in, order, get out. But we stayed for probably an hour and a half. The live music was great, not too loud. I am sad to confess the food here is not as legit as I figured based on being a San Diego local and a big DDD watcher. It probably depends on which day you come, but on Thursday, the brisket was so average. Del's in Del Cerro is better. Smoky and the Brisket is better. I had my brisket served with that nacho cheese and relish, not nearly as great as I thought it would be based on DDD. I also don't drink anymore, but if I were to have had 2-3 beers + this dinner + the enviornment I would have loved it. My son gave a huge thumbs up to his burger, daughter liked her food. If you want an experience, have time you need to kill and have kids, it's a solid spot, but in no way is this a destination if you live west of the 15. Stick to classic spots.

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Chili verde
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The Grove Steakhouse

The Grove Steakhouse

4.0
(291 reviews)
3.2 mi
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Recently it was my first experience eating here and it was quite delicious. As a big fan of casinos…read moreand steak and seafood, this was right up my alley and it did not disappoint. The restaurant itself is pretty large, with a nice bar area in the front for more casual dining than 2 other dining areas in the back. They also had the biggest fireplace I've ever seen which was unique. The staff here are very professional, cordial and efficient, and the kitchen did a good job on plating. To the best part - the food. Really excellent menu that made it hard for me to pick. After much deliberation, I ordered the crab cakes that were much larger than I expected and filled with crab and probably one of the tastiest crab cakes I've had. I stayed on the seafood route and ordered the Atlantic sea scallops with pancetta and mushrooms. And again, the scallops were larger than I expected and I really enjoyed this dish. My dining companion went the turf route and got the filet mignon, and lucky me, I got to try it and was pretty solid and cooked perfectly. Then the finale of chocolate cake, very decadent was a great end to a delicious dinner!

The worst steakhouse of all time . I showed up on a Thursday…read morewith my significant other ,we wanted to eat good . Big mistake our steaks were completely wrong when they arrived . Then I had to wave down the waitress every time I needed something,I literally had to turn around and break my neck when she approached the table when I called her . She suppose to stand in front of me and take an order . We were treated like they were doing us a favor . I sent my steak back to cook longer something I never do . And when it came back I ordered my check and paid and left food there. I would never eat food that was sent back but I did it to prove à point . Do not waste your money or time This is a fake needed wannabe steak house . Viejas casino shoujd be ashamed.

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King Crab Benedict
King Crab Benedict
Amuse Bouche (short rib with cornichon) on a crouton like cracker

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Amuse Bouche (short rib with cornichon) on a crouton like cracker

Janet's Montana Cafe - tradamerican - Updated July 2026

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