This place has the best country fried steak gravy I have ever had. I been to hundreds of restaurants all across the US and the country and this fried steak w gravy here was incredible. First time I've had gravy from a restaurant that just so delicious I didn't need to add anything to it. Amazing cooks, waiters and waitresses and just everyone who works here has been great to us. This was our first experience and it was an amazing experience. My party sat at the bar watched the Sunday game and enjoyed some amazing food, big portions, delicious and good priced food and amazing service. Recommend this place to anyone who wants a good breakfast spot to go to. read more

Joe Brown's Cafe - An example of bigger isn't always better. This small place is the best breakfast I've ever had - Diners Near Me - Vancouver, Washington

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Joe's has been a treasure in downtown Vancouver for decades. The food and service are always great. The only problem is being able to find a seat because it's so popular. I love it. read more

By far the best chicken fried steak since leaving Texas 25 years ago! A great diner with a friendly fantastic staff!

Walked past this little thing on the way to another restaurant we found on Yelp...which turned out to be too "new age" for the hubby. Lots of looks when we came in, I'm guessing LOTS of regulars for this place! It's older, small, OLD pictures of many years gone by on the wall, typical diner food. The owner actually sat down next to us to take our order, and wrote everything out old school style...it was just the experience we were looking for! I can't love supporting mom and pops more-Kudos to Joe Browns for keeping true to their brand! read more

I've been mean to Vancouver. Most of my life... it's always been that weird place across the river, no reason to go. My, have times changed! Portland is disgusting and Vancouver is so great! We spent a night there, mostly drinking... which required a good old night after breakfast. Joe Brown's was just right. The Space was great, old school diner... service was amazing! And the food... the food was great! Chicken fried steak and country breakfast... everything was absolutely tasty! We even got to meet the owner, he was a doll! Came over and sat down, chatted with us for a bit. 80 years old, and still slinging coffee, impressive! Can't wait to go back! read more

5/4......shame on me (you). Drove by this (hidden sign for years). Oh my taste goodness. Oh the stories this place could tell.....the ghost of days gone by. The End read more

Visiting from Seattle. Food was great! We found a table inside and our server was friendly and fast! We even had a great talk with the owners wife who was helping out for the day. We will be back. read more

Great food and lots of it! Excellent value for your money and the service is incredible. The owner, Lou, is a great guy. Make conversation, and you feel like an old friend stopping by to spend time together. He is the hardest working owner I've ever seen. Make sure to let his wife know when you visit read more

Joe Brown's Cafe - Lou and his fans - Diners Near Me - Vancouver, Washington

The portions are huge! Both times I have been here I ordered the chicken fried steak, highly recommend. The service is super fast and the waitresses are amazing. My friend order the breakfast burrito, it's huge!!!! Two people can eat it. You need to try this place....wish I had found it sooner! read more

Old, classic diner that goes way back. Their menu contains all the diner staples one would expect. The place has quite some charm with photos and decorations that are probably as old as the place itself. It took them quite a while to get our food ready but the friendly service and the yummy food we were eventually served made up for it. Do come here, but not if you're in a hurry. read more

Such a cute hole in the wall! Our sever was super sweet and attentive. My coffee cup was never empty. Food came out extremely fast and the cushions were very comfy to sit on. Our hash and French toast were perfectly crispy. It was also smart how they taped up the menus on the wall during COVID so there's less waste. Will be back next time I'm in town for sure! read more

Joe Brown's Cafe - Diners Near Me - Vancouver, Washington

I love this place! This is an "old school", does not change, kind of place. I have sat at the counter and have always had great conversations with the other patrons. I have sat with family at the booths and there is something for everyone. I was in the other day with my youngest, for breakfast. The place was slammed. I usually don't like to wait, but I like that Joe Browns is busy and I like the food. Shannon welcomes me and says, It's been a while. She is great and probably has met the whole town over the years. I had the Chicken fried steak and hash browns and gravy. Delicious! That biscuit was nothing short of Amazing! Thanks for being there and never changing. read more

Great local spot with real character. Found on Yelp and it is a treat! Good value and great service! We will be back whenever we are in the area! read more

The goal when traveling is to always eat local. Service was quick and the food was outstanding. read more

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My boyfriend and I came here for a late-ish breakfast and both walked away satisfied and with full stomachs. I ordered the cheese and egg omelet with pancakes (instead of the hash browns/toast) and my boyfriend ordered the JB omelet (with hash browns/toast). The reason why I chose the pancakes instead of my usual salty and hearty addition is because I was craving something sweet, but if I had known the pancakes were THAT HUGE, I would have only asked for one pancake (or a half of one, to be honest). =] Fun side note - Before we arrived, I called in around 10:00 a.m. to make sure they were still serving breakfast. The waitress working responded with a, "Breakfast? We serve that all day!" read more

Joe Brown's Cafe - JB Omelette, Egg and Cheese Omelette, and Pancakes - Diners Near Me - Vancouver, Washington

Perhaps it was the time of day I ordered the Texas Chilli Omlet - it was ordered approx 1:20p (for delivery), I didn't realize they closed at 2:15p (or that was the time that popped up while ordering online). The hash browns were nothing but a greyish glob of cold potatos, nothing crispy about them and I can only assume it was the last of the potatos that would have otherwise been tossed out. The chilli was as bland as can be. The omlet had a tad bit more personality than the other two items. I asked for utensils to be included - they weren't. I asked for extra salsa - it wasn't there. The sour creme I asked for was there but by then, all hope had been lost on this over expensive brunch I ordered. Never again. read more

This place is amazing with large food portions. The cafe is small but always busy so just walk in and wait your turn as the wait is worth it for the food and the awesome service. The owner and his wife are very friendly and care about the dining experience. I had the pleasure of having the owners wife wait on my table and she was fantastic. read more

We love this place! Have been coming for years! We ordered almost $70 worth of food from grub hub but the chicken friend streak breakfast was unedible due to the amount of pepper. And we love spicy. Kinda disappointed. Both the hubby and I are chefs. We will be back but probably not for this. Which is ironic because it's the reason we ordered. Guess I'll share my omelette. But we will always go back! This place is great. Just maybe don't order the gravy or ask for no pepper and put it on yourself I totally understand if it comes with pepper in it already but today was just OVERBOARD. We added none to it and couldn't eat it after a couple bites. read more

Joe Brown's Cafe - Love this place. $70 worth of grub hub...chicken fried steak scramble was uneatable due to the amount of pepper. But we will be back! - Diners Near Me - Vancouver, Washington

Best diner. Chicken fried steak is amazing! Impeccable customer service!!! Our meals were perfect and it was a holiday.

Great food, great service and very good coffee! There was a line of people waiting for them to open but we got seated and served very quickly. read more

Joe Brown's Cafe - Chicken fried steak - Diners Near Me - Vancouver, Washington

Went to this place because my mom was craving a chili hot dog. There's no indication on the menu of what the chili actually has. Turns out it has beans in it and we weren't made aware of it. And food was subpar at best. Fries are an extra up charge too. Service was poor. The server was a gentleman and only came to the table to take our order and then drop off the check without a word. He was more than happy to chat with other patrons though. He was recommending and accommodating to other customers, but didn't even ask us how our food was. Seeing that my mom picked out all the beans from her chili, they still never came by to ask us how we were. Not even to check if we needed water. Needless to say, not coming back. Won't even recommend. read more

Quaint diner with great diner food. Service is great regardless of how busy it is. My favorite breakfast spot.

Bustling cafe with quick service and a great wait staff. Went on a busy Sunday morning and they were so fast and attentive. Food was good and they give you big hearty portions! Got to talk to the owners wife and she is absolutely delightful. Check it out if you like a good traditional diner breakfast! read more

Very disappointing. Looking for a hole in the wall breakfast spot with the basics, but I'm afraid this won't be it. I guess we got spoiled having The Clubhouse just down the street from us in Portland. Her biscuits and sausage gravy had virtually no sausage, but an abundance of pepper. My portion of corn beefed hash paled in comparison with the quantity of hash browns (and why do they serve them together, shouldn't it just be a bigger portion of hash?) I ordered scrambled eggs, but got over easy. And my tomato juice was room temperature. On a positive note, the staff was friendly. read more

The diner you didn't know you missed. Joe Brown's is the diner that you used to see all over the place in your childhood. It is cramped, because it is built to make people get in and get out and feel a bit cozy along the way. It is decorated with various little slogans your grandpa probably had on their toolbox as well as pictures of Marilyn Monroe or former patron's of Joe Brown's. The silverware is tarnished and clean and the stools look like they have been there since the place was founded. Basically, it is like going to you great Aunt Linda's house for Sunday morning breakfast. And I mean that in the best way possible. Joe Brown's has a menu built precisely like classic diner breakfast menu's should be built. Including menu items that look like they are a dare to your arteries and waistline (look for the double patty, ham, bacon and egg burger). However, when in this context, I see it not as the ironic menu item you would see if a diner just opened, but probably something that was part of a challenge years ago that people enjoyed so much that they just left as a menu staple. As far as food, it is well prepared, but disjointed in some areas. The Buscuits and gravy (which are ridiculously huge portions) are really quite good. The rosemary sings through and the pork sausage adds the essential protein and texture component needed. However, when you order this, alongside bacon and eggs, the flavor clash is a little jarring. My recommendation: The biscuits with eggs should be where you stop. 1) for health and 2) so your pallet doesn't suffer whiplash. The service and pricing at Joe Brown's is good and reasonable and won't break the bank of any family attending for a lunch or breakfast. Parking is all on the street, and since this is on Main, that can sometimes be a little thin. But I found people are getting in and out quick enough, that you likely aren't going to have an issue early in the morning. Overall, a great expereince here and one I would like to repeat. read more

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Great place to grab a bite! Had the rueben sandwich and it was delicious! Will definitely go back and try other things. Service was great too! read more

Delicious food & I went here almost every weekend because I love the food so much! Shanna is the best server & she always remembers what I like to drink & asks which meal I'm having -- I have quite a few favorites. She remembers the small details & makes sure my food is always made right. read more

Don't judge a book by its cover .... The cafe looked dated but the everything else was very nice. A special mention to the lady who was serving us, she was so polite and kind. Very accommodating. The food was fresh & tasty. The chicken strips were delicious with a very generous portion. Fish and chips was perfect and the fish tasted so yummy. Grilled cheese - great Highly recommend. read more

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Well, I did get my meal for free but it doesn't make up for everything. I was the only one seated at the counter and the restaurant wasn't particularly busy. I got a water right away followed by a cup of coffee about 10 minutes later, had to get my own silverware, then a "I'll get you order in a second" promise. After watching my waitress answer 3 phone calls on her personal cell phone taking 35 minutes I finally had to ask if anyone was going to take my order. Unbelievably, they got my order wrong but I was exhausted and just ate what I got which was mediocre at best. Having 35 minutes to just look around at things I found the restaurant prep area to be disgusting. The cable locks from outside were put on the food prep areas, food that should have been refrigerator was being left out and the counters and floor cleanliness behind the counter was disgusting with food items being stored right next to cleaners and such. I don't think they would have passed inspection that day but I won't be going back. The waitress said the phone calls were with the owner but there was an awful lot of laughing for being a business call. A good owner with a minimally staffed restaurant would probably know better than to keep a waitress on the phone for 35 minutes or needs to get down to his business and lend a hand. read more

Joe Brown's Cafe - Disgusting floor and counter cleanliness. - Diners Near Me - Vancouver, Washington

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Their food is excellent but plan on waiting. The restaurant is tiny with limited seating and always a line to get in.

Old school diner with great breakfast and lunch options. Order the country skillet with eggs sunny side up.

What a throw back diner. I wish I knew the history of Joe Brown's Cafe...I'm sure it is serious. We wandered in for a diner breakfast on the rec of Yelpers, and man were they right. Traditional menu, great environment, and great service. If you are in this area of Washington/Oregon, you should check out Joe's. read more

So.... After some hype on a "great diner" list and all of the Yelp reviews, it appears this is just a place of nostalgia for some. We were given dirty silverware on a dirty table to start. The next set of silverware wasn't much better. The food wasn't anything you couldn't make at home with minimal effort. It was just okay at best. The service left a lot to be desired. Slow and unattentive. We won't be returning. read more

"Back to the Future"-esk diner. For just a moment I was in a much simpler time. The Farmer's Skillet amazing, and all that one would hope for given the nostalgic atmosphere! read more

Joe Brown's Cafe - Farmer's Skillet - Diners Near Me - Vancouver, Washington

Whenever I come to Vancouver, I always make a point to have breakfast one morning at Joe Brown's Cafe. It is like stepping back in time for American breakfast comfort food. You can read the paper while drinking a bottomless cup of coffee. Eat at the bar or in a booth. Seating is limited. read more

My hubby and I love diners and diner fare. The more authentic, the better. That said, we loved Joe Brown's Café! Is it spiffy and shiny, with a newfangled and trendy décor? Absolutely not. Is it old and worn around the edges, with decades-old tables and booths and down-to-earth waitresses who've probably been working here for 20+ years? Definitely. And is the food fresh, traditional, homespun-type comfort food, with hearty portions and super reasonably priced? Count on it! We were here for breakfast and it was fast and delicious and exactly what you'd expect from a diner. The bacon was knock-out delicious, probably some of the best bacon we've ever had. The eggs and toast and French toast were great. You get a lot of food for your money here. And the coffee is seemingly never-ending, as the waitress kept refilling our mugs. Yes, access to the small bathroom is through the diner kitchen, passing by hot griddles and more. But at least the bathroom was spotless. And no, there isn't a designated parking lot, but at least we had no problem finding a spot on the street (one has to pay the meters there but it's crazy cheap, like $1.25 for an hour, as I recall). This place has been around since 1932 and I can see why. If ever we're driving through, we'll definitely be back! read more

Amazing customer service, delicious food, and comfortable atmosphere makes Joe Brown's Cafe my top pick for a weekend breakfast or brunch spot. It is no surprise that you can find yourself waiting to be seated or reviving your order with the level of popularity. With that said, it definitely worth the wait. read more

Great service, great food! Plate serving was plenty big.. if you're a big serving guy or gal I recommend the farmers skillet! read more

Who doesn't love Joe's? Best diner in Vancouver and Portland. This place in a step back in time with all the things on the wall. i highly recommend the Chicken fried steak with a biscuit. It's smothered with gravy. read more

Joe Brown's Cafe - Menu - Diners Near Me - Vancouver, Washington

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The servers there are super nice, my friend and I got there around noon and there was no wait. We split a breakfast burrito; perfect portion & good. read more