Plus sides: orange juice orders are generous and served in mason jars. The rest: Espresso and Cappuccino were almost competent but came served in cups that smelled a bit off, like they don't have their dishwashing fully on point. I ordered the biscuits and gravy breakfast. If you are vegetarian, the sausage gravy is totally fine as there is no sausage to be found in it. Also, no rosemary, no flavor. Just bland. Instead of sausage, there are lumps of dough mixed in. The biscuits are large and ample portioned, but just balls of dough cut into a large circular shape. No flaky layers or anything resembling a biscuit. Might as well be eating a browned mass of play-doh. Tourist trap serving all-you-can-eat buffet level of quality of food (trash) at premium prices. read more

The best of any food we've had in Julian and I've been visiting my entire life. Great menu selection with vegetarian options, large portions, amazing flavors and quick friendly service. We ordered the Apple Burger combo, Pot Roast open faced sandwich and Meatloaf open faced sandwich with apple pie for dessert...all were delicious! The restaurant is tiny so there is a wait, I recommend calling ahead to put your name in and enjoying Main Street while you wait for your reservation text. read more

See all

We stopped in to grab a bite to eat and my husband had decided to share a bbq beef sandwich it has also has coleslaw with some fries. I personally never order something like this because I'm always afraid of the fat content in the meat. I was highly surprised that the meat was extra lame with great tasting barbecue sauce it was a perfect size for me and my husband to share we also got a cup of hot cider and we just enjoyed this place so very much. The wait staff was very kind our food came up promptly and the place is clean. Prices are very good for what you receive and I would definitely return again. read more

See all

Great food and service! Came here after the disappointment of the Purple owl cafe up the street. Don't bother with that place. They're rude. This place was exactly what we were looking for. Good food. Super friendly . read more

I was wondering what's with the 3 1/2 stars when the reviews i read within the last 4 months are good so we had to try it for ourselves. I didn't even get to try the food because the customer service right at the beginning was already bad! A one female server is rude and discourteous. All I can say is if you have a big party, don't even try to come here. You will just be told to wait and will not get seated together. read more

My husband and I had a really nice breakfast last weekend. The Julian Cafe is a cute restaurant with a western theme. I ordered the Goldminer's Special which came with potatoes and was delicious. My husband's breakfast came with a heart shaped biscuit and we ordered a slice of apple crumb pie for an appetizer. It was so delicious! I only wanted one bite so I wouldn't spoil my appetite but I couldn't stop eating it. We bought a whole pie to take home and our son said it was the best apple pie he'd ever had. The staff were really friendly and the service was great. I would definitely recommend this place to anyone who is in Julian especially if they're wanting some apple pie. read more

See all

Huge portions and the food was outstanding... but maybe the best part was the service. Very personable and worked as a team to take care of us. The only downside was that I took the huge portion as a challenge, which didn't sit too well in our 3 hour drive home lol read more

Lovely little breakfast cafe in Julian! It can get very busy so I recommend coming very early. My friend and I got there a little before nine and it was packed! Service is a little slow and chaotic but the servers were very friendly. I got the PCT Power Bowl and it was delicious. Good balance of potatoes, eggs, and peppers. I wish there was more gravy, cus it was a little dry. But overall very flavorful and yummy. The pancakes are colossal. Very fluffy and delicious when eaten hot. Portions here are definitely very generous. The blackberry lemonade didn't really taste like blackberry but was still very refreshing and only slightly tart. It was cool that they had so many jams and preserves for sale. Just hard to browse because of the cafe layout. read more

See all

Some people seem to love this place and others not so much. We tried it and turned out to be the people who did not quite enjoy it. Service was great, prompt and friendly. We found the food to be very average and my turkey meatloaf was just bad. It was super under seasoned, bland, had a weird texture and was super thin (I'd guess so it doesn't take too long to cook). The vegetables that came as a side were so oily and the zucchini slices were very bitter. My husband got the chicken fried steak and it tasted better (seasoning wise) than the meatloaf but the chicken was over cooked and kind of dry and same issue with his side dish - the vegetables were overly oily and the zucchini was unusually bitter. Pie was alright. Good but nothing really special. read more

See all

This place is insane! The portion sizes are absolutely wild. A perfect breakfast after camping. Loved it! Service was so cozy & the best! read more

Julian Cafe - farmers breakfast & breakfast burrito - Bakeries Near Me - Julian, California

See all

Set on the Main Street in Julian, the cafe is charming and quaint. We ate lunch on a Tuesday and had to wait for a table for about 20 minutes. We snuggled up in a cozy booth and ordered a club sandwhich and the mashed potatoes and chicken meal. The sandwich was a 10/10 however the mashed potato and fried chicken dish lacked in flavor a little bit. We enjoyed a slice of pie ala mode for dessert. Can't wait to go back! read more

See all

This spot is nestled into the heart of Julian. Its a small restaurant with a very cozy vibe. The staff was extremely friendly and attentive. I ordered the the Reuben with fries. It was pretty good. Nothing crazy. They give a decent portion of fries and they were good too but nothing special. My friends ordered the patty melt and the chicken pie turnover. They both seemed to like their food. We also ordered the potato skins which were really good. Came with sour cream. The prices are on the higher side. Potato skins were 11$, entrees were 14-15$ Overall, the food was pretty good! Nothing special but it is good and I would come back again if I was in the area. read more

See all

We only had pie from here, but it was amazing! In our opinion, it's the best in town. They were out of every pie but the crumble top apple. We quickly realized this was a great thing because the crumble top made everything even better! read more

We arrived at 5pm today on a Sunday and were seated right away. Our waiter was nice. We asked what he recommended and he gave us suggestions for most popular dishes on the menu. So we ordered them; the Julian Apple Burger and the Chicken Pie Turnover. Both were good. They didn't blow our socks off, but they were good. The Julian Apple Burger had a good flavor. A tad too many onions, but the apple and blue cheese seemed to be nice and creamy and not overpowering. Fries were good and crispy. The Turnover was good and the mashed potatoes and gravy were too. Just needed a little salt for my liking. The tortilla soup was pretty good too. It was creamy and flavorful. Overall, service was good, as well as the food, but nothing "wow'd" us per se. The atmosphere is cute and quaint. Country decor inside. Definitely a Julian vibe to it. They sell candles, jams, preserves and salsas, from what I could see from our table. The restaurant is very small, but everyone that worked there was nice. It's a very busy place, so I think we got lucky with not having to wait for a table. Pricing was about $50 for both of us. Definitely worth a visit for the Julian trip. read more

Julian Cafe - The view from our table. Jams, butters and salsas for sale - Bakeries Near Me - Julian, California

See all

Dish 1: Chicken Fried Beef Steak (8/10) - I love a nice country fried steak and the gravy was solid and not too runny! The meat was juicy for being fried and the exterior was very crispy and crunchy! Coleslaw gives you a good break from the heavy steak! Mashed potatoes was solid as well! VERY BIG portions! Dish 2: Chicken Pie Turnover (7/10) - I think chicken pot pot is one of my favorite diner foods, while this dish was very solid in flavor, the crust wasn't as flaky as I typically would've liked. Dish 3: Julian Apple Burger (7/10) - Burger is solid, but couldn't taste any of the apple that was mentioned in the description. Nothing too particular about this burger Overall this spot will give you a lot of food for your money. Nothing here is bad, it just doesn't have any unique notes to it's dishes. That being said, if you're hungry and ready to eat, come down here and grab a bite! Food is solid but wish they would elevate the use of "apples" in their dishes. read more

Julian Cafe - Chicken Fried Beef Steak, Chicken Pie Turnover, Julian Apple Burger - Bakeries Near Me - Julian, California

Julian Cafe has a breakfast, lunch, and dinner menu. They are quite strict about their meal times. I showed up at 11am and could only order breakfast. I ordered 2 scrambled eggs with country ham and breakfast fries. Eggs were fluffy and had a nice fresh flavor. Ham was tender and I liked the savory flavor. Home fries had a crispy exterior with fluffy potato flavor. Apple crumble pie had a pastry side and bottom. I liked the mild buttery flavor. Crumble top had a sweet cinnamon flavor. Apple filling had a sweet apple filling. Loved the flavor of this pie. Very sweet but not so sweet you couldn't taste the crust or the apples. Apple pastry pie had a pastry crust all around. Loved the crunchy, buttery top and side crust. Filling was full of apples with fresh apple flavor. My favorite pie here and one of my favorite pies I've tried in Julian. If you are looking for a great tasting classic apple pie this is the place to go. Julian Pie Co had the sweetest pie in town while Julian Cafe's apple pastry pie had the least amount of added sweetness so you can really taste the flavor of the apples. 2nd visit I tried the chicken turnover which came with french fries. Fries were crispy outside with a fluffy inside. Taste just like Red Robbin fries without the Red Robin seasoning. Pretty good. Chicken turnover was covered with gravy. I didn't care for the flavor of the gravy. Gravy was salty and didn't have any chicken flavor. Crust was crunchy and had a nice buttery flavor. Filling had too many peas and not enough carrots. The filling was just lukewarm. I don't think the pie was reheated long enough. Overall the pie was ok. The Chicken Pie shop is my fav spot for chicken pot pie and their gravy is my favorite. So far the apple pastry pie is my favorite menu item. Service was friendly but the kitchen and wait staff seem overworked as there was a longer wait for food and service than I usually experience. read more

See all

Not your typical tourist eatery trap, they have a legit good, affordably price breakfast. Food: I had the The German Gold Panner it's basically 3 crepe style pancakes dusted with powdered sugar and fresh lemon wages. My friend country potatoes is crunchy and well seasoned. Ambience: Country homey feel. Service: Efficient and friendly. Affordable. read more

Julian Cafe - German Gold Panner - Bakeries Near Me - Julian, California

Kat helped very much with us getting a table, went out of her way to make sure my group of 6 got sat. Apple pies were delicious.

Fantastic food! Place is on the smaller side and on the weekend there was a 35 minute wait for lunch. Well worth it! Service was friendly if on the hasty side. Lots of people coming in and out makes it busy. Yes they have AC! Had the bbq fried chicken tostada salad and it was huge and delicious. Amazing flavors. And "healthy" too! Wife had the chicken fried steak and enjoyed it. Kids had the 1/2 pound burger and while tasty was too meaty. Overall loved this place. Good food, festive interior, and good prices considering the portion sizes. Too full to try the pie though. read more

Julian Cafe - Bbq fried chicken salad. Yum!! - Bakeries Near Me - Julian, California

Just a quick update -- still as amazing as 4 years ago. It's a 250 mile round trip for me to enjoy lunch here, and enjoy it many times a year I do. Best 1800's vibe befitting the Old Skool Julian experience. Eat here, you'll love it, we always do! read more

We miss Christy's fresh home-made from scratch cooking. We've tried eating here a few times since she retired, but the food pales in comparison, and it is definitely not made from scratch. read more

The ambiance was exactly what you'd expect pleasant and inviting. However, the wait was quite long, though it was a busy Saturday. Our server was communicative and attentive, which we appreciated. Unfortunately, the food was a major letdown. I started with the potato skins, which were drenched in oil so much that it took two napkins just to soak some of it up. The chicken and waffles were even worse. The breading on the chicken was thicker than the meat itself, with no seasoning at all; it tasted bland, like cardboard. The waffle was the biggest disappointment it crumbled apart and had a sandy texture, almost as if it had been frozen and reheated. I also tried a burger. While the bun and fries were decent, the patty tasted frozen and lacked flavor. I wasn't even asked how I wanted it cooked, which made sense after tasting it it was just bad. This restaurant has a reputation for being "famous" because of its age, but honestly, the food tasted as outdated as the building. I had hoped for a nice lunch, but it was gross. Do better. read more

See all

AMAZING food!!! Our waiter was very friendly as well! Truly some of the best food we've ever had. The cinnamon roll French toast is to die for!! read more

See all

Went for lunch today. The service was great and the food as always was really good. I recommend the golden rush chicken and the cheeseburgers. Oh and get a side of onion rings. Amazing! read more

Family favorite! The people are so friendly and the service is great. The food is delicious and there are lots of options. We've been going here for years! They have a pumpkin apple pie which is the best I've ever had!! read more

Enjoy an apple pie or slices of pie when you visit Julian; remember that many pie shops close at 5 pm on a Sunday. This place stays open late. They serve pies from a hatch and offer indoor seating. We have previously eaten indoors and enjoyed the experience. In November, we got a whole apple and pumpkin pie from the hatch. Very welcome! We had to wait about twenty minutes in line. When they are busy, the customer experience would be even better if they had a current list of whole pies and of pies available by the slice. The list could be written on a chalkboard or whiteboard and placed a few feet away from the window. Then each group could discuss and decide before they reached the front of the line. read more

Julian Cafe - From across the street - Bakeries Near Me - Julian, California

A tiny little cafe in the town of Julian. This is one of few restaurants in this town that has a good selection of American diner food, so it is expected there is a long wait - even at 9am, we were quoted 30-45min wait, though we got seated closer to 15min. They have different menus for breakfast (until 11:30) and lunch (11:30-4pm), and we arrived for breakfast. The lunch menu seems a bit more intriguing, but it gets a loooot busier after that. Apple pie seems to be the signature but we got Julian Pie (whole) for later so there's no point paying extra to try a slice here. I tried their specialty pancakes and the PCT power bowl. Both portions are extremely huge, as expected for an American diner. When you think about portions versus price, it is pretty good (aside from all the fees you end up seeing in the final bill, more to explain). However, quality wise, this is more of a quantity over quality place in my books. The specialty pancakes were large pancakes with apples (you got to have apples in Julian), walnut, and oatmeal. They were already sweet enough, though they do give you maple syrup that you can pour on the side (which was quite flavorful - worth to try just a tiny bit). The PCT power bowl is huge - definitely enough for 3 meals! I requested eggs to be scrambled soft but they still overcooked my eggs - what is the point if I state what type of egg I want when they fail to deliver? Otherwise, the sausage gravy was filling and hearty, and the potatoes were cooked quite well. I'd have loved if they gave a larger proportion of bell peppers because the dish felt a bit too heavy. A few things that affected the rating was the somewhat unfriendly nature of the host - almost yelled that they won't take phone numbers and that I have to physically wait outside for my name to be called. It seems like they like lots of people waiting outside to generate hype of the place - but I will say, this is overhyped. A better tone and wording would go a long ways here, especially when hospitality, rather than purely food, is the big focus for an American diner. Similarly, the second thing was the service was poor for the first half of the meal - zero water refills so I had to sit around and unsuccessfully flag down a server to fill my water. The third thing was a 5% food inflation fee, like there is not enough fees to tack on to make a decently priced meal into a meal that will end up costing almost 40% more afterwards. read more

Julian Cafe - PCT Power Bowl - Bakeries Near Me - Julian, California

See all

Food is fresh to order, and made with an infinite amount of love! The service staff are very friendly, and informative. The ambiance is what you'd see when you think small town cafe. Everything here is perfect! read more

See all

Best breakfast in Julian. Had the Volcan Scramble and the Julian Specialty Pancakes (apple, walnut, oatmeal). My husband and I split both. We still brought food home. The pancakes were almost like eating a slice of apple pie. So delicious!!! Service was excellent. Cute little shop in the front with preserves, mugs, etc. Wonderful experience. read more

Waited at the front door for quite a while because the sign says wait to be seated. Eventually some lady came out and said "just sit anywhere". We sat and waited and waited AND waited some more. 2 waitresses, 1 seemed really busy 1 kept walking by us but would never acknowledge us. Than some cops walked in and the waitress jumped to get the tables moved around and helped them get seated and right away started serving up waters, coffee and menus. Oh wow, Ok were thinking "maybe this isn't her section", Than the 2nd waitress walks up and starts taking food orders. That was a slap in the face! We said screw this and walked out. Honestly, we waited plenty and we're more than understanding and patient. The one waitress even knew we were mad when we walked cause she said sorry, but let's be honest she didn't care cause she didn't even try and stop us and kept taking the cops food orders. read more

Such delicious food here! Yesterday, I tried the "Julian Apple Burger," and it is definitely yummy. Hamburger with shredded apples, grilled onions and Bleu cheese crumbles. So big I had to take 1/2 home. Would definitely recommend stopping here if your in Julian. read more

Julian Cafe - Julian Apple Burger - Bakeries Near Me - Julian, California

Julian Cafe is probably the only place that serves breakfast till 11:30. Besides that, the menu here is not only extensive with so much to choose from but it's also delicious. A warm and cozy place with pleasant and welcoming staff. Matt helped us and he was absolutely great! The lunch menu looks great as well so I'll definitely be coming back to try it out. Next time you're in Julian come to this place and you won't be disappointed. Enjoy! read more

See all

This is actually my second review about this place so you know this place is GOOD !!! My parents come at least every month or every two months to visit and Morgan has always been our server. So shout out to Morgan and her service and her recommendations!!! She's super sweet :) I honestly have nothing but great things about this place and their service ! We'll be coming back again and hopefully Morgan is our server again!! :) read more

See all

Delicious! Anytime I am in Julian and it's breakfast time I am coming here, the portions are huge, the food is delicious and service is speedy. Came here after our hike and it was wonderful fuel. I got the chicken and waffles as my main dish, the chicken was a bit under seasoned. My friends got an omelette and she customized it to her liking, and enjoyed it very much. Overall great experience, and will be back again. read more

See all

This is the place to go to when in Julian esp. if you want a piece of pie. I have been up here a couple of times but never seem to be able to get in. This time we made sure we got here early. My daughter had the full order of biscuits and gravy for $8.95. She said they were okay, not her favorite. But I tried some and thought they were good. The best part was the amount you got for the price. The half order would be enough for one person. Two people could share the full order. My brother had eggs and chicken fried beef steak for $14.95. He said it was very good but way to much food. All I had was my apple pie. Crumb version because they were out of the Pastry crust. And I had it with ice cream. They give you a huge slice of ice cream and a good size slice of pie all for only $6.20. It was so good. Our waitress was great and attentive. My brother wanted to buy a coffee cup. The cost is only $10 but they were out of them. So much that they almost do not have enough for customers is what the hostess said. I wish they would order more and make the price of the mug $15. People like their mug and would buy it at that price. Somebody needs to get on it. There was a sign on the table that a 5% inflation fee is added to each check. Pretty smart rather than have to try and change all the menus. And if things get better they can go back to their original price, which is very good for all the food you get. If you are up here, you have to stop here. There are others that have the pie and I noticed one could be seated right away and that says it all. Visit 2-11-23 read more

See all

We were in Julian yesterday and since we already ate dinner, our daughter decided she wanted a pie to take home. We ordered a whole apple pie with the pastry top and a caramel apple with toffee chips from the little window outside. They were both delicious! The pie was very pretty actually, with a heart cut out on the top. The lady at the window was very polite and service was top notch. A must try! read more

Great place... amazing apply pie. Friendly service and amazing food. Love that old town look. read more

Decent restaurant that serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner and stays open until 8:30pm at least some nights, which is good for those staying overnight in Julian as everything else tends to close early. We went here for dinner on a Sunday night after our hike up the Volcan Mountain trail and a drive to La Jolla to see the ocean. It was one of the only things open in Julian and the restaurants on the way from La Jolla to Julian didn't really seem appealing. We didn't want to eat in La Jolla because we were under dressed and didn't want to spend an arm and a leg. Bad enough we had to spend $35 for parking! Since I'm vegetarian I ordered a dinner salad with balsamic dressing (which was just lettuce, tomato, carrots, and croutons) and a veggie burger, which I think may have been just a frozen garden burger patty. It was still good and I got veggies for my side, which was green beans cooked in what tasted like balsamic vinegar. Everything tasted good and the staff was super friendly. read more

Had the cheeseburger that came with fries, coleslaw, pie à la mode, and a drink. I love this combo special because it makes it easier just to get everything at the same time in one order. The burger was good. It was nice and big not as juicy as I was hoping it would be. The server we had was great. He gave me the option to have the onions grilled for my cheeseburger. I like the boysenberry apple pie. It's a cozy café with a very western feel when you're inside. I'm glad we did not have to wait to get seated because I've been here before on July 4 weekend when The entire town is packed with a bunch of visitors with waits at every restaurant. I will definitely come here again for another meal and will try the chicken and waffles. read more

Julian Cafe - Bakeries Near Me - Julian, California

See all

Super cute place! Kind of tiny inside, but cozy! The menu is fairly large and the servings sizes are large as well! We ordered their open faced pot roast sandwich and a chicken fried steak. All of which were very good! I ordered a hot chocolate which was perfect for a stormy, snowy day and we ordered two pies -- 1 with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and 1 with cheddar cheese. Everytime we come up, for sure we will go there! read more

See all