Fantastic food. We ordered the fried chicken which came with Cole slaw and garlic mashed potatoes and the Nashville Hot chicken sandwich. The mashed Potatoes and Fries were absolutely amazing! The fried chicken was perfectly crispy and the portion size was HUGE! The Nashville chicken sandwich was awesome too. Had to take a star off due to service. Two waitresses were there when we ate, one was super friendly, but the other a bit aloof. This was throughout our meal. When we had to ask for refills, when we had to ask for our check, and a To-go box. She brought those items over but never with a smile and not a word said as she brought these items. When I said "thank you so much, that was great, bye" as we were walking out, she just looked at us in our direction. No smile, no wave, no thank you, just a look. Ma'am, your job is literally hospitality. read more

Julian Cafe - Fried Chicken - Bakeries Near Me - Julian, California

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Great breakfast. Biscuits and sausage gravy was almost as good as mine! Well done guys!! read more

Julian Cafe - Biscuits and gravy! - Bakeries Near Me - Julian, California

Decided to randomly drive to Julian last week. I haven't been here for years and a lot has changed in this cafe but it's for the better! Nice setting, lots of tables and chairs, beautiful decor around the cafe. We arrived and got seated quickly. Ordered the chicken and waffles with a kick of heat sauce, chicken turnover pie with mash potatoes and green beans, two cafe burgers with the works (one with cheese and one without) First off, the portion was huge! It was pricey but worth it. The burgers were a hit but it was cooked with a little red in the middle. Fries were crispy. 9 out of 10! Chicken and waffles with the kick of heat sauce was 8 out of 10, chicken was crispy and waffles were cooked perfect. My chicken turnover pie was a 7 out of 10, gravy helped the turnover pie, the mash and greens were good. Which there was more gravy for both the mash and pie. Service was good. read more

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I am fair when it comes to reviews. So let's start with the positive. Our server was polite, courteous and checked on us when needed. On to the negative. My wife ordered a grilled cheese sandwich. That should be easy to make. They burned it twice before they delivered a proper specimen. [[HIGHLIGHT]]It was hot in the restaurant. Would it kill them to turn on the AC?[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]It is very loud in there so good luck having a conversation without yelling.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] When we checked in, we were told it was an hour wait. They texted us just before the hour mark. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The chairs are made of hard wood. They were very uncomfortable to sit in.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]The area is very small and you have to walk through the kitchen to get to the bathrooms.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We were hoping to have breakfast, however that stops at 1130. I would not return even if they offered a free meal for my family. Absolute trash. read more

This was just what we needed after a long day of walking around and exploring Julian. We didn't have lunch because we were so full from our pie stop so we were very hungry when we got here. The staff were all very friendly and the service was super quick! We got the apple burger which was delicious, a fall apple salad which was decent, and their famous chicken pot pie turnovers. The pot pie was okay, super bland but really filling after a long day of walking around. We were so full we ended up getting apple pie to go! read more

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The place is busy. Line outside for the pies. Service was great. Onion rings were great and hot. I asked them to cut the burger. She said they don't do that in the kitchen. So she already planed on bringing a knife. And extra plate. The pie, burger and onion rings were so good. It makes up for the average chilli/cheese fries. Come here for the great burgers and onion rings. The salads looked great also. It's worth the trip. read more

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Best breakfast in town. Good menu. Good pie great service. Good French toast and biscuits and gravy.

I love this place. [[HIGHLIGHT]]It's small, cozy[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]], great waitstaff, HUGE portions (share), and great pie!

The food quality is good, but the service really needs improvement. The staff didn't seem aware or attentive...they didn't know their own menu, didn't acknowledge guests when they walked in, and looked confused most of the time. We arrived at 10:34 and our order wasn't taken until 11:00. The atmosphere inside was also surprisingly loud despite not being very full. Overall, I don't recommend this place and don't plan on coming back. read more

Food was great, hearty, great tasting, buttery, yum & Not over-priced for CA. Espresso was a big no for me and cider was costly-the rest was a Yes! read more

Julian Cafe - Rustic, mountain vibe, delicious breakfast-yet again - Bakeries Near Me - Julian, California

So, after waiting 40 minutes for our food, and when we inquired we were told they were short staffed and it "could be a while". There were a few other tables asking when theirs would be ready and they had ordered before us. Honestly, the energy of the server and buss girl were very off putting so we just got up and left. Place was very cute on the inside though. read more

Stopped by randomly for lunch on a road trip. Delicious! Huge servings! [[HIGHLIGHT]]Charming decor[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] and super friendly service. Home made candles, jams, salsas. Highly recommend read more

Was touristing the area for a couple days and we had to come back to Julian Cafe. The first day we went I got the chicken and waffles and my wife got biscuits and gravy with ham steak. The second day we shared a giant buckaroo burrito. The chicken and waffles were amazing, the chicken breast was juicy and the crust was crispy, the biscuits and gravy had an amazing peppery taste with a soft buttery biscuit, the ham was pan fried to perfection, and the burrito was great, we added bacon and ham to it and it was perfect. We loved how everything tasted homemade and the coffee was served with cream and sugar. Service was great and [[HIGHLIGHT]]the decor was reminiscent of a western eatery.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We would definitely come back when visiting the area. read more

Since the weather has been cold, it's only right to get some hot apple cider and a slice of apple crumble pie. Everything was delicious, especially the cider which was butterscotch flavor. A little pricey for 2 slices and 2 ciders but it was all good. read more

Julian Cafe - Apple crumble pie - Bakeries Near Me - Julian, California

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Parking: public parking there's a lot of parking on the streets unless you go on peak tourist season... there's also cashless parking. You pay with barcode. Wait time: off season and weekend it was within 10 min for 2 ppl. Ordering wait time: about 30 min it takes a while bc there's lots of ppl. Food: Apple burger: the flavor was good but maybe I misread the info but I didn't see the apple not taste it? It was a savory and sweet burger but the sweetness was from honey sauce. Buns was good. Fried potatoes: super crispy and the batter was done well! Country fried chicken ( beef) : I think it was too much flour coating for the amount of meat. The mash potatoes was amazing! So soft and buttery. There's enough flavor there. Apple and cherry pie: it was tart but not so much. It also wasn't too sweet for an Asian taste buds. The crust wasn't too much and the crumble top was light and crispy. Boysenberry pie with ice cream: it was delicious with crumble top. The pie here couldn't be bad. Black coffee: it was a bit watery than what I expected. Maybe I'm used to keurig deep flavors. Pokego: about 3 stops and gym nearby that you can reach from restaurant. So you can eat and play. read more

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Julian Cafe was our first stop as we were headed to view the wildflower blooms at Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. We must have just missed the morning crowd as there were only two tables with customers upon our arrival. The inside reminded me of a country western saloon. The breakfast menu was filled with items like omelettes, pancakes, scrambles, waffles, french toast, and other egg specialties. I decided on a Julian Scrambled which was three scrambled eggs with diced ham topped with melted cheddar cheese and served on an open English muffin. The plate also came with a large heap of home fries. The portion size was huge for the price. There was no way I was going to finish all the food in one sitting. I didn't like the fact I could not package the leftovers to take home. Since we were going hiking afterward, it wasn't safe to leave a takeout box in our vehicle for several hours in which microorganisms could spoil the food. I also tasted part of the Biscuits & Country Sausage Gravy. A half order was only one biscuit, but it nearly filled up the entire plate. The gravy was very creamy and smooth. If you like homemade biscuits, then you can't go wrong with this order. We didn't have any issues with the speed of service, but I think our group lucked out with the timing of the visit. I gave our dining experience at Julian Café a four star rating. read more

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If you want all the Julian feels of being away in the country/mountains and eating like it, this is your place. Now I do understand that this place has a long wait on the weekends, but our Monday morning was perfect. No wait and our pick of a few tables. The food is pricey but they give generous portions and that's coming from two big eaters. We ended our savory breakfast with crumb crust apple pie and a massive dollop of vanilla ice cream on top. Our waitress was very sweet and she checked in with us often to make sure we were happy. We were. This was a perfect ending to our one night stay in Julian. If the line isn't crazy long, this is definitely a place to be. read more

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Went here on a Friday at noon for lunch. Ordered the Fried Chicken and Chicken Pie Turnover. Both came with fries and cole slaw. All entrées cooked to perfection! For dessert we had slices of Apple Pie and Cherry/Apple Pie. Scrumptious! Our server, Matt, was attentive and welcoming. He made sure our coffee cups stayed full. The inside has a old country style cafe type feel. Suggest waiting for a booth for seating since they are spacious and offer a more enjoyable experience. Parking is available in limited supply on street, but there is ample public lots just a short walk away. read more

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Great cafe/diner with a rustic farmhouse feel. They had about an hour wait on a Saturday for breakfast and lunch, so plan accordingly. Their staff are friendly, service is quick once you're seated and their menu offers a wide selection of entrees for everyone. We tried the tuna melt and apple burger, both delicious! This stop made our trip to Julian even more memorable! read more

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Got the boysenberry apple pie slice with whipped cream on top - absolutely delicious! Came out fresh, and we devoured it right outside the shop. It was quite sweet, so that's my only critique. Definitely think you have to try an apple pie slice during your time at Julian! read more

Julian Cafe - Bakeries Near Me - Julian, California

This review is just for the to-go walk through order. There was a long line on Thanksgiving late afternoon, and so we were curious and had to check it out. We tried their apple pie with crumb crust topped with ice cream. And omg, I wish we ordered more! It was delish! Warm & sweet but not too sweet and the ice cream on top complements it very well! The queue is outside so I can't say much about the ambiance. The wait wasn't bad and the lady in the window who helped us was nice! Next time we're back in the area, will definitely get another apple pie! read more

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Drove from SD just to have breakfast here on a Sunday morning. They stop serving breakfast at 11:30AM, so make sure you get here early as the waitlist can get really long and we barely just got seated in time before breakfast ended. My gf and I ordered the chicken and waffles and we shared a caffe mocha. The caffe mocha was delicious! Not too sweet/chocolatey and you can still taste the coffee. The waffles and syrup were really good too. The waffle texture was crisp on the outside but so light and fluffy on the inside and paired nicely with the syrup. The chicken was a little bland for me and the gravy was expensive and it tasted too flour-y or cornstarchy for me. Servers are pretty nice, but it gets busy here so they're a little slow. The whole store seems quite small as the tables are quite large. read more

Julian Cafe - chicken and waffles - Bakeries Near Me - Julian, California

This is my go-to spot whenever I visit Julian. Their apple pie with ice cream is absolutely amazing - a bit on the sweeter side, but perfect for an occasional treat. Between the crumb crust and pastry crust, the crumb crust is definitely sweeter but still worth trying. I also had their limited-time Toffee Cider, and it was surprisingly delicious - flavorful and a perfect complement to the pie. If you're in Julian and craving something sweet, this place is a must-visit! read more

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Hard NO from Longtime Locals We have been coming here on and off for many years. A few years back the food was slightly above average. But in 2026, this place is a Hard NO. Here is why: Prices are now out of control. Many entrees are $22 and up. And a hot cider for $9? From 2024 to 2026 we have tried several things below: Fried chicken has been extremely dry except once. We have gotten the burgers several times, and despite asking for medium rare, they always come out well done and dry. The baked potatoes always seem to be hard inside. The salad usually has brown leaves and is pretty bland. The pie isn't terrible, but Julian Pie Company is better. Do yourself a favor and try Julian Beer for pizza or BBQ, Quecho for Mexican, Miners Diner for breakfast/lunch, or the new De Los Altos which is quite good for lunch or dinner. I could go on, but today is the last day we are patronizing this establishment. read more

We came here during the week. So it wasn't so crowded. I heard if you come on the weekend the wait time can be 3 hours. I loved that they had fresh brewed ice tea. Their menu options had a great variety so there is something for everyone. The portions are HUGE, you will definitely leave with a doggie bag for sure. The prices were good especially for the amount of food you get. And I did live the decor and all the wood working. It was a cool aesthetic. I would come here again sine there are other things I would want to try on the menu. read more

Julian Cafe - The Southwestern Salad and Chicken Fried Steak. - Bakeries Near Me - Julian, California

We shared a Burger and glad we did. Plenty of flavor in half and the fries were crispy outside & soft inside ... Tasty. Atmosphere was old west/ranch style. style. Apple pie a la mode is sinfully great. read more

Cute little Cafe with a very mining town decor. Good coffee early in the morning usually a 20 minute wait on weekends . Food selection looks really good and reasonably priced read more

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Apple pie is not worth trying -- it was just a few thick chunks of apple barely baked.

It's was our first time in Town and found this amazing place! We were glad we chose this cafe. Food was delicious! Service was excellent! We loved it so much we returned later that day. read more

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The food was insane here and all home-made. My buddy and I split the chili and the chicken pie, both were fantastic and clearly made from scratch on site. Kids loved all their burgers and grilled cheese, etc. The pies were to die for - as expected. Service was trhough the roof great, our server was so amazing, what a guy! [[HIGHLIGHT]]The room is old-timey and older, but it's appropriate, and wood is nice.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

A classic for a reason! We love coming here for a bite every time we come to Julian. Delicious fall comfort foods, huge portions, great service all in a cozy space. read more

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The wait was very long, but really worth it. I'm so glad they have a system where they'll text you when the table is ready! The food was really good, fresh, and on point. Service was friendly, fast and efficient. We had the special which was a grilled cheese and tomato bisque soup and it was just perfect. Absolutely no complaints, will definitely be back! read more

we stopped by for a meal and had SUCH a great experience!! riley was our server and she was so friendly and helped answer all of our questions. i got the chicken pie turnover and it was absolutely delicious. im picky about chicken pot pies and this one hit the spot! i got it with a side of mashed potatoes and green beans. it was one of the best comfort meals i've had in a long time!! will definitely be back (and maybe this afternoon for a slice of pie) read more

The nicest thing about this horrid tourist trap is the scenery outside of it. Horrible service and middling food all around. Our nightmare visit started with a purported 10 minute wait time that turned into 35+ minutes of us having to repeatedly ask if there was seating as we watched other groups who came later walk in before us.... Once they begrudgingly let us inside, they sat us in the corner with the most nauseating incandescent lighting. The lightbulb above, that could pass for hospital lighting, was so bad that we had to ask to move tables to prevent our growing headaches from worsening. Of course the waiter was annoyed. She rolled her eyes, and as if she was doing us a favor, said we could if we move if we took our stuff ourselves. At our marginally better table we began eating and drinking our overpriced slop. The three coffees we had were disgusting; reminiscent of leftover coffee that had been scooped from the bottom of a grimy pot that had been left out and forgotten about for over a week. The only thing I will give credit for is the cider, but that's not saying much as it would take a miracle to mess up apple juice (but I wouldn't put it past them). As some side notes. We could overhear the waitress, Rebecca R., complain loudly to another worker in Spanish that we moved tables. Also the bathrooms suck, with urine and trash littering the ground. Regardless, we powered through and made it to the check. I'm used to automatic gratuities for large groups, but for four people is ridiculous. We were not forewarned that we would be charged this fee, but at the bottom of our check was a 18% forced "gratuity." Maybe it's their form of insurance because they know that their service is so atrocious that no one would willingly leave a tip.... As we walked away the cashiers, two short, young, female workers ran outside the building to the steps, looked for us, saw us, laughed then ran back inside. Seconds later one peeked out, saw us, did a mocking wave bye and ran back inside. Glad to know the child workers are as rude as their adult counterparts inside. The only way I can imagine this place still being in business is that tourists don't know better. I hope this review can save you from an awful experience here. Avoid at all costs!!!! read more

Julian Cafe - Bakeries Near Me - Julian, California

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Stop 2 on our Thanksgiving 2023 crawl, Julian Cafe. The wait was 2 1/2 hours, but we had called in for take out. The staff was over the top friendly, kind, helpful and patient despite the mob scene. Hard to see in the photo but the line was out the door and into Main Street. Impossible to get a picture from the restaurant The food! Same basic menu as stop 1 done entirely different, but just as delicious. The star here, and best dressing of the crawl, was the sausage apple dressing. Not sure how to survive a whole year before I can get more. The ham was traditional glazed, very lean and nowhere near too sweet. The turkey was moist and the gravy perfect. Dessert was housemade pumpkin bread and it's delicious Julian Cafe is the reason we're probably going to get multiple Thanksgiving dinners next year because we'll never be able to choose just one read more

Julian Cafe - Main Street Julian mid day on Thanksgiving 2023 - Bakeries Near Me - Julian, California

Stopped here just for the pie. It was really good. Got one slice of apple and one slice of apple/boysenberry. Both with ice cream. Prices and service were good. Would definitely come back. read more

My wife, I and our two chocolate labs stop and picked up two pieces of Apple Crumb pie for dessert on our way back to the lodge. OMG, absolutely incredible!! Had to be one of the BEST pieces of pie I have ever had!! Didn't even stop to take a picture of it...Yummy. read more

Very rustic very cute spot ! A little tight walking around. Staff was excellent and food was good! read more

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Came to the spot while in town and I really wanted to like it because there's not a lot of options to eat while you're here. I was really hungry when I arrived here and we were looking for some good breakfast ..service was not great, and it took a while to get our water, and for a waiter to come over and ask us what we wanted. You got a remember. It's a small town and the food was a little pricey, but as to be expected, I don't mind paying for food but I feel like that the food should live up to the price point. All of the stuff that we ordered was pretty bland. The gravy with the biscuit and gravy had no flavor at all And I ordered a chili cheese omelette, which was literally all beans. They should've called it the bean omelette, because there was no meat in it, everybody at the table ordered different things, and the opinion that I got from all of us was at the foods did not have that much flavor The other thing that I didn't like also as they would make you pay a service fee and I don't know I'm just not a fan of these made up service fees when I'm already there dining and paying a higher price for food anyways. I completely understand the businesses are having a hard time with the cost of supplies and staff at these times but you do not have to nickel and dime your customers just to make up for that. Just raise the prices on the menu. Honestly, go check out some of the other places in town because I do not recommend this place to others. read more

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Julian cafe is a nice place to stop when visiting Julian! I have been 3 times now. Each time my group and I have had to wait, but it's expected considering the weekends get very busy. This past visit they said 1 hour and 20 minutes but we were sat in 40 minutes. While you are waiting there are cute shops to walk around and check out. Every time I have ordered the chicken and waffles! I only have 4/5 stars because the dish has been inconsistent on each occasion. This past visit my plate was awesome, but my boyfriends chicken was much thinner and a little dry/tough to eat. I would still continue to order this when I go back and visit, but I do know it can be inconsistent with quality. I love their cold apple cider and they also have speciality warm options as well. This visit we ordered the fried zucchini which was DELICIOUS! The breading was seasoned great and fried to perfection. Overall, I will continue to go back here when visiting Julian! read more

Julian Cafe - Country fried chicken and waffles - fried zucchini in the back - Bakeries Near Me - Julian, California

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