Ordered over the phone, showed up, food was ready, staff was super nice. "Good morning! Can I get you a cup of coffee?" "Food's all there, added some cups of fruit for you." "Thank you, have a great day." It's sad that customer service at most places is so abysmal that these small courtesies feel like I just walked into a small town in the midwest and was met with a verbal hug, but all I know is I've never been here before, and the food could suck and I'd still be back just for the good vibes. Thanks to your staff for brightening my morning. Update: the food does not suck at all and is very good. read more

Swung by on a super hot and humid Sunday morning with a group of four and was pleasantly surprised by how quickly we were seated. The place was absolutely packed and had a steady stream of people coming in throughout our visit, so we fully expected a wait. Luckily the staff had things moving smoothly as they could. Although we got our orders in and food later rather late Inside/Outside - 4/5 Kensington Cafe definitely has that popular neighborhood brunch spot energy. Lots of people, lots of movement, and plenty of conversation happening around you. The atmosphere was lively and welcoming. My only gripe is that because it was so busy, it could get a bit loud and hectic at times. Not a huge issue, but if you're looking for a quiet brunch spot this probably isn't it. Big ups is the dog friendliness and plenty of water Customer Service - 5/5 The staff were gr10. Even though the cafe was slammed, everyone remained friendly, patient, and attentive. We never felt rushed and every interaction felt genuine. It's always impressive when a restaurant can maintain that level of service during peak brunch hours. They apologized for their delays. Food & Dranks - 4/5 Our table ordered a variety of drinks and food and overall left happy. The Mauna Loa Latte was smooth and balanced without being overly sweet. The Matcha Fruity Pebbles Latte was probably the most unique item we ordered and ended up being a fun combination that surprisingly worked well together. The Strawberry, Banana, Blueberry Smoothie was refreshing and tasted fresh rather than overly sugary. For food, the Asada Hash Bowl was hearty and packed with flavor. Even though it didn't look like a lot, the hash bowl really filled you up. Definitely a good choice if you're coming in hungry. The Peach Basil French Toast was probably our favorite dish of the meal. The combination felt light, fresh, and different from your typical brunch offerings. Everything was good and I'd happily order it all again. Nothing necessarily blew me away to the point of an automatic 5-star review, but it was a very solid brunch experience from start to finish. TL;DR - Overall - 4/5 - Street parking aint so bad - Seated quickly despite the packed hot and humid Sunday brunch crowd - Friendly and attentive staff that stayed cool under pressure - Mauna Loa Latte and Matcha Fruity Pebbles Latte were both worth trying - Peach Basil French Toast was the standout dish - Asada Hash Bowl was hearty and flavorful and packed quite the punch - Can get a little noisy and hectic when busy - Solid neighborhood brunch spot that I'd definitely visit again for happy tummies and good peoples read more

I've been here a couple of times always hoping that I would find something to love about it. Unfortunately the food is just ok. The ambiance is nice with tons of dog friendly outdoor seating and the service was great! But the food is disappointing. We had the vegetable plate, one pancake and the ceaser salad. Everything was pretty boring. If they amped up the flavor a bit this place could be a real winner. read more

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Brunchin' in Kensington never looked (or tasted) this good @kensingtoncafe From the crispy, savory goodness of the chicken & waffles to the fresh summer salad and those comforting biscuits & gravy -- this spot is serving up all the brunch feels. Come hungry, leave happy... because brunch is always a waffle lot of fun read more

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Still love this place! Recently came in for lunch with a coworker & everything was delicious! Staff were friendly & welcoming. The indoor decor is so cute & homey. Parking is easy to find. read more

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Let's start off with a positive. I have been here numerous times and always had delicious food. This sandwich is by far one of the worst clubs I have ever had. It was so dry. The Gorgonzola spread? Non existent. The flavor was lacking. I threw away the other half. read more

Kensington Cafe - This is the Ken Club aka the Dry Club. It's supposed to have Gorgonzola spread but as you can see there is no spread. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Diego, California

First spot we hit for brunch on my birthday trip was Kensington Cafe in San Diego. I'm glad we arrived when we did because we barely had any wait time it definitely looked like it gets busy.. I ordered the hot honey chicken and waffles, and it was so damn good. It honestly left me wishing we had a location near me! The waffles had such great flavor that I didn't even use the syrup I just added butter. The chicken had the perfect crisp, too. I would've loved a little more hot honey, but that's just me. For coffee, I went with a vanilla cappuccino, which I also really enjoyed. Overall, I had a great meal at Kensington, and if I'm ever back in the area, I'll definitely be coming back. read more

Kensington Cafe - Hot Honey Chicken & Waffles - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Diego, California

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The staff are the shining stars of this gem corner cafe. So friendly and down to earth. With so many enticing choices for breakfast it is hard to decide, so you should probably just over order and tip graciously. We found street parking two blocks down and enjoyed the charming neighborhood walk to the cafe. We sure needed it with bellies full. read more

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My sister and I came for brunch on a Friday. We were greeted by a friendly host and sat right away on the patio. We both started with a soy latte which we both enjoyed. I had a hard time making a decision on my entree because they had so many great options, including their seasonal specials. I ended up choosing the biscuits and chicken gravy per our server's recommendation. The gravy was flavorful and not too heavy. The biscuits were good and flakey but the bottom is the biscuit was a little hard. My sister had the vegan burrito which she enjoyed. We both said we would love to come back and try their other menu options. They have plenty of vegan options for my sister which was great! read more

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Kensington Café will always hold a special place in my heart. When I lived nearby, I used to walk my dog here for breakfast or grab a coffee and pastry on lazy mornings--it's that perfect blend of community café and neighborhood hangout. Their patio is dog-friendly, which makes it an easy go-to when the weather's nice (which, let's be honest, is most days in San Diego). The full coffee bar is excellent--their matcha latte and seasonal drinks are favorites--but I'm also partial to their iced tea with free refills. Over the years, I've worked my way through the menu: omelets, pancakes, sandwiches, and now the quiche--which was fantastic. The Spanish Revival is also great if you're in the mood for something hearty, though it's definitely on the heavier side. What really keeps me coming back is the staff. They're consistently kind, warm, and attentive--no matter how busy the café gets. Even on weekends, I rarely wait more than 10-15 minutes for a table, and once you're seated, it's just easy to relax and enjoy. If you're looking for a classic neighborhood café with great food, friendly service, and that welcoming, local feel--this is it. read more

Kensington Cafe - Quiche and MATCHA LATTE - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Diego, California

Favorite breakfast/brunch cafe ever. The food is delicious, their cappuccino hits the spot, and the staff is extremely attentive and so nice! Kensington Cafe has such a cute and cozy feel from the patio and inside seating. You have to try their power bowl with chicken sausage and cinnamon roll pancake it's DELICIOUS! read more

Kensington Cafe - CINNAMON ROLL PANCAKES - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Diego, California

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Really solid breakfast/brunch place! We were seated very quickly on a Sunday morning which was surprising. We tried their seasonal oats, açaí bowl, and Asada bowl. The coffee was great as well! Parking can be tough so expect to look around for a bit but otherwise this was a great spot. I am planning on coming back to try their French toast next time! read more

Kensington Cafe - ASADA HASH BOWL and MAPLE PEACH WARMED OATS - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Diego, California

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This is a super cute corner cafe! I've come a few times and the staff is always very welcoming and sweet! They have a wide variety of options on the menu and drink menu as well. The food and drinks taste very fresh! It's definitely worth checking out if you're in the area. The American dream: (4.5/5) I ordered it with sourdough instead of the everything bagel, it was delicious! The eggs were fluffy, bacon was crispy and flavorful. Iced chai: I ordered it with almond milk and a splash of vanilla syrup. It was perfect! I like mine on the sweeter side. read more

Kensington Cafe - AMERICAN DREAM with sourdough - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Diego, California

loved this place, it was full on a saturday afternoon but we were seated within 5 minutes. it's kind of dark inside, next time I would definitely ask for outside seating to enjoy the sun and the warmer weather. our food and coffees were delish. server is super nice, although don't remember catching her name. I got an asada hash bowl, I feel like there could've been more more asada after looking at the pictures of other bowls posted on here. nonetheless it was still super filling and I had to take the leftovers home. I had to get a side of a pancake, it was warm and fluffy - just perfect! I want to come back and try more especially their sweet breakfast dishes! ps you can also come in and order to go coffees at the coffee counter! read more

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The service was good. Food was ok, I ordered the Daniel on a croissant it also came with a side of fruit. I was very disappointed in the size of the side fruit it was pretty tiny. The fruit also was not the freshest. Cafe itself was cute. Street parking wasn't too bad. read more

Kensington Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Diego, California

Great local café in downtown Kensington with plenty of food options for everyone, all in a charming, walkable neighborhood. read more

Kensington Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Diego, California

The service and ambiance were great! The food was okay, I ordered the chicken and waffles and was surprised that they fried a very thin chicken breast for it. I would've liked to see thick juicy chicken instead. I've had the chilaquiles in the past and I would not recommend those either. read more

Kensington Cafe - HOT HONEY CHICKEN AND WAFFLES - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Diego, California

Love this place ! Breakfast is the best !! Lunches r good to Coffee here is amazing Check out there specials on board inside ... We loving eating outside any seat perfect . Our favorite waitress is Jessica Super sweet and comes makes sure everything is good Mya the hostess is so welcoming Always has a smile ( just sitting close to host desk ) everyone comments on her vibe is so nice and upbeat .. Definitely chk it out Weekend you might have a wait but it's definitely worth wait ... Oh an if want a good pizza chk out there other place The Haven The biz pizza And wedge salad is amazing Every thing good read more

I live for their Asada hash bowls!! They are superior. I love how tasty and fresh they are. Its a perfect blend of the potatoes with the guac and poach egg. The customer service is also great here its always welcoming! The place is located in the corner with pretty easy accessible street parking. Great decor and environment inside. Not to mention, they have great iced coffee my favorite is the Mauna Lau Latte! I always come back here for a quick breakfast or brunch! read more

Kensington Cafe - ASADA HASH BOWL - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Diego, California

The food was delicious, we both had a breakfast bowl and loved it. Service was great as well.

The food here is incredible, I got the chicken and waffles, and even though I'm usually not a fan of sweet and savory meals, this one blew me away. I rarely leave reviews, but I felt compelled to share my experience because the service was so disappointing. While I understand the restaurant was busy, a staff member walked away from me while I was mid-sentence. Later, after waiting 20 to 35 minutes after receiving my food without anyone checking on us, I asked her for the bill. She was extremely rude and dismissive, telling me to "find my waiter and ask her myself." I'm not writing this to bash the restaurant, the food really is amazing, but rather to bring this to the owners attention so they can hire staff who genuinely care about providing good customer service. A kitchen this talented deserves a front-of-house team that matches it. read more

Delicious food in a nice corner location in the beautiful district of Kensington. I ordered the Chicken and Waffles with a side of eggs and I must say, it was delicious! I normally probably wouldn't be able to finish a meal like that, but the food was so easy to eat. The chicken was more of schnitzel, very tender and fresh! They also have an outdoor seating area that of course allows dogs. Our waitress was amazing and made sure our water was refilled and we got everything we needed. On top of that we did a walk in on a random Saturday and got seated in 15 minutes! Overall great place!! read more

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Very great experience every time I go, the wait isn't bad. The iced lattes are my favorite

It was average, nothing worth going on a wait for! The older woman working there was very loud and seemed a bit frantic despite it being slower! Of note, if your asking to use the bathroom they will tell you the bathroom is broken and your out of luck. How exactly do you run a business without a functioning bathroom? No where is it posted anywhere on the premises! Will not return and would highly recommend spending your money somewhere else. read more

Very cozy indoor and outside seating areas. The servers were warm and inviting, very attentive. I got an omelet dish that was a bit under seasoned and needed quite a bit of tapatio and ketchup. The croissant was extra and was very buttery. Parking was easy on a weekday, we parked at the neighboring park. read more

Kensington Cafe - THE PARKSIDE - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Diego, California

I will admit I was not crazy about this place. I think the menu has a lot of good options but I just felt like the food tasted very generic. Definitely good portion sizes. I think that some of the items on the menu are extremely overpriced. Also, the wait can be very long and they don't tell you how long it is going to be. Also, what I was not a fan of is that they had the window open from the outside part of the diner to the inside of the diner, the sun was very blinding. So I felt like not having a blind or cover of some sort or something to kind of deter the light of being in your face that wasn't very fun. At some points I couldn't even see. I will say the place is kinda small, so it can get a tad loud from outside to inside because the seating is so close to one another. Even trying to leave there isn't much room. You kind of have to wiggle in between everyone as you're coming in and out there isn't a clear path to really walk. I will say parking is fairly okay. read more

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This was my first time here. There is a little wait because the restaurant isn't too big, but that's okay. The food and service were worth the wait at least. There is plenty of parking around the area too. You might have to walk less than a block, but at least it isn't meters or paid parking lol. I'd come back and I'd recommend! read more

Kensington Cafe - HONEY GONE NUTS WAFFLE & MARLBOROUGH - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Diego, California

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In the area and hungry for breakfast we stumbled upon this local spot. Parking is only street parking. They have a large outdoor patio for you and your fur babies. We were greeted by Jessica as soon as we opened the door. Trying to eat healthy I choose off of the scramble side of the menu. It was more of an omelet. I decided on the tree hugger which included mushroom, spinach, cherry tomatoes, feta cheese and avocado scramble. Included was toast and cubed potatoes perfectly cooked. The portions were a great amount. I should have given into my inner hungry hippo and tried the hot honey chicken waffles. I am excited to try more on the menu next time. ** they only do scrambled and poached eggs. read more

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We came on a Sunday morning and got seated immediately. There's both inside and outside seating. Parking on the street wasn't hard to find! Our server was super attentive and sweet. Our food and drinks came out very fast! The strawberry matcha was really good! I got half sweet and it was perfect. My fiance got the Mexican mocha and it was good as well! For entrees, we got the cali burrito and the baumann. Both items were okay. There wasn't any WOW factor to it. The side of fruit was really small but the fruits were super sweet. Overall it's a cute cafe to have brunch at! Maybe we'll try the pancakes the next time we visit! read more

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Kensington Café is such a gem, and I'm lucky it's only about 10 minutes from where I live. I stopped by after Pilates and was seated right away with no wait, which was perfect. Even though I was by myself, I felt totally comfortable and welcomed. My waitress Parker was incredibly friendly and gave me a great food suggestion that turned out to be just what I needed. The vibe here is warm and easygoing, and the staff make you feel right at home. Definitely a spot I'll be coming back to often since it's so close. read more

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NEW FAV San Diego brunch spot! We got the cinnamon roll pancakes, cali burrito, the chicken apple sausage breakfast sandwich, a snickers milkshake, and the strawberry matcha!! everything was a 10/10 our waitress was so nice and welcoming! totally coming back read more

Kensington Cafe - CINNAMON ROLL PANCAKES, THE BAUMANN, Cali Burrito, Iced Strawberry Matcha, - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Diego, California

came here on a saturday morning with my kiddos, fully prepared to wait in line - we were seated immediately and it was so nice. the host was delightful and joked with my son while we were settling in at our table. our waitress was jessica - she was so lovely and friendly. i got the lox on a bagel instead of bread, my kids got the kids pancakes with berries and whip, and my partner got the pulled pork hash. it was all delicious! we'll definitely be back. read more

Kensington Cafe - Lox on an everything bagel - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Diego, California

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Great and fast service !! I got the cali burrito and decided to add asada for extra protein, it was amazing ! read more

Kensington Cafe - CALI BURRITO ADD ASADA!! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Diego, California

I tried this spot a second time as a quick bite to eat. Parking in area can be challenging with the neighborhood, so we did walk quite a bit before putting our names down. The wait was about 20 minutes to go inside which we did not mind. The restaurant is quite spacious, and we were seated inside against the wall. The food was good, but sadly my latte did not hit. Nonetheless, the food is chill and the space is nice to check out. read more

Kensington Cafe - BROWN SUGAR BUTTERMILK PANCAKES - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Diego, California

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The food was so tasty! Definitely an elevated experience. The staff was exceptional. Jessica P. Was our server and she was so great. Treated us like family. Gave great suggestions. The host was so sweet especially to our four girls. I'm for sure saving this place for the future. read more

Very nice staff! They had nice outdoor seating with a chill vibe, though I'd avoid sitting next to the hostess stand bc ppl will hover over you. Giving a low rating bc the chicken and waffles were really not good ): tasted like the chicken was j a reheated frozen chicken tender, not freshly fried + the waffles were mid. My friend ordered asada hash and it was good - I'd stick to ordering more traditional egg stuff and steer away from the chicken and waffles!!! read more

Kensington Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Diego, California

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I woke up this morning with my mind on Kensington Cafe. Once my boyfriend and I were ready for the day we skipped yoga and came here for breakfast and me oh my it was scrumpdidlyumptious!!! Wait time was nonexistent and we were seated almost immediately. Service was superb, I wish I got our servers name but she was absolutely wonderful. She wore a cute orange jumper and had tattoos, so friendly! Everything tasted amazing. I had the mimosa flight, baked French toast, and hash bowl!!! read more

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I have been coming here for years. Solid food choices and generally decent service. Today I was rushed out the door. It wasn't that busy and we hadn't been there for an extended period of time, less than an hour. They clearly wanted our table for a large party and were made to feel very uncomfortable until we finally decided to leave. It left a decided sour taste in my mouth and I don't know if I will ever go back. read more

We were the very first people in. The place was quiet and warm and they made us feel so cozy and welcome. We loved the softness of all the decor. Our server was so thoughtful and patient with our kiddos. We all enjoyed a cinnamon roll pancake, a stack of the brown sugar pancakes, a plate of avocado toast, and some warm croissants. Everything was great, the portion size and the flavor pairings made us all happy. We will definitely come back! read more

Kensington Cafe - Inside - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Diego, California

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Kensington cafe is a nice place to go when you want to try something new and in a cute area but without the stress of going downtown. We came here on a sunday morning and were sat within 15 minutes. All the staff were so friendly and took their time with us, despite it being a busy day. The menu has lots of unique options without straying too far away from a classic breakfast. I got the baked french toast and it was delectable, the berry compote and streusel topping really complimented the flavor and textures of the french toast. I also got an iced white chocolate mocha and it was soooo good. Just the perfect amount of sweetness. The patio allows for tons of people and dog watching on the weekend. I will definitely return here! read more

Kensington Cafe - BAKED FRENCH TOAST - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Diego, California

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