Although teeny tiny, there is magic crammed into every crevice of this special place. Fresh flowers always adorn the place settings, and cozy indoor tables and vibrant outdoor seating make this feel like you're stepping into someone's home or patio. The food has that made-from-scratch feel to it, and is always fresh and high quality. I've had breakfast and lunch here and haven't left a crumb behind either time. I loved the waffle with berries for breakfast, and the veggie sandwich at lunch time. I also LOVED the drink menu-- had the best matcha latte with housemade syrup (passionfruit I think?) and a really delicious old fashioned caramel latte. Some people might consider the downside of a place like this to be the small kitchen, as it can impact wait times and the kitchen's ability to accommodate specific requests. However!! I think this just makes the experience more special-- having to slow down and savor a dining experience instead of rushing from place to place is truly a treat. Although not always speedy necessarily, I've had amazing service every time I've visited here. On one occasion we had longer wait times for our food and were treated with a delicious cake at the end of our meal. On another, we had a very minor snafu happen where a server was adjusting an umbrella and accidentally knocked something over on the table next to us-- the staff comped all of our meals out of consideration which was just so generous and understanding. Overall I can't recommend this place enough! They have so many fun menus and specials. I can't wait to try their Peasant night in a few weeks. Grateful to have this spot in the neighborhood! read more

Well, shoot. We've loved Little Lion in the past when we've visited and were very excited to go again on a recent vacation. We made reservations (party of two) and arrived 20 minutes early fully ready and happy to wait. The initial problem is that the woman who checked us in forgot about us so we waited while we watched folks who did not have a reservation get seated well before us. I went up and asked her and she looked confused and startled and then remembered and we were sat soon thereafter. I ordered the Little Lion Breakfast platter and my wife ordered a Veggie Sandwich. When my platter came out over an hour later every bite was cold. The poached eggs were in a small bowl of water, making them inedible when the yolk was broken. The greens were flavorful but as I said, ice cold - as were the four small wedges of potato I received. The toast was stale and cold. I really have no idea what the room-temperature spread sitting in a bowl on top of the greens was for. My wife's veggie sandwich didn't appear for another 15 minutes. Her potatoes were cold as well and the sandwich was skimpy and the bread stale. We waited another 20 minutes or so after we ate for a check to be dropped - altogether we were there for over two hours. We left hungry, sad because we were really looking forward to this meal, down approximately $70 bucks (I got a coffee drink - which was great and my wife a mimosa), and deflated. A final straw was delivered when my wife needed to use the restroom - to get to the restroom you must go outside and cross into and through the kitchen. What she described when she came out was ... not a sanitary scene. I worked in the service industry for 20 years and I know some restaurants just have off days. The fact that no one seemed to even acknowledge how messed up the situation was. It's a shame but we won't be back. read more

I rarely leave critical reviews for small independent spots, but our experience here went well past a typical busy brunch delay. ​We were seated in 15 minutes, ordered within 10, and then waited a full hour for two entrees. When a kitchen has a strict "no substitutions" policy under the premise that it keeps order tickets moving efficiently, making customers wait 60 minutes for a standard breakfast defeats the entire purpose. They have this hatch chili cheddar biscuit that is not included in any of the meals. It would have been an amazing substitute as a Benedict base and a completely low effort switch but they were staunch on their no substitution policy. Fine, whatever. But it definitely added to the annoyance of waiting over an hour for my food. ​When our food finally arrived, we had crossed well past normal hunger into pure metabolic refuel, scarfing everything down in under ten minutes. My husband stood up to pay the check. Our table was right next to the register so he literally just needed to stand up and take a step towards the register. Our server was working the register. She smiled and asked him, "Were you seated inside or outside?" After a brief pause to collect his composure he simply answered, "Inside" and nodded towards the table next to them. She unapologetically nodded and rung him up and the terminal prompted an $11 tip on a $51 (pretax) bill. ​As we were driving home my husband said, "I didn't want to say anything while we were there because I know the entire reason we were eating was because you needed to take your meds, but right before you took them I watched our waiter consolidate multiple partially used, open water carafes from bussed tables into a single used carafe and immediately set it out for another table without so much as wiping down the neck or exterior." Thanks for watching out, Dear. Sigh... They couldn't even remember who we were even though they took our order and then stood next to us for an hour as we slowly went from hungry to ravenous. There is no way I trust them to notice if a customer does anything weird like drink directly out of a carafe or cough/sneeze all over one. ​If you don't mind an hour-long wait for eggs you aren't allowed to tweak, the setting is cute. But between the complete operational gridlock and the recycled table water, we won't be back. I can't give an honest review of the food. I was past the point of being so hungry that everything tastes amazing and was firmly in the territory of "So hungry I'm just shoveling food down my gullet without tasting it". Food was inhaled in like 5 minutes. I think it was good. read more

I had a healthy brunch over at Little Lion Cafe recently, and it is a staple beach breakfast spot here in OB. It actually is a very small cafe, so expect a bit of waiting, especially for peak dining times and weekends. There is seating both indoors and outdoors, and I chose to sit indoors. I was interested in their coffee menu, since they seemed to take craft in some of their creations. I enjoyed their Strawberry Cold Brew. It was light and sweet from the foam on top and had a nice balance of brew and strawberry flavor. For food, we kept it all veggie with their Black Bean Tacos and a Superfood bowl. It wasn't our first choice, though, as all of our selections were sold out for the afternoon. The food was bright and colorful, but did take a little longer to prepare. My bowl had plenty of red bell peppers and onions, which I did eventually get tired of eating. I loved the crispy kale and wish they included more of it or some seeds on top for more crunch! That day they were out of stock on everything we wanted, so I will have to give it another go if I ever get the chance to revisit. Overall, the service was very kind from the ladies and the coffee is notable! read more

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Such a cute small café with great food loved my waffles. Potatoes didn't have much flavor, but they were good. The customer service was good as well The location and convenience is perfect if you want to visit Sunset cliffs! read more

Little Lion Cafe - Cafes Near Me - San Diego, California

The food was good, the service was good and the ambiance was probably the best part of this cafe. I will say I wish they had artificial ketchup bc dipping my potatoes in the house made ketchup felt like I was dipping it in pasta sauce. Coffee could've been a little better too! read more

Little Lion Cafe - Little lion platter - Cafes Near Me - San Diego, California

Staff is snobby, rude with a smile. Limited menu, will only make eggs poached. Waitress refused other options for eggs which I found super odd. Food was cold: eggs were poached well done and inedible. Ate outside and there are flys everywhere which def affected any ambiance. Waited over 15 minutes for black drip coffee. When I asked the waitress status she smiled and said "the barista is extremely busy" which I found weird since I didn't order a specialty coffee. Do you not have a pot of coffee to pour from? Odd from a breakfast spot. Overall disappointing. read more

Such a cute hidden gem located right next to sunset cliffs. I highly suggest making a reservation because the seating is very limited, there was a lot of people waiting. Despite being busy the service was still so good, they were attentive and friendly. The food was great as well. The vegan tacos were sooo flavorful and very filling without leaving me feeling stuffed and groggy. The breakfast plate was delicious as well and came with your typical breakfast foods. The iced coconut latte was one of my favorites, it wasn't listed on the menu but they had a coconut matcha so i asked if they could make it with espresso and it was soo good! read more

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Went a few times for coffee and once for breakfast as we were staying at the inn at sunset cliffs. Location was very convenient obviously and it's a cozy small cafe with indoor and outdoor seating. Coffee and lemonade were delicious. Service was hit or miss - good when we got things to go but lacking when we ate in. Definitely on the slower side and honestly not very pleasant. Food was okay. We got a relish tray to go which was good (hard to mess up pickled veggies though) but seemed like a small portion for the cost. For breakfast I got the breakfast tacos - they're more like tostadas though since the tortilla is fried. It was good, not phenomenal. My friend got the avocado toast. It was toasted slices of baguette with avocado on them, rather than one or two larger pieces of toasted bread. Toppings looked good but the toast was about 20 seconds from being actually burnt - very hard without anything close to a soft inside (my friend said it cut up her mouth - she couldn't even finish the last piece). Maybe some of their other dishes are better or maybe dinner would have been a better choice. I'd probably go again for convenience sake, but I wouldn't recommend making a special trip out to try it if you're not already in the area. TLDR; coffee is good, food is okay, service hot or miss. Go if convenient, otherwise likely isn't worth a special trip. read more

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European charm and fresh local ingredients with rich espresso and attentive service! Still the best cafe hidden gem in OB by the ocean! read more

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Well after getting off a cruise and going to our Airbnb near Sunset Cliffs, we were hungry. Our Airbnb hostess recommended Little Lion Cafe and she was spot on. Great location just a couple blocks from the Sunset Cliffs. We were lucky and got a seat right away (about 11AM on a Saturday). When we left, it was very busy. Grace our server was EXTREMELY nice and very efficient. We asked for her recommendations and took her up on it. I had the Egg Salad Croissants and it was FABULOUS! It had just the right mix of ingredients. My wife had the Green Onion biscuit and loved it. Never once had to ask for a coffee or water refill. read more

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1/5 Unfortunately, I would not recommend Little Lion Cafe based on our experience. The restaurant itself has a cool, charming feel and is located near Sunset Cliffs, but you do not actually get any type of ocean or cliff view from the restaurant. Parking is also very limited, although that is understandable given the location. We ordered the Little Lion Platter, the Classic Benedict, and a Belgian waffle with scrambled eggs. From the time we placed our order, it took over 45 minutes for our food to arrive. For fairly standard breakfast items, that wait was excessive. The portions were also much smaller than I expected, especially considering the prices. The seating inside was extremely cramped. Our table was so close to the table next to us that I could hear their entire conversation as though I were sitting with them. It did not feel comfortable or relaxing at all. While we were waiting for our food, I also watched another couple wait for a table for about as long as we waited for our meal. I genuinely felt bad for them and hoped they wouldn't then have another 45-minute wait once they finally ordered. I understand that restaurants can get busy, especially on a Sunday morning, but between the long wait for food, small portions, high prices, cramped seating, and lack of any real view despite the Sunset Cliffs location, the overall experience was disappointing. The place itself has some character, but unfortunately the service, value, and dining experience did not come close to matching the price. I would give Little Lion Cafe 1 out of 5 stars and would not return or recommend it. read more

Little Lion was okay. Was recommended this place w a friend and it is very small. I got the waffle and it was pretty good. Nothing much to write about as it was average with about 20 dollars per person, which is about the norm now. read more

Very nice place. We went early on a week day and it really filled up. Good food. Okay black drip coffee. Pleasant and attentive service.

So my daughter & I decided to catch one of those beautiful San Diego sunsets! Because that is what you do on a random Thursday in San Diego. She decides she is hungry. Well daddy's little girl shall eat! Then as if a spotlight shone down from the heavens on this magical spot while looking for parking. The sun setting behind it probably helped. We notice a quaint little French inspired café. Inviting. Relaxing. Even the background music was soothing. Ok, onto the eats! Apologies for the long windiness. That could be the edible kicking in. I must hurry. The drinks: nothing fancy. A cold brew & latte. Basic caffeine boost! The Appetizers: Melon & Prosciutto with some zesty greens! Delectable!! And Syd isn't typically fond of greens. As for the Mushroom Bourguignon with mashed potatoes, I can write a paper on its delicious reduction sauce with just the right zing to make those mushrooms magical (no, not that kind). The mashed potatoes were fluffy & worked perfectly as a sauce sponge (say that 5x fast!). The dinner: I wasn't too hungry, but Syd got the Spanish fried chicken & spicy aioli. Maybe I did have one...and a half. So good it has demoted Colonel Sanders to Private! The aioli was creamy & added a perfect pinch to the crispy chicken strips! And obviously, dessert: Ice cream cookie. Need I say more? Have it! Enjoy it! Do it! YOLO Oh and last, but certainly not least, our server & hostess. Both of you, fantastic service. From recommendations to additional plates! Always on top of providing you a comfortable dining experience. TL:DR Quiet little bistro with delicious food & excellent service! Blink & you'll miss it! read more

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If I could give six stars I would! The owner's father made us feel so welcome even though we didn't realize reservations are preferred and just stumbled off the airplane. Our server gave phenomenal recommendations and we met the chef personally. Each dish was perfectly prepared with a beautiful presentation. read more

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The service was pretty amazing. My server was Mitchell and he was very friendly and he gave me a birthday potato. And they're absolutely delicious. read more

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It's been maybe a year since I've been to Little Lion and the last time I was there, I also thought that the quality had slipped. This used to be one of my go to breakfast places. Atmosphere is still there, but the food quality and pricing is no longer a match. Shakshuka is supposed to be a very flavorful dish and this was incredibly bland. My eggs were cooked so hard they were like rubber and it came with two little pieces of stale toast. No potatoes, no fruit. $20 for that is a crime. I get that rent and food prices are high, but if you're gonna charge that for a small dish you've got to nail it. I also had a latte which was I don't remember exactly how much but more than five dollars. So after that, tax and tip I'm looking at over $30 for a really underwhelming breakfast and I was still hungry after. Service was OK but kind of aloof. The little bar that we sat at by the window needed to be wiped down. read more

Little Lion Cafe - Shakahuka - Cafes Near Me - San Diego, California

I've heard so many great things about this little cafe and I am happy to say that it lived up to the hype. The food here was delicious and my sandwich was absolutely massive. It's location is perfect for a quick pop over to sunset cliffs afterwards as well. read more

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This place is just unbelievably charming in every way. The food is wonderful and the service personable. The setting is charming. You cant go wrong with anything on the menu. read more

Little Lion Cafe - Little Lion Cafe and Bar, Saturday morning - Cafes Near Me - San Diego, California

Came here with a friend for breakfast recently and ordered the crab cake benedict. Pros: - the menu looks good, solid options - the crab cakes were 90% crab - generous portion - nice presentation - service was great and friendly! Cons: - eggs were overcooked, barely runny - the potatos tasted old and reheated - not crispy, fresh or warm - the bread under the Benedict was hard to cut into even with a proper knife, had to pull it apart which wrecked the dish - the crab cakes and/or hollandaise sauce needed seasoning - the ketchup also needed seasoning, or something to give it flavor Would return if in the direct area and give another try given positive reviews, maybe it was an off day. read more

Little Lion Cafe - Crab cake benedict - Cafes Near Me - San Diego, California

Little lion is a little gem on sunset cliffs in Point Loma. We came for breakfast on a Sunday. We were lucky to get seated pretty quickly! The food was good, the service was very slow and the portion sizes were a little small on some of the dishes. I wasa little surprised the only option for eggs was poached, ok, but not even like poached eggs! Overall we really liked it and will come back again. (We didn't get the waffles but they looked fabulous) read more

Little Lion Cafe - Delicious blueberry scone - Cafes Near Me - San Diego, California

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Not my vibe.. Food was ok nothing special. Inside is small. Outdoor seating available. Slow service, it is OB. Good for locals of you're within walking distance. I would consider going elsewhere otherwise. Bathroom available through the busy and small kitchen. Pretty odd all in all. read more

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The food is good but the service and cleanliness needed improvement. The food was tasty, and we all cleared our plates. The chia bowl and Belgian lion potatoes (like Belgian French fries) are highlights. The homemade ketchup is odd, however, tasting more like marinara. The location is right near Sunset Cliffs, so street parking can be tough but the area is picturesque. However, you must wait outside the restaurant, as they do not take down your phone number for the waitlist. The service was slow. Although the staff was friendly, the busy restaurant and small kitchen took over half an hour to make our entrees. I am also concerned about their dishwashing process. My glass, despite having ice water inside, tasted of coffee, and the rim had a grimy residue. The water carafes were also cloudy, despite only holding water. I am not against returning, as the food was very tasty. However, I caution you to pay attention to your dishware and expect a wait - even after being seated. read more

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Little Lion Café is one of those hidden gems that make you fall in love with San Diego all over again. It's a small, cozy spot with a welcoming vibe and genuinely kind staff who always make you feel at home. Sarah was awesome! The food is absolutely delicious--fresh, beautifully presented, and full of flavor. Whether you're stopping by for breakfast or lunch, everything tastes carefully made and thoughtfully served. My only wish is that they would reopen for dinner service instead of just takeout, because their meals would make for the perfect evening out. Highly recommend this place for anyone who appreciates great food, friendly people, and a relaxed local atmosphere. thank you for welcoming Bruno too! read more

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Little lion is a quaint spot in ocean beach with as much outdoor seating as indoor. Food and coffee are fresh and we had great service from a fellow Hoosier! Unfortunately they were out of multiple items at the time of our brunch visit: crab cake Benedict, breakfast potatoes, and ranch. The specialty lattes (Carmel and vanilla) were warm and cozy. The classic Benedict was delicious and is served on house sourdough. The hot chicken sandwich was good, but lacking without the ranch. Overall a nice spot to pop in for breakfast/lunch. read more

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I have been wanting to try this place for so long. I was in point Loma with my mom and decided today was the day. I will say the location is very cute but you are on a main road. We sat outside because it was a beautiful day and had breakfast. The coffees were fantastic. I will say the breakfast was pretty expensive, but I did enjoy all of the accoutrements. The Shishido pepper butter was something I'd never thought of, but was really good and the greens were so surprisingly palatable and a value add to my meal that I was not expecting. The service was fantastic. They even dealt with my mother who wanted to change chairs because she didn't like the chair. She was sad at all of it was fantastic. Would definitely come by again and then take a lovely stroll down on Sunset cliffs read more

Little Lion Cafe - Cafes Near Me - San Diego, California

We tried the breakfast platter and the crab cakes with fresh organic fruit. The platter had some good flavors, but the bacon was a little burnt and portions were smaller for a "platter". The location near the beach and sunset cliffs was nice. Service was friendly. read more

Little Lion Cafe - Breakfast platter - Cafes Near Me - San Diego, California

My husband and I were looking for a brunch spot in San Diego and this place came with glowing recommendations. There is both indoor and outdoor seating. Staff were great at suggesting what to order, so I got the eggs benedict and my husband got the burger. My benedict was absolutely delicious! The sauce was creamy and tart, and the eggs had such a dark, rich yolk. Perfectly poached eggs on top of a sourdough batard. My husband's burger was spectacular as well, and very good sized. The patty was juicy and incorporated green onions for a more complex flavor. I ordered a mimosa as well, which was.... A mimosa haha. Very refreshing and fun to drink. So why 4/5 stars then? The restaurant is extremely quaint, only about 5 tables inside. And the tables, in my opinion, were too small for two people. There is a larger table inside but it is reserved for larger than two parties. The food is freshly made, and while I understand that it takes time to prepare a meal, it did take quite a bit of time. We ordered a coffee cake (very delicious) with our meal, half expecting to get it before our meal came, but it came with everything else. That took up the entire real estate of the table. Lastly was bathroom access. The bathroom is located in the very back of the building, so you must exit and go back through the kitchen to access it. Slightly awkward, but no big deal. Even with the nitpicking on small details, it was a great experience overall. We went on a Thursday morning so it was quiet, but expect to wait on the weekends. Overall, a great place for brunch and I highly recommend giving this place a try! We will be back. read more

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service and food was not even good for the price or the hype this place gets. caramel latte was milky that was overpowering with sporadic globs of caramel. sat down immediately and waited over an hour for toast, eggs and bacon. what a joke! when we wanted to split the check it was met with a swiftness that split by price not by item, further showing the lack of care this place had. while waiting we watched as groups formed and the line grew with names being called out 3 times before being written off. if you can't wait the hour for this place just to get in and then again for your meal, please spend ur money elsewhere. read more

After a very rainy day yesterday we took our friend's pup out for a long walk in OB this morning. As we passed through Sunset Cliffs, we spotted the Little Lion Cafe and decided that we should have breakfast there. The staff was super friendly and got us seated in the outdoor section of tables so the pup could sit and enjoy attention from othe patrons. We ordered the pastry special, a teacake with strawberry buttercream and fresh strawberries, which was wonderful, their croissant egg salad sandwich which was really tasty and served with a nice bit of fresh fruit, the cinnamon coffee cake was warm and just perfect, and a few pieces of thick cut bacon which was cooked jusr how I like it. My partner enjoyed her rose cardamom iced coffee and I had the house lemonade since they were out of OJ this morning, which was my only disappointment. This is a fantastic place! read more

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We went because it was rated top breakfast spot in San Diego Magazine and we like to try new places. Personally, this place was not my favorite. The coffee was cold, both drip coffee and the latte and it was bitter. I wouldn't say I'm super picky about coffee when I get breakfast, but this was the worst coffee I have had at a breakfast place, I couldn't finish it. The waffle was extremely good, but the breakfast sandwich and the eggs Benedict were nothing special. They were very light, extremely small portion of potatoes on the side. This place was not somewhere I would go out of my way to eat at again, but if someone asked me to go there I also wouldn't say no. We did go to another coffee place afterward. Also, we ate outside and were literally in a driveway with a dumpster next to us, and you have to go through the actual kitchen to use the bathroom, which I didn't think sounded like it mattered, but felt extremely strange in the moment to do so like I was somewhere I wasn't supposed to be. Anyway if you want to try this place you might really like it but I wouldn't say to be prepared to be wowed. read more

Just an update I wanted to add that the ingredients in the waffle and the tea and the croissant sandwich were all fresh you could tell. I wanted to find a similar sandwich in my area. Wish me luck aha read more

Little Lion Cafe - Lox croissant and waffle with side of poached eggs and coffee crumb cake - Cafes Near Me - San Diego, California

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Amazing food, service, and ambiance! You can tell they spent time thinking and making each dish! The sauces were delicious and unique. My mother is a very picky eater and she devoured everything! We had the carrot and broccolini (beautifully charred), fish of the day (delicious sauce and so tender), beet and grapefruit salad (amazing pistachio butter and sauce), shrimp (addicting avocado sauce), gnocchi (so soft. Mom was drinking the sauce like soup), fried chicken (great spicy sauce and crispy! And it was boneless!), and last but not least least the apricot almond cake which was so light and not too sweet. Perfect end to the dinner! We stumbled upon it on accident and we are so glad that we did! Thankfully, they had space available. We went on a Friday night around 8 PM. Highly recommend and we are definitely coming back again! read more

Came in this morning because we'd heard good things about this place, even saw it in this best places to eat blog. Cool location. However, service was slow and the food was mid at best. The little platter was a deconstructed Benedict and the sausage bowl was a huge sausage, hard biscuit, and unblanched oily kale. Also the food took so long to arrive like dafuq Will not be returning lmao read more

Little Lion Cafe - Cafes Near Me - San Diego, California

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We really want to love this cute little place our friend chose for us. The parking was easy paid lot nearby. We sat outside in a shady spot next to the alley. They made it cute. My coffee was good, burger delicious and fries were fresh, crispy outside and fluffy inside. Service was slow but we weren't in a hurry. However 2 of us got flea bites from the experience...there were dogs being walked in the alley and there were some cute dogs sitting nearby. What a bummer... read more

What a delightful non-fussy spot on Sunset Cliffs. Start with the never ending drip coffee but add oat milk and that amazing rose cardamom syrup. Ask for the pink mugs. Then get the breakfast platter with that shishito butter and bacon. But don't miss out on the brunch tacos with Soyrizo, sweet potatoes and black beans. It's simple but the atmosphere seems delightful. I will be back! read more

Little Lion Cafe - Brunch tacos - Cafes Near Me - San Diego, California

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Quaint little coffee shop near the San Diego Cliffs. We stopped in for a quick cup of coffee. The vibe was busy, but laid back. The woman at the counter was kind and knowledgeable. The bathroom situation was a little strange, as you had to walk through the kitchen to get there. Overall, good experience. read more

Stopped by little lion with a friend for lunch the other day since we had heard their waffles and bacon strips are amazing. We were not disappointed! The restaurant is located a short walk from the ocean and has plenty of street and paid parking near it. The shop itself is small with a couple of tables inside and a few in the front and around the side of the building. We were seated quite quickly and ordered the Belgian waffles, egg salad croissant sandwich, hatch chile cheddar biscuit and Hobbs bacon strips. The food came out quite quickly and was on point. The waffles were airy and super crispy, served with a side of whipped cream and berries. It's a family recipe made with fermented yeast and is now on the top of my waffle shop list. Must have! The bacon strips were equally dry, crunchy and crispy. Yum! The egg salad croissant was also quite good. The croissant had been toasted, was flavorful and had a nice toasted crunch to it. The potatoes were ok while the hatch chile biscuit was yummy and went well with the side of chile butter they provided. All in all a spectacular meal. read more

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An adorable little cafe close to the beach. The food and drinks were delicious and the staff were very friendly! A bit of a long wait for food but definitely manageable. read more