Food is okay but service is a fail; when coming here be sure it is not close to closing time as…read moreattendants will let you know that they close at midnight sharp on the dot; once I was refused service at 1145PM and a week later when showing up at 1130PM I was reminded about the curfew; this last time I even joked with waiter that if not done eating by midnight he was to kick me out halfway through my platter? The last time I went and definitely the last, when using the salt shaker the top came loose and all the contents spilled over my food; needless to say, I couldn't eat my food and when I informed the waitress about this she casually made a dull remark and walked away, I was of course not offered a replacement or discount. I am not sure how much informed or dis informed the owners of this place are about the lackluster and mediocre service provided but in my honest opinion if I had a place like this two blocks from the largest most popular pancake chain in the country I would hustle and provide the best ever service and take the last client till after closing; but then again that would be in an ideal world not here in the RGV. My decision not to have returned to this place for the third time would have been easier if I had seen a guest earlier (see picture) Enough time wasted and I bid you good eating (somewhere else).

Our food was given to us on time and the bacon burger i got was delicious. The lady was super nice…read more I had a good experience here. I would definitely come back, but not to eat chocolate chip pancakes, it was too sweet. We were thanked and greeted.

Great food, cool vibe, friendly and helpful staff and.. good coffee!…read moreGotta get that chilaquiles cast iron bowl with poblano. Creamy, salty, savory....all around killer! And don't get me started on the refried beans and roasted potatoes. Perfection!

We were in town for 36 hours and decided to give this place a try - good decision…read more It's a smaller place and you order at the counter. We walked in just before the crowd which was great. The whole time we were there folks kept coming in! We tried the bacon egg and cheese biscuit. The sandwich was huge! The biscuit was buttery and flaky and very good - it was a 'different' flavor than 'traditional' biscuits - but it was great! We shared an order of biscuits and gravy. It was very good - again, a different flavor than any I've ever had - but again, really really good. It almost had a chicken fried chicken flavor to the gravy - whatever it was - very good. We shared a side of black refried beans. Honestly, I don't think I've ever had black refried beans - refried pinto beans all the time but not black refried. These did not disappoint - they had the definite homemade flavor of truly great refried beans - I would eat these again for sure. I had the ribeye burrito which came with medium rare strips of ribeye; strips of avocado; cheese; potatoes; and refried black beans. I don't like sour cream so I left that off. The burrito itself was grilled which added to it. The salsa was good and had a good balance of heat. Another win. One of our group had the oatmeal with blueberries and strawberries due to dietary restrictions. It was also very good - which was surprising for oatmeal. The oatmeal itself was baked, which is also rarely done. We would definitely come back when we ate in town next time. Different flavors than the 'norm' and all of them very good. Do yourself a favor and check this place out - you'll be glad you did!

I had just arrived in town and I was hungry. Thankfully, a family member had this diner on their…read moremust-try list, and it went pretty well. We all ordered something different with the goal of being able to taste more of the menu. The menu is a well-rounded Southern American selection, and all of it is made in-house. It was a nice touch with the newspaper like menu, loved the decor and cabin home theme. The side salad was fresh; however, the house-made ranch was too creamy and too thick. There was potential with the cooked bacon mixed in, but the ranch flavor was missing. The cup of chili was great, similar to Wendy's chili if you needed a comparison. My meatloaf was good; the added carrots and topped crispy onions weren't too bad; however, the drizzled brown gravy was a no for me. The side of creamy grits and green beans and bacon were gobbled up! The cornbread muffins were a bit dry. Side of hash browns were good, a little on the oily side. The biscuit and gravy were colossal! Loved the gravy; the biscuits were a bit too doughy, almost seemed a bit undercooked, and for some reason, there seemed to be a lack of flavor in them. Enjoyed the ham and eggs. The pot roast dish was savory, and everything was nice; the veggies were a little over-seasoned, but I didn't mind them. The chicken-fried steak plate was a hit, I didn't even get a chance to take a solo photo. We had no room for desserts, and leftovers were taken home and appreciated. I'd like to add, despite ordering the larger versions of these meals, we only paid $68 and some change! The place was clean, the wait time was commendable, and the service was incredible!!! Despite the small misses, we'd still return. The majority of our food was great, and we left fuller than ever!

Black Bear Diner is inspired by the California black bear and ski lodge experience. They offer all…read moreday breakfast and a wide variety of dishes on their menu. The food was yummy and our waitress Claudette was friendly and attentive. She explained the interesting history of the restaurant. Overall, I had a very pleasant experience here and will definitely stop by again on my next visit to the Valley.

I'm not from McAllen and came across this spot online, and wow--I'm so glad I did! I wish I had…read moretaken a picture of my lechero coffee, but it was so good I completely forgot--LOL! I ordered the steak and eggs (medium) with poached eggs and a side of hollandaise, and oh my gosh... everything was amazing. The flavors were spot-on, the potatoes had this uniquely delicious taste, and the poached eggs were cooked perfectly. The service was outstanding--my server just knew exactly what I needed today. I even tried the house tea, and he kindly made it iced for me. I sat outside, and the weather was perfect for enjoying my breakfast and a FaceTime call with my boyfriend while visiting from out of town. Such a great experience from start to finish. I'll definitely be back!

They are so nice here and my salad was amazing! We'll definitely be back next time I'm in McAllen :)read more

I LOVE Cracker Barrel, but I have come here at least once a month for the past few months and every…read moretime I'm disappointed. -I understand inflation, I feel it too. But what used to be a restaurant that you left feeling full, the prices are higher and the portions much smaller. You don't even get bread with all the breakfast dishes anymore and they nickel and dime you for everything. Including plain hash browns.....which have nothing in them compared to the premade casserole. -Another complaint I have is the online wait list. I always use the wait list, but this time something happened. I arrived and checked in online, as I always do. This isn't a new routine for me. I waited 25 minutes and still wasn't called so I took my two small children out of my car to check the waitlist. I was never on it. The gentleman at the front told me I had to physically come check in, even though the waitlist literally says you can click I'm here (which I did) OR in person, and that clicking I'm here does nothing until you check in with him. So I was then added to the list as a new patron and waited 45 more minutes for a seat. -The new country ham smells and tastes like feet. -the new steak is nasty, it has no flavor and they clearly buy the cheapest meat with tendons all over. Will never order again. I miss my steak and eggs. -once the waiters drop off your food, they're gone. It doesn't matter how many stars they have, they always ghost. This time I waited the entire time it took my husband to eat his food because I was trying to flag someone down for my missing food. I finally got the manager involved and ate my cold food. Left feeling dissatisfied. I don't know if they need more employees or better management.

We were looking for a place to grab breakfast with the family on New Year's Day and decided on…read moreCracker Barrel since we've had positive experiences here in the past. It felt like a safe, familiar choice for a holiday morning. When we arrived, we were told the wait would be about 30 minutes. To our surprise, we were called back closer to 10 minutes after signing in, which was a very welcome start. That said, once we were called, we ended up waiting a bit longer while our table was cleaned. Unfortunately, it wasn't fully ready when we were seated. There was still trash on the floor, which I nudged aside with my foot until someone eventually came by and picked it up. Our server came over fairly quickly to ask for drink orders, and we were promptly served coffee and water, which we appreciated. After that, things slowed down. It seemed clear the restaurant was short-staffed. Our waiter was visibly running around, and it took quite a while for our food order to be taken even though we were ready. When the food finally arrived, most of the plates were incomplete. I ordered the Country Boy Breakfast with three eggs, sirloin steak tips, a biscuit with gravy, and two breakfast sides. I chose grits and the fried sweet apples. What arrived initially was the eggs, steak tips, and grits. The biscuit and gravy didn't show up until another 15-20 minutes later. The eggs were cooked sunny-side up as requested, but the steak tips were unfortunately very overcooked and, in my opinion, over-seasoned. The grits were honestly pretty bad. On the bright side, the fried sweet apples were amazing and easily the highlight of my meal. Others in our party had similar issues. Some people received eggs but not their pancakes. One person in our group of five, who ordered only French toast and bacon, didn't receive any food at all until the rest of us finally got our missing pancakes and biscuits. We didn't want to start eating until everyone had something, and by the time everything arrived, much of the food was cold. We also asked multiple times for basic accompaniments like jelly for the biscuits and salsa for the eggs and steak tips. These took a long time to arrive and required several reminders. I could sense our waiter's frustration, which I genuinely understand given the circumstances, but we were equally frustrated and disappointed with the service. Overall, the food was mid. The steak was very bad, the grits were disappointing, while the pancakes and biscuits seemed to be solid for everyone else. The eggs were fine, and the apples really stood out in a good way. I'd recommend sticking to the basics here. The prices were reasonable, but the service issues took away significantly from the experience. With better staffing, this location could likely do much better. As it stands, I can't give it more than 3 stars for average food and poor service, and even that feels a bit generous, offered in the spirit of starting the new year with positive vibes.

So if I could give 1/2 stars, this place would get 4 1/2. We were in town and decided to stop by…read morefor breakfast. The place is very busy, but despite that the wait was only 10 minutes at 10:00 am on a Saturday. The hostess and our server were both very friendly. The place advertises that it specializes in home cooked comfort foods so we figured we'd have to see how their biscuits and gravy were. We ordered a 1/2 order and it came with a biscuit split in half and covered with gravy and sausage. The flavor was perfect - it definitely lived up to 'home cooked comfort food'. I ordered an omelette - three cheeses, sausage, bacon and ham with onions, cilantro and jalapeños - which came with refried (black) beans. The omelette was very good - flavorful and fresh. They actually use slices of cheese inside and on top - I've never had an omelette prepared that way but it was very good. When I first tasted the salsa I was not a fan - it was warm and had a different flavor - then I put it on the omelette and - great pairing and great flavor combo. The refried black beans were sadly underwhelming - no real flavor. I know they were homemade but they were missing the flavor that usually comes with refried beans (black or pinto) My wife had the quiche which had onions, peppers, sausage, mushrooms and cheese. It was very good. Even the crust was good. She ordered the breakfast potatoes as the side. The flavor of the potatoes was excellent. Half of them were lightly crispy on the outside and soft on the inside which were great; the other half were overcooked and became potato chips - good flavor but not a breakfast potato. We will definitely come back to try their lunch food and dessert (we were too full today). They have a good variety of breakfast, lunch and dinner items on the menu so there is something for everyone. We were glad we stopped in.

I've now had 3 visits here. 2 breakfasts and 1 lunch. All were absolutely fantastic meals that…read morecreated the desire to return. The owner/operators are very personable and kind people as well. The staff are attentive and take great care of you. Food comes out promptly and in my 3 visits, precisely as ordered. I don't believe I've ever felt more welcomed into a restaurant than here. Seriously this is what other restaurants should strive to deliver. Fantastic food, great environment to eat in and welcoming staff. Breakfast: both the works omelet and migas were great (especially with the added salsa). 1000% get the fruit. The dip they provide is of similar idea to that which Jason's deli gives. With the primary difference that this one makes Jason's seem entirely inadequate. Lunch: The chicken Parmesan is an excellent choice, I got pasta instead of potatoes. It was a very healthy portion and filled me up. Even the veggies it comes with are properly seasoned and cooked. The tea is wonderful, they do offer flavored teas but I did not try that. TLDR: great establishment, give them a try.

We were looking for a breakfast place we hadn't eaten at while we were in town and came here…read more Our server was very friendly. The menu had some great and different choices in addition to the regular breakfast fare. I opted for the Western Omelette and added jalapeños and cilantro and had hash browns and bacon as sides. The omelette was prepared well - the only suggestion would be to put the cheddar inside the omelette or have it melted on top; otherwise it was very good. The bacon was thick and prepared perfectly (for me) - not brittle! The hash browns had a good flavor and were brown and slightly crunchy on the outside and soft inside. My wife had the Cinnamon Crunch French Toast with eggs over easy and bacon. The eggs were prepared properly; the French toast (she added blueberries) was very good - good cinnamon flavor and cooked just right. Pleasantly surprised by this place - since it's a 'regional franchise' we were somewhat skeptical but they managed to overcome being a franchise with quality food. The restaurant itself is very open in its design, which did lend to it being very noisy which was a 'down' side for it. We would come back.

Pretty basic breakfast spot. Imagine iHop with a small town feel…read more The servers and host were most gracious. The prices are very inviting. The food was cool. Nothing to get too excited about but it'll hit the spot and quiet those stomach rumblings. A perfect spot to bring the family on the weekend for a good bite that won't blow your budget.

The food was absolutely delicious. I gave it a five star such a homemade vibe so cozy so wonderful…read morejust the ambience itself and eating the food how freshly it was just made right then and there made me wanna go back for more and the service. They are so attentive here you will be welcome the moment you step in And when I told him it was my first time being there they're like really I'm like yeah I told them that I saw them on TikTok just to give you an idea. I got there around 2:15 PM. I don't regret a second of it. I hope to see you guys again soon my family and I we had a great time The Texas burger, a 10 out of 10 eggs, fruit and pancakes a 10 out 10 champurrado drink 10 out 10

We came here because the place we originally intended on going to had way too long a wait. Turns…read moreout that was fortunate for us. If you're not looking for this place or haven't been here, you may not find it because it is somewhat hidden from the road. Outside you wonder if it's a restaurant. Inside - different story. It's a bit small but very comfortable both in size and atmosphere. We tried their breakfast taco plate which actually has 3 tacos and beans or potatoes. The tortillas are phenomenal - some of the best we've ever eaten! The tacos are much larger than most breakfast tacos and they come like a taco - not the traditional south Texas breakfast taco that others think is a burrito. We tried potato egg and cheese, bacon egg and cheese and sausage egg and cheese. All of them were very good and you can tell everything is made fresh. The refried beans were good - some decent flavor - not the best I've had, but way better than a lot that I've had. The salsa was good - not very 'spicy' but not bad either. Both the quality and the freshness - and definitely the tortillas - will have U.S. coming back again!

I have been wanting to go to La Casa de la Abuela (Grandma's House) for a long time. Friends of…read moremine have raved about how good the food is. Well, they were right. La Casa de la Abuela covers every category for a delightful breakfast, brunch or lunch: a menu with great variety, quality delicious food, excellent service, a beautiful and pleasant atmosphere, good parking and a great location. My friend had the enchiladas suizas. I ordered the chilaquiles rojas con pollo. The menu warned that the salsa roja is spicy... and they are right. I like spicy, and this gave me the hiccups! Not to worry, they have several options, including mild ones. I was impressed with their molcajete of guacamole, the refreshing strawberry lemonade, the classy presentation of each dish. I almost ordered the chile relleno or the torta ahogada. I learned they make their own birote (a denser kind of bread roll) for the torta ahogadas, which is key for that dish hailing from Jalisco, which is smothered in salsa prior to serving. Everything I saw was spotless, elegant, and beautifully decorated. It's a new fave, and I will go back. When I do, I want to try one of their pastries: conchas, chocolate or strawberries and cream filled croissants, and more. This was a great place for a meet-up with a good friend. It would also be great for a date with my wife, a business lunch, or small groups. The dining room is not very big, so large groups would need to find another option. I highly recommend, Grandma's House!

This place has completely redefined breakfast by delivering a truly authentic Mexican…read moreexperience--absolutely no Tex-Mex here. It artfully fuses contemporary culinary creativity with the deep, nostalgic flavors of traditional Mexico. I ordered the Molcajete Norteño, and it was, without question, the best breakfast I've had in a long time. More than just a dish, the molcajete is a full sensory experience--beautifully presented, sizzling with flavor, and visually captivating. The atmosphere is equally impressive--warm, vibrant, and inviting, with a distinct charm that makes you feel both excited and at home. I highly recommend this gem to anyone looking for a memorable and flavorful start to their day.

My wife and I came here for the first time to have lunch. We were received warmly and sat down…read moreright away. Our server Jessica did a great job but a young man named Rocco also checked in on us and very attentive. I ordered chicken friend chicken and my wife ordered chicken fried steak. Both were delicious, filling, and tender. The dishes also came with tortilla soup that was the best we've had in the RGV. Prices are reasonable. We are definitely coming back and bringing family and friends.

The place is very cute the food is good I had chicken fettuccine the first time I went it was…read moreexcellent Went again had a chicken avocado panini it was ok not great I wouldn't get it again the workers are very kind