DO NOT USE THE ONLINE ORDERING SYSTEM FROM THEIR WEBSITE. I placed an order using the link on their site through OrderAhead and paid with my credit card, when I arrived they had no record of my order. They proceeded to take my order again and tell me that I needed to figure out a way call OrderAhead to rectify since they had no way to get a hold of them and no phone number for them. They also told me they have been trying to get rid of them but haven't. Thankfully after I couldn't get ahold of OH, eventually they said they would call them, themselves to deal with payment and they didn't charge me again. I ended up having to sit and wait nearly 25 minutes after I tried to make it easier on myself by ordering ahead. I should have checked my food before I left because after all of that mess, they definitely screwed up and gave me the wrong stuff on one of the orders. The food is fine enough but not so great to make dealing with all that annoyingness worth it. read more

I love Nick's. We go there just about every weekend, and sometimes before work during the week to visit Julie, the best waitress ever. All the food is indulgent home-style comfort diner food, maybe not what you should eat all the time but perfectly done. They make their own really good salsa, I really like the tomato jam, the corned beef hash is delicious, and so is the ham. Sometimes they seem to get overwhelmed by the volume of customers but it never ruins my day to wait around a little while. There is almost always someone interesting to talk to sitting next to you at the counter. read more

My first impression was that yelpers must be crazy..this can't be the right place. I mean it's located in a pretty awkward part right next to the "cornfield" thats under construction and in an industrial area at the end of Chinatown. I was a little skeptical about going in but I'm so glad I did. Always looking for new affordable breakfast spots near wasn't amazing but not bad. There's no table seating, you just sit at a counter/diner type style, but they do have table seating outside as well. CASH ONLY as others have mentioned. Make sure to bring in advance because atm charge. Anyways, food quality was good, not amazing either but if there arent many cheap breakfast options in the area. I had the waffle...they charge for strawberries and whipped cream so the total was $11.15. I didn't realize there would be butter on the waffle though otherwise I wouldnt have asked for any. The waffle was good, I would go back to eat it again. read more

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What do you need after a night of overindulgence? A solid breakfast. None of this tofu scramble, farmer's market vegetable nonsense. I'm talking about what men eat for breakfast. So, naturally, I ordered the country skillet. Gravy on top of eggs, on top of a sausage patty, on top of country potatoes served with a biscuit on the side. Every bite tasted like salvation. The biscuits are great too AND they make their own jelly. Oh ya, the coffee is also FREE on the weekends. Score. read more

Nick's Cafe was great! We all enjoyed our food. Staff was wonderful and attentive. The salsa as a side was fantastic. Perfect spot for brunch! read more

Main reason this place gets 4 stars is the female host. She was beyond friendly and talkative (I hate it when employees will just stand there and stare at you without saying a word). She brought her jam out and before telling us what kind of jam it was we had to guess first. Turned out to be tomato jam which is sweeter than ketchup but with a chunkier consistency. The host told us how she liked to eat her food (mixing the jam with salsa provided at the counter) and encouraged us to experiment with our foods. I had ordered corned beef hash and my only dislike were these little seeds (cumin seeds?). If it hadn't been for so much of them, I wouldn't complain about the hash. My boyfriend had ordered pancakes, eggs, and potatoes. His entire plate was pretty standard, the only thing that livened up his plate was the tomato jam-salsa mix that he spread all over his eggs and potatoes. If looking for a place to grab some grub, with no hassles or complications, this place would be it. For the pretentious crowd, you can go to Pete's in downtown. read more

SUPER FAN OF THIS PLACE ill admit when I first pulled up I was a little skeptical..diner in the middle of industrial area but the waitress was very welcoming. ordered an omelet that was amazing and hugely portioned. lots of LAPD come here so heads up but very solid crowd here. loved it. read more

food is great, love the Nick's special bagel! and all is cheap cheap cheap!

Okay, after reading last week's "Yelp Digs Diners For Breakfast" feature, I was looking forward to checking out Nick's Cafe. Understanding that it gets rather busy on the weekends, my friend and I arrived this morning before 8am. The place was as advertised. A throwback Diner, with a bit of a "Dive Flavor." Although there were seats available at the counter, (since it was such a beautiful morning) - we chose a table on the patio. Our waitress was quick to greet us, and a hot cup of coffee was on the table within a minute. Not the best coffee, but not the worst either, as someone had mentioned in a review. The choices on the menu were all tempting, especially something that's not on many Los Angeles eatery menus - "Grits." But, I had to go with their much talked about Biscuits & Gravy. Keep in mind I had very high expectations of this choice, and unfortunately I was a little let down. This dish was average, at best! Let's start at the bottom - the biscuit was dry, the sausage patty was overcooked, and the gravy was just okay!!! But here's the deal, I was not disappointed and actually still enjoyed this breakfast experience. Maybe it's the nostalgic charm, and when that's combined with the friendly and efficient service, this place definitely deserves a return trip. The Ham Steak that was served at the table next to us, definitely caught my eye, and will most likely be "the choice" when I return. As for other important notables - "Parking" was easy, and "Prices" were fair. Keep in mind it's "Cash Only", no debit cards. read more

Nicks is ok. nothin' too special. Apparently the ham n eggs is the big appeal. It looks like a friggin' pig steak on a plate. I had the veggie scramble as always, not much else thats non meat except maybe the waffles which I'll try some time. Its the atmosphere that I like. Away from downtown against a backdrop of mountains n canyon you get a sense of fresh air, which I really needed this morning after an entire week in my industrial town studio. There was not enuff eggs in the scramble the bell peppers and potatoes were on the hard side but that could be a good thing. fresher, not mushy. No complaints, no high expectations. Over all a good experience. I like the three side long counter where you can conversate with yr neighbor. I'm from the east coast where people dare to speak to each other. My neighbor was reading the wall street journal on his phone so peeked over to see what Putin was up to. A conversation on alien life forms and the impending if not current apocalypse became the topic. Just another morning in my life in Downtown LA with fellow horse (chinese astrology) and lawyer who happened to be sporting my latest design.He had the huevos ranchero said it was ok but wasn't crazy about the kinda hard potatoes and bell peppers... check it. Nick's Ok. Love the name Nick. read more

i had the best ham and eggs ive ever had the first time i walked in. i had the best split pea soup ive ever had the second time i walked in. i had the best machaca breakfast ive ever had the third time i walked in. i just had to review this diner. i absolutely love it. the waitress, ashley greeted me like i was family each and every time i walked in and remembered my name by the third time. she recommended the three items i tried and i cant wait to try something new the next time. i am a big fan of small diners and this one tops the charts in all areas. 5 stars. read more

Friendly atmosphere, great old school diner vibe, and free coffee on the weekends. You can't be in a hurry for breakfast, however, we sat at the counter late Sunday morning for at least 15 minutes before our order was taken, and another 30 after that before we were served. We didn't get coffee until at least 25 minutes after we'd sat down. The waitress was very apologetic and nice about it, and the mood of all the customers at the counter is very weekend relaxed and pleasant, so during the wait you wouldn't get edgy about it. I had the eggs Florentine, which was fine but I wasn't crazy about the long stringy barely cooked hash browns, my husband had scrambled eggs and house potatoes, which were better. Neither of us cared for his biscuit, which was a little burnt and tasteless. We didn't have the famous ham 'n eggs, so can't comment on that, but we'd definitely try the place again some time in the next year hoping for better, as it is promising. read more

Nicks was A blue color restaurant, and the food was good back then and still is good, so all you dam posers! that dress like blue collar workers, go back to your fancy sidewalk eateries and leave nicks to the ones that will be going back to nicks after you discover something old and try to make it the latest and greatest! read more

This is what a diner should be. Good food at a fair price with large portions and served fast. I had the Machacas, which is a grilled shredded beef dish mixed with eggs and a little cilantro and I asked for hash browns instead of the cottage fries it comes with and they happily obliged. My wife had the waffles with bacon breakfast which is good but you can make that stuff at home. The Machacas on the other hand is worth mentioning because not only was it delicious but it held me from 8am until dinner twelve hours later and I usually do not skip lunch. The shredded beef was like the kind you get in tacos at a sit down mexican restaurant. Very beefy and sort of crispy/chewy on the outside but tender at the same time. Service was very friendly, coffee refills were prompt and the restroom was pretty clean for an old diner. Will be back to try their ham or one of those monster hot dogs on our next visit to LA. Happy eating! read more

Great food, large portions, Kim the waitress is awesome.... had the traditional eggs Benedict, with ham and chilaquiles with corizo. More than enough food for two. read more

Finally got around to going here. So glad we did. Great breakfast, friendly service, charming old school, because it is, atmosphere. We had the breakfast sausage burrito and eggs and bacon. Eggs cooked beautifully, hash browns tasty, burrito delicious. They make their own salsa and their own fruit pancake/waffle/french toast syrup. I'm picky where diner breakfasts are concerned (don't like Nickel Diner), but here even the coffee was good. read more

The food is great, especially the meatloaf and eggs. There is an award on the wall that reads "best place for artist to hang with cops" and it's the truth. I'm an artist and the cops don't seem to mind that I'm stoned all the time when I'm there, and talking loudly about random conspiracy theories with my fake Ray Band sunglasses on. The best thing about this place is the service. All the waitresses are awesome! Julie is my favorite, and she is a goddess-oracle. She is one of the coolest people I've ever met. I wish she worked every day. She's an "unknown legend," and I would order biscuits and gravy any day just to see her "float across the floor." Ashley is also really cool. She's a Nor-Cal girl and is always nice and down to talk about whatever. Hit them both up for stories, they won't disappoint. Oh, and Chip M? Go back to the West side where you can complain to the manager, you square. read more

Always fantastic food but never any less then a 45 min wait. Not a fan of plastic broken cracked chairs under a Ez up. BUT if you don't mind waiting the food is great and it's bottomless coffee read more

Top notch for a casual, lazy Saturday morning breakfast! That was my experience - twice - on a recent visit to L.A. And I suspect it's much the same on other mornings, as well. Outdoor seating was very casual, very near the corner it sits on, but very much what you'd want, and expect, at a place like Nicks. The menu was wide-ranging and reasonably priced. I had eggs - cooked to perfection - and biscuits and gravy. Everything was very tasty, very satisfying. And, coffee was non-stop, to boot. The staff was exceedingly friendly and accommodating. A definite, definite revisit for me next time I'm in L.A.! Highly recommended! read more

Best Breakfast Diner in Los Angeles. It has the "family owned" vibe, you sit on stools around the coffee and cashier. Their portions are more than enough, you might want to think about splitting it with someone if you're counting calories. They got great pancakes, I personally have to split a short stack (3 pancakes) because they are too big. The omelettes are amazing, I split that too. Almost everything is portioned to fit the whole plate and I always, ALWAYS, get coffee because they serve it on a classic diner mug and you get unlimited refills. This place is a gem. read more

Great diner, probably the best in LA. I go here for breakfast all the time and it never disappoints. Today I had the sunrise breakfast, which is the kinda bargain breakfast of 2 eggs, 2 bacon, toast, hashbrowns for 5.50. Coffee is free on weekends too so thats always nice. I really wanna try the other heartier dinner kinda stuff but they close kinda early (7:00) so I havent had the chance. They use fresh squeezed orange juice so it tastes fresh, but sometimes can be a little tart since there's no extra sugar added. They were super busy since it was sunday morning and I'm sure a lot of people like me were trying to feed the hangover with some greasy huevos con tocino. There were people waiting to be seated but we snuck two seats at the bar when people got up. The blonde server was super energetic and personable, and the other was less so. It did take a while to get our order taken and to get the food, but the place was packed so I cant fault them for that. Being a chef myself, I understand the drill. I was never without water or coffee for long so thats all i could ask for. Its really nice that they have grits too because a lot of places dont, and I dont always feel like making it at home. read more

I can't really remember what I ate. I barely remember that it was delivered well after my dining partner had been served. I remember even less that I ordered a side order of corn beef hash that never came, until the wafting smell from the counter side nudged me to ecstasy--and I don't even like corned beef. I was too distracted at the counter by a quirky server with towel-snapping humor and having met two fabulous gay couples that made my month. Yes, not made my day, made my month. After the first couple left I lingered at the counter, exalted in conversation and banter and couldn't believe my luck when the next gay couple sat down and the fascination continued. I was staring at the walls indicating this was a cop's cafe, I stared across the room and viewed skinny ass-jeaned hipsters, but the sign of good food were the gay men I was fortunate enough to sit next to. What is it about gay men, and fabulous food? Now, fabulous in this case might ring true to Americana. Solid food, almost offensive portions, and a gay ole' time. read more

Really yummy breakfast, had the spring st. Omelette with an English muffin. Ingredients tasted fresh and delicious. Coffee was fresh, kim gave awesome service. I'll be back for sure. read more

This place is a true diamond in the rough!! Right in the middle of a bunch of ugly warehouses. Look for the huge equally ugly painted red sign that can probably be seen from Dodger Stadium! I never thought much of the place as I have seen my share of junky truck stops with lousy cheap food. Looking at Yelp caught my eye with one of my favorites....eggs Benedict! On the weekends they serve a number of speciality breakfasts as well as free coffee!! Whaaaat?? Yes thats free coffee! I guess to bring in some other folks as all the warehouse workers are not around. The place is old school coffee shop dining at its finest. They even have a wrap around counter with waaay old service stations in the middle. American comfort food are the favorites here with breakfast plates, sandwiches, burgers, and soups. The food is tasty and simple... with just enough of a twist to make the dishes interesting. The waitresses have a lot of character to match the place as well. I love places like this and I will definitely go there again for breakfast. read more

pretty tasty breakfast, a little on the pricey side considering you're sitting in an old diner, but cool spot nonetheless. everyone is really friendly, and the bar that wraps around the counter really encourages a friendly atmosphere. a few tables for outside seating as well. read more

First thing I noticed was that cops ate here. You know it tastes good and cheap if cops eat there. They were able to accommodate our large party of 6 outside. There was only one waitress trying to serve all of us so it was slow but she was super friendly and trying her best. The food portions were really big and tastes great. The food was affordable and actually tasted great. What more can you ask for? read more

We always have a great breakfast here! Today I had a very yummy scramble with sausage, egg and cheese and I ordered it "border style" which means they add peppers, onions, cilantro, etc. for $0.75 extra. IMO, eggs are the only way to go. My husband also likes their "famous" ham and eggs, which are obviously famous for a reason. They have some great house salsa, which is nice and spicy and its great with their scrambles and skillets. They also have some DELISH housemade jam which varies from week to week. Once they had tomato, which was weird but good and today they had one that was like apple, cinnamon blueberry, which was AMAZING! Whenever we are on our way out, I'm always already trying to figure out when we can get back again. The service is friendly, the menu is huge, and the food is honestly delicious. I'm always like, "Why don't we eat here EVERY WEEKEND!?" I guess the long wait for seats is the main reason. But that's just a further testament to how great this place is. And, if you go outside prime hours, the wait is kept to about 20 minutes and they dole out coffee while you wait. read more

This is definitely my go to breakfast spot in la. They are consistent everytime I go, kim (the waitress) is freakin awesome and the atmosphere is great. 5 stars! read more

Been here for breakfast many times. So far, have enjoyed everything I've tried. The oatmeal here is the best oatmeal around. Their sausage and gravy dish is monstrous. The ham and eggs dish is too. The slice of ham is huge and tasty. Staff is real cool read more

Great breakfast place with good food and they often have groupon offers which they honor with no problems or attitude. Waitresses are fast nice and pleasant. Food is good, ham steak is good and their salsa is handmade and delicious. read more

Thought the place was just alright. Their ham and eggs that they're known for was pretty good though.

One goes to Nick's for the huge breakfasts, the amazing homemade tomato preserves, the homemade salsa (old school roasted tomato/roasted chile) and the funky Old LA ambiance. Don't go on the weekends; there's always a wait and the staff is usually harried, but on a weekday morning or afternoon it's one of the few places in town which makes you actually glad to live in Los Angeles. read more

Great food!!!!!! It's a hole in da wall but seriously bangin food. Ham bagels, and home fries!!!!!

One of the best diner's I've ever been to. Food was delicious, atmosphere was friendly and social. Everyone indoors is seated around one bar. Wait staff was all really friendly. read more

The best thing about this place is the crooked table that has napkins stuffed under the legs to stabilize it. Especially when your drinks slide off the table anyway. Also, the food you order is pretty great, and totally expected given that this place is exactly what it advertises... read more

Long wait but well worth it! The ham alone made me forget about the wait. Benedict Saturday had 10 different eggs Benedict varieties. Waffles and ham was delicious! read more

Don't find many places like this anymore, u-shaped counter, small, intimate place. Food is pretty danged good, a little oily, but hey, it's a diner! read more

Went to Nicks with friends who are locals. It was excellent. I had the Tri Tip Pot roast with potatores and vegetables. It was very good. Small restaurant in Downtown LA, but a must visit. read more

Best comfort fast food in LA. These types of places define LA.

The best breakfast I've ever had. Period. Country Sausage skillet. Unreal.