Does anyone work in Hermosa or Manahattan Beach? Or is it just a community full of rich kids (I mean "entrepreneurs") spending their money? I ask this only because it seems like every restaurant you go to here is packed----which is how I ended up at Ocean Diner as my "preferred" place was packed at 9:30 am on a MONDAY morning. Not that Ocean Diner was a choice of last resort but it's actually been a place I've wanted to try for sometime and I see why it gets good reviews. I sat at the counter and was asked almost immediately if I wanted something to drink. This is a huge improvement over most places where no waiter or busboy wants to serve you right away or there is some confusion over who's supposed to cover the counter. Not at the Ocean Diner as service was friendly and efficient. The coffee is piping hot which was a great relief in these cold winter days. My order (basically a 2 by 2 by 2) came out relatively quickly even though the diner was relatively full. The pancakes were great---not dry or overly cooked and the eggs cooked the way I asked as was the bacon. Why only 3.5 stars (my actual number of stars)? Only because it was my first visit there and I ordered a "basic" breakfast staple. It takes a lot to get 4 stars from me so I need to go back and check it out for some of their specialties before I settle on 3 or 4 stars. But so far, I'm happy with what I've seen so far. read more

I went here this morning due to my husband being curious what the long line is about. we were seated surprisingly quickly. the server was friendly and attentive, our food came out quickly, and my coffee cup was never empty. I had the vegetable omelet and my husband had French toast, eggs, and bacon. both of us enjoyed our meals and will be back again. read more

Ocean Diner - Diners Near Me - Hermosa Beach, California

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Reminds me of my Grandma A's cafe in Oakland. I'd eat here every morning if I lived out here. Friendly staff and my cup of coffee is always full! We eat out here every year we come. read more

Ocean Diner - Country Skillet. - Diners Near Me - Hermosa Beach, California

party of 3, saturday afternoon. pretty fun little diner with a large menu - mostly standard fare. breakfast served all day which is awesome. we got the breakfast burrito, huevos rancheros, and lulu's skillet - all were tasty. the strawberry cake was delicious. pretty fast service. limited street parking. i've had better diner food but for diner food, it's not bad. it is wildly popular on weekend mornings and early afternoons, so beware of a long wait. read more

Classic diner indeed. I came here on a random Thursday with one of my girl friends. I have the say that parking is always an issue. There is TINY lot behind the diner but it can only fit like 6 six cars. Otherwise you'll be relying on street parking if you want to dine here. Service was great. Everyone I talked to were super friendly and accommodating. They checked up on us often and were super polite. They have usual diner menu options. I came for brunch and so I was zoned in on breakfast items. I ended up having their waffles with butterscotch and bananas and syrup with 2 over easy eggs. Uhm.. definitely a lot for one person. The waffles were good, but definitely too much sugar for me. The eggs were alright..the whites weren't cooked enough in my opinion but I was too lazy to complain about it. Good coffee. This place is pretty good if you live in the area and want some brunch. I wouldn't go out of my way to go here. Prices were decent...not cheap but not inappropriate. read more

We've been going here for years. Really good small diner style food and ambiance. It's a really small location so there's usually a wait during peek times. The food is always fast and nice service. Menu is pretty robust even thought it's known as a breakfast spot. Also they close early so don't go for dinners. Just breakfast and lunch hours. read more

Breakfast for me doesn't usually start until at least 11a.m. on the weekends, so we have almost always caught the end of the breakfast rush that goes on at the Ocean Diner. From what I here this place gets packed with long lines and no parking on Saturday and Sunday mornings. This place has that late 40's early 50's style and charm I love without all the cheesiness so many others can't seem to escape. Vintage toasters line the walls on display, WWII newspapers highlight the advances the Yanks were making on the Western front and in Sicily to the south. It really has that same feel my Grandma's kitchen had, warm colors and old appliances and the great home cooking smell. I usually get the same old traditional style breakfast of eggs, meat and potatoes with a stack of pancakes or french toast you just can't go wrong. They have healthy options also which my wife tends to lead towards and they pride themselves on the steps they are taking to become a greener/Earth friendly diner. This is a great little diner. The staff is always on top of everything, keeping counters neat and getting the food out fast. Just good ol' American food served the way Grandma would of made it. read more

Solid food, okay service, horrible parking. I got "Frank's Favorite" - scrambled egg with spinach, roasted pepper, ground turkey, mushroom, onion, and parmesan cheese, and my bf got a skillet with egg, bell pepper, ham, potatoes, jack cheese, etc. Main entrees were good, seasoned well, and fresh. My bf got PINEAPPLE muffins on the side, which was very yummy and moist! (The best part of our meal). A huge block of biscuit that came with my order was also good with some butter and jelly. Service was nothing remarkable until we had forgotten our leftover box on the table and our waiter followed us to the parking lot to give us the box. How nice :) There are so many items on the menu, all with witty explanation. I'll probably come here again for breakfasts/brunch if I'm around Hermosa Beach. read more

Ocean Diner is SOLID. There isn't anything they mess up, but nothing is spectacular, off-the-charts, either. And this is coming from someone who eats there religiously each week. I'd say the meal they do best is breakfast. All of their omelets are large and packed with fresh ingredients and the breakfast items come with sides of potatoes (which you can substitute for fruit) and sides of toast or their homemade baked goods. I cannot get enough of their brown sugar crumb cake or their gluten-free muffins--YUM! Aside from that, you really can't go wrong with anything on the breakfast/brunch menu and their specials are usually exceptionally good. That being said, lunch and dinner are good, not great. As I mentioned earlier, there isn't anything this restaurant falls short on, but they do have a lot of dishes which are standard, cheap, homemade fare and nothing to write home about. Everything on the menu is freshly prepared and you can be assured this is family cooking with no preservatives or chemicals or anything sketchy...just don't take your out-of-town friends here to impress them. The Ocean Diner is perfect for a good, hearty, filling meal at any time of day with the family. Prices are reasonable, food always maintains a certain quality, and the waitstaff tends to be friendly and extremely accommodating. PLUS, gotta love supporting small business! read more

One of my favorite breakfast spots in the south bay. Breakfast burrito is delicious with homemade, roasted tomato salsa mmmmmmmm. Suzy's crunch french toast is rolled in granola and cinnamon and topped with whipped cream, bananas and granola -crazy good. They use high quality, fresh ingredients. You can't go wrong. read more

Great food. Great Coffee. Great Service. I love everything I've had there, but my favorite is probably the Green Eggs and Ham. The menu is huge, so I still have a lot of things I want to try. I also like the place's simple and welcoming style. Not too polished or so-called "retro", but a clean place with a 1940's theme. Newspaper headlines on the walls, and toasters up on the shelf, I love it~ read more

Hands down my favorite place to eat breakfast in the entire south bay...probably in LA. I am biased since I grew up in the South Bay nearby, but there's something about the Ocean Diner that gives me a nostalgic feeling that starts any day on the right food...having amazing food certainly doesn't hurt their cause either! Just imagine an little home-cooking diner at the end of a long road trip out west wo reach the pacific...that's Ocean Diner! The kindest staff which translates into excellent service, DELICIOUS FOOD, a huge menu that's equally diverse and delicious, and good prices. read more

I tried this restaurant a couple of weeks ago. I couldn't wait to come back to Hermosa and visit Ocean Diner again! As soon as you walk through the door , you walk back in time to an era where you could pull up a seat at the counter or dine at a table. 40's music plays over the speaker, advertisements from the Roosevelt era decorate the walls as do old toasters. The food is fresh and delicious! I had homemade pumpkin muffins which screamed pumpkin! The eggs were fluffy and the bacon cooked perfectly! The staff are courteous and friendly. They have fresh baked muffins , the gluten free were amazing, pies and cheesecake. There will be a bit of a wait on the weekend but it is worth it!!!! read more

Ocean Diner - Diners Near Me - Hermosa Beach, California

This place is located at an odd location on Aviation. If you don't know where its at you may miss it! The parking is terrible and the place is very small but cozy. So be prepared to park far away and walk, then wait! Once inside they have very friendly people and it seems most of the customers are locals and regulars. They have very good breakfest! I enjoy coming here and I had their country gravy. It was very tasty and filling. Try their waffles too! read more

My husband and I were on this side of the city for our niece's soccer game. Her parents took us to lunch at Ocean Diner shortly after Pink Lightning swept the Royal Dolphins (woohoo!) It's not that big, but it's got a cutesy 50's vibe and the staff was able to combine tables to accommodate the 6 of us. There was a whole tempting array of desserts at the front of the restaurants as well as specials of the day. My husband ordered the BREAKFAST BURRITO which was good, but too huge for him to finish (it was happily devoured the next morning). I had the BON APPETIT GRILLED CHEESE which consisted of bacon, caramelized onions, tomato, Jack and goat cheese on rye - super different and super delicious! My husband's cousin and her husband hold a special place in their hearts for Ocean Diner - they dined here before their wedding, then also returned on their 10-year anniversary. There's definitely a comfort and homeliness to this place. Next time we're in town for some AYSO action, we'd definitely come back to Ocean Diner. read more

Great little local place. The waitstaff here is quite attentive. They kept filling my coffee without me having to ask. I had Greg's Special (egg white omelet with turkey, mushrooms, tomatoes, cilantro, and onions) with brown rice, and salsa on the side. Tasty! There were also some homemade biscuits which weren't too bad, but the wife thought it would've been nice if they had a bit more texture. We asked about the "almost famous" granola and were given a free sample which was a pleasant surprise. Wish they had a bigger parking lot in back, but it looks like you can find ample parking on the street. Would definitely go back to try other stuff on the menu. read more

One of the last remaining good local diners. Breakfasts are great here! Nothing fancy here just good food, fair prices and great service by the boys who run the place. I could go on...but come try them instead. More to come. read more

LOVE this place. Been going to it for 20 years and it seems to only get better, adding new menu items as they go. Rick (the owner) has built a fantastic place for the community to go and hang out, eat great food, enjoy good service and relax. On a Saturday morning, the place reminds me of some great neighborhood eateries in Greenwich Village in NY...lots of energy, community and good will. As I have evolved through the years from young guy who loved to eat pancakes and calorie-busting french toast, to middle-aged guy who needs to watch his cholesterol, Ocean Diner has been there for me! The "healthy menu" with Rick's Special, for example, or the "Fitness Breakfast" are great and incredibly satisfying. Rick clearly takes pride in good food and good ingredients. (This is true also for his other place, Java Man in Hermosa Beach.) He also takes pride in building places for the community to gather and find refuge from the hustle and bustle. Every day, he succeeds on both counts, and we all owe him a lot of thanks. read more

We did come back for a second try and we have kept coming back. It's one of our staple eats in southbay now. Although I felt the prices were somewhat on the higher end of $$ in my previous review, the portion sizes are more than generous so it's usually good for a snack later. The wife usually goes for the Tuscan salad and I usually get a breakfast burrito or something off the healthy options. Everything we've tried so far has been tasty. Service is fast and food comes out in a timely manner. We usually eat at the counter so not sure if that helps or not :) Again, glad we came back! read more

After reading good reviews about ocean diner, we decided to give a try. We went during dinner time, so the restaurant was not too crowded. The restaurant was clean and had a classic diner look and feel. Staff was nice and very welcoming. We ordered chicken fried steak and bon appetite (grilled cheese with bacon, onions & tomatoes). Chicken fried steak came with mashed potatoes, gravy and biscuit, scalloped corns, and salad. Bon appetite came with french fries. We also tried a piece of chocolate peanut butter pie for a dessert. Overall, the foods were pretty good. I saw a lot of good reviews about biscuits but to me, it wasn't too impressive. Bon appetite was really tasty but it felt little heavy. The pie was pretty good. we would come back to this restaurant, but would like to try different items. Foods: 3stars Atmosphere: 3 stars Service: 4 stars Overall: 3 stars read more

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What a great place to eat! Portions are massive, and everything is home cooked, just like grandma would make. I had the hardest time picking one thing to eat, so I decided to do the following: Vanilla French Toast - now, this was incredible cause it was stuffed with cream cheese! Topped with fruits and whipped cream. Very yummy! Famous Creamed Corn - can't try this place without their "famous" item on the menu! And it was definately worth it. I took one bite and went "oh no, this is DANGEROUS". Creamy and so delish. Better than Lawry's creamed corn. I highly recommend a side order when you go. Biscuits and Gravy - I've tried biscuits and gravy from Los Angeles to the Oregon Coast. This is pretty darn good. The biscuits are nice and fluffy but the gravy is even better. This would be 5 star, if it wasn't for the awful parking and the constant look of dumbness on the waiters faces. Go at least once! Give yourself plenty of time to find a parking spot though. read more

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I love a good breakfast. I love a good diner. This place looks like it fits the bill... It does not. The food is, at best, mediocre. I ordered the eggs and meatloaf breakfast. The eggs, order over-medium, were just plain over-cooked. The meatloaf was poor. Dry. Old. Unappealing. The service was fractionally better. Not good. read more

I've visited this place a few times for take out now, as it's very close to my house. However, I was so disgusted by my order this time around that I felt the need to comment. Yesterday (Saturday 6-14) I came in to get breakfast meals - blueberry pancakes, two eggs with bacon, and the biscuits with gravy. 1. Biscuits with gravy - lukewarm, you could see pools of oil, no butter although the menu says it comes with the plate. 2. Blueberry pancakes: cold and mushy. Not good pancake mushy - I'm talking inedible, gross texture, been sitting out under a heat lamp for hours mushy. 3. Eggs and...: the bacon was the only redeemable thing in this entire order and the only thing eaten. Pretty difficult to screw up bacon though. Scrambled eggs were unseasoned, rubbery, cold and boring. Biscuit was hard and stale. Potatoes were very greasy but they usually tend to be like that. 4. No plastic silverware, no butter, and one solitary napkin for $20 worth of food. And inexplicably, one to go container of salsa?! I threw out everything immediately. Thanks for $25 with tip wasted, Ocean Diner, sure won't be walking down the block for breakfast from you guys anymore. read more

I am really happy that I went to this place because I am vegan and finding a place to eat breakfast is sometimes difficult when you're in an unknown area. I had oatmeal (thankfully it didn't have cow milk in it) with raisins, banana, and soy milk plus coffee with soy milk. My friend who is not vegan got (The Body Builder) a very delicious egg white scramble that came with a very juicy and delicious chicken breast, Brown rice, toast (came buttered), and the coffee cake. He thought it was good and liked it. There is also another breakfast vegan option which looked really good with veggies, rice, tofu, and some kind of soy sauce. read more

Really like this place, I've only been here for breakfast so far but would like to try lunch or dinner. They also have a healthy menu which is pretty tasty, but this time I had Manny's scramble (eggs with chorizo and other goodies) which was very tasty as well as a streusel coffee cake which was also very good. Wait was not too bad either, but it can get crowded on weekend mornings.......... read more

I was out in Hermosa Beach for work and was craving a snack. Saw a sign on this restaurants window saying they had Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie. Walked in and was ignored, so decided to sit at the bar area. Ordered a slice of the Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie and a Coffee. The Pie was really good. 4 out of 5 stars because the initial worker was kinda of a dbag. read more

GO. Wait - it's 100% worth it. Fresh. Hometown. Original. Best service and consistent faces. It's one of our families favorite places in the beach cities to go for great service, food and nicely priced. read more

My fiance and I were obliged to drop a friend off at LAX the other day, so I figured we could parlay said excursion into an adventure to a new town - Hermosa Beach. Of course, I browsed the $ (one dollar sign) places in the area and came up with a few options. Ocean Diner topped my list, so on a lazy Friday we made the trip. Street parking in the area was a breeze, at least near lunch time on a weekday. We seated ourselves at a window table, and promptly placed our drink orders - me a coffee, my fiance a water. A smiling server approached us for our meal order. I ordered the Vanilla French Toast - I couldn't settle for Blueberry Pancakes after reading the reviews for the stuffed french toast. The $9.95 dish was a splurge, so I promised my fiance a good portion of my meal (since I had him downgrade to two eggs, home fries, and a biscuit). Very quickly, about ten minutes after ordering, the food arrived hot. I received 4 half creamy cream cheese stuffed sandwiches topped with granola, a variety of perhaps 10 chunks of fresh fruit (grapes, cantaloupe, pineapple (1) and watermelon (1)) and whipped cream. The dish was very fresh, very good, and no syrup was needed. My fiance's dish was good, nothing special. I tried the home fries and though the initial taste was good, the after taste was that of something meat flavored, so I had no further bites... And a quick note: Shortly after my first few bites my coffee was empty and it took about 10-15 minutes for somebody to come by for a refill. I have not had the best luck with coffee refills in the South Bay area, and I don't know why... But overall, I must admit that I wasn't blown away by this place. The service was a bit slow (nobody dropped by to ask if the food was okay, or if they could get us anything), and the food was good, not great. The atmosphere was pretty basic and old-school. The restaurant has very limited seating, so I imagine there is a wait at times on the weekend. Also, upon our departure, nobody wished us a good day or a thanks for dropping by. I guess I'm really not in Iowa anymore. Like other reviewers, I must note the stick of Ice Breakers gum wrapped in Ocean Diner paper. Very nice touch, and excellent advertising on their part. read more

Great lunch today I had the veggie burger and friend and my friend had a pasta dish we were both very satisfied with the food and the waiter was very nice I will be returning and I highly recommend this diner . read more

My family and I ate here as a last American dinner before we sent off my sister to Japan. The parking is a little tricky, but there were many positive reviews so we thought it would be a great place to try. I ordered a BLT, my mom ordered a vegetarian sandwich, and my sister ordered a cob salad, creamed corn, and an oreo milkshake. My BLT was good, but to our surprise, the vegetarian sandwich was our favorite. The oreo shake was thick and creamy and plenty for multiple people. The creamed corn was thick, heavy, and a little cheesy. The salad was our least favorite; it was heavily dressed and it overpowered everything else in the salad. We took a bag of their granola home to try when we paid the bill. The granola is heavily seasoned with cinnamon and it includes oats, assorted nuts, and dried fruits. It is pretty good but I think the sunflower seeds might be a little old so sometimes they throw off the flavor. Overall, diner food is diner food and you get what you expect. The service was ok. The diner is small and it gives it a homey feel. If I am ever in the area again, I would want to try their breakfast that they serve all day; it looks yummy! read more

This place is fantastic, the decor is super cute and has a homey feel. The menu has everything and the prices are typical for a diner like this. The waffle sundae was super tempting, but I ended up having a veggie omelette, which was delicious! I went on a Friday morning around 10:30 so there was no wait. The waiters are courteous and service seemed pretty smooth. I had to park in the Ralph's parking lot because the parking behind the diner was full. No biggie, it was a short walk anyways. read more

Oh, come on! I could make up excuses for why the service was so lousy, such as a few workers quit or called in sick to go to the beach but even so, we were still left to pay for the crappy dining experience. Service - 1 star. Our busboy was on the move, making every effort to fill the void of the waiter. He seemed aloof - took forever to get our order, bring it, never checked that we needed condiments and utensils, much less check on how the food was until we were basically done. This place is relatively small and there were empty tables / counter space. DH had to go up to the counter a few times to get missing things. Booo! Food - okay, 2.5 stars. Lots of food but very standard breakfast fare. Nothing original, nothing that made me think I'd want it again, but lots of people will take that if the portions are substantial, which they are here. Also I heard they were really kid friendly, but other than it being louder, there was little evidence of that. There have to be better breakfast places in the area :( I fell that I'm being generous with my review , actually. I wouldn't come back. read more

I met a colleague for breakfast at Ocean Diner. Serving breakfast and lunch all day, this is a cute little dinner near Aviation and PCH. Larger than I initially expected, there is a long counter as well as about 15 tables. There is a tiny parking lot in the rear (6 cars) and street parking in the front. Although it was breakfast, I was wary of over-cooked breakfast items based on other reviewers, and I ordered the Baja Sandwich. The sandwich is grilled whitefish with peppers and onions on grilled sourdough, which was served with coleslaw. The fish, and therefore the sandwich, was a little dry. But, when I smeared Dijon mustard on it or stacked coleslaw inside, it was quite tasty. Servers are a little inattentive, but I bet they would stop and chat if you were a regular. I would not come out of my way to be here, but it was a-okay. read more

I've been going to Ocean Diner for over ten years now, and love the menu. Great old style diner food, that's a bit pricy, but good for what you get. When the place gets busy, you can be there for a while, but they offer free coffee for those waiting outside. I love the fitness breakfast, coffee, tuna sandwiches, waffles, pancakes, meatloaf, omelets and baked goods. The staff is efficient but not always friendly (not many of them don't ever smile or recognize us regulars), so try the counter for better service. The pastry chef is very good and they offer pies to go (especially good for the holidays). Also check out the shake of the month. They rotate the offering so stop by to see what treat they have in store. Really good for an after dinner treat with the family. read more

There are a few good breakfast places in the area and ocean diner ranks as one of the best. Rick, the owner, is so kind and really cares about his business and customers. The staff has been there forever, which says a lot about how Rick takes care of his employees. The food is great, as is the coffee. I've gone through most items on the menu and have never been disappointed. With unlimited coffee refills, i love that you can also get a cup to go. read more

"Holy cow!" Those were my words upon first encountering the menu of this great, but small restaurant. I could have spent 30 minutes going over the different omelette combinations! My mistake was that I had my heart set on waffles. My boyfriend and his dad LOVE breakfast. Personally, I'm not impressed by breakfast so when they said let's go, I assumed we were going to Joe's. On the way, his dad was like, "Let's try this place." Sigh, ok. So after obsessing with the menu for about ten minutes, i decided to go for the waffle combo which was scrambled eggs, bacon and sausage and a really nice waffle. I look over at the quesadilla that my boyfriend is enjoying and I immediately turn green with envy. Never again. If you come to this place, get a signature breakfast dish or go home! This is not the place to get bacon and eggs. You can get that anywhere for way cheaper. Instead, try an omelette or skillet. Next time, I'm trying the California Enchiladas. Or if you like items from the griddle, get the specialty waffles. I should have tried that. THe pecan waffles or granola waffles sounded really good. This place is tiny. Luckily, we arrived after the rush. The parking lot is even tinier so you're better off parking in the street. Also, the sole reason I knocked off a star was for the prices. Yes, these dishes may taste amazing, but at the end of the say, you have to realize that it's egg, veggies, and cheese. If the average price was at about 7-8 then it would be acceptablee, but you're paying 10.50 and more for some of the dishes. I will be back, but maybe for dinner. The dinner menu looks good! read more

Went here this past Monday. Driven past here many times before on my way home. Was going to drive by again on the way to Dennys but finally decided to check this place out instead. The menu is extensive and even included a healthy section (egg whites only, brown rice, etc). Nothing really stood out at me (out of the ordinary ingredients or interesting combinations) and seemed more pricey than other places for the standard breakfast fare (eggs, toast, etc). The food was ok. I LOVE breakfast/brunch and am always looking for a couple more places to add to the rotation. Sadly, this might not be one of them. However, maybe I just didn't get the right thing here, so I'm willing to give them another shot. I will have to mention that the bisquits are quite huge and fluffy :) read more

Had nothing in the fridge, and the wife and Mother-law wanted to have breakfast. We had seen the Ocean Diner earlier in the week and decided to hit it up. Here's how we did.... Small little Diner (cafe) with limited parking. Has the full effect of the old school diner with old decor and framed newspaper articles of the 40's-50's. Cute? I'm not sure I would call it cute because I'm a guy but the decor was comfortable. The menu is very localized with items like "Frank's Favorite" and "Susan's Special." Basically they have everything you can expect at a Spires or Dennys. They have 2 options for breakfast burritos. I chose the Tomatillo Chicken burrito. Sounded good, and looked great when it came out. But right before I took the first bite, it smelled like a foot. A sweaty, dirty, stinky ass foot. It kind of turned me off, but at the same time, in a sick way.... it kind of turned me on. J/K The burrito was ok, but not great. I wouldn't order it again, but I'm not upset. Will I again? Yeah, it's close and it was good. Toot! read more

Good food and cozy atmosphere. I wish they had a little more seating so there wouldn't be such a long line going outside!

Probably the only downside to this place is the long wait for breakfast on weekends. I usually hit this place up on weekdays or very early on weekends. The breakfasts are the jewel here and are scrumptious. You have very hearty meals, (along with some healthy alternatives) and any type of omelet you can dream of. Portions are big so don't order additional sides. I go for the granola french toast then float out of there on a sugar buzz. What has set the place apart, and brought in the crowds, is the fast, fast service. Sometimes you can feel diners wanting you out quickly, but with Ocean Diner their staff just hustle. And that's how you want it; the kitchen cooking furiously and the dishes zipping by as you sip your morning coffee. If you are in the area I would give this place a go for morning eats. Make the wait just once and see for yourself. read more