Visited mid March. The orange juice is freshly squeezed and divine. The pancakes are also amazing!! A major reason for not giving is a 5th star is the pork chop being undercooked and flavorless. Service was not up to par either. They were attentive but not friendly, warm or inviting. We felt rushed. It is a very cramped space. We were charged $2.12 for not paying cash. read more

Old Monterey Cafe - Never heard of a fee for not paying cash!! So, we took it off the tip, which we left in cash. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Monterey, California

Service can improve greatly and some cleanliness throughout the restaurant can improve very much. I didn't take photos of food but did throughout the restaurant. I also called ahead to see if there was a wait time I was told no so I show up it was very busy. Our service leticia was not very friendly, seemed like she was irritated and frustrated taking our order didn't explain anything to us. Asked her for some water was told I don't do that he's goin to do that and pointed at this male working. I thought it was rude, could've just took the order and relayed the message. Also I wasn't given correct change when payed in cash, it was .64 but still it's the principal. Especially with the attitude I would not recommend this place especially on a busy day the size is very small. Also the sausage was burnt and I also noticed other diners eating and spitting food out. Not sure what they got but made me second guess a lot. Please improve customer service as it makes a big impact on your business. read more

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Don't order the Burrito with Chirizo. No flavor Don't order Monte Cristo, Pig in Blankets was delicious Beautiful day eating outside, a little noisy, but nice. Server really attentive. read more

Old Monterey Cafe - Monte Cristo - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Monterey, California

I recently visited Old Monterey Cafe, and unfortunately, my experience was very disappointing due to the service. From the moment we arrived, the staff seemed inattentive and disorganized. We waited far too long to be greeted, and throughout the meal, it was difficult to get anyone's attention for basic requests like refills or updates on our food. The woman serving us was very rude and it felt like we were bothering her every time we asked for anything. It was to a point where I just stopped asking for things, even basic things like condiments. They also forgot one of the meals in our party and brought it out way later, cold. They took so long to acknowledge us for anything we sat and waited for 15 min not touching our food for someone to give us the check. While the food itself was decent, it was overshadowed by the poor service. A restaurant experience is about more than just the meal, and the lack of professionalism and attentiveness really detracted from our visit. I hope they improve their service, because in its current state, I wouldn't be eager to return. read more

Conveniently located on Alvarado Street, this cafe is a solid spot for breakfast. It does tend to be busy, even on weekday mornings, but they turn over tables quickly. The space is quite tight and you have to squeeze past tables trying to navigate towards the bathroom or the exit. The service is super attentive and prompt. Your coffee cup will never run dry! On my solo visit, I ordered the calamari steak and eggs which comes with hashbrowns. I also upgraded my toast option to a pancake for an extra charge. I enjoyed my plate. The calamari steak was super thin, I was definitely expecting thicker. However, it was still delicious and crispy. The pancake was super fluffy. Overall, I enjoyed my visit and would definitely return. read more

Old Monterey Cafe - Calamari steak and eggs which - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Monterey, California

4.5 stars. California Omelette with Jack added was surprisingly delicious. I think the dated ambience was pushing my expectations down. The ungodly dollop of butter I just let soak into the bread and that was fantastic. $21 spent for the amount of food I got was fair value. read more

Old Monterey Cafe - California omelette with jack and the hash brown and biscuit side. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Monterey, California

Average at best but seems to be a popular spot. The restaurant was full when I arrived. Service is a slow but understandable since all the tables were full. read more

Old Monterey Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Monterey, California

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We were looking for a little more than a pastry for breakfast. The old Monterey Café is small, but it is a good sitdown restaurant. It was early on a Thursday morning, so it wasn't very full. We got waited on promptly. I ordered the sautéed mushroom and avocado omelette with a side of hashbrowns. My wife got a bowl of oatmeal with sourdough toast. The oatmeal came with cinnamon. That's a plus. My omelette was cooked perfectly with lots of avocado and mushrooms. Unfortunately, the hashbrowns contain onions. I wish I had known that. I don't like onions. The interior is quite fun. It is filled with old Artifacts. Antique posters, statues, all kinds of memorabilia pack the walls. If you're downtown Monterey, try the old Monterey Café. read more

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The food was good, but the service was better. The food came out fast and my coffee cup never got below half full.

There were so many cute eateries within walking distance from our hotel that we just started searching for local places to brunch in Monterey without a wait. The second place that popped up on my Yelp search was Old Monterey Cafe. They offer a pretty extensive menu that our picky kids could both choose from. My only request was a bite of a buttermilk pancake. We walked in and were greeted and helped right away, our bus person was a friendly gentleman that took great care of us. Our receipt says, "Ray" was our server. He was attentive to our needs as well. Our food was served hot and cooked perfectly. The portions were massive and their prices were fair. I loved the ambiance of this older diner. Where we sat doubled as an exit or entrance to the patio tables. I loved sitting out and people watching while we brunched. We looked over our receipt later and saw upcharges for guava juice that no one had that nor were we expecting such large juices brought out. Besides that and the credit card charge, everything was phenomenal. We would definitely return next time we're in Monterey and bring cash. read more

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Terrible service! Asked for ketchup 5 times and had to get up and go to the kitchen to get it because it took so long! Try hiring someone on a Sunday because one person taking order and serving doesn't cut it. read more

Love this place for good food, big portions and reasonably priced. Can't go wrong with Eggs Benedict!! Oh the grits.. Sweet Jeezus they were delicious! I recommend to start your day here if you are planning a day trip in Monterey,CA. read more

Old Monterey Cafe - Canadian bacon Eggs Benedict with hash browns - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Monterey, California

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Last meal in Monterey here for Big Sur marathon. This was a great final send off breakfast! Menu is huge as are portions. Had Joe's Special (great! Short stack pancakes (huge and great too) read more

Old Monterey Cafe - Pancakes - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Monterey, California

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Oooh how I love a good diner! Got the waffle combo which came with choice of 2eggs, and either sausage or bacon. And a side of hash browns. Everything was great, and came out so quickly which I appreciate. The server checked in on us multiple times to make sure we were good. This place gets packed but it seems to filter in/out quickly read more

Old Monterey Cafe - Side Hash Browns - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Monterey, California

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This spot is so reliable. It has good food, fast service and is consistent. It is always a go-to spot for us. Always great! read more

Old Monterey Cafe - Chicken apple sausage with eggs and Spanish with Green Chiles Omelette - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Monterey, California

This was okay! Service was quick and friendly. I don't remember the name of the dish I ordered but it could have used more eggs. I got a side of fruit instead of the toast and a cup of coffee. I was a bit surprised that the meal after tip was over $30 but with all of thr bakeries around, it was nice to have a hearty breakfast with some protein. read more

Old Monterey Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Monterey, California

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Came to this cafe twice. Service was exceptional. It's decorated with an autographed pic of Doris Day, love her! Movie pics and posters and vintage things. The coffee is great and always topped up off. Food was good and very tasty. Only downside was my eggs on both visits. Overly poached eggs on Benedict and my over easy on rancheros overcooked no runny yolks :( I would eat here again but opt to try pancakes or french toast, those dishes looked really good! read more

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I don't normally write these reviews but this was bad. The service was awful. There was only three table and she forgot our drinks until we asked. She didn't even ask us what sides we wanted, I had to go find her to tell her what sides we wanted once I realized she forgot. She didn't get our order right once the food came but I just ate it cuz I was already annoyed. The over easy eggs were over hard and the omelette was so over cooked it was brown. The coffee was warm. The bill was $40 for two people. read more

First time at Old Monterey Cafe. Small with cute old school decor. Breakfast was good, simple, but nothing to write home about. The pancake needed the syrup and berries to give it more flavor. I appreciated the crispy bacon. Service wasn't awesome but the food came out rather quick. I probably wouldn't come here again but staff are polite. read more

Old Monterey Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Monterey, California

This place was very busy. It felt very energetic inside, lots of chatter everywhere and the servers were working hard. I felt like there was a constant line throughout my entire meal. I ordered 2 over hard eggs with 2 pork chops, hashbrowns and a side of sourdough toast (2 slices). The pork chops were easy to chew but a little salty. The hashbrowns were good, had good potato flavor. The eggs were good but a bit bland on its own. I should have combined everything in each bite but I ate them separately unfortunately. Our table got charged hot coffee even though no one ordered it so I informed our server and they quickly fixed it and gave us our correct bill. read more

Old Monterey Cafe - 2 over hard eggs with 2 pork chops, hashbrowns and a side of sourdough toast (2 slices) - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Monterey, California

Came here for breakfast and ordered a vegetarian omelette that had tomatoes, mushrooms, and avocado with an order of coffee. The coffee was below average. It was very watered down. The vegetarian omelette pretty average. It comes with a lot! In addition to the omelette you can get a side of hash browns, potatoes and i believe fruit AND slices of bread. The hash browns are were eh and the bread was ok. We got there when the restaurant opened and we were the only people there so service was not slow. Since we were the only people there, it was quiet in the restaurant. read more

Old Monterey Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Monterey, California

Positives: Service was good. Friendly. Location is good. Food: Mediocre. After we sat down and ordered, we saw huge plates of food going by us. We were disappointed. My partner had an omelet with a side of sausage, grits and an iced tea. I had the deviled egg sandwich with bacon added (there was an upcharge for the bacon--no problem) with hash browns and an iced tea. The food was bland. The omelet wasn't all that big and didn't have a lot of flavor. The only thing I could taste on the egg salad sandwich was mustard and they forgot the bacon. When I brought that to the server's attention, she brought me a side of bacon, rather than just the piece or two of back for the upgrade listed on the menu. My partner said the grits weren't very good. It all would have been okay, but the total for two smallish, mediocre breakfasts with iced teas came to $77 (with tip). We left and my partner was still hungry so we went next door to Ad Astra bread and he got a breakfast sandwich that looked really good (he said it was very good)--for $8. We won't be going back. To0 many better options for the money. read more

The team was incredibly attentive, the food was delicious, and the portion sizes were just right. So glad that my husband and I stumbled upon this place walking through downtown Monterey! read more

Old Monterey Cafe - One of the Breakfast Burritos (had chorizo) - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Monterey, California

WORST BREAKFAST IVE EVER HAD. This place has definitely went wayyy downhill. I ordered turkey avocado Benedict with hash browns and iced tea. I knew the moment the ice tea came looking like dirt toilet water that the food was gonna be trash. The avocado on the Benedict was brown the turkey was thin and slimy and appeared to be legit packaged lunch meat- the cheap kind at that!! Then I took a bite of the hash browns and there was RAW ONIONS INSIDE!! never in my life have I had hashbrowns with onions! Like why??? Onions weren't in the menu description. My food was honestly inedible. I'm not really a picky eater but I lost my appetite. The server was blah, never came to check on us or ask if we needed anything. DO NOT EAT HERE read more

Old Monterey Cafe - Black/old avocado - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Monterey, California

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My boyfriend and I came here for breakfast on a Sunday morning and waited about 20 minutes in line for a table. The place was packed--and for good reason. It's a family-owned brunch spot, and you could tell the staff were working hard to keep things running smoothly. I ordered the Joe's Special and it was delicious! I swapped the toast for a pancake for an extra $2.25, and honestly, the pancake ended up being my favorite part--super fluffy and buttery. Places like Denny's don't even come close to the quality here. read more

Old Monterey Cafe - Pancake - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Monterey, California

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Good old fashion dinner style food! Service was good! Crowded depending on the time u go in! It's just small tight space! But over all good food! read more

I could just eat breakfast here everyday. Such wonderful food and friendly staff They make you feel like home. The chef really knows his way around the kitchen. Everything is so delicious. The Joes Special. And it really is special. The biscuits are nice and crispy on the outside, with a really delicious gravy. The hash browns are always cooked to perfection. I just everything about this fabulous restaurant. read more

I wanted to like it. Benedict sauce was bland. Waitress was charming. Kitchen needs a boost.

Not only great quality and great prices, but the sweetest people. We've lived here on the Monterey Peninsula and we come here every week!

The place was really nice and decorated well. But the cost of the food was very expensive and it did not meet the quality $100 for breakfast for two people is crazy. read more

Ambiance was so cute especially for Christmas. Food was pretty good service was okay. read more

Old Monterey Cafe - Cute Christmas decor - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Monterey, California

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Look. I've got history with Old Monterey Cafe. My family and I have gone on yearly trips to Monterey since I was a young girl. We have always gone to Old Monterey Cafe for breakfast and I can say with confidence that they have never let us down. I will always love this place!!!! The food is delicious and the staff are always nice! I love the decorations, and how it has stayed the same all these years. Their waffles and pancakes have been a favorite in the family, and I can always count on Old Monterey Cafe for a nice breakfast. read more

Old Monterey Cafe - Waffle Combo - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Monterey, California

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The service wasn't too bad. They charge $3 for whipped cream (from a can) but they gave us a good amount even though they forgot and then just loaded my kid's plate with it, when we reminded them. The ambiance is cool, was pretty busy. The food was good. The pancakes were flavorful and a good size, the omelette was pretty good but nothing out of the ordinary, the hash brown didn't have much taste but nothing ketchup can't fix. I would definitely try something else. I wanted the bay Benedict's but they weren't available when we went. read more

Old Monterey Cafe - Strawberry pancakes - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Monterey, California

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The first thing I research when traveling is where the best diner is and this place hits all the marks. Went on a Saturday morning around 10am and it was CROWDED but they find a way to squeeze everyone in. We opted for seats at the small counter in the back and were seated immediately, but others were seated as quickly as tables could be cleared. The staff were hustling! The coffee was solid diner coffee (just strong enough). Menu is HUGE but we went for the old staples: scrambled eggs with spinach, hashbrowns and sourdough toast... eggs over medium, hashbrowns, sausage links and SD toast. Even though they were slammed we had multiple people checking in and refilling our cups. The pancakes seemed to be very popular! Looking forward to a future visit! read more

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Really nice place. They have a wide range of breakfast and sandwich options. Their crab Benedict is the most flavorful Benny I've had! The eggs and calamari are great. Coffee is good as you would expect for a small cafe. The decor is nice, noise level was calm just as they opened. Didn't have a long wait for the food, and they were quick to refill the coffee. read more

Food was great, service was great and fast, it's asses and elbows in there but still worth it. I'd go back again for sure. read more

Old Monterey Cafe - Breakfast - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Monterey, California

Food was bland. Grits had no flavor tasted like it was from a packet . Way too much butter on everything . They need salt in their food

Loved this place! The service was super friendly and made us feel right at home. The food was SO good hearty portions and full of flavor. The music playing in the background gave the whole café such a fun, laid-back vibe. Honestly, it's the kind of spot you want to come back to again and again. Great food, great people, great energy. Highly recommend if you're in Monterey! :) read more

We are tourists traveling with our pup. We called this place ahead to ask if they were pet friendly & they said yes. Upon arrival a couple of steps into the restaurant there was a sign that said wait to be seated. My husband our pup & i are standing there when the 50+ year old busboy came rudely and said you have an id for the dog? Before we could even answer he said: "no ID no dog allowed". I explained that our pup is not a service dog & that we called ahead to make sure they were pet friendly then he said "outside" as he walked us out to wait. I just think that this interaction could've gone a LOT more professionally. We didn't feel welcome at all. The food is mid & the service is bad. We are not coming back and we do not recommend this place to anyone. read more

Old Monterey Cafe is a quaint local eatery that serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We visited here for breakfast. The ambiance is eclectic, with classical decor from autographed photos of Doris Day, to Frank Sinatra hanging in the walls. You see vintage items such as 1950s radio, cameras from the 40s, etc. Our server was prompt, and friendly. She didn't keep our coffee mugs full without asking though. The breakfast menu has a nice variety of selections to choose from. Joe's scramble - 4/5 Joe's scramble was very delicious. The ratio of ground beef to mushrooms to spinach and scrambled eggs was on point. The flavor was delightfully delicious. This Joe's scramble was prepared with garlic butter, not with Italian spices. The garlic flavor was light, not too garlicky. I enjoyed this selection by much and would not hesitate ordering it again. Raisin cinnamon swirl French toast combo - 5/5 This selection was very good. You get raisin cinnamon French toast and a selection of egg and meat. The French toast was very flavorful with the right amount of cinnamon and raisins. The eggs and bacon were delicious too. I recommend visiting Old Monterey Cafe for breakfast. Lunch and dinner is also served too. read more

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