This place is much better than it really would seem. They don't offer anything particularly unique, they're just quite good at breakfast and cultivating that local diner feel. read more

Back here again and this time for lunch. I had a French Dip, it was delicious but could of used a little more meat. I would order it again. My hot chocolate was as big as the other Yelp photo.... read more

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

Wife and I stopped in for breakfast this am. Very crowded and we had to wait but not too long. Staff is friendly and accommodating. Both my Huevos Rancheros and her omelet were drowning in a strange tasting cheese sauce blend. The separate food items in each dish were fine (for instance my eggs were as ordered) but the strange sauce was unnecessary and unappreciated by us. read more

This is now our go to place for breakfast without a wait. Phenomenal home fries, fresh flavors and good coffee! Did I mention the fab home fries? ! read more

Old Monterey Cafe - Funky decor @ the Old Monterey Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Monterey, California

Single diner. Asked if I was ready to order before I saw a menu. Gave order and when delivered eggs were over cooked even though I made a point to serve lightly scrambled eggs. Pancakes and bacon cold. Asked for extra butter, was sort if tossed at me. I did not taste even a bite. read more

From the moment we arrived into Monterey, we had intended on breaking bread here each morning! And, we did! And, on our last Sunday, Toby, Barbara, Cherale and I thoroughly enjoyed our farewell breakfast at this local restaurant in the heart of downtown Monterey on Alvarado St. Great, warm welcoming service provided by Daniella and Armando, who assured that our coffee cups were always full. The food, especially the Huevo Rancheros, divine! This place always busy and full to capacity! I HIGHLY RECOMMEND, but if you're in a hurry, don't bother. This dive's small, homey, comfortable and food's cooked to order and served HOT! read more

Old Monterey Cafe - We didn't get to say goodbye to Daniella and Armando. ¡Mil gracias por suyo ambiente, amistad y servicio lindo! Toni/Toby Araiza, Wisconsin. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Monterey, California

Such great portion sizes & reasonable pricing. Even though they are busy most of the time, customer service is great!! They have such huge pancakes that are so fluffy and absolutely delicious! My favorite pancakes in the area. read more

Solid food and quick service. We ordered a scramble with grits and it was good, the Blueberry muffin was also great. The best part of the meal and experience however, is the excellent service, from the server who was attentive to our drink needs to the awesome waitress. I can't say enough about her, she was charismatic, friendly, warm and any business who is lucky enough to have her should be very, very grateful. We were. Her name is DANIELLA. Owners: DANIELLA is FANTASTIC. read more

We have spent at least two weekends/year in Monterey starting in the early 1990's and almost always have breakfast here one of our mornings. So that's a testament to it's solid food and something else that's important to us when we go out to breakfast (especially after a night of partying): excellent coffee service. Historically, the coffee refills are nearly constant (the guy who's seemingly the owner has his classic pour from way up high!). Yesterday, however, our experience was less than ideal. The coffee service was horrible. We were sitting in one of the two window tables and the one guy who was the main coffee guy that day (not the owner-guy) would walk from table to table approaching the window, and get to the tables next to us, but then turn around without even looking our way. It was almost like we had ticked him off somehow and he was intentionally ignoring us. Twice I asked him for more coffee when he was nearby without the pot. Once he responded (not immediately), but the other time he did not, despite picking up the pot and refilling people at many of the other tables. And once I asked our server for more coffee, which never came. So that was a bummer. Also, I ordered my eggs benedict poached hard, and they were not that; no effort was made to cook them any longer than usual. Anyway, as noted, we've had many solid breakfasts here over the years (despite the prices significantly escalating we keep coming back!), and normally I would overlook this stuff as a one-off. But then I looked at my bill. On the suggested tips, then include the tax in their calculations, which is unacceptable. Nobody should tip on tax. Also, they charged an additional fee for paying by credit card (over $1.50 more), which I have never seen in a restaurant and which irks me. So minus a star for those two things. read more

We were greeted with fresh coffee, water immediately and our waitress was amazingly quick, friendly and efficient. Food came out quickly. Good thing cause we're hungry! It is cooked exactly the way we requested. read more

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We LOVE this place!! So many great things to say: All waitstaff is kind, efficient, knowledgeable, friendly and attentive. I have had many items here, my favorites are Spanish Omelette-perfect blend of cheese, green chili and eggs. Comes with hash browns- I usually sub cottage cheese and tomato. French Toast with berries- sweet, but not too sweet. No whip cream or powdered sugar. However they have super sweet breakfast if you like. I think they have chocolate chip pancakes... Eggs Benedict- they have several variations, one includes salmon, another croissant instead of English muffin. Eggs Florentine! For those who don't know it's a Benedict with spinach- My new fave. The hollandaise isn't too rich- just right. You get the satisfaction without feeling like you are going to have a heart attack afterwards. They have espresso drinks too! This place is usually packed because it's that good. If in town it's a must! read more

This was my fiances & I first time coming to Monterey. On 8/09 We asked around for a good breakfast & this restaurant was recommended. We were served by Mari & the guy cleaning (forgot to ask for his name). They were busy due to it being a weekend day but their customer service was great & never made us feel rushed to eat. We ordered Papas Abuelo & Tahoe Scrambler along with some coffee and hot chocolate. In all, a good spot for breakfast & to be treated kindly (: read more

Long wait to order. Terrible coffee. Breakfast burrito was 90% beans. Weird seasoning on the eggs benedict. Dirty bathroom with no paper towels. Depressing. read more

This place used to be stellar but the wait is always crazy and the food doesn't feel worth the wait. Nice people but they're so busy running around that things are constantly forgotten. My sons pancakes came out a solid 20 mins after everything else. I won't be going back. read more

POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE!!! My husband and I went there one day when the cafe didn't have electricity and the young woman taking the orders by the counter instead of explaining that for us (customers) to know, she was just very short, unkind and not welcoming at all. She would only respond to our breakfast order with: "we don't have coffee"; "the toaster is not working" and finally she said that there was no electricity. I told her that the issue was her attitude towards us who didn't know what was happening and she didn't even apologize or have eye contact.... we decided to stop ordering and left. I understand we all have challenges in life but it is not professional to bring your problems and unhappiness to work. read more

Nice lil cafe , there were only 2 servers but they kept moving. Breakfast burrito was delicious and was able to change hash brown side to fruit. read more

Old Monterey Cafe - Breakfast burrito with fruit - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Monterey, California

The food and service was good. I got the waffle combo. And other made there own omlette. read more

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

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My boyfriend and I enjoyed our breakfast here! The cafe is very tiny and probably not good for somebody who needs a lot of space and not feel clustered. Despite the set up, service was very fast. We got our food within 10-15 minutes of waiting. Our breakfast was delicious, we will definitely come here again next time when we visit! read more

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

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Found this little gem by driving past it while on a quick trip to Monterey. We got a table pretty quick and there were six of us! Drinks came out fast and they got our entire order correct. The pancakes are huge! The coffee delicious! Service impeccable. Highly recommend stopping by and supporting local businesses read more

Old Monterey Cafe - California Eggs Benedict yummmy - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Monterey, California

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The food at this location was very good. When we passed by and saw this restaurant we didn't see many people in it, we parked and returned, and it was packed. The waiters don't check up often except for like one person. The water is just AWFUL. I would never serve that water to anyone ever. For the amount of money I witnessed this location make during our visit, im sure they can afford a better water filtration system. The food is very good once again, I would recommend this location to anyone looking for breakfast. I ordered a club sandwich and it was great. The only hard thing is parking and standing in line. Other than that; the food was worth the wait. read more

BEST. BREAKFAST. EVER. This place never ever disappoints. The staff is superrrr friendly and sweet and the food is top notch. I've never ever in my life had better hollandaise sauce or eggs Benedict than from here. I always ask for bacon instead of ham but that's just me, I'm sure it's good with ham too. My mom says her cinnamon raisin French toast was the best she's had also. So good. I'm in food heaven. Can't wait to come back. read more

This part of town is sincerely lacking in breakfast joints. How can that be?? After a fall-out at some bougie place a few blocks away that was only serving bread and more bread for brunch, we found our way to the Old Monterey Cafe and joined the line-up out the door. Things thankfully moved fairly quickly and we were seated before my hanger really took over. All I wanted was a standard omelette and hashbrowns meal and that is precisely what I was delivered. Very meaty menu, but we were able to find some vegetarian hits. I added spinach to the Spanish omelette with green chilis. The sweet chili sauce smothering it was a little odd to me, but it did hit the spot. Hashbrowns were perfectly crisp on the outside and soft in the middle. I think I cleaned my plate, and it was a substantial amount of food. J. had eggs with a side of southern-style grits which were buttery and tasty. Staff was harried but attentive, and the line never died down. Very down to earth, no-frills, breakfast-all-day spot that delivers exactly what it advertises. read more

Portions are large food is tasty and served quickly. Never ending coffee topped off frequently. Come early before it gets busy. read more

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

Fast, nice and great food. Good environment, with a lot of interesting things to look at. I will definitely be back soon! read more

Great service. Great breakfast food! The hash browns were awesome! Are outside due to govt restrictions.

Food was ok. When we arrived it was busy. Bus person cleaned a table and slammed the menus in the table and motioned for us. The server we had was just not nice. When we needed to pay and get to a conference she wasn't around. My husband went to the counter to pay. The waitress seemed annoyed. Husband noticed we were double charged for orange juice(which was $5). He told her and she handed him back $2. No "I'm sorry" or anything. Won't be back. read more

We came here for breakfast over Labor Day weekend. It was good for the most part but I am giving it one star because the waitress touched my 3-yr old daughter's face. She grabbed her chin to look at her "beautiful eyes." This was our first outdoor dining experience during COVID and this made us very uncomfortable and very upset. I can't believe how careless and inconsiderate she was given the pandemic. This was so inappropriate. We are trying so hard to keep our family and others safe. This experience made me want to cry. I hope management sees this and mandates additional safety training for their staff. read more

Down-home food with a feel of family atmosphere. My omelette breakfast was tasty and comforting.... just like what I would get from grandma's kitchen. read more

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

Ordered calamari steak and eggs and calamari was very thin, chewy and batter soaked in oil. I used to order this and was nice and tender. Hash browns was too mushy. Not sure if you have a new chef? It's one of the worse breakfast I've had. Service was ok. read more

The brunch crew was in complete disfunction today. We were shouted at several times as we tried to adjust and level the outdoor table. The eggs were dry gravel. They were returned. Then they came half cooked and watery. The bill showed $9.00 for the shabby egg(s). The meager ham slice cost an extra $5:00. The sandwich had a huge glop of mayonnaise on it for which we had no notice. The lettuce was old and brown. The water came at the end of the meal after several requests. We asked for one coffee; he brought us two. There was no follow up. Abysmal service and definitely not worth the price was our conclusion. read more

Came here recently with my husband. Even with certain restrictions on seating with the pandemic we were seen very quickly, and had quick service. The servers were all so friendly and polite! The food was even better! read more

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Terrific food.!!Had the Hawaiian omelet with a side of cottage cheese and it was amazing. Had outside seating and the service was excellent!! read more

Food was excellent!! I had the pancakes and the New Yorker scramble. We were here visiting Monterey for our anniversary. Pricing is reasonable and good portion size. May have to stand up to 15 minutes to be seated because the seating is limited. read more

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Breakfast was a disaster, both of our orders were completely wrong. Husband ordered bacon and eggs over easy, got scrambled with hash browns. Ordered sour dough toast, got wheat. You get the picture, I won't bore you with the details. my order was also completely wrong. The food itself was mediocre. My mom always says "breakfast is safe, how can they ruin breakfast" Now we know. The host was super nice and the coffee was OK. read more

There are both plenty of options and almost no options when it comes to eating breakfast in Monterey. There is a main street filled with restaurants serving similar breakfast - the portions are big, the food is decent, and you are not going to get much different stuff anywhere else. What makes this place worthy is that it opens bright and early, the service is great, and the coffee is nonstop. I got my own breakfast and stupidly ordered a small children version for my 18 month old. Too. Much. Food. Did I mention the portions are huge? read more

Wilfred Y. recommended this place and I bookmarked it. I loved the friendly, welcoming staff and the retro decor replete w/ random household tools, small framed old movie and radio/TV posters. There were several photos of Marilyn Monroe in that white dress, posters for National Velvet and Sergeant Preston of the Yukon, that sort of stuff. It broke my heart to hear the youngster behind me ask his dad who the Lone Ranger was. The food was not so thrilling. My Joe's Special was way overcooked. Alan was happy w/his scramble but not w/ the side of corned beef hash he ordered to check it out. The orange juice we shared was thin and w/o vitality, not as good as the orange juice we had yesterday at Fresh Awakenings, which was good, but not as good at the fabulous juice we had at Cafe M a few days ago. All fresh squeezed. DGD ordered hot chocolate, which she pronounced "straight out of the packet" and granola, which she said tasted like what you might pick up at Safeway. She has her mother's palate. I had been tempted by a Benedict and am sorry I didn't have it, but I love Joe's Special. I picked out the mushrooms, which were fresh and good. It doesn't hurt me not to finish a meal, but I doubt we'll be back. We like Fresh Awakenings much better. read more

First of all let me say I never give 1 star reviews. Especially for a local business. I have been here four times. Every time it's the same mediocre food and reasonable service, which someone expects from this place. Today just topped it all off for me. . So the menu says you get a fruit cup with most of the items on the menu. I have never received a fruit cup without asking for it after my meal arrives. This time my wife asked for it ahead of time to make sure it was sent out. The waitress told my wife that it already comes with the meal. (We both ordered eggs Benedict, by the way the English muffins are grade F quality and mush). Our food arrives and no fruit. What do you know. My wife asks for hers and the waitress acts like she left it up on the counter...sure. Oh and I never received my fruit :( I then over hear the table next to us ask where there fruit is. The waitress explains their policy of only bringing it out if you ask for it because people usually don't eat it and they waste most of it!!!! I have a friend that used to work there and she confirmed this fruit policy. Just take if off the menu if you don't want to give it out.... There are other way better options for breakfast in the area....maybe across the street at Rosines or a short drive to Red House Cafe, to name a few. Once again I usually don't give ratings like this only when deserved. This place is busy because few choices in downtown for breakfast...tourist trap! read more

I'm not sure if people have just gotten so complacent with bad food or if they just don't know any better. This wasn't the worst place I've had breakfast, but it was pretty bad. For starters, I asked if they used real syrup (rather than the high fructose corn crap that the rood industrial complex uses). Sadly, the answer was no, so that took pancakes, waffles, or french toast off my list. Why people don't demand real food rather than chemicals I'll never know, but that's a different post, I suppose. I ended up getting a veggie omelet with jack cheese, and the "omelet" was actually thin, overly fried eggs folded in half with a slice of cheese melted on top. I thought this might have just been because they originally forgot the cheese, but looked around and saw that all of the omelets were like that. The hash browns weren't bad, although they had a slight vegetable oil taste to them. I was also annoyed that a tea bag was more than $2.00. Really? In my opinion, any restaurant that is too cheap to use high-quality, good ingredients and who can't even make a decent omelet shouldn't be in business. But again, it seems that too many people either don't know or don't care to demand better for themselves. Sad. read more

Old Monterey Cafe is in the top three for best Eggs Benedict in the Monterey Bay. Its worth the wait and the insufferable company of socks and sandal-ed tourists and poorly dressed, but kind regulars. Sometimes it can be downright overcrowded, but keep your eyes on the prize "EGGS BENEDICT". On a side note: Say you love bacon and you work at an international graduate school around the corner and your ridiculous boss, who wears way too much eyeliner for her age; is clinically narcissistic,and has a comb-over has you chained to the office. OMC has no problem with take out orders for medicinal purposes. They will not shame, question, or judge you for ordering toast and bacon to-go. Repeatedly. read more

Terrible service. Waitress was rude to everyone around her. I thought maybe its because I'm in a May-December relationship. A lot of older waitress tend to give me the evil eye for being with an older man. But nope, she was snippy with everyone she served. I don't like dealing with disingenuous people. They're smiling but you can tell they hate their job. Life is too short. If you don't like what you're doing, move on! But don't drag everyone else around you down with your sour attitude. I'm determined to not grow old and bitter. So that means keep moving forward! The food was just okay. I wasn't all that impressed. We would have been better off going to get donuts and coffee down the street. Totally ruined my desire to explore Monterrey any further. We decided to head up the coast after that. Maybe I just came on a bad day, but it was enough to make me want to leave town. read more