Best breakfast and great choices Come early! Long line around 10am especially in the weekend! Friendly staff and attentive to our needs. read more

Get the Chai! Food: I got the Denver omelette, bowl of fruit and the most delicious chai ever made. Denver omelette is made with 3 eggs so I recommend splitting it with someone and getting a side of pancakes. The hash browns are perfectly crispy. Service: I was unfortunately being bothered by another patron at this restaurant and the staff came to my rescue! So 10000/10 for awareness and kindness. Location: in the downtown area of Monterey. Close to the conference center and easy to walk to. Cute decor and super clean. Parking: some street parking and close to two large parking structures. Notables: the chai is served root beer float style. Amazing! read more

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You can tell Old Monterey Cafe is a favorite among locals from the non-stop lines forming during brunch hours. The restaurant is a bit small, but there's a few outdoor tables available if you feel cramped indoors. We chose to sit outdoors because we had our stroller with us, and enjoyed our meal outside people watching. We shared the Bay shrimp omelette and crab Benedict. The seafood in both were fresh and stood out in each dish. The hash browns complemented the meals, was crispy and seasoned well. One new favorite brunch spot downtown, can't wait to come back next time! read more

Old Monterey Cafe - Crab benedict and bay shrimp omelette - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Monterey, California

We lived in Monterey Bay over 18 years ago and we frequently went to brunch dates here back then. I try to stop here at least once when coming back to visit family -- this last time was our first time with our kids. We knew it would be tough cuz we are a party of 5 and this place is SMALL. Parking is street parking ... so that's tricky cuz it's only for a limited time. Or u can walk from a nearby paid parking garage. It's by the hour. At the restaurant, u just wait in line and the line goes out the door. It was a rainy day just a few days after Xmas...so we also knew it would be busy cuz of the holiday tourists. But we didn't wait too long, maybe 30 mins. What we ordered: The Portlander omelette French toast and a side of bacon The Crispy Waffle Combo The California Eggs Benedict The Castroville Scrambler Our food was served fast and everyone was happy with their choices. The portions were very good. We loved the hash browns. Note: I asked for a side of salsa (they use to offer it free way back when we lived here)... they now call it Spanish Sauce and it wasn't they same salsa as before and you now get charged for it) I only took off one star due to the way they still haven't come up with a better system of maybe texting u when a table was ready. It's kind of weird to sit close to the line of people where they can just watch you eat. It's weird to be standing at the front of the line scanning the dining area for anyone possibly ready to leave. AND...There is still ONLY ONE very cramped bathroom. read more

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Old Monterey cafe is one of those places you need to try. Servers are fast and attentive . Even the busboy who helped the servers was absolutely nice and motivated. The portions are good enough for 2 . The taste of the egg was tasty since it is fresh grass feed quality. They don't have out side sitting, very tiny sitting area. But the service is fast and not comparable with other places I've been . So trust me and try them. read more

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I was very hesitant to leave a review on this establishment, as in my previous experiences I had an okay experience, but this most recent visit will be my last. Service was mediocre, with the exception of the older gentleman who asked us what we wanted for our beverages. The lady who became our server was very cold and unwelcoming. Needless to say, she also forgot some of our side dishes, and toast, which, at that point, I did not even bother to ask again. The only time she only came to her table, was to take her order and deliver it. Never did she come over to deliver the syrup for my pancakes, or check up on us if everything was okay. I ordered a hot chocolate, which was all right, along with an order of pancakes that came with sides, (except the hash brown.) My friend ordered the Huevos Rancheros, which he said were okay. They are definitely different to what traditional Huevos rancheros are served at an Authentic Mexican restaurant. But the absolute reason that I will not be returning to this establishment is not just because of their poor customer service or all right food, but because someone had the audacity to adjust the tip amount after we left on our bill. I contacted the business manager through email, which they have not gotten back to me after almost 2 months. Needless to say, I did file a claim with my bank yet no response from the establishment it's self. Do yourself a favor, and check youd bank statements after visiting this place. Or better yet, do not come here. I can assure you that there are many other delicious restaurants that serve high-quality breakfast and brunch in the Monterey Peninsula. read more

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Great breakfast, great staff, great hours! I would definitely recommend getting an omelette over getting just eggs as you get way more egg for your money. read more

My family and I are visiting from LA and were looking for a good spot to eat breakfast our first morning in town. I found this place and thought it would be a nice spot. The service was alright, to be fair the place is tiny but seems to be regularly packed. I ordered French toast with eggs and bacon. The French toast was soggy and flavorless (I make it better at home!) and the bacon was low quality. The orange juice was gross, I'm assuming it's frozen or something definitely not "real" oj. Not the quality I was expecting from a cute neighborhood cafe. They also don't bring everyone their food at the same time, I had read that in a few other reviews and experienced it for myself. Everyone started eating well before I did. The place has a cute & funky vibe but the food is low quality at best. Very unfortunate. Do not recommend. read more

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

Do not be fooled by the reviews and pictures! Not trying to be sensational or dramatic. It was honestly one of the worst experiences I have had. With some of the most tasteless food I have eaten. We ordered orange juice and a soda. Juice was warm and no refills were ever offered for soda. (soda does not matter, it wasn't needed but the service was supposed to be excellent) The huevos rancheros looked amazing on the picture. If you love taking pictures of food that is the dish to get. However the food was 1/10. Eatable if you have never had quality food. Black beans kinda lumped together. Paid extra for chorizo. Looked like it was sprinkled on next to the beans. I have gotten more cilantro on food as a free garnish, than chorizo we were charged three dollars for. The salsa was watered down and flavorless. The California omelet was completely depressing. It was as flat as the tortillas received with the huevos rancheros. Bacon was hard to find and the avacado was chopped and thrown on top covered by a blanket of sliced cheddar cheese. We asked the server about two separate charges for cheese (cheddar and Jack) and the amount of chorizo. Server said there was both cheeses were on it. Which it was not. Also claimed there would be more chorizo on the eggs. There was none to be found. Spending over 50$ and the reviews we read it was an such a massive disappointment. If you read my review and still choose to eat there I hope our experience was a one time occurance. However if you experience something similar and are disappointed please warn other people. Write an honest review so someone else doesn't waste their money read more

Old Monterey Cafe - California omelet and cheese - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Monterey, California

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I got a chicken breast sandwich it was nasty ass fuck $18.99 with fries. Ketchup tasted like it had beer in it no cap, my gf got the BLT she said she liked it. All together plus 2 orange juices came out to $62. And some change I gave $65 and let the keep the change. $65 for two sandwiches n orange juice is crazy for it not to even be good, I would've rather had a subway. I would not return Sep.21/2025 read more

Your in Monterey and you want breakfast that will keep you full until dinner? Go here. Walked in and it was very diner like, no frills or thrills but totally fine. We were greeted right away and service was super attentive throughout our meal. Lots of coffee refills and I didn't feel rushed to finish my meal. Let me tell you, $14 for pancakes with fresh strawberries...and the pancakes are bigger than your face?! What a value! My husband got a scramble but these pancakes, had to be the best pancakes I've ever had. I still think about them. I was disappointed I couldn't finish them. No wonder they have that slogan "Best breakfast in Monterey" on everything. read more

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

Terrible service. Terrible food. Salty. Skip. From the beans to the hospitality. All fails. We were ignored consistently. read more

Old Monterey Cafe - Huevos Rancheros. Terrible service. Terribly salty. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Monterey, California

When we arrived, the server just pointed to a table instead of greeting us. Our waitress asked if we were ready to order without even saying hello, and we had to ask for drinks ourselves. During the meal, no one checked on us. At the end, the check was dropped off but no one returned to take payment, so we had to walk up to the register to pay. The food was okay, but it wasn't worth the price -- far too expensive for the quality. We were especially disappointed because the restaurant had such good reviews, and our experience didn't match. read more

Would so come here again. Everything was yummy and I liked the style of the place :) I recommend the hashbrowns and pancakes but everything was so good read more

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Sweet spot overall, pretty average spot! Customer service: wonderful! The lady who served us was very kind. This was my first time with my boyfriend here, and I didn't really know much about what the portion sizes (and I should've asked) and I ended up getting the strawberry pancakes and the low-cal feast, not knowing that the pancakes would be super huge! She did give me a slight "are you sure?" look, (one that was kind and a bit surprised) but didn't comment on it and brought us our food. She was very nice and funny about it, and constantly checked up to make sure we were okay and had enough water. Food: Nothing super special, pretty average but pretty great! I also had the hash browns, which weren't super special, pretty average but I wish it was a bit crispier since it tasted a bit mushy. The low-cal feast was pretty good, the steak wasn't super special, slightly too oily, and the fruit and cottage cheese: I'm sure it was bought from a store and put together. The strawberry pancakes were pretty great! It was super delicious and fluffy, seemed like your typical pancakes with some powdered sugar and whipped cream and strawberries. The syrup was pretty smooth, like a nectar almost. The eggs were okay, you can't really go wrong with them, but it didn't taste too seasoned. I'd say that the sides are slightly overpriced for being pretty average. My favorite part was the fresh guava juice. Wow, it was so sweet and so delicious, it's hard to explain but it tasted like the nectar of gods. The orange juice was pretty good as well, but I felt like it was more from a typical store-bought orange juice. read more

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Came here for breakfast before going to work. After being sat, I was helped within 5 minutes and the food came out quickly. However, once I had my food nobody came to check on me whatsoever. Even once I was done eating, it took well over 5 minutes for me to even get acknowledged so I could ask for a box and the check. Mind you, there were 3 people on the floor and 2 of them walked by me several times without even glacing in my direction as if I didnt matter because I was a single diner. As a server myself, I was appalled at the horrible service I received. If you're not in a group, order to go. Don't waste your time dining in as you will get ignored once you receive your meal. read more

Very mediocre breakfast Lots of food but not so great. Biscuits and gravy was watery gravy as if it was from dehydrated source. The Huevos Rancheros had salad all over it! Yes, salad! No sauce! Very dry. Would not go back. read more

As soon as we walked in the yummy smell, cute aesthetics, delicious looking plates being served we knew we were in for a treat! I wanted something breakfasty but didn't know what. That's when I read the montecristo... immediately I thought if I can sub the turkey for bacon I'm in. Luckily (yes you read that right, Luckily) they said they couldn't and my fiancé said just try it. Then our server reassured it was a popular choice but the fluffy egg have some the French toast impression.... Wow wow wow was it perfection. Everything my tastebuds wanted but didn't know.... I also enjoyed the syrup they served it with! Gosh what a party in my mouth lol. My fiancé ordered the corn beef hash, and a buttermilk pancake. They were just a scrumptious. We would definitely say this is worth a check out. read more

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Been wanting to try this poace for a long, long time! I heard from a good friend of mine that this was her favorite place to eat breakfast at. Since I was in Monterey i decided to give this place a try. I came on a early monday. There was a parking spot infront of the place. Got out of the car and a worker greeted me with a "good morning." He told me that i can seat inside or outside where ever I wanted to. So, i did inside dinning. He asked me if i wanted something to drink. I said "coffee." He went and grabbed coffee and gave us the menu. After browsing the menu I was ready to order. I ordered the virginian omelette with hasbrowns and a pancake. As for my plus one he ordered the french toast combo with fresh bananas on top. The food arrived rapidly. The omelette was really good. Its made with real eggs. The hashbrown was perfect! The pancake was okay. As for the french toast combo it was really good as well. Once we finished eating the bill came and it was pretty inexpensive compare to other breakfast places. The total was $30 which were two breakfast combos and unlimited coffee. Overall, i highly reccomend this restaurant. The service was extraordinary! The food is good! I would be back when im back in town. read more

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The service is horrible. Been sitting out here for 40 minutes & STILL not a single waiter has came to ask about us. When we were ready to order the lady waiter gave us an attitude. Will never go there again. To top it off I put down zero tip, and 20$ more was still charged on my card read more

Best breakfast place in town. Opens early and coffee is great. Crab benedict was amazing.

the eggs Benedict were small they cut the muffin in half and only served one half the price was $18 for a half of a muffin had to pay extra for cheese for a omelette and the food really wasn't that great read more

Nothing like finding a breakfast near your hotel after a long day of traveling to Monterey. We ddi have to wait in line, don't be surprised. It went fast though. Food was just what the doctor ordered. Large selection and friendly staff. Recommend. read more

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

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Amazing food! Stopped by this place on a road trip from SF to LA and it was great! Diner style breakfast food was delicious and the portion was great for the price. Food came pretty fast and the service was great. The inside decor was also adorable, loved the vibe of this restaurant and would definitely come again. read more

Old Monterey Cafe - Bacon tomato and cheese omelette - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Monterey, California

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Bit of a tight squeeze here but the staff was attentive, food was delicious, service was quick. All around great meal and hot chocolate was a perfect addition to the meal. read more

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

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First of all, it's awesome that they open at 6:45 a.m. on a Sunday. We were looking for a very early breakfast. The restaurant is quaint and very inviting. There is memorabilia all over the walls. We sat at a table against the wall, and I love the fact that they have condiments on a shelf. It leaves space for cups and plates. The servers are very attentive. I had the Artichoke Heart and Bacon Omelet while my husband had the Calamari and Eggs. The amount of artichoke hearts in the omelet was extensive. Every bite had artichoke heart. I did not have to add salt and pepper to the omelet. It was perfect as it was. Be warned that they put onions in the hash brown. I was not expecting it. The calamari was perfectly cooked and not chewy at all. I will return when I am in the area again. read more

NOT IMPRESSED AT ALL. The staff was extremely rude, service was terrible and the food was mediocre at best. For a café right in the heart of old Monterey, you would expect higher food, quality, polite staff with. I had to keep getting up and walking over to the front counter to ask for service because the servers kept ignoring us. read more

We were in downtown enjoying the Italian festival, but wanted to enjoy lunch somewhere we could sit away from the crowds. We had never been to Old Monterey Cafe and I had heard the breakfasts were great so I assumed lunch would be good too. That was my first mistake. We wandered in and were seated quickly inside at a table by the window by a friendly staff member. I will say they were busy and tables both in and outside were mostly full. I have to guess that like most restaurants, this place was quite understaffed which I do understand. Having worked in food service before, I am very patient and understanding when it comes to a wait if the staff is running. We did however wait nearly 15 minutes before being greeted by our server. We gave her our entire order, drinks and food at that time. My husband ordered the Italian Sausage sandwich with a beer while I ordered the French Dip and just water to drink. For sides, my husband selected the cup of chili while I went with the salad with ranch dressing. I have to say I was disappointed with the food. The French Dip was described as tender roast beef served on a French roll with au jus. I added cheese for the extra $1.50. The roast beef was not tender and actually quite overcooked. My husband's sandwich had the same issue - the sausage was definitely cooked too long and was quite dry. The other issue was the ranch dressing brought for my salad was quite lumpy which I noticed after pouring it on my salad. While I would have alerted our server to at least the lumpy ranch, I didn't see her again until it was time to bring the bill. We had to request a refill of water and a second beer from another server we flagged down. The beer arrived, but the water had to be requested a second time. I will say the breakfast dishes looked much better than our lunch so perhaps we just ordered the wrong thing. I won't be in a hurry to go back and try them though as there are so many options just a short drive away. read more

Old Monterey Cafe - Italian Sausage Hot Sandwich with soup on the side - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Monterey, California

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Service is extremely slow. I asked for a glass of water which I never got , our server never came to check on us. Food is bland , no flavors. Won't go back again. Highly not recommended. Don't know why it's so popular. Over priced for bland food. read more

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Aside from the fees added to the bill for random things, just felt like I was getting "nickel and dimed" just for breakfast. Outside of the "fees" the food was very delicious! We tried the huevos Valdez burrito and another dish can't remember it's name but everything was polished off and l really appreciated the extra touches that went into the hash browns. Thanks to that I cleared the plate. Good food. read more

We came on a Friday morning before heading to the aquarium and there was no wait. I got the two eggs with bacon and pancakes, and let me tell you it was HUGE! I've seen other reviews talk about the lack of flavor, but this was not my experience, everything was tasty and as good as you can get for a breakfast meal. The decor inside is so cute, it has a very comforting and quaint environment. The service was great, checking in periodically to ask if we needed anything without pressuring us. I don't think there was any dedicated parking but we parked on the street a block down and walked over. read more

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

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We were looking for a brunch spot over the weekend and found this place. Two things stuck with me most about this place. The interiors remind me of the old-style cafes and the second they have a gigantic menu. A lot of options. We ended up ordering two things I think one was the eggs benedict and the other was the omelet. The food was amazing, and the portion sizes are big so order wisely. We ended up asking for a to-go box. read more

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

Quick friendly service. Good greasy spoon type breakfast hidden in the trendy part of town. Highly recommended if you want simple good food and don't want a high end over priced breakfast. read more

Don't waste your money here. This was literally the WORST breakfast I've ever eaten at a restaurant, and I go out VERY often. Everything was undercooked. I asked for well done hash browns they were barely cooked. I ordered over medium eggs and the whites were extremely runny, not even cooked to over easy. My sausage links were pink in the middle, which uncooked pork is not only horrible but it's dangerous. Not one part of this breakfast was acceptable. As sad as it is you'd be better off at the Denny's down the road and we all know how bad Denny's is.... read more

Old Monterey Cafe - Undercooked sausage link - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Monterey, California

THIS PLACE IS AWESOME!! The customer service was outstanding and the food was hot and delicious. Plus bonus points for being able to accommodate my crazy food requests! I got an egg white omelette with just ham and no butter/oil and a dry English Muffin. They did this perfectly. And definitely can't forget the homemade salsa! Soooooo good! My dining mate got the French Toast, scrambled eggs and bacon and it was all amazing. The food is on point, the coffee is hot and plentiful and the staff there is awesome. We went early on a Monday morning and got a table outside right away (still under Covid restrictions). read more

Old Monterey Cafe - Egg white omelette with ham and English Muffin. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Monterey, California

This is nothing special; your typical neighborhood diner. It's also one of the only real breakfast cafes in downtown. They have your typical omelettes, pancakes & waffles, regular sides, etc. Their portions aren't that big here which is a bummer. I do however enjoy the interior decor with all the misplaced picture frames, paintings, awards, and more! There were only 2 servers but they were busy on their feet so they did go around making sure people had refills and everything they needed. I wouldn't come back again only because there are other breakfast restaurants I'd like to try but I also recommend people coming here if they're staying the night in downtown. read more

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

Nice little spot! Service was nice and friendly and the place was packed! They squeezed us in and took care of us right away. Service was good, ambience was nice and charming and the food was terrific! I ordered some eggs and grits with linguica! Awesome to see linguica on the menu. I've only ever seen it when I was in Hawaii or Portugal. There is a reason this place is super full all of the time! Excellent breakfast! Breakfast all day! read more

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What a cute little restaurant! It was tight and they totally need to double their space! I'm sure they could fill it as it was packed when we arrived but were seated right away. It was recommended by our hotel and only a short walk. We were in town for a wedding. I had the eggs Benedict and he had the French toast and we split them. They were both yummy and we ate it all! There was quite a crowd waiting when we left. Thanks Old Monterey Cafe for a delicious breakfast! read more

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The good: the food. Tasty and made to order. We weren't waiting long which was great for having our kids. I inhaled the crabs eggs Benedict which was delightful. I inhaled it so quickly-- I couldn't get a pic. The host seemed to handle seating and drinks-- he was great. The waitress was efficient but not super friendly. The bad: It's small. Groups larger than 4 should prolly arrive early as they don't do reservations or call ahead. The bathroom was also small with no obvious changing table. To consider: the coffee was...mediocre. Nothing special. But. There was a lot of it. They seemed to take care with the high chairs because the one we had wasn't destroyed. Which was a nice change. Parking is on the street or at a lot-- there is not designated restaurant parking. read more

Old Monterey Cafe - Tahoe Scrambler+ hash browns - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Monterey, California

Great food. Nice location. A bit busy so it took a while to get the waitress to our table. Be prepared to wait. read more

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