Thirty years (+) family owned. While we don't frequent - this is one our mainstays when considering breakfast out. Thoroughly enjoyed over the years. Diner setting with individual bar seating too. Has remained "as is" for years, yet always welcoming. Outdoor seating available too. Breakfast items well prepared inclusive of honoring special requests - i.e. extra crispy / hash browns well - spot on. Highly recommend the country fried steak. Also - be sure and indulge in the cinnamon roll - delicious and plenty to share ! read more

When going out to breakfast I love coming here. The chorizo with eggs is my favorite. Coffee good too. Service has always been great. When you walk in you seat yourself which is fine. There's always a place to sit. read more

Amazing, family owned restaurant with huge portions. My husband and I split a scramble with a cinnamon roll and were super full. I am not a usual hash brown fan but theirs were super crispy and delicious! I am a cinnamon roll snob: theirs is large, fluffy but be aware the frosting is sugar based and not cream cheese based. There was good cinnamon flavor but not ooey gooey like a Cinnabon. It scratches an itch but isn't an "amazing" bun IMHO Service was prompt and friendly. There seem to be a lot of regulars here and there is an "everyone knows your name" old school diner vibe (complete with a breakfast bar seating and booths). There is lots of outdoor dog-friendly seating with umbrellas as well. Great, family-friendly, no-frills, down home breakfast and lunch spot read more

Paul's Pantry - Big cinnamon roll, can be added to many meal options - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Mission Viejo, California

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I'm really aging myself on this one, been eating here for 35 years! Three generations, of this family owned restaurant. So many memories, so many new memories to make: like taking my own adult kids here now for breakfast, especially! For me this location has provided One of the best chicken fried steaks in Orange County. (I believe some places call it country fried steak.) Other family members love the extra large delicious cinnamon roll, & the patty melt. The most delicious cinnamon roll ever! This is and has always been a family restaurant, and if you look around the diner, how many other patrons, feel really at home here as well. Mainly thanks to Michelle, the owner and her wonderful staff. read more

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Never a wait, true diner experience and feel for a good price. The cinnamon roll is to die for, always getting one warm is the highlight of my entire meal. One is enough for 2 people to split easily. I got an omelette, it was great! Perfect with some hot sauce and a good size portion. Service is always great and so friendly. Feels so family-like in the staff and have always been treated so well. read more

Paul's Pantry - 9. Hobo Omelette and added bacon to the omelette!! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Mission Viejo, California

Great family owned restaurant. Been coming here a few times for their breakfast and their omelets are great even though I'm normally not an egg guy. I've been getting the machaca burrito and the machaca omelet. At first it seems a little bit pricey but the portion sizes are quite large and I don't think I've ever been able to finish a plate. The server is pretty quiet but a super chill guy he always comes and checks in on you while you're eating and makes sure you're doing good. Overall great experience and gives a really homely and down to earth vibe when I'm feeling homesick. read more

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Solid breakfast and lunch place in MV. It's a little crusty around the edges but all the servers are nice and attentive. If you want to go into an afternoon coma have the chicken fried steak lunch! If the menu it has everything you would ever want.. they also have a very nice patio. Anywho prices are pretty good and go get them tiger!!! read more

Paul's Pantry - Chicken fried steak lunch. Nap time! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Mission Viejo, California

This review is for a carry out order as I have not yet dined in the restaurant. My husband picked up a bacon and mushroom omelette, and a biscuits and gravy with sausage breakfast combo, and they were both great. The hashbrowns were a little bit burnt, and the bread was overly buttered but the bread eggs were great. Can't wait to try it again. The gravy was delicious. read more

Came here on recommendation from a friend and I really enjoyed my time here. Food was reasonably priced. Staff were very friendly and attentive. The cinnamon roll at the end of our meal was so tasty. Looking forward to my next visit. read more

Not impressed...won't be back. Food was no bueno Corn beef hash was awful...terrible flavor...I couldn't figure it out...2 bites & done Bacon was ordered crispy...had to search through the fatty floppy bacon to find anything close to crispy. Interior felt old, dirty & rundown. Booth seats were torn & spacing to table was uneven...one side too tight the other side had good space. Only giving 2 stars as the service was very good. read more

Definitely a 5 star breakfast for what it is. Old school home style breakfast classics done super well with a twist. You can't go wrong with the cinnamon roll but the real winner was the corned beef hash. read more

Paul's Pantry - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Mission Viejo, California

Food good, service good, atmosphere good. It's always been good for my son and I. I'm always pleasantly surprised when my son can introduce me to an establishment that he recommends. I've eaten there several times at this point and will continue to go back when I'm in the area from LA. read more

Sat outside as the weather was very pleasant. Nice to have outdoor seating area. Food was just okay. Fine would probably be the word to best describe it. Not bad and not great. $20 for a plate of food for breakfast I would just expect to be better. Service was mediocre. All in all the experience was just okay. read more

HORRIFIC experience. Bad food, nothing came out on time, orders were incorrect, both of my kids did not get items that we asked for several time. Poor quality, poor service, the restaurant is filthy. I will never be back and would caution anyone from dining here. read more

There is no way this restaurant is owned by the original family. The breakfast is horrible, service is not friendly and the place is a dump.

Paul's Pantry was excellent. I ordered the veggie omelette, and it was fresh, flavorful, and cooked perfectly. The vegetables tasted fresh, and the omelette was filling without being greasy. The service was outstanding. The staff was friendly, attentive, and quick with drink refills throughout the meal. Even though the restaurant was busy, everything came out promptly. I swapped the potatoes for pancakes and took them to go. I'll be back. read more

Haven't been to Paul's pantry in a long while. Today, I brought my son with me to have breakfast. This place is well established. They have regulars been going there for many years. The place need some work. Tables and booth are used and much needed update. We walked in around 10:45 am on Monday morning . It's a slow morning. We stood there for a good 3 minutes waiting for someone to greet us.. no one did. Finally, a server told us to get our own seat and he brought us the menu. Their menu is massive which is nice which give us a lot of options to choose. My son got a traditional breakfast with eggs, hash brown and toast. I got country fried chicken with gravy and eggs. I have to try their cinnamon roll as well. Everything was delicious. But , the next time I'm there, I'll tell them to put my gravy on the side because it's a bit too much and it's making my hash brown soggy. Same with my cinnamon roll, was way too sweet for me. I think butter and cream cheese topping serve in the side might be better. This will let me add as little or more as I want without feeling overwhelmed with sugar sweet sauce that came with it. This is just my opinion, my preference. Over all, we enjoyed the food. We'll definitely will be back. read more

Paul's Pantry - Freshly baked cinnamon roll - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Mission Viejo, California

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Solid diner, nothing fancy. Food came out fast and was fresh, exactly what you'd expect from a neighborhood spot, did the job on a Sunday morning when I craved biscuits and gravy. The cinnamon roll is HUGE and covered in butter. Definitely for 2 or more people, and I love that you can sub it for toast. Inside is clean and has that old timey diner feel. read more

Paul's Pantry - Cinnamon RollCinnamon - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Mission Viejo, California

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The booths are very old and also very difficult to get in and out of. Not a pleasant dining experience.

Had a great breakfast at Paul's Pantry this morning. Gavin was my server and all of the staff were friendly, professional and efficient. I had a cup of coffee with the chicken fried streak meal. The food and service were very good and the ambiance peaceful and chill. Recommended read more

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The best restaurant for breakfast. Great service and great food who could ask for anything better.

Not gourmet food, however, the portions were large and the prices were reasonable. Our server was excellent and checked with us several times to make sure everything was okay and ask if we needed anything. The environment was not fancy, but again okay. So, three stars, which means, altogether, " okay." I ordered the NY steak and eggs with fruit. The steak was cooked okay, but had more fat and gristle than I expected (I decided not to show a picture of all that I didn't eat). The fruit also was sort of okay though the grapes had brown places indicative of being old and the melon pieces were not quite ripe. But it filled my belly and wasn't expensive. Next time, though, I'll select other menu items and my dining companions seemed to enjoy their meals. read more

Paul's Pantry - New York steak and eggs with fruit - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Mission Viejo, California

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I rarely write a review where I'm not raving. Today our service at my favorite breakfast restaurant was not good. As always, the cinnamon roll is incredible, the California scramble outstanding, but our server Gavin never came to check on us. He never refilled coffee until we asked. He never refilled water until we asked. He never brought us boxes to bring home our leftovers until we asked. He never brought a bag. I still would recommend this restaurant, but was disappointed. Today. read more

Has the appearance and food of a traditional diner. Fast and good service that made for an enjoyable meal.

This pains me to write this review because, initially, we really enjoyed this place and food. However, the food and service has been on a rapid decline with the service portion being virtually non-existent. We ordered an omelet and a side cinnamon roll and both were over cooked. The cinnamon roll couldn't even be cut with a fork and knife. To their credit, they did remake another one that was acceptable, not exceptional, just barely edible. Now, as for the service, if you're in the habit of constantly chasing down your server for refills, napkins, to-go box, etc. then this place is for you. If the servers could just put a smile on their face and even pretend to look like they enjoy their job, that would be an improvement. So now, it's time to look for another place for breakfast that welcomes people, has positive vibes and serves food that doesn't need to go back. read more

Despite the long wait times I've experienced here, I think the food and service overall is worth it. The patio seating was preferable for us, since the inside can get a little cramped. The staff are kind and happy to give their recommendations. I have had the cinnamon roll twice and one time it was perfect, the next a little underbaked. Very large portions though! read more

Used to love coming here for over 25 years. After what happened today I'M NEVER GOING BACK. Walked into the restaurant at 12:45 thinking They close at 1:00. The host (manager ?) seated a solo gentleman. When he came back to my wife and I I said 2 please. He said we're closed. I said you're open till 1:00 ? He replied with a smirk on his face "we're closed". SO RUDE. read more

You don't come to Paul's Pantry for the curated brunch experience. There's no house-made lavender foam, no ceramic pour-overs brewed by a man with a mustache and an art degree. This isn't Instagram. This is breakfast. And Paul's doesn't give a damn if you think it's pretty. It's a place that feels like it was ripped off Route 23 in Jersey and dropped, somewhat confused, in the middle of Orange County. No beachy vibes. No avocado artistry. Just omelets, bacon, and a sticky bun the size of your head. You don't photograph it -- you devour it. The regulars know. They file in daily, especially on weekends, like faithful pilgrims returning to the shrine of the sacred hash brown. Locals who could tell you where to sit, what to order, and which waitress to avoid if you're feeling too delicate. And the staff--God bless 'em--aren't "servers" in the modern, polished, name-tag-and-tablet sense. These are waitresses, in the classic sense. They move like they've done this a thousand times, because they have. Sharp-witted, no-nonsense, but oddly endearing. Think Flo from Alice, refilling your coffee before you ask and giving you side-eye if you hesitate when ordering. You want your eggs scrambled with cheddar and ham? Say it like you mean it. There's a guy--owner, manager, diner sheriff? -- who watches it all from the sidelines. Often posted up on the patio, arms crossed, quietly keeping the place stitched together with long glances and small nods. He doesn't need to say much. His presence says it all. This isn't brunch. It's not a "concept." It's a joint. A damn good one. You come hungry, you leave full. There's no show, no frills -- just solid, honest food served by people who've seen it all. Paul's Pantry doesn't pretend. It doesn't cater. It just feeds you. And sometimes, that's the best kind of restaurant there is. read more

They cooked perfectly made over medium fried eggs, orange juice was good, toast can be hotter. Although it's kind of old looking, It's a good place to go for breakfast, they have everything you want for breakfast. read more

We've been here many times before and the food and service have always been stellar. We came for breakfast this week and the good news is that the food is still good, especially their famous, yummy Cinnamon Roll! The bad news is-this time the service REALLY sucked! Usually we've been helped by veteran female servers who were professional, helpful, and very pleasant. I don't know if the place is under new management or what, but most of those ladies were gone. We sat in the section of a young man with an attitude. No sooner did we sit down than he came over to take our order. We hadn't even looked at the menu yet. He came back and took our order, delivered our food, and we never saw him again, except to deliver the check right after the food came. Tacky. Two people sat at the table next to ours. He delivered their menus, brought their drinks, gave them their food (one dish at a time) and never looked at us. I finally flagged him down to ask for a coffee refill, but before I could stop him, he filled my cup with regular, I was drinking decaf. He took the cup and brought it back again, I have no idea if it was decaf. We sat for at least 20 minutes with finished plates and he never noticed. The restaurant was getting busy and our table was needed, still he ignored us. Again, we had to flag him down for boxes. He didn't bring caps for the icing and butter containers, and we finally went up to the counter and got a bag on our own. We will try this place one more time, but only if he is NOT our server! read more

The food was great. I enjoyed every bit of the home made meal. The pancakes were super fluffy and it was definitely something worth trying. The corn beef hash was home made and I appreciate the crispy bites throughout every bite. A huge recommendation in my opinion. The mushroom omelet was so good. Also in every bite there were pieces of bacon. The only odd thing that threw me off was that the omlet was a (odd shape but personally kind of weird). This is not the reason for the one star The service was great! Refills on water and coffee. People sometimes forget the little things, I'm just here to remind you. The atmosphere is just a small diner. There was plenty of outside seating. The only bad was the cinnamon roll. It seemed like the cinnamon roll was frozen and not fresh. I was told they were good, but as a result I don't believe it was the best. It was tough to cut and the sauce was not all that great. As previous reviews stated, they also felt the same way. I'm hoping they will change the recipe soon or heed my call for a change in something on the cinnamon roll, but it may just be my own taste buds and opinion. read more

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Cinnamon rolls were good. Breakfast food quality was average. They try to be sweet but quite a condescending attitude. read more

I was initially excited to try this place but I walked inside to a really tense and awkward ambience because one of the waitresses (an older lady with brunette hair and glasses) was YELLING at one of the kitchen staff. It was genuinely so off putting that there were people yelling like this inside the restaurant but almost even worse that it was the waitress. Is there a better way to communicate what plates you need from kitchen staff? Probably. Do I want to eat breakfast in a space where the staff are screaming? Absolutely not. read more

Staff: They were nice and took good care of us. A little long to check on us for a coffee refill but not terrible. Quality/Quantity: The food was pretty good. The French toast was quite tasty. My bacon and eggs were so so. Sadly the bacon was overcooked. If you like coffee this is your spot. I've come here before a long time ago and still remembered the coffee being so good. I was not disappointed at all. Curious what type of coffee they brew since it is really good. Size of portions are good. Value: It is reasonable. 2 adults ate for $48ish dollars. Ambiance: A little outdated but cozy so fine with me. Pro tip: Famous cinnamon roll can be substituted for the toast. Take it to go as you'll probably be too full to eat at the same time. Throw it in the microwave later and it is delicious! read more

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Food was good; huge portions. Convenient to the hospital. However, service left a lot to be desired and they got my order wrong. Probably won't be back. read more

I never knew that this place was here, even though I serviced the nearby hospital on CVP. Came here for a monthly breakfast meetup with a friend. I have to say, I would have come here more often if I had known about it. Came in and was greeted right away by the staff. Got seated and had water and coffee right away. Wait staff was a nice younger gentleman and another very nice guy who was very prompt on making sure that we always had coffee and water refills. If you read my breakfast posts, you know that is an important point for me. Lots of really good selections on the menu, I decided to try the corned beef hash (CBH) and eggs. My friend had the steak and eggs, please see the attached pictures. I would like to note that the CBH is freshly made, not a canned restaurant product. That's a big plus in my book. My friends' steak was cooked exactly as ordered; they did not overcook it as so many places do. Paul's has an individual diner feel, not like a chain such as Dennys. Seems like a lot of regulars in the place, even on a weekday. Everything was clean and tidy. Glad to see that the small business model is doing well. Just as a side note, the portion sizes are large, the prices are reasonable for what you get and the service for us was good. If I lived closer, I could see coming here much more often. Next thing to try will be the chicken fried steak and the biscuits and gravy, both recommended by our waiter. There are a couple of things that kept this from being a 5-star review this time. The first is that I did ask for the CBH and the hash browns to be a little extra crispy and they were not. Please see my breakfast plate picture. Second is that the syrup for my friends' pancakes was not a great quality and there was no butter for them either. Last thing is that there was no jam or jelly available for my toast. Small things that may be different on another visit. I'll be sure to update, as I am positive that I will be back again at least a couple more times. But if you are in the area, looking for a good, reasonably priced breakfast in a clean and friendly place, I would recommend trying Pauls'. Hope that helps. read more

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I've been to Paul's Pantry on several occasions and overall, it's "okay." Restaurant front - https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/pauls-pantry-mission-viejo?select=U_JQ6HUsKdXi6OMYowOLUQ On my first visit to the restaurant, I arrived just after 7am. There was only one other customer who was sitting @ the front counter. I was greeted with silence. There was no good morning, no hello, nothing. I looked at the older lady behind the counter who simply looked at me, paused, then continued working. (This was my first impression of the place, noted.) There was a younger gentleman who greeted me, told me to grab any seat I liked. As others have mentioned, Paul's Pantry has its fair share of regular customers; mostly an older crowd. The different menu items I've tried have been pretty good but for the most part, it's standard coffeeshop fare. Orange Juice Photo - https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/pauls-pantry-mission-viejo?select=n3nqZ_2lsqySzkrcjKKt8w Breakfast Burrito w/chorizo Photo - https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/pauls-pantry-mission-viejo?select=LtNBakoqMVZnybYUdonwZA The prices here, moderate. The customer service, I would have to peg it as hit & miss. We came here as a group once and our waitress was great but other than that one occasion, the service was flat. Would I return? Sure; only if I was in the area or meeting up with friends who chose the restaurant due to its central location. Would I come out of my way to visit Paul's Pantry? Not at all. - Big Aloha! Food: 4 Ambiance: 3 Service: 3- Value: 3 read more

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Found this spot on a review from a You tube video. The restaurant was nice and homey. Clean and cozy vibe. Greeted by a server that was very nice and friendly (Jennifer). First of all, the coffee was very good and fresh. I ordered the country combo, an order of the breakfast burrito and the daily special of the French toast with cinnamon roll. All were very delicious and good size portions. Love this place. Definitely will be back. read more

Paul's Pantry - French toast - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Mission Viejo, California

Horrible experienced!!!!- DO NOT COME AT 12:30 near closing time!! 3 STARS because not all workers where bad!!! (Perfect example how a BAD apples can effect others!) Not only we where greeted in unwelcome manner but OUR server never came over to ask if we where "okay" ONCE. How it started..... When we came in we where seated right-away. Super! When seated, a blonde waitress who's name I won't mentioned said out loud to her colleagues "I guess I'll take one for the team"!!! Then Immediately proceed to come towards our table. (I was not only feeling ridiculed but unwelcome and embarrassed) My ears got red and went into a defense mode. I asked her why she would say that ....mentioning I heard everything. she just said oh "it's because I had to stay longer now. Having experienced this in my younger years as a server myself I understood what she was saying. Yet it still didn't make it okay. I felt then maybe I should give her a second chance to just redeem herself. (We all have those days, don't we?)-Mistake! I order my food then, I saw a yummy cinnamon bun in front of the menu. I asked her if they're fresh she said "yes" then I proceeded to ask for one. I shouldn't have assumed.... While waiting for my food I wonder why my cinnamon bun was taking for ever. Our Waitress never looked our way,I waved another waitress over. She was another blonde waitress (short hair) extremely helpful. She right away got me my cinnamon bun. Unfortunately, it was dry and hard to cut even with a knife.. I let her know I didn't want the cinnamon bun anymore. I mentioned to her I thought it would be fresh and also voiced my opinion why maybe I should get a new waitress. She immediately said she would talk to the manager. I overheard some of the back and forth couldn't make out every word but it sounded that manager didn't take my "feelings" serious-"Oh well", I heard.. At that moment I was ready to cancel my order. Then the nice waitress came over with both of her hands full with our plates. I felt bad canceling then. So we stay and eat the food. Manager... While we are eating the manager come over and with a stern tone lays the cinnamon bun to my side. "It's fresh ",she says. I directed my attention to the cinnamon bun and proceeded to take a bite. Indeed it was soft and amazing!!!! Manager proceeded and said sorry not sure why u got the other one we make them fresh everyday. I said this was definitely fresh the other one seemed it just got reheated. Nothing else was said and it was bit disappointing she didn't excuse her waitress behavior since she is the manager. No problem., whatever I said to myself. Few moment later I was feeling thirsty from cinnamon bun And also wanted to ask for salsa for my beef and eggs. No one help. I should've known that the waitress would failed to redeem herself by the way she kept avoiding eye contact when I mentioned I heard everything she said and didn't apologize. She didn't come to ask how our food was when It was drop off. The time she came to our table finally is to drop the check! I ask her "hey you never asked if we need anything?", I wanted some salsa. She got me tomato sauce. I was done... maybe I should have said what kind do you have?!! hmmm I was over it and now running late to my son's basketball game. It's unfortunate to encounter such an experienced on our second time here. First time coming here was AMAZING same reason why I didn't leave a 1-STAR review today. Tipping.. Although I felt maybe a lot of people wouldn't have tipped,I did. I tipped 10% since I truly wasn't pleased. I expect more from manager and specially from waitress to at least redeem herself. Oh well. Wish them the best! read more

Paul's Pantry - Beef and eggs - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Mission Viejo, California

Having a stressful day and decided to treat myself, first time at Paul's. I was greeted and served quickly by Gavin. I ordered eggs Benedict with hash browns. very pleased! read more

Paul's Pantry - Eggs Benedict with hashbrowns - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Mission Viejo, California