I am updating my review based off my recent experience visiting Pauma Bay Cafe. We visited Pauma Casino Saturday, March 21st and decided to have some dinner. It was about 6:30pm, and there was no line. The two hosts greeted us and quickly sat us at a booth. There were maybe 4 parties sat, and it was relatively quiet which was a nice change from the casino floor. I noticed they updated there menu, and it is now two pages within a nice birch type wood holder. Definitely nicer than previous menus I've seen here before. We were quickly greeted by our server and we decided on spaghetti and meatballs & the Wagyu burger with garlic fries. We didnt wait too long before our food arrived, and boy were we excited after seeing the plates. Right off the bat, the dishes looked picture perfect. A dish that would be handed to you at a fine restaurant (but with affordable prices haha). After taking my first bite, I was very happy! The sauce had SUCH a good flavor and wasn't watery. I have ordered spaghetti and meatballs other places, that were lacking in flavor...and this was far from that! The two slices of crusty garlic bread weren't soggy at all. The meatballs! Oh the meatballs. The were so flavorful and tender. My fork just slid into each one as I cut into them... just like butter. I couldn't believe it and asked our server how they are so good!? The server let us know their sauce and meatballs were homemade, and I made sure to tell her they were outstanding! The wagyu burger was exactly how you would expect it to be. Perfectly cooked burger with great taste as a whole! The garlic fries were SUPERB. I just couldn't believe these came from a little casino Cafe. Hats off to the new menu and the chefs, because we both left full and happy! Like I said before, if you're here or nearby, definitely give this spot a try. Its honestly such a great spot! read more

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Friendly service, good food, clean environment. Limited menu but good daily specials, seafood buffet on Friday evenings for $45. Worth a try! Enjoy! read more

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Monday, 11-18-2024: Since the eateries at the other casinos had long wait times we decided to try the cafe since we were famished. We used to frequent this restaurant in the early 2000s when it first opened. Back then their food was made well and very tasty. We enjoyed the prime rib specials. This restaurant is located inside Casino Pauma. Fast forward to this day in 2024, we noticed gone were the tropical decor, which was replaced with a subdued, modern decor. Thankfully, there was no line and we were seated in a booth right away. We noticed it was mostly empty. We were greeted right away by our sweet, friendly waitress. After perusing their extensive menu, my husband decided on the fish and chips and I went with the Mongolian Beef over rice. Our meals came out quickly. My husband enjoyed his dish. Me? Not so much. The meat was tough, chewy and full of gristle. Unlike the dish I am used to getting in Chinese restaurants, where the beef is sliced thin, marinated, and tender, this was anything but. It was a huge disappointment. I mentioned this to our waitress and she took it off the bill and asked me if I wanted to order another meal or would I like a complimentary dessert. By this time I just wanted Crème Brûlée hoping it would offset the terrible taste of the meal. It was a delicious dessert. So the experience here was only half bad. The customer service was above board. Despite the bad dish, we would likely return here. We've enjoyed great food in the past and we think the cook may have had an off night so we're willing to give this place a second chance. read more

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We only saw our waiters twice well others had there's saw them alot and by the window there was a fly around our food it landed on my mom's food and there were waiter to tell plus everyone got there bill and we had to go to the front desk and they tried to give us someone's that was alot. read more

Been here about 4 times, 3 times for breakfast once for dinner. They have the best price for bfast steak and eggs, $8.99! Everyday from 7am-11am. Comes with steak, 3 eggs!!! Hash browns and toast. Biscuits and gravy for $4.99! Service has always been pleasant every time we dined. (Shout out to Vanessa and Raquel) However, there is no cell phone reception while dining. Sometimes it may be a bit slow. Dinner was good as well, they are one of the cheaper cafes compared to others in the casino area. Enjoy! read more

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Tried the $8.99 steak and eggs breakfast and the carnitas hash. The carnitas hash with over easy eggs was fantastic. It was my wife's first time and she thoroughly enjoyed it. She wants to go back for the unique menu for lunch and dinner where they serve rabbit and quail. Uh, I'll have the prime rib please! The NY steak wasn't the most tender but had a nice char and was decent and how can you complain when it's $8.99 with 3 eggs, hash browns and sour dough toast?! The service provided by Mezzanine(sp), I think that was her name, was fantastic as she was explaining the menu and made sure we were taken care of. The prices are very reasonable and I must say the food is pretty darn good. read more

Pauma Bay Cafe - Carnitas hash - Cafes Near Me - Pauma Valley, California

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They have changed the menu. Used to have good food. Very disappointing. We had 7 people in our party. The food service was very slow, and the only good item we had was the Confetti Salad. The other bummer is walking through the smoke filled Casino to get to the restaurant. read more

My dad and I had breakfast here. It started okay with us being welcomed and seated. Our server Merlin seemed to be okay but was not as attentive as we would have. I made the mistake of asking for my hashbrowns. Well done. Instead, I got burnt hashbrowns. I asked if I could get them replaced, but she never replaced them. Instead, the two coffees were not charged. Perhaps it was busy or she forgot about them. My overall experience was a 1 star . The food should be cooked the way the customer prefers it. read more

Pauma Bay Cafe - Burnt hashbrowns. Yuck - Cafes Near Me - Pauma Valley, California

We went here for the 2 for $20 prime rib Thursday deal. Choose from soup or salad + 10oz prime rib + potatoes + seasonal veggies.. all for $10pp but it's a 2 for $20. What a deal! The soup we got was cream of mushroom and it was good. The temperature was perfect with good flavor. One of the issues we had was the service was very slow. We got seated at 4:08pm, we got our soup at 4:20pm, but our prime rib dinner didn't get to our table until 4:49pm. Another issue was our prime ribs were overcooked. We ordered medium rare and we got medium well. It was tasty but dry to us because it was overcooked. I seriously expected it would be a very nice dinner but it was not. I really wanted to like this restaurant because it was awesome when it was a buffet but right now it's not the same. read more

Pauma Bay Cafe - I ordered medium rare and it was medium well inside - Cafes Near Me - Pauma Valley, California

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This cafe is just lovely. The menu has a great selection of items made with locally grown produce and locally baked breads. I had a pear arugula salad with chicken and honey citrus vinaigrette (a special seasonal item) and hubby had the drunken bull burger. We'll definitely be back. Service was great too. read more

Pauma Bay Cafe - Drunken Bull Burger - Cafes Near Me - Pauma Valley, California

Been here two times this month, eat here if your staying at Pala, or doing a Hwy 76- Julian road trip or camping.. Angelina is a great server, food has great portions, no wait to get in.. Buena Comida, hermosa servidor ! read more

Had Dinner With my Mom and Dad they had the 2 for $20 Prime Rib dinners they looked Amazing tasted very good. I had the Cinco de mayo carne asada and shrimp plate . It was very good yes I recommend this Restaurant. I will be back. Friendly staff. They make sure your need are taken care of. I would like to try there turn and surf and all you can eat on Fridays turf and surf buffets. read more

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This is a hidden gem. It's located in a small but nice Casino Pauma. I've only had the steak and eggs but it can't be beat. At $8.99, it's so worth are deliciously relaxing morning breakfast. The ambiance is clean, classy, and relaxing. The wait staff are courteous and on the ball. The set up of condiments are spot on each table. It's great. read more

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We came back again this is our fourth time! It's breakfast time and we ordered the steak and eggs! The steak wax medium rare and perfect! Tender not full of gristle or fat. The 3 eggs come any way you want and a hash browns! Also your choice of bread or an English muffin! It's only $6.99 and a large coffee or tea for $2.50. The food is made fast and it's fresh! The servers are friendly and helpful with getting us more creamers. If your going for a ride stop by this place and enjoy breakfast in the AM. read more

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We used to love this place. We went every week. The food was good and the prices were reasonable. We went last week, however, and we very disappointed. They went from a 6 page menu to 2 pages. No more All Day Breakfast (including steak and eggs), none of their delicious sides, they've gone from 14 sandwiches and burgers to six. In total, they went from 60 items on the menu to 25. They cut over half their menu! On top of all the cuts, they've drastically increased their prices. The chicken wings used to be 10 for $12, and are now 10 for $16. This is a 25% increase. The quesadilla went from $13 to $17. (We wouldn't even mind paying the extra costs if the menu were the same.) I encourage them to return to their old menu or at least add some of the favorites back. read more

I remember this place when they also had the buffet (very decent at the time), but of course due to the Covid times it's changed to a table service only type of place. They server breakfast, lunch and dinner. On our most recent visit, family members did the $6.99 steak and eggs deal (What a steal!) and I did the pancakes meal (Casino Pauma Combo) Our server on this most recent visit was great and on top of things! Steak & Eggs : 8oz NY strip, eggs cooked to order, hash browns, and toast. I had a bite of the steak which was cooked exactly to order and it was in fact very good (not tough and a good sear) Casino Pauma Combo: 2 eggs any style, 2 pancakes, your choice of corn cob smoked bacon, sausage links or grilled ham. Pancakes were fluffy and tasted great, eggs were nicely cooked to my order, and the sausages were nicely sized and cooked well read more

Pauma Bay Cafe - Casino Pauma Combo: 2 eggs any style, 2 pancakes, your choice of corn cob smoked bacon, sausage links or grilled ham. - Cafes Near Me - Pauma Valley, California

I go for the 6.99 steak and eggs and it's so good and worth it for a simple breakfast that comes with steak, eggs, and bread. You do pay for coffee or juice separately and they text you when there is a spot while you wait and play or you can wait in the waiting area. read more

Pauma Bay Cafe - Steak & Eggs - Cafes Near Me - Pauma Valley, California

I'm going to agree with the overall rating of 3.5 stars, but I'm going to give the chef the extra half-star for the creative menu items at the very small casino buffet/cafe or whatever it really is. We had seen posted signs throughout the Valley Center and Escondido area for the Friday Surf and Turf Buffet for $39.95. We figured that was actually a pretty good deal considering we had recently eaten at King's Fishhouse in Carlsbad at the price of ~$80 where the wife and I shared a crab dinner yet it had no "turf". When we got inside the casino (we have been here maybe twice before, in 20 years), and asked where the buffet was. No one seemed to know about any buffet. They kept replying back to us and pointing, "over there is the cafe". I had to repeat, "b u f f e t", and say it slowly. I really felt like a jack ass for having to say it twice to two different people working in the casino. The second person said, "The cafe is all we got", so we headed there, in the back-left of the casino floor. We were seated rather quickly as the dinner crowd stacked up fast in the line just behind us. We got there just in time. We were briefly greeted by a very busy server as the place was just beginning its very busy dinner service. She dropped off our napkin utensil rolls and asked us to get started on the buffet and she will be right back to take our drink order. At first glance of the buffet I found some great looking vegetables including some tasty asparagus that was slightly overcooked but very acceptable. Good too. The deal with the seafood or "surf" was the limit of two 4oz (with tail on) portions of lobster tail. That was fine because there was plenty of other seafood and "turf" stuff like bone marrow, 13-hr smoked brisket, prime rib and even lamb chops. I thought the flavors were pretty tasty except for the lamb as it was served with green mint jelly. As I asked my wife, "Do you know why people serve mint jelly with lamb?" She replied, "Yeah, cause they don't know how to make lamb". Anyways, hit me up for an awesome lamb recipe served with mint chimichurri that got me an award in culinary school. My wife didn't care for anything this evening. I think she was just not impressed around the whole buffet thing; but in conversing her, I found she actually thought the lobster was ok, as I did too (reminded me exactly like Navy lobster). She also complimented positively on a few items she had, but absolutely was not impressed with any of the "turf" selections or the lobster Mac-n-cheese. We now know what they do with the leftover lobster. I liked most of what I ate, and I was trying to hold to a mostly Keto diet. The salad bar could use some simple vinegar and oil because the Italian dressing was not pleasant. I like that the Chef was creative with a buffet menu. I can't say we'll be back because neither of us like driving the 76 or Cole Grade Rd at night to get there and back home, and the overall quality of the buffet was just about that . . . a buffet. Dicks read more

Pauma Bay Cafe - We ate here. - Cafes Near Me - Pauma Valley, California

I came here because of the ayce fried chicken Wednesday since my KFC restaurant didn't offer that so I decided to try the place out, the chicken were freshly cooked, golden brown, well seasoned, unfortunately they charged for drinks separately, I got $40 dining credits, so I decided to order more stuffs on the menu, but couldn't decide myself, so I asked Danny my server, he was a little awkward and soft spoken, not sure why, because I asked him for latex gloves to eat my fried chicken, he agreed to help but gave me a strange look, then when I asked him about the steaks, he seems hesitant like he though I can't afford to pay for it, then finally I decided to get the bison short ribs because I was full, after it got brought out by one of the robot which was really cool in my opinion, I completely lost my appetite because Danny brought a check to my table while I was still eating, I felt rushed and I told him I was planning to order dessert, thanks to him, I changed my mind and went up front to pay, they have a nice and fancy restaurant but with this slow traffic and bad customer service, not sure if I wanted to go back again, the food was great though read more

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Fast service, steak n eggs special all week from 7am to 11 am. Coffee is good . If anyone likes the casino well there u have it

I went 7/31/24 Ordered Mongolian beef That was terrible look a like soup I poured out large bowl of soup Never seen so soup in gongolian beef Beef was chopped..no flavor taste like a steamed Never order that My foot can cook better read more

The lemon curd pancakes are delicious but not what I expected. The menu says they come with Raspberries and lemon curds however there are no lemon curds and only 2 Raspberries. Very deceiving but yummy. Ask for extra sauce. read more

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Good food, and fair prices. Breakfast specials are very worthwhile and tasty. Service is spot on.

Hidden gem. Country fried Steak and 3 eggs toast and fruit $12. And that's not even the Steak Special. Good service and very spaced out tables. You will leave here full and happy. read more

Tuesday & Thursday: 2 for $20 prime rib meals. You can't beat that. Service is excellent and friendly. Food is flavorful and delicious. Sometimes when we there early mornings they have specials on steak and eggs for 6.99 from 7a-11am. Unbeatable prices and affordable. Must try! read more

Pauma Bay Cafe - 7am- 11am steak & eggs for 6.99 - Cafes Near Me - Pauma Valley, California

A nice hidden gem. The food is fresh and very reasonable. $6.99 steak special is worth the drive. Clean and spacious restaurant. read more

This place is awesome! $6.99 for NY steak and eggs! Amazing! Best steak and eggs I've had in a long time. And for the price, you can't beat that! Awesome taste with awesome guest service! And they got this freshly squeezed orange juice that is soooo good!! Lol. I've always stop by when I get the craving for steak and eggs. Best place to be!! Thank you Pauma Casino!! read more

Pauma Bay Cafe - NY steak and eggs , awesome! - Cafes Near Me - Pauma Valley, California

The food was disgusting. The service was terrible. The people were sloppy. No one was friendly. It took 45 minutes to get food. The security guards gave us a hard time, and the machines were all broken. The food was overpriced and cold. I would definitely not recommend this casino to anyone, i would drive the extra few miles for a well ran casino. PLEASE save your time and money! read more

The food is always fresh and tasty with good presentation. Every time I come I'm always satisfied with the quality of service. The ambiance is also modern and clean. read more

Ok, the food is pretty good and the place isn't too busy. Just wished they were open 24 hours. If you're not in the mood for a buffet, then this is the place for you. Service is quick and the food is freshly made. I was skeptical as I thought they just grabbed the food from the buffet lol- I was wrong. They have specials that are very reasonable, like rib eye steak for just a little over $10! They also have Asian Food. Maybe I'll see you there. On a regular day or night you can expect to be sated right away... if there's and event going on, there will definitely be a wait. Remember to bring your players card as you'll receive a discount. You can also apply any points. Be sure to tip well. With not as many customers as Harrahs, Valley View or Pechanga, the staff needs the generosity. read more

Cheap buffet for less than $10 a person (used to be $5.95 but now it's $9.95. still worth it)! The food is primarily American cuisine (lots of carbs yumm), but it's great quality and the environment makes you feel like you'e having a home-cooked meal. There's a noodle/pasta bar and an omelette bar, where they make it for you on the spot. The dessert area has pecan pie, apple pie, lemon bars, cheesecake, cookies, etc. The service is good and the staff serves you the desserts and the food at the noodle/pasta and omelette bars. Sometimes you'll see people who stay for both lunch and dinner, while there's lines of hungry people watching them as they take their time eating so they can enjoy the cuisine for both lunch and dinner haha. read more

Pauma Bay Cafe - Lots of variety! - Cafes Near Me - Pauma Valley, California

Came for breakfast but they stop serving at 11am. Decided to stay and have a sandwich. Wasn't the best both sandwiches were little to no flavor. We had the French dip and spicy chicken. All the reviews are great for the deals but the regular menu not so much read more

Passing by on our way home and we have never been to this casino. We stopped in to play and eat. We are here and had prime rib and burger. The burger was good the prime rib was a bit on the dry side and no horseradish sauce or au jus either. Unfortunately server never came back to check on us after ordering. We waived a host to get us ketchup and refill our drinks. Very poor service. read more

2 for 1 prime rib is the best deal ever! Raquel my server gave me a 5star service experience. Food was perfect and I can definitely say I will be coming back soon as long as Raquel is my server! read more

I hVe had the steak and eggs several times. Also the prime rib special. Excellent on every count. Went there for lunch this week and once again grat food Was able to meet and talk with executive chef Brian Riviera. So friendly and polite. He even let us sample some other foods. Even though I hVe been there many times ND it's about an hour away I will definitely be frequenting to enjoy their new menu specializing in FARM TO TABLE dishes. Oh and the servers were great too!!! read more

Oh heck yeah! My wife and I had the all you can eat chicken for $9.95 and it was some of the best chicken I've had!! The chicken was so moist and flavorful and the cornbread and sidewinder fries were great too!! We are definitely coming back!! read more

All you can chicken is delicious. Lots of flavor. The 2 for $20 prime rib is okay. I went there late and it was served cold. However, the bread roll was the best I ever had. I need that recipe. I was always staying at Harrah's Casino and will definitely make this short drive to eat. Save a lot of money on food read more

sent my food back and pathetic odd service. I almost got whiplash from trying to get the attention of my "mia" server ( was she playing slots???) clearly missing cells, asked for a cup of ice,i get a 1/3 full cup and she gives me a STRAW? huh??? disgusting calamari, pretty sure it was "food pantry" designated like chewing on fish grissel. dont know how the cooks here put that stuff out, guess valet is closed so they have to work somewhere ! Pauma casino....deffinately pass. read more

My husband & I went there for the Veterans day lunch. We were very disappointed in both the food and our waitress. Unfortunately our waitress had no personality at all. It was like talking to a wall. Not once did she come back by after receiving our food to see if we needed anything, which we did, or if everything was ok. She finally showed up to give us the bill and that was it. My husband had a so called Prime Rib French dip sandwich. I doubt it was prime rib because it was full of fat & grizzle & had no flavor at all., even dipped in Au Ju it had no flavor. I got a Reuben sandwich which was tough, soggy and sour kraut tasted old. The fries didn't taste like real potatoes. The outside was very crispy, while the inside was almost hollow. Very tasteless. I must say the ice tea was very good, & that's about it. We will not be going back there! read more

We have eaten here several times over the past two years and find their food to be a great value. We love their prime rib and breakfast specials. Please understand this is not a Morton's or Ruths Chris steakhouse when ordering your Tuesday and Thursday "Two prime rib dinner specials for $20". The restaurant is clean and service has been prompt. We had a delicious breakfast burrito last time we visited. Reminds me of "old school" Vegas when casinos would serve fast and good food for a great price. read more