Never asked if I would like a refill on coffee until plates were cleared. "Home fries " were barely cooked cubed potatoes with zero flavor. Not crispy or brown at all. I requested ketchup and it never appeared. Lukewarm French toast. Less than 10 tables filled with two servers and another person helping out. I understand these are difficult and trying times, however I cannot recommend this restaurant. read more

This is an unusual place for Laguna. It's an old fashioned diner with very reasonable prices. I've been here for breakfast a few times. The portions are filling. The coffee was pretty good. The vibe is very casual. I wore my formal flip-flops once and I think I was overdressed. The waitresses are super friendly. Good place to start your day. The diner is very small. If you're going on weekends, be prepared to wait. Parking is metered on the street. I think the meters take credit cards. read more

Great little local joint. Thanks, Yelpers, for recommending! Got a French toast griddle platter (2 eggs, bacon or sausage, potatoes, and two giant slices of French toast) which Hubs and I could have easily shared, for 8.95. Everything was delicious. Short wait, but you're right by the beach, so waiting outside is lovely. We'll for sure be back next time we're in town. read more

A short walk from our hotel in Laguna, this little cafe was perfect for a chilly Saturday morning stroll. It was pretty crowded when we arrived and since we had a party of four, it was harder for us to get a table. There is definitely nothing fancy about the cafe, but it has its own vintage, local charm-- a nice change from the corporatization of everything in Southern California (luv ya SoCal but so true!). I was with a hungry pregnant lady and our husbands who were not fond of waiting so we were probably hard to please. However, we were all pretty impressed with the food. I got the 'penguin o'brian' which was home fries with onion and veggies and some eggs. The potatoes were really good. I could use some right now. Proving that potatoes are not just potatoes. I would definitely go back if I were in town again. Ah, Laguna. read more

I don't get why this place is so popular. While the service is friendly and prompt, the atmosphere and food are so-so. And it's not priced as reasonably as one might think, considering that they make 2-egg omelettes and find other ways of cutting back. Penguin is definitely not worth waiting in line for. read more

We book marked this place before going to Laguna Beach for a wedding. There were mixed reviews, but we thought we'd give it a shot. Unfortunately, we had the one-star experience. It was nothing more than a dirty diner with sub-par food. My husband had the chorizo burrito, but it was really just a burrito shell filled with potatoes. We even asked if there was suppose to be eggs in it and the waitress said yes, it's just mixed in with the chorizo. There wasn't. It was a waste of calories. So after that we walked a little further down the road to Cafe Heidelberg for their Nutella Mocha...and ended up having a wonderful experience...and second breakfast! read more

Penguin Cafe - Retro diner! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

I don't understand how this cafe got 4 stars. I found this place through Yelp because I'm not from Laguna Beach and I just wanted to have some delicious breakfast. The service was fast but the food was not good. I had a breakfast burrito and although it was big, it was also terrible. It was mostly stuffed with hard burnt potatoes that were probably left over pieces that got stuck to the pan. It was terrible! I pretty much just ate the egg. I could've broken my tooth eating those potatoes! read more

I really do not know why this cafe is rated so high. I had such high hopes for it but was let down. It is a local mom and pop greasy spoon kind of place located right on PCH a short block from the beach. Space is tight which I get. The decor is awful. I remember seeing a sign that said since 1940 something, well it looks like it hasn't been touched since (okay maybe since 1980). The walls looked dirty, the decor was cheesy, old, dusty and faded. There were non working old diner jukeboxes on the table. The table was cluttered with stuff... Salt and pepper, ketchup, syrup, carafe for cream, butter, jelly, sugar, etc... The condiment holder was caked with food and rust. There was another larger jukebox being used as a door stop and newspaper stand. As for the food.... The coffee was great. It was fresh, and smooth (not biter). I had the green chile tamale (omelet ?) which was a homemade chile tamale wrapped in an egg white omelet of sorts. The tamale was okay, but something was missing. I asked if they had any salsa verde to put on top, unfortunately they didn't. The potatoes were store bought frozen cubes which were cooked sort of like hash browns. They were only crisped on one side and the rest were just white. My wife had the combo eggs bacon French toast, and potatoes. The scrambled eggs were dark (from burnt butter) and un -appetizing. The bacon and French toast were good. Service was friendly with a smile. The house was packed, no complaints there. Price was under $25 for two plates and two coffees. Not really someplace I would look forward to returning to, which is sad because I really rather spend my dollar at a mom & pop shop vs a chain. read more

This is one of my favorite places to eat in Laguna Beach. I've lived here all my life and this has always been a place I want to go. It's definitely not fancy, but the staff is so friendly and nice and everything is just great. Both lunch and breakfast are great! I'd recommend this to anyone in the Laguna Beach area looking for a great place to eat. read more

Penguin Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

There is a burger war going on in this country. Designer burger this and gourmet burger that. You can read all about this: it is a new rage sweeping Restaurantland. You can spend 50 dollars in Vegas or NY on one. While I don't get caught up in this excitement, I will go on record that this is one of the Top 3 burgers I have tasted in LA and the OC. And it is relatively cheap: 5 dollars. The meat is perfectly seared, thick and juicy (juices running down your mouth and hands), the onions carmelized, the cheese oozing out. Nothing fancy pants; just killer in taste. read more

"Enter the Penguin!" ('Sounds like a Bruce Lee sequel set in Antarctica!) Store Front - http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/LKe0anVAZdv9DW177fJQhQ?select=mErqGWqLNIHjBykjSezLrA My first yelp*view of 2012! 'Been wanting to try a new breakfast spot in Laguna Beach and with an average yelp*view of 4/5 stars, the Penguin Cafe was a good place to start! FYI - If you park on the street, bring quarters - $0.25/15 minutes (4 hrs max) Photo - http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/LKe0anVAZdv9DW177fJQhQ?select=vp2SmebOJjD2hjbALhgicg 'From my understanding, there is usually a line out-the-door on Saturdays & Sundays. I guess Jan. 1 was a great day to come! No line, just a small, 10 minute wait. If you've never been here, there is a clipboard hanging just outside the door. Photo - http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/LKe0anVAZdv9DW177fJQhQ?select=4k5_q7rH8ti0EmqL2xhHPg 'Be sure to sign in & include how many in your party. I was seated at the counter, great place to sit by the way... Well, at least so I thought. Seating is a bit cramped, butt to gut. I sat next to an older lady, a Penguin Café regular & I guess she didn't appreciate the close proximity of "me" to her and moved to a corner stool... 'But not after first explaining to me & apologizing for her move. No explanation necessary but found it somewhat amusing... Hey lady! I just sat next to you because I didn't want to be "that guy" that sits in the middle of three stools, wasting valuable seating for other patrons! 'But if you would like me to eat @ the back of the bus?... GO F*K YOURSELF! LOL - Neh, I'm only kidding, there were other folks there that were "people of color," not just me... 'But most of them were cooking & bussing tables. Okay, okay... Please don't send hate mail, I'm only joking! I can understand that the lady wanted her "space." I do too but I'm not the only mo'fo that wants to eat here... HEY LADY?! GET OVER YOURSELF!! Seriously, it's cramped to the point where the back of another patron's chair ended up against my arse as I sat at the counter... @ss Pillow - http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/LKe0anVAZdv9DW177fJQhQ?select=KJ9fxGGXX2NjxjW33XMOKw Then again, my butt probably got bigger in 2011! Happy New REAR to me! This place isn't really small at all, it's just that my @ss is HUGE! BTW, Maximum Capacity - 38 people Photo - http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/LKe0anVAZdv9DW177fJQhQ?select=UPYya4f_NEsw0-WZ_-HXNw It's tiny, so stop blaming my butt! After glancing over the menu, James came over to take my order and recommended their carnitas breakfast burrito... It sounded good but I was craving chorizo & eggs! (Did my @ss just get larger?) The atmosphere is very low-key, laid back, chill & friendly. It's a good ol' fashion mom & pop diner from Laguna Beach back in the 70's, very guh'roovie. Coffee($1.75): Okay; average Chorizo & Egg Breakfast Burrito($6.75): Okay; mild flavor; average Photo - http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/LKe0anVAZdv9DW177fJQhQ?select=TXib7wpYjAdWDciSot2uPg Total: $9.16 + $2 tip ('Very reasonable prices.) Check! - http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/LKe0anVAZdv9DW177fJQhQ?select=1DzNzlpEXu-LKwpnsfR4TQ Overall, cool place but nothing that really knocked my socks off... But, I had hoped! The coffee was "alright." The breakfast burrito was just as average too. The portion was relatively small compared to other places that serve up a "breakfast burrito." The potatoes diluted the overall flavor down of the breakfast burrito as well as making it a bit soggy. The eggs didn't pack as much flavor too. I did have a few bites where I was able to get some nice flavor from the chorizo but it lacked consistency throughout. Photo (Cross Section) - http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/LKe0anVAZdv9DW177fJQhQ?select=eEqiSVbLFO1oIcoob4QHwg I really wanted give Penguin Cafe no less than 4 Stars for my first visit here... Sadly, I can not. The people here are great - friendly, personable, & accommodating! 'But overall as a whole, just "okay." 'In between the cramped seating & very "mildly" flavored breakfast burrito... (shrugs) "Ehhh..." There wasn't anything terrible about Penguin Cafe, nor was there anything great... Aside from the local, friendly vibe & great big slice of Laguna Beach nostalgia. Photo - http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/LKe0anVAZdv9DW177fJQhQ?select=LnjO2Ehs-Gqq4x-Wijh1mw 'Will I come back? Sure! When will I? 'Not sure... If you're "Penguin curious," don't be shy! It's definitely worth doing a pop in & seeing for yourself! Be sure to check out their hours, which only run from about 6:30am - 2:30pm. Photo - http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/LKe0anVAZdv9DW177fJQhQ?select=jc9pzpY_xwYBYMREamXkWw - Aloha! Food: 3 Ambiance: 3+ Service: 4 Value: 4 read more

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I've been to the penguin café now about five times and I absolutely love it. It is such an old Laguna feel and has so much history. Sabrina the owner took it over from her mom years ago and is such a great cook the food is delicious and I highly highly recommend it!!!! read more

We were referred to this place by a local working in a t-shirt shop. Ended up going there each of our last three days in Laguna Beach. Great place! read more

Penguin Cafe - Best breakfast in Laguna. We ate there three straight days. Great food, family-owned, great & efficient staff. Highly recommend! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

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Food was great for diner food. I always leave happy and full from here. If you are looking for a great breakfast, go here! Prices are very reasonable, and the staff is nice! read more

My favorite Breakfast/Lunch place in town. Great local feel, great service and a must try. I can't lie I LOVE their Breakfast, I eat there at least two to three times a week, if not more. M a chef and I know a good meal. This is the place. I would recommend something but EVERYTHING is delicious. It just depends on what you are in the mood for. Their beef is grass-fed, making for a fantastic hamburger. They only use Boarshead meats. I could go on and on but I'm sure you've got the point. A Laguna must have. There is a reason it's been n business sence I was a kid. Nothing like a great diner style restaurant. The owner/operators are the nicest people in the restaurant industry. Highly recommended, obviously. See you there. read more

Good solid breakfast, but for the price I'd rate it average. I had two eggs, bacon, slice of French toast and fried potatoes, maybe their specialties are a little more special than what I had. Service was very good. read more

Came here for a nice brunch on a brisk Saturday afternoon as we were staying just a couple blocks from here at the Holiday Inn. It was a nice bromantic lunch between 4 guys (groom + groomsmen) and we wanted to start the wedding day off right. After looking and yelping for a bunch of places in the area for brunch, I nailed this one. Going through all the places in the area, this was the only one that was down home, good food, cafe style as opposed to the often pretentious, overly seafood, expensive Laguna beach-like brunch places. Don't get me wrong those places may have its time and place, but just not in my time or place. So we ended up coming here and it really is a hidden gem that could be mistaken for one of the many cafes featured on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. It's a very small place that is tucked just outside the really stuffy parts of downtown Laguna. I ordered the huevos rancheros, someone else got the breakfast burrito, someone else got the chorizo omelette and I forgot what the last one ordered. Either way, my huevos rancheros were delicious. It came with a side of toast, which was toasted perfectly. I always like having peanut butter with my toast (healthy and delicious option) and was glad to know that they didn't charge me extra at the end of the meal for the peanut butter. The chorizo omelette was awesome too...chorizo was perfectly blended into the eggs and it was one cohesive omelette with generous amounts of cheese. Everything about this place felt like my kind of place. Good food, nice server, quick service (got our food within 5ish minutes probably...or at least felt like it). I would definitely come here again should I ever pass through or move in the area b/c I hit the lottery. PS Prices are reasonable too. I don't think anymore was really over $10, but thankfully they have a website and you can check for yourself. read more

After a torturous hike at Laguna Canyon(Big Bend....ugh) under the nice California sun, we need a little cool down and a little grub. Thanks to yelp, we rolled up to the Penguin Cafe. With four of us, we barely waited on a Saturday morning and sat at the counter. The waitress was super friendly and helpful. We ordered and our food came out in like 5 minutes...which was great considering how hungry we were. Food tasted like it was home cooked ..nom nom. Not too greasy, considering it was a diner. The atmosphere is really friendly, and you're surrounded by penguins (hence the name of the cafe). This is a great little place if you want to grab some food, without all the crowds of Laguna. P.S. They have a parking lot in the back. read more

Awesome prices, generous portions for price, great coffee, metered parking, 38 person capacity, one girl serves everyone but did great job, food quick, would come back tomorrow if I was here! read more

Penguin Cafe - Cute penguins everywhere! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

Came to this restaurant for breakfast, we put our name on the list as requested and we were the next 4 to be seated. While patiently waiting for 40 minutes we see multiple tables empty and still had not been seated. A group of four people walked right past us and sat themselves at an open table. We asked the waitress if it's a seat yourself situation or if we need to wait and we got attitude in response. She eventually sat us after saying they are busy and be patient (multiple open tables few tables seated). She made sure to walk up to every table seated after us and come to our table last, when she did,didn't greet us upon being seated, just said "what do you want", never refilled our waters. Upon giving us our food didn't ask who had what just threw everything on the table...i have never been treated with such unprofessional service, especially in laguna beach. I will not be back, and do not recommend if you want good service and a polite waitress. The food wasn't that great either. read more

This place is your typical beachy, hole in the wall, casual restaurant with a diner like feel to it. It's great for a weekend breakfast/brunch stop. So what's so great about it? Well, they have a pretty extensive menu for how small the place is. I've had the French Toast, as well as Huevos Rancheros, and both were delish! I've seen some other customers order the burger & fries and each time I see it, my mouth waters and I say I'll order it next time. But one small thing -- my food was barely warm. Both times I came to this place I had the same experience with the semi-warm/cold food. This is no bueno! But aside from the semi warm food, the place is worth a visit. The prices are fair ($10 give or take), and the food tastes good. Parking is a pain, but so is anything else in Laguna. read more

A good breakfast spot in Laguna Beach. I'm staying at the Mont*ge Spa and Resort down the road and my buddy was appalled by the unbelievably high prices for breakfast. No thank you, I will not pay $20 for an omellete. Looking for an alternative, I found Penguin Cafe, a short 10 minute drive from our hotel. The waitress was friendly and courteous and the food came out quickly without a fuss. A great meal for under $10. Our total bill w/coffee came to under $24. Score! A nice unpretentious restaurant with a local flair. No Grey Poupon here. read more

Was a little unimpressed with the poor service. Place wasnt busy and it took a bit for them to get to me after i grabbed my own menu. That being said, i ordered the italian omlet special. It was amazing. I was shocked. I have to try this place again. Ps. The coffee sucks read more

I read a few reviews just now that demotivated me from walking in and all, but this is a legit diner that makes delicious food. Bacon was cooked proper, my eggs over medium like I requested, and a casual staff came to my side before I asked for assistance. All in all, i give this a solid 4 stars and the 5th star is because previous reviews were a crock of $&!7. read more

Just average. Service okay, food okay, cleanliness, as best as it can get for a hole in the wall. The constant smell of burnt toast was a turn off. Honestly, it's a basic mom and pop hole in the wall that's been around forever, with a penguin theme, because someone way back when that owned the diner liked penguins. For ALL the time I spend in the area I've never tried it until now. Had a few friends with me and we all ordered different breakfast items. Again, just average, no one got food poisoning and no one complained about their food. I probably wouldn't revisit but only because it wasn't my cup of tea and there's so many other choices and better breakfast for a few bucks more. read more

This is a Laguna institution. Every time I eat here I find something new that I love even more than my previous "favorite". My recent love it the pancakes. You can't go wrong they are fluffy pillows of goodness. Eat up! Don't be scared away by the line it's worth the wait...or maybe I should tell you to keep walking so the line is not so long when I get there. read more

Great place for a hearty breakfast. Funky diner feel but the food is made with fresh ingredients. Classic Cali mixture consisting of classical American fare with a touch of Mexican. Only complaint is that the coffee was classic old school diner. Small complaint but it would have been nice to have a nice robust coffee. If you're not a local bring quarters for to feed the meters. Enjoy!. read more

I ordered the penguin breakfast sandwich with a salad. This is good. But greasy. Not so greasy when I took it out of the bread. Very cheesy even for me. Grilled cheese on sourdough with spinach, tomato, bacon and onion. Service was fantastic. Thank you Heidi. read more

Rude workers, food portions smaller than expected and just an overall unpleasant experience. Wouldn't recommend

I just had a wonderful Lunch, I was wondering down PCH on this Beautiful New Year's Eve day when I stumbled in to this little Cafe I ordered the Garden Omelette it was delicious and delightful ! The service was very good the server had me laughing. I highly recommend this hidden little gem I will be returning for sure . read more

Good diner food to eat with the locals. The banana pancakes were delicious. The butter was very messy as the packets were warm. I never realized thst could be a problem. Thanks for the extra napkins;) the waitresses are always friendly and engaging. I always enjoy my meal here. read more

We dropped in the Penguin Cafe for breakfast while in town for a wedding. I'll start off by saying that if this place is busy, just go to the next place. Nothing super special--the ambiance was that of a noisy diner with cute, beachy, penguin motif. The stars are almost entirely for the servers. They were so friendly and attentive. The food was just ok and overpriced for the quality and quantity. Also the menu was a little confusing in terms of what's included with each dish and what costs extra. There were 3 in our group and we ordered: Penguin o'brian, chorizo & eggs, and the 2 egg standard breakfast. The potatoes that came with 2 of our dishes were soft and bland--they tasted boiled, not fried or skillet cooked. The chorizo and eggs portion was tiny (good thing he ordered a side of bacon) and the eggs were more omelette style, not scrambled. My eggs over easy were pretty great--the yolks were perfectly runny. Would I go there again? Probably not unless everything else was packed and it wasn't and I was too hungry to wait for something else. But it wasn't bad. And there seemed to be some locals who enjoyed it. Meh. :/ read more

We stayed at laguna beach for 2 days and we absolutely loved this place. The food is soo good. The staff is friendly. Feels like im home in that place. Totally recommend. read more

Penguin Cafe - The food was really good - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

Best breakfast ! You cannot ask for better service . You do not want to miss this place !

So yummy! Loved how small and quaint the place was and the friendliness of the staff. I had a big piece of ham, hash browns, and 2 scrambled eggs. It was the perfect size and cost about $8.50. There was a bit of a wait at 11:00am on a Saturday morning, but they had space at the bar so we were able to sit immediately. Service was pretty quick, but we weren't in a rush. I'd go back next time I'm in Laguna. read more

This place has it down: Fast service + great prices + simple menu = perfect breakfast It's that simple people! I hate all these specialty breakfast joints popping up charging $15 for french toast, I mean come on...it's breakfast. It's meant to be wholesome and tasty not all fancy and full of fluff. That's what I love about this place, it is what it is. A hole in the wall locals breakfast joint. Thankfully most of the Laguna tourists don't know about it so it's the perfect spot to come after an night of drinking or when your stomach is rumbling first thing on a weekend morning. The coffee is always hot and as long as you come early enough you don't even have to wait. *Quick tip, you can seat yourself if there is no wait, and you can usually squeeze in at the counter if you are a party of 1-2. read more

Went here with a friend during a visit down to the OC after reading some favorable reviews on Yelp. It was a Sunday morning so there was a decent crowd, but we were seated within 15 minutes. The place is a bit cramped overall, but it adds to the ambiance of the dining experience for sure. We were greeted warmly by the head waitress and decided to go with the corned beef hash and chili and cheese omelet. Both dishes came with breakfast potatoes and toast so there was a considerable amount of food, especially for the amount that we paid ($22 with tax and tip). I have to say the potatoes were a bit under seasoned for my taste and the toast was not as crispy and wasn't buttered, which I would have preferred. However, the main dishes were quite delicious. My favorite of the two had to be the chili and cheese omelet as it had good flavor and was very cheesy. It was a good size as well and was served very warm which is always appreciated. The corned beef was decent as well, but I feel that it lacked a bit of seasoning as well. I did appreciate that it wasn't super salty as many hashes are, but I was left with a desire for a bit more flavor. Overall, this place definitely has charm, the wait staff is super friendly, and the food is served quickly, but the dishes we ordered lacked any super stand out flavors. Nonetheless, they do a good breakfast and it is reasonably priced and the turnover is pretty quick so if you are in the area it's worth checking out. read more

Stumbled upon this place while walking down the 1 Highway one Saturday morning. This place was packed and bustling. They have basic diner fare. It's greasy, what-you-see-is-what-you get food. The service is excellent. I had the Carne Asada plate that came with a HUGE piece of flank steak, whole pinto beans sprinkled with cheese, salsa roja, lettuce and tomato. It was seriously less than $8 I think for the dish. The steak was a little over salted. BUT, the banana pancake that my boyfriend ordered was yummy! I pretty much ate the entire pancake! read more

Penguin Cafe - Carne Asada plate - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Laguna Beach, California

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Why I haven't reviewed the Penguin yet? That is just plain simple... I was too busy eating delicious breakfasts in this awesome greasy spoon :) Awesome food for this kind of spot, great friendly staff, fun Penguin decor... EVERYWHERE! It's fun!! This is the non-Denny's, mom&pop traditional American breakfast place, right down to the classic coffee mugs. The sounds from the dinning room and the kitchen are reminiscent of every small place like this. So cozy! Tight space if you don't have a booth, but so worth it! Today it's the Corned Beef Hash with delicious crispy potatoes, toasted artisan bread made by a friend of the Penguin, and 2 perfectly poached eggs. Ali's having the veggie sandwich on sourdough, mustard on the side. Great drip by the way.. Not burnt like a million other places Homemade pico de gallo I just heard the waitress say??? Man I love this place! Glad to be here again this morning. read more

Very tight space there. Food is average nothing really special, the place is a little run down and needs some touch up.