It's Veterans Day, we all have the day off, on our way to see a cartoon at the Disney Museum. So there are four places in The City that I had picked out, which one do we eat at? Peter's Cafe, 12 miles south of San Francisco. Never mind how we ended up in Millbrae. But don't worry, we got to the movie on time. I was looking for something besides the usual chain restaurant, and inexpensive. The hunny wanted a burger. The girl said "Burger King!" So we were driving north on El Camino Real from the San Mateo Bridge, looking for what could be a good place to eat. Then we saw what looked like an old-school cafe that was probably here when the Peninsula was a collection of middle-class suburbs of San Francisco (you know, before 1976). It was a late lunch, and the parking lot was still full. Okay, to Peter's we go. Peter's is one of those places that's notable for being a typical diner in a neighborhood that's famously atypical. Millbrae may be more typical than most of the Peninsula, but in an area with an $800,000 barrier to entry for home ownership, you're more likely to find a classy bistro than Grandma's cafe. Peter's Cafe is a little bit of Boone IA just north of Burlingame CA, a family-owned version of Denny's where the wait staff knows all the regulars by name, right in the center of town. Prices are good. Food quality is pretty good. We all had burgers, all cooked medium well: Canadian bacon on mine, regular bacon on the hunny's, plain cheeseburger for the girl. Note: the girl got hers from the children's menu, and it was still a regular-sized 1/3-lb burger, too much for an 8-year-old to eat at one sitting. On the other hand, she told us and the waitress, "This is better than what I expected." The hunny says that all of it was good. The cole slaw was a little creamy for my taste, but I loved that Canadian bacon. For big eaters, there's the Challenger, 3 patties for a total of one pound of beef, for $13.95 in 2015. The Peninsula has plenty of high-class joints and trendy eateries. But if you just want a regular old Joe meal, Peter's Cafe works well. read more

Peter's Cafe - Canadian Burger with cole slaw in an old-school diner - American Near Me - Millbrae, California

Great home style atmosphere ! Their breakfast is very delicious especially the chicken fry steak and eggs with pancakes! One of last few mom and pop breakfast spots in this area!! Number 1 place for us !! Peter and his beautiful wife always there. Great customer following all of these years! read more

Came here for breakfast while traveling through the area. Great menu; lots to choose from. Great service; attentive, nice and prompt. Food was delicious. Classic breakfast, cooked to perfection, not greasy!!! Will come again and recommend! read more

Peter's Cafe - Good coffee! - American Near Me - Millbrae, California

Love coming here for breakfast! Usually no wait. I always enjoy my meal. Staff are friendly and nice.

Very down to earth, customer friendly resturant. Wendy took care of us and she is kind, compassionate and awesome with her smiling service. Staff is super efficient and food was delectable. We loved all the orders and the portions were sufficient. Easy parking. read more

Stopped in *finally* after 8 months of passing by this place on my way to work. So many times I've longed to skip the office grind for a cup of coffee and a slice of pie. When a coworker chose Peter's for her birthday lunch today, I was immediately along for the ride. The pie pickin's are pretty slim, but pretty much any other diner fare you're looking for, you'll find. Burgers, omelets, waffles, all that jazz. There's a 60+ menu, a Weight Watchers menu, a kids menu... Service was nice, though not particularly exceptional. For $2 they'll give you a mug, creamer, and your own coffee canteen, which was pretty cool. I got the "2-eggs any style" with hashbrowns and rye toast for $7 - you can also substitute pancakes for the toast if you're looking to fit even more carbs and sugar into your daily intake. The food's alright - nothing flashy going on here. My eggs were eggy, my browns were lightly browned, my toast was pretty toasted. A-ok. Don't know that I'd go out of my way in the future, but after a long flight I could see where this place would be a godsend. If you're hanging out with a large crowd and find yourself looking for slightly-expensive-but-the-portions-are-big-so-it's-okay diner food, check out Peter's. read more

Peter's Cafe - 2-Eggs Sunnyside with Hashbrowns & Rye ($7) - American Near Me - Millbrae, California

Stopped in with my golf buddy for a relaxing breakfast one Sunday. Quite busy as expected for late AM. I ordered the spam omelet and my buddy got the diced ham scramble. The menu had a hawaiian influence. Food was excellent although I wished they put a little more gravy on my omelet. It appears relatives and regulars pop in quite often as I noticed the asian owner talking to quite a few people. Must try if in the area. read more

We stopped by the Milbrae train station and found out this place was full of local people - We gave it a try, and it was worth it. Starting with the customer service, all of them were gentle. The food was delicious - great coffee and and a yummy strawberry jelly is a must-have. read more

Stopped by for Pi Day to check their pie situation. They had baked fresh pies that morning. I got the apple and my friend got the blueberry. She licked her plate and I ate all of mine and I don't even like crust. We made an excellent choice with Peter's. The decor is quirky and fun. The service is fast and friendly. I wanted to go back the very next day. read more

Quick service but because it was empty . Food had no flavor and the crepe taste so much like egg and not sweet at all & the egg had no flavor . My dad had pancakes and it was nasty with no flavor . We should've just gone to house of pancake but decided to give this place a try . Ugh!!!!! read more

This place is awesome I've been coming here since I was a child. Food and service is great! The only thing that suck now is the hours they operate now. read more

By far the best cafe!! I always get the same thing no mater where I like to eat boi when I tell you that BLT with avocado and fries are the fuc*** best must try worth every dollar read more

Peter's Cafe - American Near Me - Millbrae, California

We go there for breakfast, and they are quite good. Staff is always friendly. Expect for two people to spend about $50.

this is probably the best pancakes I ever eating hot and lost of butter the home made potatoes delicious. Martha was my serve was very attentive and making sure I was doing good or if I need anything else. great service and great food I'm coming back for sure. read more

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I've been here a couple of times when I'm in San Francisco. The omelettes are really good here. Especially the bacon omelette. We got our food at a decent time considering how crowded it was. read more

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Was closed today at 1 PM when I wanted to go there. Others told me it is permanently closed.

Pretty darn good! Perfect stop before a flight... quick and great service... right off the freeway. food was good As well! read more

Peter's Cafe - American Near Me - Millbrae, California

We have been going to Peter's Cafe for decades. Can always count on every entree having the same high quality as usual. Service is quick and accurate. Very comfortable atmosphere. Peter and his wife are very welcoming and you feel confident your meal will be everything you want. read more

Is this place under new management? Whatta 180 experience. The food is different and that's not a compliment. This joint used to be open late.. I guess 9pm is late enough now a days in the food & beverage industry. Outside structure needs alot of upkeep. Sad to see Pete's cafe this way.... I must say haven't returned since. read more

This place is a gem! It has old school and home comfort type vibes. We decided to come here one random Sunday instead of Millbrae Pancake House bc I've had MPH many times and we wanted to try something new. We were surprised that we cleaned our plates bc it was so good. You know when you don't know if something is actually good or you were just really hungry? Yeah so we wanted to make sure it wasn't a fluke, so we went the next week and brought the rest of the family. Everyone cleaned their plates. I always like to triple check, so we went to MPH a couple days after. I'm not sure if they lost their authenticity after the pandemic, but their food was bland and disappointing. Peter's Cafe is better, it's confirmed lol. This is what we ordered: * Pancakes- the best! * Bacon and sausage- reallyyy tasty * Swedish pancakes- good but the lingonberry topping had this weird savory taste to it. So I just ate it w regular butter and syrup * German baby- so good! It takes about 40 mins to make so order it right when you sit down. By the time it came out, we were all done w our food, so it was as if it were dessert for the table. * Turkey Benedict- I didn't try it but it looked very full. The sauce included mushrooms and onions. read more

A go-to restaurant with good food at affordable price. My grandparents are very... ~choosy~ about where they eat and have several food allergies. This restaurant always accommodates their needs and remembers their allergies from previous visits which helps because my grandparents do not always remember to inform the waiter. They also love this restaurant for the customer service and proximity to home and ample parking. Always a nice experience here! read more

Food wise, it's good. One of the better breakfast place. But one guy, who looked like a manager, wasn't wearing a mask! All the clients were wearing a mask, since we are supposed to, but a worker??? Taking 2 stars for that guy. read more

Bring your appetite and check your fancy pants at the door. This family style cafe is the real thing with walk up counter seating and plenty of booth style tables. In fact now that I think of it, I don't recall seeing any stand alone tables only booths. When you order coffee the server brings you your own liter carafe of coffee so fill up! The staff here is friendly and the food fires up quick. My breakfast order was a bit out of my normal eggs Benedict or omelette, instead, I went for the teriyaki pork chop served with 2 large eggs your way, choice of homestyle potatoes or hash browns and toast or fruit (for substitute price) Everything was delicious and you can tell the chops had been marinating for some time. There was lots of flavor and the portions don't skimp! Thankfully I came with my man who helped me clean my plate I'd definitely come again the next time I'm in the neighborhood. After I ordered I noticed the loco moco.... until we meet again read more

Peter's Cafe - Terriaki pork chop eggs, and hash browns - American Near Me - Millbrae, California

Open early with a team that was eager to please - simple good normal diner breakfast, with lots of seating.

Delicious. My basted eggs were perfect my toast has the perfect amount of butter. And my sausage nice and well cooked. My hash browns crisp but not over done or oily. Very friendly and efficient staff. Way to go. We will be back. P.s. they give you your own coffee pot on your table 3 stars just for that.. read more

Peter's Cafe - American Near Me - Millbrae, California

Peter's Cafe is an icon diner in Millbrae. Great place for breakfast food or burgers. Pete is always very nice. I have been going here for years. read more

Nice American Diner. Good food, made to order. Good coffee by the pitcher. Great service.

Best food around! Definitely will come back for different items on the menu....love the vibe and services!

I have yet to eat here - but I already love this place. I had just gotten off BART and I needed to charge my phone. I scanned the Millbrae landscape and saw Peter's welcoming Cafe sign. As soon as I stepped inside - from the drizzly weather - I was greeted by a warm woman. Right away I could tell that Peter's was a neighborhood institution. It's vast and a little outdated - but dig it. I love the retro feel. The big windows and large booths - make Peter's Cafe the perfect stop for an early morning or late night group. If I lived in the area - I would be hanging out at Peter's regularly. Judging from the personality filled greetings which a number of diners received from what I suspect might be the owner or manager - it seems that Peter's is a reliable hang-out spot for many. I love places where people know other's names. They just feel right. And that's Peter's. I ordered a green tea - while I charged my phone. In between mid tea sip - I admired the heaving plate of blueberry pancakes and thickly cut slabs of french toast around me. Support local late night gems like Peter's. Their menu was solid and long - and though nothing fancy - it was simple and straightforward in a lovely nostalgic way. Trust. read more

For me this place is so great for the basic American diner experience featuring tasty comfort food and warm yet efficient service. I wind up here in the morning as part of my commute or when I have an appointment in the area. Smooth jazz music and vintage classics play in the background as people come and go, always greeted cheerfully and seated easily in the spacious dining area or at the counter. Some people pick up breakfast to go as well. The atmosphere is just buzzy enough to be charming yet quiet enough for me to enjoy my morning thoughts or even do a little bit of work if I decide to linger after my meal and keep drinking the coffee that just keeps on coming. I find the menu options, prices and quantities to be very reasonable too. It's clearly a comfy place for regulars and drive-by customers alike. Located right next to Millbrae BART and Caltrain, Peter's really hits my sweet spot in ever respect! read more

Peter's Cafe serves OK American food. Seniors would probably love this place. It's classic Americana, almost right out of a David Lynch movie or a place that could appear in The Encyclopedia of Bad Taste by the Sterns. Booths, brownish interior, really old waitress, trophies, coffee thermal pitchers, old men wearing white fishing caps... Elvis' love den... you could get the Windsurf special (teriyaki skirt steak with eggs), Spam and eggs... When was the last time anyone had Spam? Honestly, it is more fun to write about the place than to eat in it. I'm sort of lukewarm about it, but it is a good place to be when you have time to kill before the next train. I had about 45 minutes and managed to get a big breakfast before catching the train--the service was fast so I didn't miss the 8:48 am one!!! I had Bacon and Cheese Omelet for $7.95. You get hash browns (about a scoops worth spread out on the plate), and some bread (pancakes, English muffins, or toast). There was a lot of bacon and the cheese oozed out. I did have trouble eating all of my omelet. It was big and bland. My husband had the Two Eggs over medium with the "trash browns" and wheat toast (with lots of jelly). Breakfast didn't leave a big impression on me. It's not a place I'm hankering to go back to and try more stuff, and it isn't a place that I would dream about or hold in my consciousness like Howard's. It's OK. read more

I come here all the time. My co-worker, Scott, and I are regulars here. When we come in, they start pouring the diet Coke. So I love the service! It's excellent quality diner grub. But I can't tell you about different dishes because guess what? I order the same thing all the time! I order a mushroom cheeseburger with bacon. It comes with french fries. This is one of my favorite burgers to eat. I ate lunch here yesterday by myself and everyone all wondered where Scott was. When he comes by himself, they ask about me. I do love that about the service. I think it's important to treat your regular customers well. So back to my burger. I was out from work for a month so I hadn't had Peter's for a while. When I dug into that bacon mushroom cheeseburger, my taste buds wanted to jump for joy. It tasted so good. And I really love that they make the bacon crispy here. The french fries were fresh and crunchy! So why the 3 stars you ask? Well, it's solid diner food. It's not spectacular but it's a great place to eat for lunch. I'm not going to tell you that it's the best burger I've ever had. It's not. But it is a burger I can eat every week. And there have been times when Scott and I have come here on a weekly basis. He always orders the same thing too...almost. It's either the club sandwich on wheat or the Monte Cristo. No fries (he eats mine!) because he opts for the salad (I eat the cucumber :-) Definitely give Peter's a shot if you're looking for simple diner grub like sandwiches and burgers. Did I mention free refills on sodas? That's a plus too! read more

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Its a large bright restaurant on the corner of a busy intersection. My ride was going to be late, so I settled in for dinner after a very short walk from the Caltrain station. It looks a bit outdated (retro would be inaccurate), but it was pretty clean, the service was polite and I got my food fairly quickly. I was surprised by the prices though. Most of the items were moderately expensive for your basic diner food, I would have much preferred smaller portions and less expensive dishes. I scanned for something reasonable and I decided on the locomoco - a hamburger patty and eggs with gravy over rice which came with a side of pancakes or toast all for about $10 + tax. This was actually a pretty decent value and of course I went with the pancakes because... c'mon, toast vs. pancakes? The verdict? The food was a bit disappointing. The pancakes were off and the food was bland, needed some salt and I was forced to add hot sauce. I might come back to try something else but I'm not sure it would be worth it. Is it cheaper for brunch? 3 stars. read more

Peter's Cafe - Locomoco with pancakes because might as well. - American Near Me - Millbrae, California

Solid diner fare. I want to try the German pancakes but you have to order ahead. Difficult to get into the parking lot from El Camino southbound (make a U turn at Murchison, not Millbrae). read more

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At Peter's, it's all about the service. We tried this place again recently to give it another go. The last time, we were having issues with the mediocrity of the food. This time, we weren't really shooting for anything amazing to eat--grilled cheese with fries would do just fine. Well, I still think that the food is in the so-so to decent range (which worked out just fine for our moods at the time), but the service that we got there was just primo. Our waitress was very attentive and always ready to help. Look, if you are just interested in plain old comfort food without any pretention of high-class, fancy, or hoity toity, the ladies at Peter's will serve it up real friendly. Yeah, I'll go back to Peter's in the future. For what it is, four stars--they won me over. If you like the food better than we did, then you'll have an even better experience. read more

Peter's Cafe - American Near Me - Millbrae, California

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Peter's Cafe is a wonderful, older diner with great breakfast options, for me to slather on to my hips. Yum ...I love diners Here's my compiled list of positive dining at Peter's Cafe: * The poached eggs were the best poached eggs I have ever had, the whites were not runny at all * The pancakes were fluffy and made better with real butter (wish the syrup was real too). * My hash browns were very crispy brown, just like I like them * The coffee was freshly made and not too dark in its own little carafe (I wish they used real milk on the table though) * My dining partners had the homemade sausage patty and said it was perfectly spiced * The gravy served with the biscuits in gravy may have been the best they have ever eaten, ever! It was a tawny brown color and full of sausage * The Peter's Scramble with beef, green onions and spinach was a winner at my table too A big step up from IHOP, Denny's or Carrow's - I would defiantly come back. I only wish I live a bit closer!!! Also the pies looked really good (maybe next time). read more

I just love the fact this place is compared to everyone's favorite like Denny's or Sonic. Back home here in Southern California, this place totally reminds me of Norm's. While getting off the airport and wanting to get something to eat, I was starving for some good grub. I was hoping to go Butterfly Bistro at San Bruno, but I just didn't know that people who lived in the Bay area goes to sleep early. Apparently Butterfly Bistro closed at 10pm while my flight barely made it off the airport at 9:30pm. So it was out of the question and we looked for the next place to grub. Millbrae is a neighboring city next to the airport. One of the suggestion I was able to find that opens very late at night was Peter's Cafe. Based on suggestions, this was the place to look for their famous Blueberry pancake: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/wRqF0xMhPES9sHxN7OHRXw?select=tkOH0SzkaqqcK68dwqdI2g . Going into this quiet city that always sleep by 10pm was a lovely city called Millbrae. Very close to a Muni Station was this nondescript old fashioned diner that probably need some remodeling and updating. The place does have some charms and relics from the past like this antique payphone that you can't find it anymore since the 70's http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/wRqF0xMhPES9sHxN7OHRXw?select=weTaiaMrXz7SeYwc_Q2yyw . There are plenty of plush booth seats to be around. The one catch you will noticed was the fact that this is only place close by that will opened late will attract all types of youngsters and old vets alike. It will get very crowded and busy at night. The parking lot can be a zoo, but there are other empty lots behind the restaurant's parking lot. They listed the specials on a chalkboard near the entrance/exit at the front. One of my friend decided he wanted to test out their Tender Beef ribs with corn & fries http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/wRqF0xMhPES9sHxN7OHRXw?select=anbzMYaTtA7X-RlhnEHg6g . I could tell he enjoyed it, but the meat was too well done for his taste. Beside the blueberry pancake which I must ordered because of the specialty, I myself took the liberty of adding on a sausage with egg and hash browns http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/wRqF0xMhPES9sHxN7OHRXw?select=iudQIEPgJ8lKOv5jt_TlyQ . This portion of the meal was a lot better than I thought. The blueberry pancake was OK. Not really any spectacular or extraordinary. Then again, what can you expect in a diner? The service was actually pretty good throughout the night and was very friendly. It was a bit slow going because of the wait for the table, but after a 10 minutes wait (yeah, it was busy and crowded at this place past 10pm), it was smooth sailing from there. The price of their dinner menu would almost be same as you can get at most diners. Not really to break the bank, but still at a reasonable price to satisfy your hunger at late night. Trust me, we try to look for places to eat at late night and Peter's cafe was the only one opened near the airport. We could have gone to some Mexican restaurants at San Mateo, but no one wants that. Truth to be told, I didn't realized that this place was consider somewhat of local landmark. Not legendary status like Canter's in West Hollywood, but the fact it had opened for many decades and was the place to be to get some grubs. I don't think I would go here for lunch or dinner as my first option. With that being said, it is a good option for late night run after your long flights or your late night clubbing. Hehehehehe...yeah I was kidding about the last part since this town practically close down at 10pm. read more

I really enjoy peters cafe. Great old school diner that has everything you could want. I only come for breakfast though they do offer all courses. All breakfast options come with your choice of 2 pancakes or toast which I love. I always get the pancakes! Food is quality and service if really good! read more

This place is old, brown, and cavernous. It's debatably better than a Denny's or Lyon's. There is only one thing that excites me here. The German Baby. Now maybe this may be old news to others, but I had never heard of such a thing when I ended up here late one weekday morning for breakfast. I like pancakes and waffles and french toast, so the description of this item sounded good. I was even more intrigued when I noted the 30 minute wait. But really, it was the name that made ordering irrisistable. "I would like to eat a german baby" for breakfast." I had to have it. Now my waitress confirmed my willingness to wait for the german baby and made sure my boyfriend's omelette would be ready at the same time, but in retrospect it would have been a great time to mention "by the way, your breakfast should be plenty for a party of four, so don't go filling up on coffee." but she did not. and i sucked down several cups over the next half hour. When it finally arrived, it was bigger than I could ever have imagined. It brought to mind that scene in The Great Outdoors where John Candy is trying to ingest an obscenely large piece of beef in order to win a t-shirt and a free meal. The german baby was big enough to warrant a wall of recognition to those who could finish it. Still staring at the plate before me, I asked the waitress if people really managed to finish these. She assured me that not only did the rare guest finish them, but some customers called ahead to order them and did so weekly! Who are these people and why have I not dined with them? When I finally had come to terms with the size of my meal, I decided I'd better dig in. Butter and powedered sugar were served as condiments for the beast. The butter, to put this into perspective, was a mound that rivaled my coffee mug in size. I kid you not. The powdered sugar, unable to form a mound, was divided into multiple large paper souffle cups. German baby was no joke. In the end, I was painfully full and it turned out to be a tasty breakfast. It was denser dough than I'd expected, but also full of apples and cinnamon and tons butter and sugar and flour. I ate til I could eat no more and I'd barely made a dent in my meal. I took a to go box which it nearly overflowed. Although my boyfriend and I took a nice walk after breakfast to digest, the 20% of my german baby that I was able to consume sat in my belly not unlike a real pregnancy. And let me tell you folks, it was with great relief that I was able to pawn off the remainder of this doughy infant on a group of friends so as not to have to face it again myself. But still, I would go back just to see someone put one away. read more

Peter's Cafe - leftover german baby in a large to-go box. - American Near Me - Millbrae, California

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Good food, I had the chicken fried steak sandwich. server, Annie was a doll and extremely nice. She turned around what started as a bad experience. I will return next time I'm in Millbrae. read more

Peter's Cafe - Chicken Fried Steak Sandwich - American Near Me - Millbrae, California