The service was amazing! Because you order at the counter various people wait on you. We could ask anybody for anything and they brought it right away. The food was delicious! I would recommend the nectarine pancakes. They were absolutely delicious! We ordered three different things being a party of three and shared. At the end of the meal, we asked for coffee and iced tea to go and they quickly fulfilled our request. I would definitely recommend and will go back again. read more

Since our flight home wasn't until the afternoon and we had to check out of our hotel by 11 AM, we decided to enjoy a leisurely breakfast here first. I'd found this restaurant on Yelp and convinced the others to join me in checking it out. It's a relaxed spot where you order at the register, receive a number, and then find your own seat. I usually feel rushed making menu choices when there's a line behind me, but this time, we were the only ones waiting, and the kids quickly decided on their breakfasts. Finding a table for four was effortless. The cashier was neutral--neither especially friendly nor rude, simply efficient at her job. My man really enjoyed his coffee, and I liked mine too, though I can't quite remember which kind of latte I ordered. We shared a Salmon Eggs Benedict--a perfect combination of poached egg, creamy hollandaise, and smoked lox. Delicious! My daughter ordered the kids' pancake with egg and bacon and said it was good. My partner's daughter opted for a huge breakfast burrito with chorizo--she liked it, but couldn't finish the generous portion. It was the perfect way to enjoy our final breakfast in Irvine. read more

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My bf and I came at 10 on a Saturday and didn't have to wait long. Ordering was a bit chaotic though since you need to order before getting seated. We felt rushed to make a decision but appreciated that they at least controlled the line to ensure there was a seat ready before letting us in to order - just wish they made it more clear somewhere. Plenty of parking, decent service although busy, would be back to try more of their options. This time around we ordered: - Breakfast Burrito (4/5): huge portion for price, loved the flavors and how cheesy this was; wish the salsa did a better job at adding spice and cutting through the heaviness of the dish but the pico de Gallo in the burrito helped with that - Fried chicken sandwich (4/5): Pretty sizable and filling sandwich. Chicken is fried well and juicy. While there was slaw in the sandwich to add some extra tang it should have been complemented with a sauce to make it a little less dry. Got this with fruit on the side which helped balance out the sandwich. read more

Poached Kitchen - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Irvine, California

+ The Huevos Rancheros was deeelectable. - However, portion size was small; - A lil exorbitant. This $19 meal left me famished still. - Their software teased a 20%-off offer before actually granting it. Maybe you can manage to redeem it in time for your 1st order. - Confusing online ordering platform. The Huevos Rancheros ingredient list includes hashbrowns. Turns out it's one of the side options, not readily included in the main entree. It seems that by choosing fruit, the hashbrowns were excluded from the meal. :/ . A bit crowded, both seating and parking. + Polite, efficient, helpful service. + Pleasant ambience. - Burrito was a bit bland and dry. Needed plenty sauce & drink to flush it down bite by bite. + Also crunchy and yummy though. I had: $17 breakfast burrito + $19 huevos rancheros + a whopping 12.75% tax&fees = $40.59 read more

Poached Kitchen - The entree's list of ingredients mentions hashbrowns, but my meal didn't have it :( - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Irvine, California

Wow! What beautiful plates of food and amazing taste. Came here for breakfast today and what a great experience. We ordered a cappuccino, salmon toast and lemon blueberry ricotta pancakes. The plates themselves are beautifully made. Vibrant colors and delicious flavors. Everything we saw being served looked amazing. The staff is super friendly and helpful. Food was served quickly and hot. Not one thing was wrong or missing. Everything very clean and super clean restrooms. Highly recommend this location. A highlight to our morning. read more

Poached Kitchen - Lemon blueberry ricotta pancakes- amazing - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Irvine, California

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Had such a nice breakfast at Poached Kitchen in Irvine with my aunt! I ordered the fried green tomato BLTA with a side salad, and it was fantastic. Fair warning though -- I got a little too excited and bit into it too early, and it definitely burned my mouth, so give it a minute to cool down! Totally worth the wait. I chose the side salad because fries or fruit in the morning probably would have put me straight to sleep during my drive up to Palmdale for a client meeting, and it ended up being the perfect choice. My aunt ordered the breakfast burrito, and it was rightfully massive -- definitely a hearty breakfast. The service was quick and efficient. It's the kind of place where you order at the counter, get a number, and they bring the food to your table, which made everything easy. I can imagine they get really busy on weekends. Best part? I loved my sandwich so much that I happily ate the second half for lunch later. Definitely a spot I'd come back to! read more

Poached Kitchen - Fried green tomato BLTA - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Irvine, California

This is a great spot! We were welcomed right when we walked in. The place is nice and bright with big windows, high ceilings and open seating. You order your food and then find your seat. There were so many yummy sounding items that it was tough to decide what to order. I'm not a traditional pancake person but they had a tropical one that sounded amazing. And I really want to try their chicken sandwich and breakfast burritos. I ended up getting the churro waffles with a side of the mango that went on those tropical pancakes and it was so dang good! We also ordered Birria Short Rib Eggs Benedict - with perfectly flavored meat and the best poached eggs on top, a macadamia nut milk latte - loved it so much, and a delicious Bloody Mary. The service was great, the place is nice, neat, and clean throughout, and we can't wait to go back and try more of their menu! read more

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Pleasantly surprised by this place! What made it awesome were the employees. They were nice and you could tell they worked well together. They each seemed to have their main assigned job but when one area needed more reinforcement, anyone was seen to jump in and help. The place was crowded but the food came out quick. Watching their efficiency actually made me happy Everything tasted fresh and everyone in our party finished their meals. My only gripe were their hash browns. They are much too thick and soft in the middle for my personal preference. Otherwise, everything was delicious and the strawberry matcha was on point. read more

Need a place for breakfast in an infrequently travelled area. So onto Yelp and found this gem. Decent sized place, indoor & outdoor seating & busy. Always a good sign. Lotsa parking & wait wasn't too long - prob helped we weren't picky about seating location. Name called, in line to order and told where to sit. Surprisingly food came quickly despite the large numbers of diners. For me the Mango Curd French Toast. 2 slices of Texas toast, well battered & smothered in mango curd sauce & fresh fruit accompanied with maple syrup. Excellent taste. For my companion the Short Rib Omelet - onion, peppers, mushrooms & tomatoes mixed with the rib and gravy. Meat was tender, but lacking salt it was still delicious. Huge recommendation for this one! read more

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We got there around 10 AM on Saturday and waited about 30 minutes to get a table. All the staff were friendly. You need to order at the register first, then they will assign you a table. I was happy to see they have a fun seasonal menu, like the mango French toast. I opted for something healthy and ordered the Asian salad with avocado. My group ordered the chilaquiles and the Benedicts. The food was delicious, and I enjoyed my mocha with oat milk. One note: we sat on their patio, and the fence was covered in spider webs. The tables are placed right next to it, so eating beside spider webs was very uncomfortable, to say the least. At one point, a spider even climbed onto my friend's pants. I hope management does better at cleaning their patio. read more

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I've been here a couple of times and I enjoyed their chicken and waffles. It's the perfect sweet and savory item. We tried a couple of other dishes but they were okay definitely nothing special. Parking can be a little tight at times but I like this little shopping center. read more

​The system here is a little unconventional. You have to order before you sit down. Since it was my first visit and I hadn't seen the menu yet, I felt a bit rushed. ​That said, the food definitely beats the competition. We got the Birria Benedict and the breakfast burrito, and both were great. The Birria was a little on the salty side, but that didn't stop me. Also, the latte was fantastic. ​It's worth the stop, just do yourself a favor and look at the menu before they let you in the building! read more

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I was in the mood for a basic breakfast as in eggs, bacon, and potatoes and some pancakes and this place definitely delivered!! Eggs were cooked perfectly, bacon nice and crispy and the potatoes were delicious! A pretty good size portion too, we shard this dish and the ricotta pancakes are a must have you get 3 with an order they are so fluffy and the generous scoop of ricotta topping on top was the chefs kiss!! Service was stellar, everyone was super kind and the tables were cleaned quickly and efficiently. They have so many items on their menu I will definitely be back!! read more

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There was a bit of a wait, and you need to stand in line to order at the register before they assign you a table. Once seated, the food was excellent. The quality was noticeably better than both Snooze and Stacks. We shared the classic waffle, which was perfectly crispy and stayed that way without getting soggy. We also tried the classic pancakes and a breakfast burrito, both were delicious. Overall, the food is fantastic and sits right in between Snooze and Stacks in terms of price, but arguably edges both in taste. read more

This is a counter to table service restaurant where you order first, get a table number, and they deliver your food. There was only one register but once the line got long, another person came to take our order which was nice. My husband and I shared our meals (I liked my order better haha) but I got the Fried Green Tomato BTLA because I was craving a sandwich. I love the idea of fried green tomato on a sandwich! It was a pretty filling sandwich and came with fries as well so I was really full after eating this. It's a seasonal item for their spring 2026, super delicious! It comes on a sourdough bread with remoulade sauce, lettuce, fried green tomato, bacon, avocado. My husband got the chicken a waffles. What we really enjoyed about this dish was the fact that the chicken was not greasy! Waffles were okay, not soft but more on the crispier side. But besides that it was tasty especially with the pork gravy. My husband also got an iced matcha half sweet, I'm not sure if half sweet ment less matcha but I did not like it at all. I think it's because he ordered it with matcha with oat milk but it just tasted like oatmilk and ice... but my husband still drank it all, I would probably try a coffee/espresso drink next time! Although it was crowded there were a lot of seats indoors and outdoors! We sat outside which was really nice, they were umbrellas but the sun felt good too. Nice place to have breakfast! read more

Poached Kitchen - Chicken & Waffles - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Irvine, California

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This has to be my FAV breakfast spot. Steak and eggs is just absolutely tasty. They make great cappuccinos as well. There's usually a line but definitely worth the wait. read more

Poached Kitchen - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Irvine, California

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Wow just wow. Our food came in under 5 minutes after ordering , Breakfast was spectacular. Lovely server. Will be returning read more

This place is always packed on weekend mornings--there's almost always a line. We were lucky to grab a corner bar seat after about a 15-minute wait. I ordered the Chicken and Waffles, and both came out perfectly crispy. Not many spots manage to get waffles truly crunchy, so that was a big plus. I chose the cinnamon sugar waffle thinking the flavor would be baked into the waffle itself, but it actually came from the butter, which felt a little odd--basically an extra dollar just for flavored butter. Was happy that they have Lavender Latte. It was delicious. Overall the experience was nice. The space is modern and roomy, and I like the setup where you order at the counter and they bring the food to you--definitely my kind of spot. read more

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I got their short rib omelette and it was pretty good! I'm usually very particular about omelette because many that I have tried they put too much oil and the egg becomes hard and greasy. However, their omelette was very soft and fluffy. The short rib inside was also very tender. I would definitely come back for this dish. The hash browns was ok. A bit plain but they have salt on the side for you to add. The service was fast. Waited about 10 min. Getting a seat took a bit longer, maybe 30 min. The inside was pretty casual. There's seats inside and outside. Parking was easy to find since it's at a big plaza. read more

Poached Kitchen - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Irvine, California

Great brunch spot. They are open till 2pm. The smash burger patty was not really "smashed" and the outside crust wasn't very crispy. But the flavor of the burger was great, juicy. The Dubai chocolate waffle was great! Wish there was a bit more pistachio flavor, didn't think it needed the extra syrup. Otherwise solid spot, the servers were a bit rude but overall great place. read more

Poached Kitchen - Smashed burger - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Irvine, California

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I went to this restaurant with my friend. It was within an hour until their closing time. I ordered Smoked salmon Benedict, but the flavor was kind of weird. I usually order smoked salmon Benedict when I go have breakfast, and I must say this restaurant' was the worst. We wanted to use the booth,but they were about to close so we couldn't. And I guess they were in a hurry to close the restaurant, the weighted started cleaning behind us. They were dumping bunch of the left over foods and dirty dishes. They don't care about their customers who were still eating. Why did we have to keep looking at the dirty cleaning scene when we ate??? And i requested the waiter a cup.of coffee to go, but he looked kind of annyed. I will never go back to this restaurant. I really regretted I spend 15% tip for this nasty circumstance. (I had to pay it when ordered food.) read more

Decent brunch spot in Irvine. I feel brunch spots are less common these days so appreciate it being here. Great food and drink options and they were good quality. Not super memorable and didn't feel worth the price. Was overly crowded the day I went, wasn't a huge fan of their ordering/seating system. read more

Came in mid afternoon on a weekday and it was pretty empty. We usually only have time to come on weekends for brunch when there is a line so it was nice to walk in, order, and get seated quickly. We tried the seasonal dubai chocolate waffle that they said was popular. We thought it would be too sweet but it was actuay not overly sweet and the waffle was nice and light, the strawberries gave it a refreshing balance with the dubai flavoring. We also got a standard breakfast burrito which was pretty solid with the potatoes inside along with the eggs and meat. Love coming here for a standard breakfast and will continue to come back. read more

Poached Kitchen - Breakfast burrito - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Irvine, California

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Even though the line was long when we got there, the wait actually wasn't bad at all! The staff has a super-efficient way of handling the crowd, you order and pay first, then get seated once your table is ready. We ended up sitting at the bar, which turned out to be perfect because you can see the kitchen line working non-stop and the servers hustling around getting food out. I ordered the Chilaquiles with a Matcha Latte, and both were really good! My boyfriend went for the Birria Benedict with a Vanilla Latte, and everything came out fresh and flavorful. We also ordered the fresh-squeezed orange juice, and OMG probably the best OJ I've ever had! So bright, sweet, and refreshing. My only minor complaint -- I asked one of the staff behind the bar for a serrano pepper on the side, and she said it would be $4 extra. I've never been charged for a pepper anywhere, so that threw me off a bit. But aside from that, everything else about our experience was positive. Great food, great energy, and an impressively well-run brunch restaurant despite how busy it gets. Would definitely come back again, maybe just skip the extra pepper next time. read more

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Everyone in the family loves coming here for brunch. Food is amazing. Service is great. Crystal makes the best lattes. We especially love the salmon benedict, breakfast burrito, and french toast. read more

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The line may be long regardless of when you come through, but they've got the efficiency of In-N-Out and will get you seated and served promptly. People crowd this place for the fresh ingredients and solid assortment of food. I've only been here twice, but each time, I request the Vietnamese Latte (so damn good!). To be honest, the house coffee didn't hit the spot for me, but the Vietnamese Latte paired with the Classic Waffles will not leave you disappointed. The waffle is topped with vanilla whip and the freshest strawberries & blueberries. I've also ordered/sampled the Steak & Eggs, Chilaquiles, and Birria Benedict. I'm eager to return in the future to try other plates. Just as a heads up, no cash and only credit cards over here! This would be a sweet spot to bring family & friends to because there's such a selection of delicious and filling options for all. read more

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Very fresh and taste good all menu. Parking is sometimes hard. but usually okay. Portion of the foods are good. not too small, not too big. Price is little bit high, but you are in Irvine lol. over all, I love this place and I go once or twice a month, read more

Came by this place in a whim. The food here is pretty unique and good. We got the short rib omelette and the huevos ranchero and a fresh squeeze orange juice. The ambiance is kind of like quick service, you order in the front and they bring it to you. The service is pretty decent. My short rib omelette I fee lacked flavor in the egg, it was bland. The rib meat was shredded and soft, almost gave me a birria type texture. The hashbrowns were pretty good. 4.6/5 The huevos ranchero was gas. It was so good and packed with flavor. 5/5. The orange juice, for the price it's worth, I was pissed it was in a small cup. I expected it to be at least a big cup, but I get it. It's fresh squeezed. However it was good, but not worth the price. 3.6/5. Overall had a pretty good experience. read more

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Cute little spot, card only, it is one of those restaurants you order and pay first, then sit afterwards and they bring the food to you. Plenty of parking spaces, the staff were great! My husband and I ordered different plates, and the meal had tons of flavors. We got the Huevos Rancheros and Short ribs omelette. read more

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They weren't mean and the staff was nice but the food is not good. Maybe I went on an off day for the kitchen. Idk but there are much better brunch spots. The food tasted like the ingredients had been stored uncovered in the fridge/freezer, especially the hashbrowns and the smoked salmon. I'm glad the food was kept at good temperatures, but part of that regulation is also for the ingredients to be stored covered to prevent cross contamination. These were not. The potatoes used for the hashbrowns absorbed the flavors of everything else in the fridge/freezer and were gross. The matcha latte was very bad and watery, which shocked me considering this was served in Irvine. Where considerably better matcha can be found in the same plaza at cheesetella. Oh also, the chairs are pretty filthy and would benefit from being wiped with a Clorox or a damp cloth. Overall I can't recommend this place. read more

I am back again! And this time everything was great! I got to try the Brunch Burrito and the Pumpkin Pear Crème French Toast. Not too busy on a weekday, so it's perfect for ordering via their app and picking up. They make the coffee on the spot when you arrive so it's fresh and hot. The vibes cute and I love the inside aesthetic, yellow makes me happy. The Brunch Burrito has a crispy outer layer which is a plus and inside has the following; House Braised Beef Short Rib, Scrambled Eggs, Sautéed Onions, hash browns, Sour Cream, Tomatillo Salsa, Wrapped in a Flour Tortilla I would say it has a subtle flavor and not strong kick which it depends on the persons taste buds The Pumpkin & Pear Creme French Toast contains; French Toast, Pumpkin Glaze, Banana, Honey Poached Pears, Pumpkin Whipped Cream, Candied Pecans, Powdered Sugar, Mint Garnish It was really good and would love to have it again in the next fall season! Definitely has the pumpkin flavor met with sweetness from the fruit and syrup. I really love it! You can find this all on their app under their seasonal tab. read more

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Ambiance isn't anything special. Ceiling looks like grandmas attic. Acoustics are horrible. Maybe some sound sheets up top would help everyone from having to overly produce vocal sounds. Little miss hostess is a real charmer . Her attitude is trash. Y'all need to figure out your protocols for seating and have it fully displayed. The junk we went through to get in the door was an absolute joke! Check in here but the line is over there. Oh wait you can't go inside. This isn't some 5star high security building. Food isn't too shabby which is a shocker considering the nonsense they put you through to sit down. No tip if I have to stand up to order my food. read more

Place super cute, menu options amazing. Gentleman who took our order might have been a manager also great customer service. Host at the front sitting people should be someone else. She didn't say hello, she wasn't smiling and looked annoyed and unhappy. That person is very important and she was also rude to the people before us. read more

Poached Kitchen - Chilaquiles, blueberry pancakes and huevos rancheros - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Irvine, California

The food taken to go does not do the food justice! This is and will always be my go to spot for great breakfast. Everytime you come here expect to be waiting awhile for it's always crowded to the point that the line to just get in be long as heck ! Hints the reason I haven't got a chance to dine in at this place but most of the time it's always take out which don't get me wrong it's amazing ! Probably even better if you eat here in person to get the full experience. The ambiance is always lively and full of customers that's either enjoying their meal or very eager to sit down to eat their favorite meal. The service is nice too the workers here are very kind and helpful . Thank you Poached Kitchen for always making amazing meals . I hope to one day dine in but for now lol take outs will have to do . read more

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Excellent food, quick service, pleasant atmosphere. Appreciate fine organization with assigning seating and that you order at the counter before sitting. This helps keep the wait time down without a reservation system. We went on both a Saturday and a Sunday morning, with very minimal wait time. Food was made correctly and ingredients were fresh and tasty. Excellent fresh squeezed OJ and vanilla latte. Perfect menu size providing lots of options without being overwhelming. I'd definitely eat here again. I plan to try other locations as well. read more

Came early Sunday morning around 8am and there wasnt as long of a line yet until 9-10am. You order at the counter and they will give you number and deliver food to your table. Service is efficient and I enjoyed my short ribs benedict and the hasbrowns were spectacular. Great brunch spot. Matcha latte sweetness was just right also. read more

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I guess breakfast starts at 7:30am in Irvine. I was in the area looking for a quick breakfast spot and Poached came highly recommended. There were a lot of people here considering it was that early, but the service is fast. You order at the counter and sit anywhere you please. I got the classic waffles which came with a hefty unhealthy scoop of whipped butter and berries. The waffles were good, but not $22 good. Pros include plenty of parking, good amount of seating, and menu variety. Solid breakfast spot if you're in passing, but not a place I'd crave coming back to. read more

Poached Kitchen - classic waffles - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Irvine, California

food is fine but service was poor. i asked for togo boxes, pointing to my maple syrup and jam too. the guy came out w just the boxes, but no small containers or bags for my multiple boxes. i said could you get me those too. he looked annoyed and said "anything else you need?!" there's literally only two other tables on a weekday in the whole restaurant so it wasn't busy. i did not expect the aggression for something that should've just been a given if im asking for boxes for 2 meals including syrup. i don't like the system they require of tipping at the front before the meal has even come out yet read more

Ok we gave it another try after an almost 2 year hiatus. They're back to being good again. I guess they just had an off day the last time I was here. My only complaint now is that the chicken tenders (that come with the waffles) were overcooked and tough. I almost wonder if they were previously cooked and then reheated. The waffles are your big standard variety, not the little specialized ones like they used to be years ago. Nevertheless the potatoes are back to been tasty and buttery. And the pancakes are back to being nice and light. read more

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I came to this Poached Kitchen location around 8:30am on a Saturday. There was no line and plenty of tables inside and outside. How it works is you order at the front, get a number, pick a table to sit, and they serve the food to your table. I tried 2 things. The Salmon Benedict is a must - the smoked salmon paired nicely with the runny egg, dill, and muffin. The Huevos Rancheros had good flavor and texture. Both came with a side of choice, and I choose the hash browns. Portions are generous. Prices aren't cheap, but it's reasonable given the quality and size. The staff is very friendly there, kept the place clean and cleared out empty plates. They have large bottles of water per table which can be refilled. Overall, the service and food is great. I'd love to come back for the salmon Benedict. read more

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