Excellent food and service! So glad I found this place! I go down to Irvine a few times a month. Definitely coming back! You order at the counter and they reserve you a table. Lots of indoor and outdoor seating but it gets packed. After that your drinks and food are brought to the table. Coffee drinks were great! I had a Lavendar Latte. Food was very tasty. My son and I shared the Lemon Ricotta Pancakes, so good, and Chicken & Waffles. Both were excellent picks! Ricotta Pancakes should be light, and these were! Can not wait to have them again! My husband ordered the Classic Breakfast, his usual, but sampled from our dishes as well. Parking was easy, in a shopping center with several different lots. read more

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This is a great fast casual brunch spot. You will order at the front and then they'll find a table for you. The staff is super friendly, too. I ordered the house Benedict with fruit on the side, which was very delicious! And, the portion was a good size. Not pictured in my review is an omelette from someone else in my party, but in case you order the omelette, just know you get A LOT. So, it's worth the price! The service is pretty quick as I think we only waited about 10 minutes. They've got a decent space with a lot of tables and heaters outside. Theres also a lot of parking as it's located in a shopping center. Overall, they do a great job and I would recommend trying this place out when you get the brunch craving. read more

Poached Kitchen - Jasmine Green Tea - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Irvine, California

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We ordered the chilaquiles verde, chicken and waffles, and yogurt. I've been wanting to try this place for the longest time but so glad I did. The food was delicious. My favorite was the chicken and waffles. The chicken, waffles, and syrup went so well together and I'm currently salivating as I write this. There was a long line when we went for brunch but I think it's worth the wait. They have a lot of seats available but it may take some time to get seated. I'll definitely be back! read more

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Delicious Sunday brunch! Even though they were busy, the service was quick, warm, and very attentive. The staff was genuinely nice and welcoming. Great food and great experience highly recommend! read more

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I never knew this place existed but I have this friend who had her heart set on it for a while. We were hanging in the area and took the opportunity. It's in a nice shopping complex, clean restaurant, very friendly staff - quite a decent welcoming all around. She got the salmon benedict with a matcha drink, and I got the classic chicken and waffle plate with water. She was very pleased with her salmon plate but not so much the beverage. From her mouth: "the look was there but the flavor was sadly missing." I was pretty happy with my chicken and waffle plate, although it was absolutely nothing special and likely not worth paying the premium price. This chain has a pretty heavy crowd of followers. Our first visit certainly has us feeling out a second. I vote that all customers explore the menu beyond the basics. read more

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Brunch is in and so is Poached Kitchen! Chicken and Waffles: 4/5 The waffles were perfectly crispy and generously dusted with powdered sugar. The pork gravy added a savory touch and was a great dip for the chicken. I do wish the chicken breading held together better since some pieces fell apart easily. A little more syrup would have also helped balance the dish. Service: 4/5 Poached Kitchen uses a casual ordering system where you order at the front and seat yourself. There isn't a designated server for your table, so you'll need to flag someone down if you need water or utensils. The staff was still attentive and cleaned tables regularly. Ambiance: 5/5 The space was bright and welcoming with both indoor and outdoor seating. The decor and natural light made it feel like the perfect brunch spot. Overall: Poached Kitchen offers a diverse menu, quality food, and a super cute vibe. The food came out hot and quickly, which is always a plus. It's a great place to catch up with friends over brunch or lunch. I just wish the portion sizes and plate balance were a bit better. Plenty of parking. read more

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

We came in on a Saturday morning around 10AM and it took about 10 minutes before we came in. You first have to order your food and then they will give you a table number to sit at. The interior felt a bit crowded in their seating and they even had outdoor seating. We ordered the house Benedict, ube pancakes, and Machaca scramble. I was really excited for the ube pancakes but it was really just an ube "frosting" on top of regular pancakes and it didn't have much flavor. The Machaca scramble was really good after seasoning it myself and adding hot sauce and overall filling. I think the food did lack seasoning and my disappointment in the pancakes did bring my rating down. read more

Poached Kitchen - Top: House Benedict with hashbrown Middle: Ube pancake Bottom: Machaca Scramble with hasbtown - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Irvine, California

As typical of any brunch place in SoCal, the line is going to be long on a Sunday morning, but I feel that Poached did a good job turnout tables and getting people seated. With that said, they really do enforce the 90 minute dining period and will let you know to leave. I don't want to make it sound like they were being aggressive about it, but I get it. What I did not appreciate is that they charged automatic gratuity to my check for only 2 people. Although not illegal and could be charged as a service fee, I don't appreciate not giving what I felt was appropriate for tipping. I ordered the Brunch Burrito which consisted of short rib meat, eggs, and other signature breakfast burrito ingredients. The short rib meat was pretty bland with lack of seasoning or sauce. You would really need some type of sauce for the whole burrito to enjoy it. It's a decent establishment overall, but be prepared with the things that I listed. read more

Food was great. It was busy but gotten taken care of. The first visit i was there during the week and the service was great but the second time with my Husband, it was crazy busy. I had to ask fir my own water and felt kinda forgotten after. read more

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This is a decent breakfast spot with a cute, comfortable interior and nice outdoor seating. The service model is odd: you order and tip before you sit, but then the service ends. They bring the food, but you'll have to flag someone down if you need anything, as they don't check in. I had the Classic Breakfast. The bacon was the best part, and the freshly squeezed orange juice was a highlight. However, the cold brew had a weird aftertaste (heads up if you like sweet coffee!), and the hash browns were a big miss--they tasted like fried mashed potatoes. Overall, it was just okay. I wouldn't suggest it, but I'd tag along if friends wanted to go. read more

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Met up with family from out of town before going shopping. The blueberry pancakes were amazing! Will definitely be back. read more

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"Dang, does anyone in Orange County work?" Was one of the first few things that came to mind when I arrived at this establishment on a weekday morning, shortly after landing in OC for a quick getaway. It wasn't even close to like leisurely brunch time (though when is brunch never leisurely), it was like 8am-9am, and the place was packed, and line out the door. Like IHOP packed, but not everyone was tourists or just locals who don't know any better. 8am-9am that's me barely making it through the door, struggling hard to just order my usual at Philz Coffee, 8am-9am at Poached Kitchen almost everyone was gussied up VSCO style and already maxed out their phone storage from taking so many selfies (am I projecting, maybe, but I don't wear VSCO). I never knew this place existed, nor was I originally planning on checking it out. It was just the only thing opened the time I arrived in town that was nearby. The food was ok. Vibes were good. I guess I had too many Crepevines or breakfast places like this back home that I wasn't really wow-ed or super impressed. It's definitely a good place if you want to eat at a bustling restaurant, and food seems to be well plated. This place doesn't serve Splenda, or any kind of alternative sweetener that doesn't have a weird after taste towards the end (looking at you, Stevia). Read the peer edited medical studies on sweeteners again. I am a firm believer in science, just because it's "natural" doesn't mean it's better. Also the onus isn't on you to make that health determination, I mean y'all are serving alcohol which wrecks our kidneys, pancreas, slows brain function, and much more. Not sure what a little sweetener that doesn't suck and has a 0 glycemic index could do in that regard. read more

Poached Kitchen - Avocado Toast ($15, pretty good and filling) - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Irvine, California

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Food was great, service terrific clean restaurant but on the pricey side compared to others in Irvine!

THIS PLACE WAS AMAZING! Super quick service and lots of available seating. I love how casual this brunch place is. You order at the front and they bring it out. The breakfast burrito is packed with eggs, cheese, potatoes, and bacon. The salsa pairs perfectly with the burrito. The blueberry lemon ricotta pancakes are absolutely heaven. Three fluffy pancakes are stacked on top of each other. I love the blueberry compote on top and the whipped cream. I would definitely recommend trying this place! read more

Poached Kitchen - Blueberry Lemon Ricotta Pancakes and Breakfast Burrito - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Irvine, California

Great food. Fresh and good. I love the breakfast burrito, waffle, and pancake. Service: great service and attentive. Ambiance: modern and clean. read more

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The service and ambiance were both fine on Memorial Day for an early brunch but I have to say the food was super mediocre. My Chicken Al Pastor Melt was bland and soggy. The chicken was sparse and tasted like tandoori chicken instead of anything like Al pastor. The side salad didn't have any topping other than dressing. The hibiscus ice tea didn't have tea in it that I could taste and seemed like just a mix. My friend wasn't a fan of her salmon Benedict and said the lavender latte tasted like fake syrup and didn't drink it. Don't understand how there is such a long line outside... read more

Poached Kitchen - Chicken Al Pastor Melt (w salad instead of fries) - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Irvine, California

Looking for a brunch spot in the Irvine area and came across Poached Kitchen during my search. There was a long line outside but it moved along pretty good. You order at the counter and are given a table number which you sit down at. It was our first time and we asked for a couple recommendations and the girl was very helpful. I did try to order a drink on the menu but it wasn't available. She said it was just stuck on there :( For entrees we got the Birria Benedict, Huevos Rancheros and a Yogurt Bowl with a side of toast. For drinks we got an iced Strawberry Matcha & a hot Vietnamese Latte. As busy as it was our food still came out pretty quickly. Everything looked so good! The drinks were good. The yogurt bowl also came with a side of honey which went well with the yogurt. Fruit was fresh and the granola was good. The huevos rancheros was tasty and had a little kick. The hash brown was just the way I like it - crispy on both sides. The birria benedict was also good, the meat was tender and flavorful. Overall we liked Poached Kitchen and would come back again! read more

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This was my first time here and even though it was pretty crowded we were seated fairly quickly. My favorite food items were the pancakes with fruit on top. It was absolutely delicious. The fresh squeezed OJ was also a table favorite. Everything was fresh and kept me full and satisfied without being too heavy. When I am back in Irvine, this restaurant will be first on my list! read more

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Had brunch today @poachedkitchen in Irvine, busy busy place but great hospitality and good food. Green chilaquiles are nice and crunchy and the breakfast sandwich was really good. Had to get some mimosas to enjoy this delight brunch. Great job read more

Was excited due to the raving reviews of this place. Ended up here one morning because the only other brunch restaurants open near me on a Monday at 9am are coffee shops and we wanted a nice sit down brunch. They are also dog friendly on their patio so we brought our pup! Plenty of parking and large patio outside. It was pretty clean. The establishment is an order at counter and take a number to your seat type place. Every entree was pretty much $16+ (expensive) but we are always willing to pay for great quality/ experience. Service was okay and pretty average. We ordered the breakfast burrito and salmon toast along with a dulce de leche latte and Vietnamese latte. Burrito and salmon toast were a good portion size but not really worth the price ($17 each). Dulce de leche latte w oat milk was mid ($7.50) and Vietnamese coffee ($7.50) was good but not worth the price. Overall, I'm not sure I'll be back due to the portion size and prices. Especially because of the ton of other great food places that are around the area. read more

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

I didn't realize that people line up for this place so it was good that we got there mid rush. It was still a 10-15 minute wait though. I like how they assign you seating already so they actually tell you the table number. Parking can be tricky, depending on the time you get there. They have a lot of options, make sure to check out their seasonal items! I ordered the Cuban sandwich and it was delicious! The serving is big so I ended up taking my leftovers home. Service was really good, I can see why it's so popular. read more

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$18.32 Insane! Need more characters but, $18.32 for a fast casual, order and pay at the counter, take out breakfast burrito! read more

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

Poached Kitchen never disappoints! The breakfast burrito and chilaquiles verde are one of the must-try! They are on the pricier side but it's normal nowadays for brunch spots. They can't accomodate too many strollers due to their limited space, so please keep in mind if you are planning a brunch with infants! read more

Run!!! don't walk to Poached!!! Went with my gal friends and I had their strawberry matcha and avocado toast with sunny side up eggs! Strawberry Matcha - the jam purée at the bottom was the best I've tried. Jam had a sweet taste that didn't overpower the matcha. The matcha was vibrant and yummy. Not too astringent. I got it with whole milk and the milk was delicious. I would say it is a bit heavy on milk drink. Avocado Toast - I liked it, feta was a bit strong for me especially with the sourdough so I'm glad the avocado was there. Egg was runny and perfect. 5 stars for service and presentation read more

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Had the most delicious short rib omelette at Poached Kitchen in Irvine, absolutely outstanding! The flavors were rich, the ingredients tasted truly natural, and you can tell they use real, quality products. The staff was incredibly friendly, welcoming, and on top of everything. Even though it was busy, the food came out in record time. And honestly, you know a place is good when people are willing to wait for it and this spot is definitely worth the wait. I'm already looking forward to my next visit so I can try more items off their menu. I even heard they may be introducing Dubai chocolate pancakes, if that's true, I'll definitely be making a special trip back! Great place, great vibe, thoughtful decor, and consistently excellent service. Highly recommend Poached Kitchen Irvine! read more

I work right by Poached. So before work we like to stop by for some breakfast. Their breakfast burrito is awesome!! The salsa it comes with is so good, and their pancakes are to die for. On top of an amazing breakfast, their coffee is great. It does take awhile to get your food, so I would leave an hour to eat here. read more

Although the line was long when we arrived, Poached was managed the line efficiently. I got the breakfast burrito and it was filled with lots of eggs and potatoes, but a bit oily. Other than that, it was tasty! read more

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

came here for brunch and everything we got was honestly so good. we tried the house benedict, machaca scramble, and the brunch burrito. the benedict stood out the most to me. the hollandaise sauce was a 10 out of 10, super rich and flavorful, and we even asked for some extra on the side because of how good it was. the hashbrowns were really unique too, crispy but also melted in your mouth, and pairing them with the hollandaise was perfect. the machaca scramble was another favorite. the slow cooked beef with avocado, cheese, eggs, and bell peppers worked so well together. we ended up mixing it with the english muffin to make little sandwiches and it was amazing. the brunch burrito was solid too but we had way too much food, so we packed it up. eating it the next morning with the chili verde sauce was still super good since the sauce had that nice tangy kick. service was great from the start. they give you your own big water and utensils right away and the staff checked in on us multiple times, even the owner came by to make sure everything was good. overall, a really nice modern diner vibe with food that's both tasty and filling. definitely a spot i'd come back to. read more

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Horrible customer service. They have an ai chatbot answering phones because they refused to pick up a phone to answer a simple wait time question. The chatbot refused to connect me with the host stand or any person when it couldn't answer my question. read more

Waffles were great! I would definitely come again the waffles are soft and wasn't eggy. Service was good although I did think it was a little pricy for one person I spent $30. The ambiance was normal nothing special but it was very clean. read more

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

I loved the inside of the place! I ordered the waffles with the fruit and sweet mascarpone ontop. I thought the waffles themselves were perfectly crispy on the outside but soft and pillowy in the inside. The fruit was a nice addition and the syrup was not too sweet. The mascarpone topping ontop was nice with the waffles but after a few bites of it, it got too much since it was so sweet. read more

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

The waffles are great. Best I've ever had. My bacon and latte was good too but it was pricey

have had this place bookmarked for a while but just hadn't had a chance to have brunch whenever i'm in irvine! it's quite busy here coming on a weekday around 10am. i kinda like how you order at the front of the store and they'll just deliver to you, i can see how that's much more efficient at turning the table and whatnot and prolonging people who cannot make decision if having to take their orders at the table. my chile verde benefit was pretty good - eggs were perfectly poached and runny, just how i love them!!! my friend and i really love the hash browns and i just say it's one of the best i've had - bc it's crispy on the outside and always feels like there's a little bit of cheese or sth and it's very soft on the inside!! i usually really don't like hash browns at all but this is chefs kiss! my friend's short rib omelette was a bit salty so we didn't like that one as much. could def do half of the seasoning. the classic waffle was pretty good, really like how the texture is light and airy! fruits were sweet compliments to the waffle and cream was fresh. read more

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Love the open space & high ceiling with big windows to let all the sunshine enter into this eatery. It is a casual place to meet up with friends & enjoy the food. Orders: Classic Breakfast- came with sourdough bread, hash, 2 sausages & scrambled egg. No frills & your basic American breakfast with no surprises. Chicken Al pastor Melt-nice sized sandwich with a pineapple slaw made this a unique experience. There were good pieces of chicken & plenty of fries to enjoy in this sandwich. Short Rib Omelette-a substantial egg wrapped with shredded pork with sourdough & hash-brown. It looked inviting, but I can't comment on the taste bc it wasn't my dish. Lemon Ricotta Pancake- 2 fluffy pancakes with a large scoop of ricotta with blueberry preserve. With a very faint lemon note, the blueberry preserve was a nice addition to the pancakes. It was also nice having syrup that wasn't overly sweet. For a casual sit down breakfast, Poached Kitchen is a great place to go. read more

This is an order and sit place. I enjoyed my time here. They refill your waters quick and the food was fresh and a good proportions. Definitely family friendly and could easily get packed during the weekends. They have outdoor seating and are walking distance from a Ralphs (in case it's an errand day). read more

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

Poached is a solid breakfast/brunch spot I frequent often. They offer both indoor and outdoor seating, but the indoor area has nicer decor to admire while you wait for your food. Even during rush hour, they manage to get the food out pretty quickly. I'm a creature of habit, so I always go for the chicken and waffles, which come with a delicious chicken gravy and syrup. If I want a sweet treat I'll order the fresh squeezed orange juice as well. Their hashbrowns are really yummy and crispy btw! Poached is also the type of place where you order at the register first, then find a seat. read more

Came in on a Tuesday morning and they weren't too busy. There are many tables inside and outside. As soon as you're seated it doesn't take long until your food arrives. I got a waffle and it was absolutely delicious. The fruits were fresh, the cream was sweet but not too sweet, and the waffle was crispy. My friend got the 2 egg breakfast (I think that's what it's called?) and she really enjoyed her food too! Definitely a pretty good breakfast spot and I'm glad I came in to try. read more

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

underrated breakfast spot if you ask me. i dream about their waffles every night, it's so light, fluffy and airy but also so crispy. seriously it so freaking good. the breakfast burrito, omelettes and eggs benedict's are also my favorites. once you order the food comes out so fast, i also think the portions are on the bigger side. if you're looking for a good breakfast spot this is my go to recommendation! read more

Poached Kitchen - salmon eggs benedict, chicken and waffles, breakfast burrito - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Irvine, California

Love having breakfast here. Everything I've tried is great but my favorite item has to be the breakfast burrito! Great service as well every time we dine here at both Irvine and Anaheim locations. read more

We used to love to come here every weekend but the last few times we went were disappointing. The quality of the food just isn't the same. The eggs Benedict had the egg cooked all the way one day and we had to send it back. Another day we ordered the chilaquiles and the tostada was so hard you couldn't even bite or cut through it. They gave us our money back but that wasn't the point. The food just isn't the same and we aren't going to be going back anymore. read more