I'm sad. I used to go to the potato shack about 8 years ago and I had such fond memories of the place. I just went back this past weekend and was disappointed. I ordered French toast, with two eggs over hard and bacon. The food, was at best, sub par. The bacon had grisly charred grill remains. The french toast was soggy and the eggs were super oily. Oh, and the waitress! I wasn't expecting much but really, when you pour coffee, you may want to make sure that that most of it gets in the cup and not on our hands - EVERY time. The other thing i didn't like about the place was its level of cleanliness. You could see a bunch of dead stuff in the fluorescent light covers. I guess it's true what they say - you can't go back... read more

All good things come to those who wait. And on a Sunday in Encintas there is usually a long wait to eat at the potato shack. The restaurant is itsy bitsy, but it serves hearty classic American breakfasts that keep the crowds coming back for more. Potato Shack is a classic breakfast place. You can't go wrong with their eggs, toast bacon and yum-yum potatoes and almost every meal is under 7 bucks. Sweet. The affordable prices make it a great family joint. I recommend sitting on the outside patio to take in the Encinitas fresh air, plus the interior of the restaurant gets a little cramped, but the place is popular for a reason and it deserves all the patronage it can get. read more

Went here for the second time today and this place is becoming my favorite spot for breakfast. They serve the biggest pancake I have ever seen and the service was good again. Warning though come with a big appetite. It is always a battle to finish my plate when i come here. CASH ONLY! read more

Service was awesome, the server totally kept up with everything necessary in preparation of a great meal and was very friendly. It's the food that has the issues. The two stars are for the food, it was just pretty ordinary. I mean ordinary isn't awful, but the world famous pancake, although huge, was pretty tough in texture. Kind of like chewing on a flip flop with some blueberries thrown in. The syrup, also just your standard Log Cabin stuff...coffee was pretty bad-had kind of a vinegar aftertaste. If you want a ton of food, but don't necessarily care about it being the best ever, this is your spot. (Like after a night of binge drinking or if you just got done a mega roadtrip and ended up here) We've been driving past here on the way to Coronado a dozen times and have been trying to get here before 2PM since they close early, so this weekend we finally made it there (from Santa Monica, so there was some effort involved here-LOL)...we were just kinda disappointed that this fabled spot was just another greasy spoon with sticky vinyl tablecloths on the tables. The place could use an update in that regard, there's even a time capsule in the bathroom! A poster from the Women's Beach Volleyball tournament, circa 1990's ( I can't remember the exact date, I think it was like 1993...) Please bring cash, as that's all they take here. Parking seemed ample on the streets all around, if you're riding a bike, you'll be all set, just drop in next to the big tree out front and sit at a shady sidewalk table... Sorry to not give a glowing review, but I know we need to keep Yelp, well Yelp! read more

This place is small but it's nice and cozy looking. The host and waitress was very nice and helpful. It's cash only so come prepared!! The portions were great, tables were cute and your coffee will never be out. I would recommend anyone here. read more

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If you're looking for a delicious casual breakfast place, this is a must try. My husband & I had the banana pancakes, and they were heavenly. Be warned that the serving sizes are huge. I ordered the kids size and I still couldn't finish the pancake! The staff is friendly and the food came out fast. read more

Biscuits and gravy were fantastic! I didn't think the French toast was all that good, but my friend gave me a bite of their manhole sized pancake with walnuts, man that was good. Great service too. Outside and inside seating available. When I go again, definitely getting walnut pancakes. read more

By far one of the greatest cafes, very helpful and kind, the egg Benedict, Robert does something amazing to the hollanda sauce !!

I am always a fan! The family and I are always willing to make the 45 min drive to have a great breakfast or lunch at the Potato shack; just because or to treat a visitor. Seriously the BEST pancakes I have ever had! Seriously the best Patty Melt I have had (get the ranch fries, they are little wedges deep fried with a ranch batter) Portions are huge so bring your appetite! The pancake IS about an 18" cake... of fluffy breakfast goodness. I just wish they were open a little later........ read more

If you are ever in Encinitas then you must eat here. I had a great tuna melt and I will be returning for sure. Great food, great service. Can't wait till my next visit! read more

Excellent service, good food. The bread is so thickly sliced! Nom nom. Small place, get there early!

Delicious food and very nice and friendly staff. My fave manhole size blueberry pancake and breakfast burrito with the best salsa are super delish!! I highly recommend Potato Shack!! read more

This place is a local treasure - great food at reasonable prices with fantastically friendly owners - what more do you need?? Maybe a giant manhole sized pancake? They have those plus some of the best omelettes ever. Been coming to this place for years and they never disappoint. Today had a gluten free apple spice pancake which was beyond delicious. It's great to find yummy gluten free breakfast options and they have them! Their homemade salsa is delicious and their squaw bread is amazing. And they are incredibly dog friendly. Can't find a better breakfast option in North County area. Love love it!! read more

We went to brunch at the potato shack prior to a day at moonlight beach. I remembered the potato shack as a good and funky breakfast place from year's past. Either things changed or I "misremembered". The service was really pathetic. No refills on coffee were offered, and I had to hunt someone down for more water. It took 45 minutes from the time we ordered to get our food and the place was half empty. Were talking eggs toast and potatoes here....it's not rocket science. Add in two kids over-anxious to get to the beach, and as you can imagine, I was not a happy camper. The food was fine. Like I said, it's pretty much classic breakfast grub. Solid, but nothing extraordinary. One other thing....cash only. For a place like this, I find it somewhat obnoxious. Cash only is a huge inconvenience for customers and most cash only establishments somehow make up for that inconvenience--maybe by being low priced, having some sort of novelty (i.e., Peter luger's in NYC is famously cash only) or giving some sort of little freebie to the customer --am I asking too much here? In summary, good location, solid breakfast food, slow kitchen, poor service, annoyingly cash only. read more

Drove here from Escondido to have breakfast. Thoroughly pleased with our meal. Bacon, eggs over easy, sausage, and a half order of biscuits and Gravy. Orange juice is fresh and the coffee is great. Definitely recommend. Five stars! read more

Potato Shack Cafe - Bacon, eggs, sausage, toast. Half order of biscuits and gravy with potatoes. - American Near Me - Encinitas, California

This place is awesome ! Everyone is so nice they treat you like they have known you forever ! Breakfast is amazing !!! Chicken fried steak and omelets are 5 stars ! The owner is super friendly and everything i have tried has been well worth the money ! Pancakes are uncle buck style and your food arrives before you blink! read more

Great service! Came here on the fly and was not disappointed. They make you feel very welcomed, will be returning soon.

I can't believe it's taken me over a 10 years to come and try the Potato Shack, but glad I did today. First it started with amazing help as I walked up, and the owners son recognizing I need help with my two kids, as I just had neck surgery and my wife was at an appointment. There was no outdoor seeting where my son could stay in the stroller, so the gentlemen offered to take him in get him in a high chair, then brought toys, etc. to keep both kids entertained! He and the owner also came over multiple times to pick up toys off the ground, help with food, refills, etc. Next - Food. Awesome. Kids split a manhole plate of Blueberry pancakes, which they devoured, and I had the #4 which was also fantastic. This has definitely been added to our list of Encinitas breakfasts stops! Plus, how can you go wrong with a USMC flag out front, and posters of Ronald Reagan and "the old Corps" inside! read more

Pretty good, not stellar, not horrible. Service is above average few times we went. as grandma used to say "oh Lordy!" the pancakes are huge! and are really pretty good. Scrambled eggs / bacon (hard to mess up) were also good. Coffee is simple, hot and tastes ok+....and they make the rounds often enough you dont end up having to ask for refills. As the name would imply, if you like breakfast potatoes prepared 6 ways from sunday, this is the place, however, I like my breakfast potatoes on the well done side, seems like they have so many going they dont leave em on the skillet long enough. If you are on the big size (read: either tall, chubby or both) you will have a hard time fitting in here.....the restaurant is on the small side and the booths are definately snug. Outdoor seating is available, but consists of less than stellar plastic outdoor furniture. Good (+ or -) place to try if you want to carb load on the pancakes.... read more

This only place gets Four Stars because: 1- I can make everything on the menu at home 2- They don't take Credit cards - CASH ONLY 3- They stop giving me coffee the MINUTE they give me the check, Now, the good points. 1- Its consistent. They have the good food - its Good "American" style Food. Nothing fancy here, but Bacon, eggs, toast, pancakes and potatoes. Oh, and they have WAY better coffee than St. Germain. 2- KID FRIENDLY - yep.. that's right.. you can bring your kids, and they don't mind. 3- It/s not expensive. My family of 5 can eat out for $30.00. The waitresses are great, but the minute you get that check.. they wipe their hands of you... my biggest pet peeve of all dining peeves. TIP: They have 2 kitchens, the east kitchen has the better chef. ;) Earlier you come, the better (8-9 is best). Also - they have outdoor dining, and people bring their dogs.. read more

The positives: the breakfast was incredible. If you want to eat the biggest pancakes you've ever seen, then this is the place. Also, the omelets and cinnamon rolls hit the spot. The menu basically has a large variety of dishes that will make your mouth water. The negatives: the service is slow, the place is small (not a lot of places to sit), and they only accept cash. read more

Greasy, huge portions, cheap. Good. Someone mentioned this was a hangover hamlet. Absolutely. I recommend three things on the menu: The Turkado sandwich (turkey and avocado on thick sourdough with grated cheese, lettuce and tomato), breakfast burrito (giant potato and egg thing with your choice of meat) and make your own omelette (there's like 15 things you can add to it.) We've been coming here for a few years, so we love it. For N00bs, the tables and utensils are greasy. Although the water glasses don't ever smell like eggs, which is nice. The coffee is a little weak. Service can be inconsistent (depends on who you get). And the potatoes suck. But the portions are enormous, everything is made on an epic scale, bread is sliced an inch thick, huge amounts of potatoes, meat, and gravy. And everything tastes good. Bathrooms are clean. And it's a family place (You love football? Local High SCHOOL FOOTBALL! AHH YEAH!!). So, yeah. Go. read more

Have you ever been stuck in the following situation: "Give me of your tots." - "No, go find your own!" Well - Potato Shack to your rescue! If you dig potatoes, you'll dig The Shack. You might find their Manhole Pancakes a challenging flapjack to consume any time of the day ... Of course, if you're not into that whole warm delicious scrumptious savory delightful potato thing, then I've got two words for you - "Biscuits" & "Gravy" ... OMG! Holy Crap! Jeezus! ... I gotta go, I'm hungry!!! read more

The best corned beef and hash in San Diego!! Perfect crispiness and eggs perfectly cooked. Great Encinitas location. Low key, classic, reasonable and delicious. read more

I lived in the South for 12 years and have been on the hunt for good biscuits and gravy all over Southern California for the past few years...I think I've finally found the place! I ordered a half order of the biscuits and gravy with chicken fried steak and it is amazing! I was prepared for floury, poorly seasoned gravy and dry biscuits, but the biscuit to gravy ratio is on point. The gravy is perfectly seasoned with sausage and pepper, the chicken fried steak is crisp on the outside yet moist and flavorful on the inside, with the sausage gravy slathered over the entire plate. This will definitely be my go-to spot! read more

Haven't been here for over a decade but stopped by today with my family and it was great! The staff is so friendly and fun and the manhole pancakes were as big as I remember! We will certainly need to return soon. read more

Super unexciting breakfast. The place is actually pretty dirty too, especially if you park in the back and walk around. Give the place a power wash do yourself a favor. read more

So we bopped into the Potato Shack one sunny Saturday morning. Clad all in black, we certainly stood out in the midst of the jocks, bike riders, and ex-football coaches. But the vibe was cool, and our server was super friendly. No sooner were we settling into our sidewalk table, then a white haired fella began ribbing us in such a friendly way that we immediately felt one of the crowd. (Later we found out he was a legendary football coach at nearby Torrey Pines High, and he sure knew his football, right down to the helmet coverings). Abbe had a vegetable omelette ($13.25). She declared it tasty, healthy, and filling (especially when ordered with a generous side cottage cheese instead of potatoes). And the generous crock of homemade salsa was a nice touch. I ordered a vegetarian sandwich on Squaw Bread ($9.95 + $1 extra for sweet potato fries instead of the regular ones). My condominium-sized construction of health and welfare was almost good enough to drive to Encinitas from L.A.. There are scores of little places like this in the sweet little beach towns between San Diego and Orange Country, but we lucked out with The Potato Shack. The level of service, food, and conversation with the owner (a humorous, intelligent, and diehard USC Trojan fan, which ain't a normal trifecta), really made our day. I think this place is a gem, and we will return. read more

Our server, Robert, was very nice and I was able to sit outside with my dog, so I appreciate the dog-friendly atmosphere. Robert brought a bowl of water for my dog-another plus. This place is cash-only but they took a check (which I actually had with me). Food was ok; similar to IHOP so nothing amazing. I went on a weekday, so there was no wait. If there was a waiting line, this place is not worth waiting. I gave the Potato Shack 3 stars instead of 2 stars because the server was super nice. read more

DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME AND MONEY! If you have Potatoe in your name, they should be special, they're not. We ordered two breakfast dishes, my wife's came lukewarm, and mine arrived 10 minutes later. My omelette was paper thin, and lacking any flavor. Everything tastes as if cooked in nonstick grill oil. The place was not busy, yet the waitress was inattentive. Cash only, with an ATM?? REALLY?? IT'S 2019!! Regarding cash only, bring plenty, this place is expensive and extremely overpriced. read more

Great food! Perfect location! Great atmosphere! I will make this my new favorite breakfast spot in Encinitas! Staff and owner on site and very friendly and accommodating. read more

Just as good as I remember it! The prices have gone up and the pancakes seemed bigger when I was younger (still huge and probably an inch and a half thick), but the biscuits and gravy hit the spot and the home fries with cheese and salsa was delicious. read more

It's a small cozy location. The staff is great and the service is fast. We ordered the egg Benedict. The hollandaise sauce was delicious and potatoes were savory. read more

Potato Shack Cafe - American Near Me - Encinitas, California

As always, the pancakes were delicious. Each bite of pancake had the perfect mix of chocolate chip, banana, and fluffiness. I can't wait to go back and have their pancakes again. read more

Almost gave this place 5 stars, but it's not the best in North County, but it's in the top 2. Manhole sized pancakes that don't lake flavor. It's a smaller joint, but the hashbrowns are really good. The wait is sometimes long, especially on weekends. The atmosphere is great and they have some things on their menu that most other breakfast nooks don't. Service is good and fast. Portions are large so you might want to get different things from your guests and split them so you'll know better next time, oh and their will be a next time. I've never met anyone whose eaten there and not gone back for more or just straight up become a fan. read more

The Potato Shack is notorious for its manhole size pancakes. So naturally, I had to get a pancake, add chocolate chips. I think anyone who goes to the Shack would agree that they've had better pancakes, but that's not the point of the restaurant. The sheer size of these bad boys is enough for me to drag my friends here on the weekend to stare in awe. You could probably split a pancake between 2-3 people. The location is great (in a beach town) and there is almost always a line out the door. read more

Who would expect this little off beat place to be so good? Super yummy albacore melt for hubby with hand cut fries. A huge baked potato for me with my choice of ten different toppings. Nice indoor or outdoor seating and fresh water for our dog, Wyatt. Thanks for taking good care of us. Delish! read more

They are remodeling next door, unfortunately, this restaurant is losing half of its square footage! They are now smaller with longer wait time for a table. But, the food is still good and the service is still the same. Great variety of breakfast and lunch options, huge portions, so share. read more

My family has been coming here for years. Always consistently good. There are more trendy breakfast places in town now, but the basic food potatoes and pancakes are the best in town. For a family of four one manhole size pancake, American fries with salsa and a Turkado sandwich feeds us all with left overs. Pancakes are the coolest thing for kids, and aren't just large, but very tasty. Support local business! read more

This is an Encinitas classic! This used to be a weekend hang out when I was in high school. I hostessed here in college, and have taken my kiddos here for their delicious breakfasts! You can not live in North County and not know about the Potato Shack. I love making my own omelets. My kids love the chocolate chip pancakes. Pretty sure they eat about a sixth of it ... They are huge! read more