If you are looking for a fancy breakfast, do not come here. If you want some really good food at cheap prices, with friendly employees and a beach bum vibe, definitely come here! My coworker has been dining her for 30 years and he highly recommended we check it out on the way to San Diego. I can see why he has been stopping in here for so long! Our breakfast was fast, filling, and delicious. And by fast I mean, from the time we parked til we were walking back to the car, only 30 minutes had passed! - Husband had bacon, eggs, potatoes, and sourdough. The bacon was thick and super crisp. Over easy eggs were cooked perfectly. A great, simple breakfast. - I had biscuits and gravy with eggs and potatoes. Seriously some of the best gravy I have ever had! It's super thick, seasoned very well, and there are large chunks of sausage throughout. For this being a "potato" shack, I expected to be blown away by the potatoes. I was not, they were pretty plain. BUT, let's talk about the salsa. Their homemade salsa is out of this world! I wanted to drink from the jar they gave us. I put that salsa all over my eggs and potatoes. I could not stop eating it! Our waiter clearly saw that I loved it, so much that he gave me a big container of it to take home! Highlight of my day! They are cash only, but they do have an ATM in the dining room. read more

Potato Shack Cafe - American Near Me - Encinitas, California

Food, Service, and Ambiance was amazing. I don't leave reviews but I had to leave one for this place. Would definitely recommend. Got the adult size banana pancake and OMG it was huge but so good. Tried to finish it but was a bit to much. Would recommend to just order the kid size. Yes it is one pancake but they are not normal size. Hubby got biscuit and gravy and they do not hold back on their gravy as it was perfect. Did the Yelp check in and owner still honored the free coffee check in offer. The owner and workers are so friendly. So glad I found this place by accident. read more

Potato Shack Cafe - Awesome company and good coffee - American Near Me - Encinitas, California

Tucked into the streets of Encinitas, is a cute little shack where they serve amazing omelettes and huge, delicious MANHOLE SIZED pancakes! We've gone to this place a few times because it's a local hole-in-the-wall favorite. The service is spectacular. Everyone is super friendly and you can that regulars come in often. No complaints but if I'm going to be nitpicky, then I'd say the parking could be a bit better. Although the past times we've gone we've been blessed with princess parking. read more

Potato Shack Cafe - American Near Me - Encinitas, California

Go for the potatoes. Best breakfast potato's ever. Also all the dishes are flavorful and lots of food. Like the ambiance and no nonsense service. 4.5. read more

I had the eggs Benedict and it was marvelous. The sauce was perfect and light I want to go back for the

I've been coming here for decades and absolutely love this place. It has always served an excellent breakfast. From eggs to biscuits and gravy to their manhole size pancakes, this place has never disappointed me. The owner, Ron, a never vet has managed to keep the place turning out good food since 1983. Simply the best mom n pop diner in the area. Anytime we're in town, we'll drop in. I have personally been coming here since 1986. I'll keep coming until I am too old to travel. read more

Potato Shack Cafe - Eggs, bacon, sausage, breakfast potatoes and squaw bread toast. Absolutely delicious. - American Near Me - Encinitas, California

Normally my favorite breakfast place in Encinitas. Tried something new today (the French toast) not my cup of tea really. To eggy for my tastes but I will call it a trial and error thing. Pancakes rock. Eggs were nice and fluffy with cheese. Potato's are bottomless. Service was quick and attentive and well it's a beach town so the ambiance was cool and relaxed. read more

I decided to stop in with my friends for the first time. I was excited to try a new place. The food was excellent! Excellent if not enormous portions and very tasty. In general, I felt comfortable there with the exception of a wait staff person who seemed rather rude. He wasn't my wait staff person but, he seemed to be irritated that we were there so long? I tipped my waitress very well for staying so long, however, but was surprised by his curt demeanor and we weren't even his table. Anyhow, I would definitely recommend this place as the food is amazing. read more

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I've been eating at this place for over a year now and I gotta say that their service and quality of food is the best bomb bomb bomb. You will love their food just like I did. read more

There's both indoor and outdoor seating in a peaceful location, the owner was kind, and the food was SO GOOD! I got the chicken fried steak and my husband got a breakfast burrido. The potatoes were delicious (why we came here of course), and the gravy on the steak was amazing. Portions were big too! Not from San Deigo, but absolutely would come back on future trips. The perfect stop for driving up the coast! read more

Potato Shack Cafe - Chicken fried steak with sourdough toast and potatoes - American Near Me - Encinitas, California

We were recommended this place by a family member. The owners, Scott, waited on us during our visit. He was nice, fast and made sure that we had enough coffee and all you can eat potatoes. This place is a must! We will go back again soon. I would recommend to anyone! read more

Potato Shack Cafe - Breakfast sandwich on sour dough - American Near Me - Encinitas, California

Really disappointed with this place. We ordered the huevos rancheros and my first bite was just a mouthful of eggshell, completely off-putting. The potatoes were bland and had no seasoning or flavor. We also got the French toast, which somehow managed to be just as bad, literally tasted like plain bread dipped in egg. No cinnamon, no sweetness, just... sad. Nothing we tried had any flavor. Would not recommend. read more

First Visit Review + on a side street, less traffic buzz, parking found + they have a single bathroom for customer use + a full menu with plenty of breakfast, lunch, or side options (**portions are generous, I ordered the 2-slices french toast-delicious classic; my mom ordered the club sandwich and liked it as well) + the service was kind, timely, and consistent + plenty of out door seating and not overcrowded it seemed - they didn't accept credit card (only other forms such as cash, maybe venmo) Overall, a positive experience. :) read more

Potato Shack Cafe - French toast. 2 BIG slices. Very good - American Near Me - Encinitas, California

Good bang for your buck. Great pancakes and loved the entire meal. Fried potatoes are also so good. 10/10 recommend. Privately owned business. read more

This on the side of Hwy 101. Near the center of C Street is small cafe that had plenty of outdoor seating. They are clearly known for their potatoes which are red rose potatoes that are fried. With them, I had scrambled eggs and very crunchy bacon with two thick slices of sourdough bread. My girlfriend had the same with the addition of a sausage patty. We both tried taking on a plain "manhole cover" pancake and did pretty well eating all but a small portion of it. The service was quick as was the food which was overall delicious. read more

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Food is very good. Service not as much. Three stars reflect the very poor service. Sat outside and had to ask for service several times. They weren't super busy. Not sure why service issues. They had several working. Unlike what it says on yelp- CASH ONLY. No cards accepted. read more

Hidden Treasure here! Took a nice motorcycle ride down the coast and ended up at this amazing little restaurant. Biscuits and gravy Heaven!!!!!! If you appreciate a home cook meal, a must try! read more

Don't order the Breakfast Burrito, it's just eggs and cheese and a tortilla for $20. Ugh. First time back in 25 years and I was super disappointed. It was my Birthday, too. Lame. read more

Only reviewing once again because there are new photos to add on to review. This place continues to be a little hidden, tucked away breakfast place in Encinitas and is worth visiting and revisiting. Bring in cash. Their pancakes are HUGE and tasty--their upside down one is to die for. My go-to is their eggs benedict and it's always served to taste great. read more

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Very full and big breakfast plates. 2 inch think toast was my son's favorite. Fast and friendly service with great laid back indoor and outdoor seating options. read more

Came here with my friend for brunch a few weekends ago. I got an order of their chicken fried steak with 1/2 order of the biscuits and gravy. They overly filled the plate with the gravy, I mean it's nice to have big portions but it was kind of overdone. I couldn't even see the chicken or the biscuits below since they were drowning in gravy. I also had a coffee with my food but it wasn't that good. Aside from taking our order, we weren't really checked on. The next time someone came to our table was just to give us our bill. Oh yeah, and this place is cash only. I didn't know beforehand but luckily I had some cash with me. read more

Potato Shack Cafe - Chicken Fried Steak & Half Order of Biscuits & Gravy - American Near Me - Encinitas, California

I dine at the Potato Shack fairly regularly with my aunt and our dogs after our AM walk along the coast. Food is excellent, but what really keeps us coming back is the incredible staff, they are always super friendly/accommodating and come by to chat with us. Even on days I don't dine in, but find myself walking by with the dog, if we catch eyes, they always wave and say hello from across the street. Love supporting this local family owned business. Thank you potato shack for all the incredible mornings, great way to start any weekend! read more

Potato Shack Cafe - Dining in during covid - American Near Me - Encinitas, California

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Potato shack delivers! Classic breakfast joint, and the manhole pancakes are amazing. We had the chocolate chip and it was decadent. The breakfast potato options are out of this world. read more

I didn't think a cook could mess up a hot dog. It was the Worst Hot Dog Ever! The bun was hard and the dog salty. The fries limp and overcooked. For $16 I think they could have done better. My husband's grilled cheese was like eating plastic cheese. read more

I didn't order the typical breakfast food because The Diplomat sandwich sounded so good. When I ordered, the waiter even said that was probably the best sandwich on the menu. It's such a good size to share and the French fries were fresh and homemade! They make all their various potatoes dishes fresh in house. Best biscuits and gravy I've had so far! There are large pieces of sausage that come with it. On the side they give this spicy salsa, which I never would think it would go well with gravy.. but it did! I didn't order the pancakes but they are bigger than the size of a dinner plate! The waiter knew I was splitting the food, so he even had it separated on two different plates without even asking. This place is awesome especially because it's not that pricy and the portions are large! But this place is only cash or Venmo! read more

Potato Shack Cafe - The Diplomat - American Near Me - Encinitas, California

By luck we ended up back at The Potato Shack after a bad experience at another local restaurant. We definitely have missed the great food, service, pricing and gratefulness of a local family run business. Chicken fried steak, French toast and biscuits & gravy were the same great food as years past. Can't wait to get back and thanks for the continued quality. read more

Fabulous service by Scott who Literally runs nonstop. Food was all very good. The pancakes are enough for at least 4. However, I found them a bit too thigh and doughy, hence the "4" not "5" rating. The fruit in them was plentiful and fresh. There wasn't any of the gooey sugary compote on it... yay! read more

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Cane here on a Saturday for breakfast, I got the breakfast sandwich on sourdough. It was tasty. For a place to be named potato shack i expected their potatoes to be better. Seemed to lack flavor. I had to salt and pepper them and I NEVER do that. My husband got the chicken fried steak, it was pretty good. The gravy was yummy. Small seating inside. We sat outside. It was kind of uncomfortable as it's on a hill. Our waitress seemed rush. She slammed the coffee pot down and almost knocked over my water. I was afraid the coffee or water was going to spill on me. Overall a decent experience. read more

Potato Shack Cafe - American Near Me - Encinitas, California

Walking distance from the beach! Everything here is delicious. We walked in and we're welcomed right away. We ordered the A meal, a cinnamon roll, and an order of sweet potato fries. The portions are generous and the coffee is good. Our server had tables all over the place but she was still friendly and attentive! We will definitely be visiting again. read more

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The food is so gross. Do not get the huevos rancheros it's too much sour cream. Just tastes like sour cream and corn tortilla I can't even taste the eggs or cheese. The bagel sandwich is a 7/10 not bad. If you want a good coffee drink definitely do not come here because their coffee is bad and I asked for a sweet yummy iced coffee and it's so bad I can't even drink it. You can't pay with card only cash. They were very busy so it's excusable but the workers were rushing around no nice talk just name and how many. The gf bread for the breakfast sandwich was good. Eggs were all cooked correctly how it was ordered but for some reason they just taste weird and gross. Reminds me of the powder eggs you add water to that I eat in the marines. read more

Potato Shack Cafe - Breakfast Sandwich - American Near Me - Encinitas, California

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Just ate there today and was very underwhelmed. Everything was sub-par and overpriced. $18 for Huevos Rancheros that was a plate of warm sauce, a paper thin tortilla and runny eggs. $13 for a side of 5 tiny fried potato patties. Everything except the bacon was barely warm, nothing was hot. You pay your bill via Venmo or cash. I rarely eat breakfast out anymore so this was a big bummer. Next time I'll stick with Honey's. read more

Excellent lunch sandwiches. Great FRESH fries. So good, we're going back for breakfast tomorrow!

Found this place because it was close to our Air B&B and boy we were pleasantly surprised. With the new covid-19 guidelines there was only outside seating; plenty of shade with umbrellas and pop-up tents. As we waited we spoke with some regulars that have been coming here for years and they raved about the place. The staff is really friendly and welcoming. The food was delicious as well and it came out fairly fast. I ordered the manhole pancake and this thing is huge wow! Delicious too!! Also tasted the chicken fried steak and biscuits with gravy that was oh my gosh yummy. I will definitely stop by again when I'm in the area. read more

Potato Shack Cafe - Huge pancakes and delicious!! - American Near Me - Encinitas, California

This is one of those places you go when you're feeling nostalgic for the good ol' days. Super cozy, genuinely friendly staff, and the best vibes around. The food is good, with enormous portions, if a wee bit pricey. The best reason to come here, though, is the people. I recommend the apple walnut pancake. It's bigger than the plate it comes on! No need for butter or syrup, in my opinion, as it is lightly dusted with cinnamon and sugar. But you really can't go wrong with anything on the menu. Drop by and grab a bite and a cup of coffee and soak up the friendly neighborhood ambiance. You won't be disappointed. read more

Been going here since my youth. Always make a stop back here when I'm down south In SD. Good staff, great potato's and those man-hole sized pancakes have only gotten bigger. read more

French toast was on my mind when I was looking for breakfast place on the sunny sunday morning. We were near the Swami's beach and were looking for a restaurant at walkable distance. There are so many to choose from in Encinitas 101 Highway. However, the first one that caught our eye as we walked is this Potato Shack Cafe. It had nice outdoor seats as well as pretty decent number of tables inside. It wasn't too crowded when we went, so we decided to try this place. We ordered the 1 slice French toast and American Potato Fries. The staff here is friendly. In the menu, it is mentioned that the pancake will be of a manhole size. We under estimated that statement, when we saw the pancakes come out (for a different table), man it was so huge and easily 3 people can share it. Anyway, our food came out pretty quickly. The American Potato fries we asked for onion, mushroom and cheese as toppings. It tasted absolutely delicious. Again, the portion is humongous, 3 people can easily eat it. The french toast was a let down for me, no powdered sugar on top it, the bread was not even hot, the bread didn't even seem fresh and it is no way close to fluffy. Of the two items I ordered, if one of them is a big let down, I am not sure if I can give more than a 3 star rating. I have definitely had much better french toasts in other places, so will I prefer this place next time, may be not. read more

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COVID19: YES! They are open for dine-in. Nice little place to enjoy a delicious meal. Take-out or dine in. Seating inside or sit at one of the 10 sidewalk tables (6-feet apart). Service is friendly. Not right on the strip. So you won't be around all of the cars driving by. I had a nice size serving of chicken fried steak with biscuits (2) & gravy. Everyone does them different. All I can say is it was a very filling portion. The biscuits were fresh and the gravy had sliced sausages for extra flavor and protein! Perfect for that pre-nap meal! My wife put down a plate of oversized blueberry pancakes. She can eat a lot and she polished off this plate like she hadn't eaten in a week (truth be told...she just ate an hour ago). Imagine, being stuck inside for 2 1/2 months. And finally being let out. Most walk around Encinitas without masks. Some with. Everyone minds their own business. It's the first week restaurants and shops are open. So, we happily fined and shopped and spent money at the little shops. Trying to help restart the economy. read more

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It's been a long time for me and the Potato Shack. My boss used to have working breakfasts here once a month. On this occasion I had to kill some time and was pretty Hangry. So I stopped by for breakfast. Had the chicken fried steak and a short stack, Also had a nice convo with the owner and the only other customer eating at 7:30 in the AM but I digress. The Chicken Fried Steak and eggs were cook to perfection. The Gravy was on Point, homemade and savory with big chunks of sausage. I asked that the cakes be made "normal" size as I am diabetic and didn't want to over do it too much. They came only the size of my head instead of the usual manhole cover size and were as amazing as my memory of them. I did pay for it later with an extra dosage on insulin but it was well worth it. Outa the park Potato shack 5 well earned stars. read more

It was alllllright. Overpriced. Cash only (disclosed at end- no sign posted anywhere). Dirty restrooms (at 9 am). Bad coffee. Wasn't horrible but would not return. read more

8.4/10. I think this is one of the best breakfast places in Encinitas and is very underrated. Please go here