This used to be my go to breakfast spot back in 2009 & 2010 when I was still around in Orange County. The good news the food and coffee are still the same! The bad news is this place gets slammed on the weekends now. Having recently visited on a Sunday, from waiting in line to place an order to waiting for food to come out to our table it took about 40 minutes! So that being said, try to get here early to avoid the line out the door and long wait times. My favorites here are their breakfast tacos ~ scrambled eggs, bacon, cheddar cheese, their house salsa, sliced avocados, on corn tortillas served with a side of red potatoes & their breakfast burrito ~ your choice of bacon or sausage with scrambled eggs, hashbrowns, & cheddar cheese all wrapped in a flour tortilla with their house salsa served on the side for you to pour on. Of the two, surprisingly the breakfast tacos I find to be more fillings. I'm also a fan of their early riser ~ essentially a breakfast sandwich with sourdough, mayo, bacon, american cheese, & a fried egg. Their house coffee is delicious btw. Price point is nice as you're looking at under $10 per person for food. Drinks might bring it up just past the $10 price point, but overall its pretty affordable. The food in general I've always found to be kept pretty simple in terms of ingredients, but when it's properly executed you get a quality breakfast at an affordable price. This is what's had me coming back. 'Til next time, cheers! read more

Rooster Café - Breakfast tacos with a side of potatoes! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Love their food and coffee. This quickly became one my favorite places to go for breakfast. I've eaten there more than 20 occasions and the food is always consistently good. I haven't had a bad experience as of yet. read more

This hidden gem is definitely worth finding. Across the street from the LAB off Bristol and Saint Clair, the Rooster is the perfect way to start your day. Their breakfast is delicious and the service is friendly and inviting. Try the breakfast quesadilla or the breakfast tacos, they're soooo good with tons of flavor. I'll be going back for sure. read more

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I come here regularly. 96.3% of their products come from local farmers market. There's outdoor seating and it's right across from the LAB Anti mall. It's a cute corner away from the hustle & bustle of Costa Mesa. I recommend trying everything. I get the hash browns - XTRA CRISPY. read more

Rooster Café - bacon - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Bought a sausage burrito and I couldn't even see or taste any sausage in it not a good deal for the price probably won't go back.

The food was great, staff seemed a little unaware when we were ordering but eventually got our order right. The only thing is you gotta get here at the right time or you'll be left taking your food to go because there isn't enough tables. read more

**Don't come here if you're looking to start your Saturday off happily!!** My best friend, boyfriend, and I came here because we read all the good reviews about the food here, but little did we know the customer service would be so bad! My best friend came back from England after a semester of grad school and I was so excited to sit down and catch up. We were sitting for less than an hour, laughing and taking our time (like normal people do), when a waitress loudly told us "I just want you to be mindful that there are not a lot of tables and a lot of people here..." I just wanted to enjoy the ambiance, catch up with my friend, and not get kicked out after only a little while. This is a very rude and unacceptable way to treat guests. Will definitely not be recommending this place to any of our family or friends, and will definitely not be coming back. read more

Very cute little random and genuinely hipster breakfast joint right across the street of the Lab and Anti-Lab. There's little parking and seating and you have to pay before you can grab a seat. The service was fast and we ordered a short stack of pancakes and the breakfast burrito with ham and bacon. I really enjoyed the burrito and it was a hefty size. Well, a healthy, enjoyable, no-need-to-overeat size. There was plenty of seats when we went but I could imagine it getting pretty crowded. Great sense of community though as it seemed there was a ton of locals. Good prices for what you get. I'm a fan of supporting small businesses. read more

a solid breakfast burrito I got mine with extra crispy sausage I ordered on their website, pretty straight forward. When I picked it up, my order was ready on time and on a table with my name on it. read more

Awesome customer service meals are like home cooked feast had the egg whites omelette with spinach mushrooms and bacon and Serrano's cooked on the side to drink Mexican mocha on point I'll be back thank you! read more

Rooster Café - Egg white omelette with spinach, mushrooms and pepper jack cheese and bacon - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

I love the Rooster Café. I used to live in town and it was always a good place to grab breakfast. Last weekend was in town and easily choose the rooster for brunch. It was busy for sure, but man it hit the spot!! My wife thought it was good as well, but the avocado toast she mentioned was lacking and the wait was longer than I remember :( read more

This place is poppin'! Super crowded and the line is out the door. Parking here is limited so be prepared to hunt for a spot. Rooster Cafe was a place I've been wanting to try for a while. Got a chance to go with Raymond L. Got their breakfast burrito to-go since there wasn't much room to eat here. To-go order takes as long as sit down orders. The breakfast burrito was not bad. I do taste the bacon in there, but the burrito did not taste very flavorful as I liked. The sauce that comes with the burrito gave it a little more flavor. Got to try a little of Raymond L.'s scrambled eggs and it was also lacking in flavor. Overall, not my go to place for breakfast, but maybe I'll come back to give their other items a try. AS ALWAYS, NOM FOR LIFE! read more

Was in Newport Beach and found this place on yelp. How in the world this place even has a high rating is beyond my comprehension. What in the world is all the hype about? We ordered 2 veggie scrambles , the eggs were brown which leads me to believe they were cooked on a dirty grill, they were also flavorless , the potatoes were cold and undercooked and super dry. No toast came with the combo I actually had to force feed myself this food worthy of the garbage can , and that's where it ended up. Looked liked yesterday's leftovers my gag reflex wanted to kick in, honestly. I'm not exaggerating. My niece had the other veggie scramble and she was just as disgusted as I was. The employees lacked good hygiene. The cashier went from taking money to looking at her cell phone to helping plate the food. The other employee had a big bushy mess of hair coming out of the back of her baseball cap and working front and back of the house. I must say that I will never be back and I would definitely NOT recommend this place. What a waste of time and money. The experience was funky and yuckey all the way around. Out of all the places I've been this is the worst hands down. read more

Rooster Café - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Great attention to detail & friendly attentive service. Hearty portions & flavorful. We ordered the early riser & two egg breakfast w/ avocado. Looking forward to returning. read more

Rooster Café - Two egg breakfast - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Oh. My. Goodness. Best burrito and people in OC!!! I called an order in this morning after dealing with some stressful issues and Tisha and Jared MADE MY WHOLE DAY!!! It was ready in 10 minutes! Jared gave me a recommendation to put in eggs over medium instead of the scrambled eggs in my breakfast burrito- SO GOOD! These two are customer service PROS, so kind and made my morning before work absolutely phenomenal. They went the extra mile to make me smile on the morning I needed it most- can't thank you guys enough!! I hope your management recognizes you both because WOW, best restaurant service of my entire life. Keep it up!! read more

Rooster Café - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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I used to get breakfast burritos from here all the time and they were so good! This was maybe about 2 years ago though, however, I feel the quality has gone down a bit. I decided to get one since I was in the area and they just seemed to have lost their flavor :( I got fresh cracked eggs in my burrito, which is always better tasting! But every other bite I was bitting into an egg shell. It threw me off and I couldn't even finish my burrito. I am sure some of their other options are still good but I've lost interest in the breakfast burritos now :( read more

This is always one of my fave casual breakfast spots. Their breakfast tacos are so good! And I'm Latin! Would highly recommend. Also it's a very small restaurant so just be patient and you will get a table it's the order at the counter and find your own seat place. Def worth a try read more

Randomly found this place while we were driving home from the OC Swap meet. I happened to do a Yelp search and this place came up. Super hole in the wall spot that is always packed on the weekends. I mean line out the door packed! There's about 10 tables inside, a bar that seats 5 and outside seating. Parking is tough to find because their small lot is always packed. Watch for parking signs as the cops were writing tickets. I ordered the breakfast burrito with both Portuguese sausage and bacon. Hubby ordered breakfast taco plate. Salsa is pretty bland. Their food needs salt and Tabasco. Potatoes look yummy but have no flavors. Mexican coffee is a must! Staff is super nice and friendly. Give it a try! read more

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Location is usually busy but tables turn quick, staff is friendly. Food is good, standard breakfast. Nothing that makes it stand out though.

Found this little gem! Thanks helpers for the recommendation. Though everyone seemed to order the breakfast burrito around us we went more for lunch items. My friend had carne asado tacos and she loved them. I had chicken Pesto sandwich delish. Looking forward to burrito on my return definitely going back. Small place so be prepared, parking few spots read more

We decided to go here for a roomie breakfast after our ideal spots were super packed. Here's my experience on a late Sunday morning. Ambiance: Parking | The plaza is relatively small 8 cars BUT there's more parking around the area though that's probably a street/block around. Seating | Seating is tight as well but can still accommodate people. There are a few bar seatings, inside and outside seats that can house about 40 people. Feels | A hip place to be. It seems a very popular place but not ridiculously packed. There are shopping areas but requires a 10 minute walk but the main mall requires driving. The restaurant seems well maintained and pretty clean. I noticed a lot of young adults in this area either catching up with friends or having a work meeting. Food: Portuguese, Toast, & Egg (A-OK) The presentation was solid. the egg was served the way I requested (sunnyside up), sausages were cooked and sliced, the toast had a pleasant crunch and served fresh. If you're looking for a lite meal....then here you go. I guess I expected a little bit more from this place Service: Despite the hustle and bustle, it wasn't too bad. Servers were attentive and polite. TL;DR 3.5 Stars. The price was about right, the experience was nice and food was delicious. I did wish I ordered something fulfilling. Overall I can't complain with the parking, wait, and the taste of food. It's not THE place to be but it's a nice alternative compared to your chain breakfast spots. Tips: * Great place to go if you want breakfast but not a creative menu. read more

Rooster Café - Portuguese sausage, toast, and egg - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Just like the old school diners I would frequent often! Great value, delicious food and charming service. The music they play fits the vibe perfectly. And whenever i need to get my car serviced nearby i make a point to schedule around breakfast. Highly recommended! read more

Fresh Ingredients! 3.5 Stars. The last time I was here was when the place was sub leased in the evenings to a tapas place. It is very small inside, but they do have outside tables also. Expect a breakfast and coffee to run somewhere around $12-$15. They have your typical breakfast foods plus some unique items such as breakfast tacos and they have espresso. ~Huevos Rancheros-4 Stars! This dish was stood out and it had very fresh ingredients including avocado. I would eat this again. The rest of the items were AOK. The latte was good. If I were eating here again, I would stick to the huevos rancheros. Service was average and parking was tight. Without a doubt Orange County does lack in the breakfast brunch category. There are not many places to choose from in the area. Overall, aok. I am almost a fan. read more

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I walked here after dropping my car off to my mechanic, whose shop is nearby, early on a Saturday morning. I'd heard this was a breakfast and lunch joint so thought I'd get a bite to eat. Rooster Cafe is one of those "order at the register and they bring the food to your table" places. There are a few tables outside and maybe 6 or 7 inside as well as a counter. All but two were full when I arrived at 8am but there was no line to order. That changed a few minutes later when a constant line became the norm until I left at 8:45. The interior is acoustically noisy and while I was here the sound system was playing 50s rock with some Stray Cats mixed in. I ordered the Texas french toast combo. This consisted of two pieces of thick french toast (one piece of bread cut in half), egg (scrambled for me) and a choice of bacon or Portuguese sausage (I chose sausage). I also ordered a Mexican mocha. The guy at the counter who took the order was very friendly and made pleasant conversation. I paid with plastic and, as they use an iPad for transactions, was confronted with that annoying issue where it asks for a tip before any real service has been rendered (how tip-worthy is having your order dropped off at your table?). I was handed my drink before I took my numbered placard to a table to sit. The Mexican mocha had a nice hint of cinnamon. I enjoyed this drink and would order it again if I were to return. My food came out in 5 minutes. There was a bountiful amount of egg and the french toast was done perfectly and came with a big side of syrup that allowed me to dip pieces into it rather than have to pour it over the plate. The pieces of sausage were the star of the breakfast - so flavorful! I wanted more! Ultimately a solid breakfast, well done but nothing out of the ordinary: 3.5 stars rounded up. read more

Rooster Café - Texas french toast combo - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

We are not in this area often, but since I was headed to the swap meet after, my husband looked for a place to eat out this way. Most came up as cash only and we did not feel like dealing with that so we tried out Rooster Café. Parking sucks. There was not much and it was all taken, and all the curbs around it were taken. I even attempted the Crossfit parking lot, but those stumps even have random names on them so I didn't bother. I finally found a spot across the street and a few businesses down. The place is small. There are a few bar seats, some tables, and some outside seating. Luckily there were about three tables left when we came in and they were all taken shortly after I placed the order. This is another business that has you order right away and find your seat. I did not prepare myself with what I wanted so I had to be quick. I did not want anything heavy as I was not feeling well as of late. I decided to go with the regular two egg breakfast. I chose sunny side up eggs, bacon instead of their Portuguese sausage (which I am sure is tasty). I chose fresh fruit as my side instead of potatoes, and I chose squaw bread as my toast. My husband went with the breakfast tacos but asked for no avocado. The breakfast came out fairly quickly and a line sure formed. There seemed to be a huge party who came after us so I am glad we arrived when we did. Unfortunately that led to a giant line out the door almost the whole time we were there, and that line was about five inches from my back. I hate feeling like a sardine and like someone is in my space, but luckily my "give a crap" button went out the window days before, so I didn't let it bother me as I simply had no more energy to be annoyed with people. That worked out because if it were my husband he would have been flipping out. I found my meal to be pretty tasty, and it sat well with my stomach. The eggs were cooked great, and the bacon wasn't flimsy and slimy. I even got four pieces when it stated three. The fruit was good too, and it seemed like there were even some jicama added. My main complaint was the toast. Not only was it squaw bread which should have been soft, (A recent place I had it as toast and it was still soft compared to most), but it was pretty rock hard, even for other breads. It was not burnt at all so I have no idea why it was so hard. My husband seemed to like his but was not too thrilled with the tortillas or the potatoes. He said the corn tortillas overpowered the other ingredients. He prefers flour. Also the red potatoes did not have much flavor. I tried one and agreed. Once the lady had left the food she was never to be seen again. We were one of the few who did not have ketchup and I wanted some with my eggs. I tried to get her attention at the counter but she grabbed the dishes in the bucket below and dashed. She must have been flustered. The cashier handling the long line helped me out. He was very good and efficient, by the way. I did splurge and left a nice tip when I paid up front despite the fact that there was not much service involved. Flavor was good, just a few hiccups. I liked it and would go back. read more

Rooster Café - 2 egg breakfast. I chose bacon, fruit as my side, and squaw toast. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

First time here and will definitely be back! I was tempted to dock a star for the restaurant being too small for the crowd but we did find a table and we did go for Sunday breakfast, which I'm assuming is their busiest time. I would plan on coming here with no more than 4 people. 2 is ideal as the tables are pretty small inside. There are a few outdoor tables but those were all taken by families and it looked like they were there for awhile and planned to stay there for awhile. The food was very good and reasonably priced. My husband and I both ordered omelettes, mine was egg whites only. The portion was perfect, not too much but definitely plenty of food filled us up! The food was a little greasy but nothing too crazy. But if you are a health-nut, this place probably isn't the best place for you. Although the egg white omelette with veggies was probably pretty healthy. At least I hope so! And the potatoes, while not the healthiest, were amazing, I'm glad I didn't substitute them for anything else! read more

Rooster Café - Veggie scramble...hot off the grill! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

So we decided to pop in here before lil guy's appointment with Gina to get his hair cut. I'd been meaning to try this place out but after several attempts I gave up trying to make a point of going. So since we were in the neighborhood this morning, I thought, "why the hell not". At first I was afraid it would take too long for us to eat since lil guy's appointment was in 45 mins. I had read that the service was slow. However, that was not the case and we managed to get our order in, eat and still have 20 mins to spare. It was damn fast. I had heard great things about the French Dip ($6.49) and even though it was breakfast time, I didn't really care. I didn't feel like having breakfast. I asked Brian (one of the owners) if I could have something other than breakfast and he said "sure". So that's what I got. Hubby got the breakfast burrito ($4.99) since he saw jun's photos posted and it looked good. Lil guy had the french toast ($4.99) with a side of bacon ($1.50). Well, I must admit, the French Dip was really fabulous. The roll was toasted and the filling perfect, although yes, the au jus dip was a tad salty but I liked it all the same. A sliver of dill pickle accompanied. I could understand Kat's dilemma with regards to feeling like something like a packet of chips should've been served alongside for six bucks fifty -- guess I felt the same -- but I still would return for their sandwiches as it was really good. Hubby said his breakfast burrito was good. I'll take his word for it since I'm not a burrito fan, especially not a breakfast one. Lil guy's french toast was aiight. Again I'm not a french toast fan, but he seemed to enjoy it. All in all, a really nice little spot for lunch or a late night snack. It's relaxing and the perfect place for my half woked-up ass this morning. I didn't feel rushed and I had a good meal. read more

Rooster Café - french dip - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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My cousin and I wanted to grab breakfast after our half marathon away from the Disney fray so we opted something closer to home. I suggested Rooster Cafe since I had only been to Rooster PM in the past. I sorely miss Rooster PM but c'est la vie. There was a line out the door when I arrived but luckily my cousin made it there first. I perused the menu and opted to get the turkey melt with a side of tortilla soup (cup size) instead of breakfast. My cousin opted for the early riser sandwich. The cashier helping us suggested putting it on ciabatta bread instead of the sourdough and she agreed. We found a table inside safe from the winds and waited. Our entrees came out a few minutes later and we dug in. My soup was flavorful with lots of chicken chunks. Although I didn't see any tortilla it was full of tortilla flavor. It was pretty tasty and welcome on a cold, brisk day. The turkey melt was cheesy, hot and full of sliced turkey. I didn't care for the onions since they were undercooked. I dislike raw onions with a passion so if it's cooked at all, it needs to be caramelized, not limp and still raw. Otherwise the sandwich is great. My cousin enjoyed her sandwich on the ciabatta. It was a great suggestion! The place is bustling on the weekend so be prepared to wait if hungry, but hopefully not too long. read more

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Nice little find in the midst of all the busy streets of Costa Mesa! This spot has a pretty simple but yummy brunch and breakfast options that they serve up quick! All the photos with the breakfast tacos looked so good, so I knew what I was going to order right away. They did not disappoint, especially with Tapatio drizzled over it just a bit ;) the side of potatoes are just okay though and could use a little more seasoning for some more flavor. There's only a small lot available for parking, but there should be enough spots on the open/vacant street. Next time, I'll have to try their breakfast burrito or the huevos rancheros! read more

Rooster Café - Tacosssss! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Just a stepping stone from The Lab Anti-Mall and on the same street as Barley Forge Brewing, Rooster Cafe is a small dining establishment that serves breakfast and lunch (offering sandwiches and salads). It's a seat yourself kind of place and you pay/order first. It was a full house when I first arrived, but as my friends found their way in, a table opened up in the nick of time. Swoop! Once the table was cleared and we secured our seats, we made our orders. The special of the day was listed on the blackboard at the counter: Strawberry Banana Pancakes or Pumpkin Pancakes served with a strip of bacon and a cup of fruit. I started off with a cup of coffee before we made a group decision on who orders what. The goal is to try all the things we wanted to try through sharing. After some deliberation, we got both options. There wasn't really anything special about the strawberry banana other than real fruit arranged in the center of the pancake. The pumpkin pancakes were tasty. I wished it had more pumpkin spice flavors, but the subtle taste of pumpkin pie was there. Due to rave reviews on Yelp, breakfast tacos with a side of hashbrowns made it to the table. The tacos contained scrambled eggs, house-made salsa, avocado and cheese, but it didn't really live up to the crazy hype. They were good, but not THAT life changing. And for the simple eater, the two egg breakfast. Scrambled eggs, Portuguese sausage, hashbrowns, toast (choice of wheat or sourdough) and four slices of bacon is sure to fill up anybody's appetite. Open until 3pm daily with breakfast being served all day, your food is not ready until you order it. The menu says that 96.3% of their produce are sourced from local farmer's markets, which is a great way to support small businesses in the local area AND I love that it feels like home style cooking at my doorstep. Definitely a repeat customer and I do recommend the breakfast burritos. They are ALL great - I ordered so many variations in a day and they were all devoured. read more

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Great breakfast burritos, staff is friendly, casual, quick and tasty. Cobb salad is really good for lunch. Jared will take great care of you. read more

Solid breakfast/lunch place, portions got smaller & prices went up a lot since pre-pandemic but overall still worth coming. I love their breakfast burrito (half sausage & bacon) and asking for extra salsa because it works really well together! read more

This popular breakfast café had a line out the door the entire time I was there! Order your food at the counter, and they will give you a number to place on your table. A server will bring you your food when it is ready. There is both indoor seating (tables and bar seating) and outdoor picnic tables. Parking: Small lot next to the café or street parking. Service: Bussers were really good about clearing tables quickly and rearranging tables to fit the maximum number of parties. Food: - Breakfast Tacos - Comes with two tacos with scrambled eggs, bacon, cheddar cheese, house-made salsa, avocado, and corn tortillas with red potatoes on the side. These tacos were pretty filling! There was a good ratio of ingredients, and everything was flavored well. The corn tortillas are crispy, so it holds together nicely...though I do recommend eating it with a fork and knife! Potatoes were nothing special. - Huevos Rancheros - Two eggs over easy, black beans, cheddar cheese, house-made salsa, avocado, and corn tortilla with red potatoes on the side. Pretty similar to the tacos but with beans instead of bacon. They give a good amount of avocado! read more

Rooster Café - Huevos Rancheros - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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