I am moving from Washington to Norfolk and was in need of a new home. My real estate agent picked me up from the airport and asked if I was hungry. She knew of a place near her office that had good breakfast food. So we went to the Sandfiddler Cafe. They were pretty busy at 10 AM but we only had to wait about 5 minutes to get a table. The food was good but the service was kind of annoying...it seems that all the tables are shared throughout the restaurant so any time a server walked by they asked us if we wanted anything or if we were doing OK. It was fine at first but when you can't go 2 minutes in a conversation without telling someone you don't want anymore coffee it eventually gets annoying. What really killed it for me was we had just finished eating and had just received the bill. My agent and I wanted to discuss which houses we were going to go see first, what would have been about a 5-10 minute conversation, before we got up to pay our bill. We had our folders out and the owner/manager walked up to us and very directly said, "Look, I don't want to be rude but I have people waiting to get a table and this isn't an appropriate place for you to do your business. I know real estate is important but this is not the place for it. I'm not telling you to leave but this isn't the place for you to discuss this." He repeated himself another 2 times while he clearly saw us picking up our papers to leave. There were other open tables and only about 6 people waiting. The table next to ours looked at us and said, "That was very rude!". So, while the food was good, the owner/manager was extremely rude and I'm sure this wasn't the first time he has been that way. read more

Ok... I dig it. After reading tons of reviews regarding the awesomeness of this diner (more of a diner than cafe, but whatever right?), I decided to check it out. First and foremost, the absolute best thing about Sandfiddler is the fact that they serve biscuits. Yes. Fucking biscuits. I have no idea why those little nuggets of dough are such a monumental part of my breakfast, but they are. The worst thing however(dun dun dun), is also a really important thing... the coffee. Its so damn nasty. Like seriously, its disgusting, and it totally sucks because who doesn't want to start their morning off w/a cup o' joe. I typically drink my coffee before I go over there, because otherwise I'd ruin my appetite. Back to a more positive note, you get a nice amount of food, pretty decent prices, the homefries kick ass, so do the eggs, and french toast, actually, so does pretty much everything. Location on the other-hand, can be a stretch if you're not already in Norfolk. read more

We love Sandfiddler Cafe! This is the second time we have gone for breakfast. It's always busy but the staff is so helpful and attentive. They are great with kids. Last time I had the crab Benedict, which was delicious. This time I tried the crab omelette, which was equally satisfying. I'm not sure which I would pick as the best, they were both excellent. My boys loved the fresh fruit and the cook even made hard boiled eggs for them (they won't eat eggs any other way). My husband had the chicken and waffles again because he enjoyed it so much the first time. The sides are always fresh, well cooked and seasoned perfectly, not bland or overwhelmingly salty as a lot of places these days. It's definitely bustling and busy for a reason! We will be back again. read more

Chicken and Waffles! I'm ashamed to say I've never had chicken and waffles, until I ordered it from Sandfiddler Café. Yum! The chicken tenders were cooked perfectly! I plan to go back and order it again! The service is fast and the staff friendly! Be prepared to wait a bit. They were packed! read more

Sandfiddler Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

Eaten here a few times, very rustic, clean and all around great food. Highly recommend!

Another solid visit for lunch today. For a Monday this place was pretty packed and it wasn't working people that had the place full. My first visit was for breakfast so today I tried a salad for lunch. It was good but I really just like eating unhealthy. Gosh almighty I hate eating salads at restaurants. As I write this review I can only imagine a stack of their pancakes with 1,000 lb of butter licking syrup off of my fingers. The friends I met with today really enjoyed their lunches. Friendly staff that was patient with us we were at first more interested in discussing business matters. Overall good visit. Can't wait for the breakfast again. read more

I recently transferred to a new job in this area so I decided to check these guys out one morning for breakfast. Excellent food and service. The eggs were cooked just the way I wanted them and the short stack of pancakes were the perfect size and quite tasty. My meal kept me full all the way until dinner. A good deal for under ten bucks. 15% military discount on Tuesdays and Thursdays. read more

Had breakfast carryout this morning, and I was impressed. The omelets (one veggie, one western) were cooked to perfection. The eggs weren't burnt, and weren't runny, they were seriously picture perfect. The potatoes were pretty tasty, and my kids' pancakes looked nice and fluffy too. We'll definitely try this place again. read more

I ended up here because...you guessed it, YELP! Mothers day weekend breakfast was the time I went, thinking it would be slammed because I saw the great reviews, and they were indeed busy. We were a party of two and although there was a short wait we didn't even have to do so but more than 5 minutes. Now the food; holy moly, so good! I ordered an omelet and it comes with two sides. That's not even the exciting part- you can get pancakes as a side!! I loaded up those puppies with chocolate chips and ate almost the entire meal! Hash-browns are definitely homemade here! *yum* A group of police officers came in and offered to be split into two table but the host/server(?) was more than happy to get them all sat together. Loved that! Great mom and pop, home-like feel. I highly recommend checking this place out! read more

Stopped in for a quick breakfast. Seated immediately. Staff friendly. Waitress attentive. My fave thing ever is crab eggs Benedict which they had. Delish!!! Pure crab...hardly any filling/breading. Also got the hollandaise on the side just in case since I hate when my food is smothered in sauce. Perfection. Spiced apples on the side were a nice touch to cleans the palette. I will be back. read more

Came for brunch with my mom who was visiting from NY for the weekend. Since it was Sunday brunch-time, there was a 20 min wait and we walked around the plaza as there was no more wait-seating available. We came back and they had called us while we were out, much to our dismay. Once they recognized us from earlier, they immediately gave a table, which we weren't expecting--so, so pleased that they did. :) Excellent food, generous portions. My mom had the crab eggs benedict, and she was delighted with them. I had pancakes (that were so big I couldn't finish, even with mom's help), with cheesy scrambled eggs, and PERFECT bacon. Our server was kindly attentive although clearly swamped with customers. I'll definitely return. read more

Super yummy Crab Eggs Benedict! Great prices and huge portions. Decor is beachy and some for sale by local atrists. Warm and kind service with a great mix of patrons, both locals and transplants from Navy proud and Coastie families! read more

This was my first time to this cafe whole in Virginia. And as a review I 'd say the breakfast was delicious. I had the Greek omelette with coffee and water. The waitress said it would be very spicy but it wasn't at all just enough. The customer service was punctual and polite. Would recommend this cafe to a friend indeed. At first I was looking for a Denny's but say a lot of good reviews on this cafe and decided to try it out. They are only open for breakfast and brunch though. The wait time wasn't long since I was by myself. I went this Sunday and it was packed. I was told by another patron to get there about 0900. read more

I wish I could give it 10 out of 5! This place is great! The Sandfiddler is my favorite place when I am in Norfolk for breakfast foods. These folks KNOW how to cook. Most restaurants, when cooking omelettes, over cook the eggs, resulting in a mottled, brownish (and very dry) outer layer. Yuch! not at Sandfiddler Cafe! Their omelettes come out perfectly yellow, with the best stuffings you could ask for. And the sides are more than enough to fill you up. Almost reminds me of the old Frenchie's on Tidewater Drive of years gone by. Anyway, this place is simply fantastic. If there is ANY downside, it is too small for the number of people that come in - they are ALWAYS packed. But believe me, it is worth the wait! read more

Never again would I eat there. Burping that stale vegetable oil three hours after eating. Greasy scrambled eggs, hash browns were not edible, you couldn't bite them, hard as gravel. The waitress picked up the full order and didn't bother to ask. The biscuits were of the frozen variety, and the gravy was gelatinousand scarce of sausage. The grits they didn't mess up though. All in all, WAY overpriced at $18. I don't see what the fuss is about in that place. You'd be better to save your bucks and go to Hardee's. Don't expect country breakfast from this joint. Never again. read more

Everything at this place is amazing . The owner has the best hospitality that I've seen in a long time. The employees are great. Wonderful attitude, clean atmosphere. I love this place. read more

A hidden gem in the developing area of Norfolk's Ocean View East Beach. Location: Sandpiper is a middle store on the southwest line of a tired looking strip mall called East Beach Shoppes...but don't let that discourage you because it's worth the trip, especially for military looking for someplace close to JEB Base. Service: Definitely friendly and well attuned to the needs of the customers. The tables had a wide variety of jelly for toast, sweeteners for coffee and and plenty of napkins. Our server was quick to check on us and never kept us waiting. However, she was a little unfamiliar with how some of the meals were prepared. I think my questions about how things were cooked seemed to take her off guard but she was immediately honest with her knowledge and then went to find out. Ambiance: The layout gives the place a roomy feel while the decor was kinda a combination of a small downtown diner and beach boardwalk restaurant. It may sound like a good idea but it worked. The colors and the display of the artistic works of local residents were pleasing to the eye and a classy touch. That said, I found the excessive display of the restaurants t-shirts took away from the character of the place. Regardless we found it cozy and welcoming. Meal/Drink: We came for breakfast so I was really pleased they had good coffee and juice. After seeing the Yelp reviews on the "Benedict" dishes I choose to go completely different direction so ordered the Scrapple and Eggs with a side of Pecan Pancakes and Fruit. My father-in-law went with the traditional Eggs, Bacon, Hashbrowns and Toast. Now, for those of you that don't eat scrapple this might sound crazy, considering we're talking about pig scraps, BUT...if a cook doesn't know how to cook scrapple then it comes out tasting like Blah. Sandpiper GOT IT RIGHT. My scrapple was served thin, flat and crisp. All our eggs were all cooked perfectly. The pancakes were huge, fluffy and quite tasty with quite a bit of pecans layered on top. Every piece of fruit, with our side of fruit, was ripe...a rarity for the restaurants of Hampton Roads. In fact everything tasted so dang good I overate trying to enjoy it all. Cleanliness: This place was clean. Every table, chair, counter and large restrooms, each handicap capable, were spotless. Even the kitchen and prep area, which you can see from the counter stool seating looked constantly wiped down. Overall: 4.5 Stars! I love this place and despite being farther away from the part of the base I usually visit this will become another pre or post golf or work outings restaurant when I'm at JEB. That said I'm rounding down to 4 Stars until I get an opportunity to try the lunch. read more

We stopped by Sandfiddler based on recommendations found on Yelp! The experience and food really lives up to the reviews! Once you get passed the construction happening in the run-down looking shopping center where it's located, you walk in to a cute little beach-themed establishment. Karen took care of us and she was a pleasure. Listening to her interact with other customers proved her southern kindness was real! She checked on us periodically but not too often to make it annoying or intrusive. I ordered the eggs Benedict with crab. Deeee-licious!!! If you're not sure, just go for it! You won't be disappointed. Friend had sausage, bacon, eggs, pancakes. That looked amazing and friend would have been very willing to try seconds if it wasn't already so much food! I'm sure we weren't the only visitors to the area but they certainly had regulars even if they may have been regular visitors for the week. How charming it was to hear and see them greet patrons by name! Jeff, the owner, checked us out and, I have to say, what a friendly and pleasant man! I told him how we came across his restaurant and he was thrilled to find out it was through Yelp! Next time I am in the Norfolk area, I'll be heading to Sandfiddler to enjoy another meal with Jeff, Karen and the rest of their crew! read more

Eggs Benedict are hard to come by around here. But the Sandfiddler Cafe has them and they are delicious. Even the crab cake eggs Benedict are amazing! Ran by the owner who is super friendly and personable. Will be back here as much as possible. read more

Sandfiddler Cafe - Breakfast menu - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

BEST Breakfast in Ocean VIew. Food and Staff ROCK!

I don't know what it is about these places that are in strip malls. I'm starting to think that if a breakfast/lunch joint wants to have a hope of success they better find themselves a little spot in an old strip mall if they want to be a success. Sandfiddler Cafe is one of those places. The locals know about it and if you don't look on Yelp or know someone that comes here you'll never find out that this place exists. The guy running the front knows all the locals by name. I even heard him tellin the waitress what to expect from a customer that was walking in, and he was right... The food was superb as was the service. While I usually put Tabasco on most things my meal needed nothing when it came out. Not a drop of salt or pepper was needed. I did put Tabasco on but it wasn't needed. I had the chicken fried steak. My friend had the crab Benedict. Our meals were both so good we didn't even talk while eating because we were devouring the plates. I have the distinct idea that this is a place where you could order anything on the menu and be happy about your selection. Try this place you'll be a regular. read more

Sandfiddler Cafe - Chicken fried steak with hash browns, spiced apples, and a side of sausage. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

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Stopped in for breakfast on our way out of town. Really clean and cute inside that focuses on local artists. Good coffee, food was average breakfast diner style. Prices were good compared to other local establishments. Were seated by the owner which was nice. We weren't blown away but this is a nice place with decent food for the price. read more

Great food! My son had 2 servings of the silver dollar plate and the crab Benedicts were the best! Fast service and very nice staff! We will definitely be coming more frequent! read more

Love this place the second I walked in. We were greeted by the owner at the door. Love the personal touch of telling the family history on the menu. Very professional and friendly staff. Resturaunt was very clean, Service was very fast coffee was hot and the food was delicious. Glad we discovered this place and look forward to coming back here. Deserves EVERY FIVE STAR ! read more

Possibly the best breakfast place I have ever been to!! The food is always so good and the service is what really makes this place amazing. The owner is always in welcoming customers with a smile. We come here at least once a month and will never go anywhere else! read more

Ok, so it's my birthday weekend so I believe I should be taken out to eat OFTEN. I picked this place from my bookmarked list and am happy I did. It was a little busy when we got there, a few people were waiting outside and quite a few more were waiting inside but there were stools available at the bar so we sat right away. This was a cool spot since it's right next to the kitchen where we could watch the food come off the grills and the waitresses prep the plates. Another great reason to sit here is the others at the counter were very sociable with us. We chatted with an ER nurse and his wife and a gentleman who distributes seafood locally. This restaurant runs like a well-oiled machine. That kitchen of 5 work like one person with 10 arms. Gordon Ramsey minus the attitude. The wait staff at this side of the kitchen is just as efficient with great personality. As busy as they were our water/coffee never went empty. I had eggs/hash/fresh fruit. I really enjoyed that fruit. It didn't come from a Sysco bucket, the melon was fresh cut and the grapes crunched when I bit them. Someone used some of their knife skills this morning. I thought the portion was perfect (see pic). I ordered my eggs over easy but they appeared to be basted but the yokes were perfect. My only problem is with the corned beef hash. I have yet to find a local restaurant that actually make this from scratch. These were the canned variety that are always too salty. Everything else I saw come out that kitchen was from scratch. We will definately be back. read more

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Such a perfect hole in the wall. I've been driving past it for well over a year now going to work. I wish I would have stopped in sooner because this place is amazing. Huge portions of good for really cheap. Very clean restaurant very friendly staff. Will definitely return with my family! read more

Sandfiddler Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

This is the most amazing place. The food is amazing and the staff is unbelievably friendly. Our server Pearle made my daughter and I feel like royalty. She made sure we wanted for nothing. We will definitely be coming back!!!! Also be sure to get some of their merch! read more

This place is amazing. I stopped in for breakfast on my way down to the Outer Banks, NC. The food is incredible, the staff was very nice and the price was right! They also have fun t-shirts available for purchase. -Jeffrey read more

Had the hungry fisher man and my friend had the Blitzen which is a crepe in my eyes. 3 eggs over easy, sausage links, bacon, hashbrowns, and 3 pancakes is what made up my meal. Everything was ok, nothing that wowed me. The pancakes were sweat which I liked but you can tell they were not fresh and most likely frozen. My friend's blitzen was the better of the dish but it was very sweat. She had her's with cherry's and you're going to need some coffee with it. Met the owner while I was there and he was a nice good, service was good as well but again, nothing out of the ordinary. read more

1st time coming here...slammed packed which is kind of a good sign that the food is good! Staff was very friendly and apologized for the wait (which was only 10mins & totally not there fault) Everyone enjoyed what they ordered the waffles were amazing and my spinach, onions & peppers omelet was super tasty. Will def be going back read more

Sandfiddler Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Norfolk, Virginia

Came for brunch on a Saturday and even though the pace was busy, we got a table quickly. The service was friendly and kept checking on us to refill water and coffee, which some places overlook when they're slammed. The food didn't take long and it was delicious. We had eggs, sausage, bacon, hash browns, biscuits, and sausage gravy. I'll be back again and again. read more

This is hands down my favorite brunch spot. I end up eating here at least 3 times a month. Man oh man I love the French toast!! The owner always wears such a kind smile. Darn... Now I'm hungry for French toast. read more

Been in this area since 1986. Picked this place randomly off the list. My wife and I are impressed with food quality and service. I had the crab omelette... best one I have ever had. Wife was raving about her French toast combo with sausage. Will definitely come back with our kids and granddaughter in tow. read more

Ate breakfast here on the weekend and was pleasantly surprised. It was just as I expected for a beach diner. Lots of beach themed items on the walls and some really neat artwork for sale. This place was bustling, but they were still kind and efficient. A little bit of a wait (good breakfast places usually have one) but nothing too serious. Once we were seated, the wait staff was very friendly, attentive, and kept the coffee flowing. Keeping my coffee full is a big item at any breakfast establishment. Companion and I both ordered country fried steak. I got eggs, home fries, and a biscuit. She got the hash browns and grits. We are big breakfast eaters, and this place did not disappoint. A very good overall experience. read more

Honestly, I went to this breakfast with high hopes. Breakfast is my favorite meal, and finding a great breakfast spot near my new home has been a top level priority since I moved. The good reviews and decent menu looked promising. Total let-down. The staff looked decently busy, with plenty of full tables, but I just didn't feel welcome. Little things, like the lack of an introduction from our server, just got to me. Maybe some folks don't care but I kinda appreciate the, "Hi my name is XYZ and I'll be taking care of you." When I want something special or even to say Thank You it's just pleasant to be able to use someone's name. Breakfast then proceeded to be mediocre. I had the Crab Omelette, and my fiancé had the Crab Eggs Benedict. They do not short serve the crab here and both of our dishes were loaded with delicious crab, but that's about the only plus. In my omelette I ordered some cheese, and I think that there may have been a shred or two hiding in there. Not exactly worth sending food back, but I was hoping for more. The hollandaise on both my omelette, and my lady's Benedict, was overly salted. The eggs on her Benedict were just under poached (whites were a bit runny for my and her tastes) as well. Then we get to the hash browns. I love hash browns. My meal came with two sides, and I said all that I wanted was the hash browns, extra crispy. These things came out under seasoned (they must have finished up the salt in my hollandaise), dry, slightly cold, and limper than an overcooked noodle... Heart. Crushed. The search for the perfect breakfast in Hampton Roads continues... read more

My favorite breakfast place! I've never left this place and not been satisfied. Everyone is extremely nice and the owner is an all around good guy. It's so hard to choose what to get here, because everything turns out fantastic. read more

This place was very cute. Nice atmosphere and workers. Waitress was pretty good as well. I order two fried eggs, ham, hash browns and pancakes... everything was delicious! Also had a cup of coffee and that was good as well. Very clean on the inside, 5 stars because I felt nothing was wrong with the place. read more

Wonderful place, food came fast and it was delicious. Service was great too, nice and read my mind a few times lol. Great atmosphere, small and quaint! Can't wait to come back, might have to be Saturday routine! read more

My cousins and I went here for Sunday brunch. Although, it was packed; we only waited a few minutes. The service was very quick, friendly, and accommodating. Their menu has so many options to satisfy all your cravings! I ordered the Chicken & Waffles with a Raspberry Chipotle Sauce and it was sooooo yummy! Definitely coming back soon! read more