Great spot for breakfast. Huge portions. Love the self service coffee/tea area with lots of flavor options and sweeteners. Had the scone scramble - cheddar and dill scrambled eggs were really yummy. Chose the raspberry scone which came warm. My daughter had eggs, bacon and French toast. Fresh squeezed OJ was worth the money. Amazing side of fruit! It was quite cold when the door opened - it's early Nov so hopefully they put a secondary door up when it gets to be winter. Cute decor. Full bar. read more

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Breakfast heaven! I've been going here for over 20 yrs. Staff are always very friendly and the food is excellent. Fresh fruit and veggies, great coffee, and gluten free options! The bar is a super improvement as now you can get a Bloody Mary with your brunch! read more

There was 6 of us and our whole party loved their meal! I got a corned beef eggs Benedict and every bite was heavenly! Hubby got chicken and waffles with banana pecan topping and there was not a crumb left! I'm extremely picky with my pancakes but there plain pancakes were phenomenal! Worth getting a side of (which is huge by the way) the owner was a very nice man who treated us like he knew us forever. Very clean place and very friendly sky staff definitely will return! Ohhh I almost forget the "home fries" are like nothing I've ever had!! Perfect!! So delicious!! read more

Sound Bites Cafe - Egg Benedict corn beef with side of pancakes - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

Lines lines lines... What exactly are people waiting for? I'm a big fan of good breakfast and passing by this place on a Sunday morning you would think this is the spot...It's not. Self serve (not good) coffee, dirty mugs, kind of rude, tired and indifferent service and possibly one of the most disgusting breakfast dishes ever conceived. I went home and prayed to a god I don't believe in that my stomach wouldn't punish me for what I just put into it. I'm sorry but no... read more

Sound Bites is an institution that, much like American Idol, one loves or can't stand. Boo AI, hooray SB! The menu offers at least a few unique items (fig stuffed french toast, challah french toast and moroccan skillets) and the food has been tasty overall. In more than 5 visits, I've always been served a complimentary fresh fruit plate - for nothing more than offering a genuine smile and maybe having an attractive woman in the party. Yeah, they're quick to grab a plate but when not in Europe, do as the not-Europeans: eat and leave. And now that they've moved to the spacious bar next door (RIP El Guapo), your claustrophobic friends can once again enjoy an eggs benny. One more thing: if management is reading, pay tribute to the Karaoke spirits that reside in 704 Broadway. They were there first. read more

I haven't had to tear apart a place in a while, but for all I've heard about this brunch joint...it was painfully underwhelming. I feel bad as my friend raved about Sound Bites and they'll at least have the benefit of the doubt that their Eggs Benedict was passable. I had the Stuffed French Toast with goat cheese and pears...and it was the worst execution I've had the misfortune of experiencing. The battered bread was lifeless and bland while the fruit lacked any hint of freshness. Being my favorite brunch dish, it says a lot when I considered leaving half of mine to be trashed. Oh and while this wasn't the first time I've seen an extra charge for real maple syrup, those restaurants at least serve very good brunch. As for beverages, the self-serve coffee was an interesting change of pace until I learned that it's charged by the cup. I can't think of a single place that pulls nonsense like that on average coffee brewed en masse, not even Denny's does it as far as I know. Lastly, the service is rushed. Very rushed. We had people come by at least 2-3 times asking prematurely if we were done with our plates. Sorry, but I'm not about to tolerate being hurried to finish crappy food. read more

I always try to check out the best breakfast places wherever I travel. Today, sound bites. I had the corned beef hash Benny and decided to sample their special of the day pumpkin pancakes with caramelized pecans. The Benny was good but the pancakes were amazing! Moist and super flavorful. These well might be the best pancakes I have ever tasted. read more

Sound Bites Cafe - Pumpkin pancakes - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

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We were recommended to this location as a great local breakfast spot by our air b&b host, and he was spot on! We liked the self serve water and coffee station. The space is roomy and the staff is friendly. I tried the signature dish of DELICIOUS Portuguese eggs. This was a new dish for me but something very similar to the way I naturally cook at home. Who knew I was so clever? my son had the spinach and feta eggs Benedict and my spouse had the traditional eggs Benedict. Both found their meals to be perfect. We all really enjoyed the home fries done much differently than we are accustomed to out on the West Coast. In appearance they look to be more like a potato cake. One thing is absolutely certain. If we were locals we would have a booth and everyone would know our name. read more

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Always reliable hospitable tasty; haven't had to wait long for a table --excellent choices & espresso martini is neat

Sound bites is my go-to breakfast spot in the neighborhood! Best homemade orange juice I've ever had and their crunchy French toast is so cravable! read more

Ball Square is head and shoulders above this place and it's right next door. We have always visited Ball Sq. in the past but on Saturday morning ball sq had a 20 person line compared to 2 people at soundbites. We were seated immediately and once we got inside we could see why as tables were crammed everywhere. This place is large and can probably hold twice as many people as ball square. Some food was good, some not so good. Fiance had good eggs bene with grilled mashed (grilled mashed portion was half the size of next door). This plate was good. However my french toast came with some of their grilled mashed under it. So imagine eating some sweet french toast with some heavy mashed potatoes. Not my favorite (and inexcusable). This leads me to believe they are running a chop shop in here where they are rushing out as much food to cover as many guests and checks as possible. I also had a piece of green spinach on my french toast. One highlight was the eggs and cheese crossaintwich our friend ordered which the crossaint came slightly grilled. He enjoyed this more than his pancakes. Service was average until the end. Servers are running around with a lot of checks at once and finding where to put them by table number. Someone took our credit card and check and 3 other people came over to ask us if we had paid yet, yes we gave our credit card to a server. While we were sitting finishing our drinks and conversation one server was taking away plates from the table next to us and stacked their dirty plates on our table before taking them to the kitchen. RUDE. This and other looks from servers led us to believe that we were being pushed out the door only seconds after paying the check. Food and service are better next door. Next time we will wait. read more

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On a Sunday at 11am, my party of 4 only had a 7ish minute wait time to be seated. The self serve coffee bar is such a smart concept and there is a good variety of options (from tea, iced or hot coffee, flavorings, etc). Our server was very friendly, cracked a lot if jokes, and made us feel taken care of... I think he may have been management. The food we ordered didn't take long to come out, but our server promptly brought out two little complimentary plates of fresh fruit. Delightful! I ordered a breakfast plate with scrambled eggs (because I'm probably a child), bacon, and blueberry pancakes. If that wasn't enough, it came with toast! Everything was truly delicious. A ton of food for $12. I'll be back. TLDR: Friendly, quick service. Delicious food. Great price. read more

Sound Bites Cafe - Our waiter brought us complimentary fruit! So fresh, so nice! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

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Just scrolling through the ratings, it's interesting to see that people either love or hate Sound Bites. As for me, if I'm craving breakfast, this is where it's at and it's absolutely worth the trek back to Somerville to get my Sound Bites breakfast favorites that have captured my heart, my stomach, and my loyalty for the past 5 years. My usual: Sausage, egg, and cheese croissant with a side of blueberry and banana pancakes. Yes, you can get a side of pancakes! It's perfect for people like me who are forever torn between sweet and savory during breakfast. And all of this and a full and happy belly for roughly $7. The sausage, egg, and cheese on croissant is pretty standard, but the pancakes are notable because I don't usually eat pancakes- in the war between pancakes and waffles, I have always been fiercely allied with waffles, but these pancakes are just so irresistibly loaded up with blueberry-banana-goodness that I don't even blink an eye at the waffles on the menu. Another favorite of mine is the Broadway Bowl, which is basically the contents of a giant breakfast burrito--home fries, tomatoes, pepper, onion, avocado, and cheese--layered in a seemingly bottomless bowl that defies the size of the average appetite. I like to get the Broadway Bowl with a side of sausage just because I love breakfast sausage/meat in general. Clearly, people either love it or hate it, the reviews are totally polarized, so my advice would be to give it a try and decide for yourself. After all, if you find that you love it like I do, it'll be totally worth it to find what could be beloved breakfast spot and if you don't, what's one meal in the grand scheme of things. read more

Sound Bites Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

It's been a few years since I've been to Sound Bites (moved to NYC) & was happy to find that the food was just as good as ever! The pancakes were delicious & their version of hash browns can't be beat!! read more

The chicken and waffles were my favorite and the waffles were so light just enjoyed the atmosphere and spot I would definitely go back to eat breakfast. read more

Sound Bites Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

Can't believe I haven't reviewed this place, our go-to Sunday brunch place near Tufts. The best!! Amazing food, especially the omelette aand the muffins! Line is always a drag so suffer through it, it's worth it! Self service coffee and water works great, including while waiting in line. Only negative is how they not so subtly rush you out after you're done eating. We've been coming here for almost 10 years and will remain loyal customers! read more

I was worried that Sound Bites wouldn't live up to the hype--but it totally did! My sister has been talking this place up for months, and I totally didn't expect it to be as good as she was saying. I wanted to deduct a star for pretty lame/rushed customer service--I wasn't thrilled to get my own water. But I did like the amazing options at the coffee bar, as well as the fact that you can take a cup to go. Four waiters asked for our order in the first four minutes after arrival, which was pretty annoying, but the fourth waitress was really sweet and offered to give us separate checks and she didn't even seem annoyed by it. But the menu--amazzzzing! I lived for all the salty-sweet food combos. I ended up with a Boston Blue--a mini cheddar omlet, homefries, and a grilled blueberry muffin. Why has nobody thought to grill muffins?!? It was incredible! I understand that the staff really rushes you in the morning. We entered at 12:30pm and had no trouble at all! read more

Sound Bites Cafe - The amazing self-serve coffee bar!! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

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So delicious! We didn't even have to wait in a long line which was apparently unusual for the place (says my Bostonian friend). I had banana chocolate chip pancakes with eggs, bacon, toast, and my friend and I split a fruit bowl Everything was really great plus the service was fast for how crowded the place was! I loved the atmosphere of Sound Bites. It felt cozy and the staff were all very nice. Next time I'm visiting my Bostonian friend, I will be going back to Sound Bites! read more

Sound Bites Cafe - Chocolate Chip Banana Pancakes! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

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Thank you to Sound Bites for a great breakfast this morning - despite it being almost 11am on a Saturday morning we didn't have to wait very long and even if we had had to wait, it would've been worth it! The giant fruit bowl they offer is totally worth the price - like 12 or 13 fruits in one bowl! Lots of unique offerings like stuffed french toast, delish! See full review here at The Academic Chef. read more

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Great place overall! We had a large party and they were very accommodating to all of us. Our food came out speedily and everything was consistently yummy. I ordered the Eggs Bene with tomato and avocado (hold the sauce) and it was wonderful. The avocado was nicely ripened and the eggs were poached to perfection, which is a very hard thing to do. I'd have to say that the shining star of our breakfast was the fruit bowl that we got to share. It was a huge helping of the freshest fruits on the market, talk about freshly prepared! I don't think I've ever had a more delicious fruit bowl. You could tell that they had just cut up everything and that it hadn't been sitting around for a while. I think my favorite feature was the DIY coffee bar, where you just grab a mug and help yourself to whatever coffee you'd like and fix it to your liking. There's free refills, and you can grab a cup to go! Brilliant. The vibe in Sound Bites was very cool as well, cheerful and upbeat, yet relaxed and chill at the same time. I'll definitely be back! read more

Great brunch spot and the lines move significantly faster than the place next door. Had the pastrami eggs benedict, and although I could have used a little more pastrami, the hollandaise sauce was killer. Perfectly eggy, and delicious. These are served with "potatoes", which you think are hash browns, but instead are like a grilled mashed potato. Crisp on the outside and gooey on the inside. Get these on the side even if your meal doesn't come with them. Beyond someone taking your order and dropping off your food, everything else is on your own. I guess that's its own charm? Between the water station and the self serve coffee station (stocked with 8 different coffees, all your syrups, and even chocolate sauce), go nuts. Would like to try the other place too, but Sound Bites left us full and ready to take on the day. read more

Sound Bites Cafe - Pastrami egg benedict - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

This is my go to spot in Somerville! I wish I could find my pictures to show how good it was. To start, they have mimosas that are delicious! They literally have every single option for your breakfast/brunch food. Their fruit bowl is the best fruit bowl that I've seen so far for breakfast. Usually spots give a small bowl of the fruits no one really wants but Sound Bites provides a wide variety of fruit. Definitely to share! Their coffee/tea/juices are self-serve, you just get up and get them yourself. The interior is a little dated but the food makes up for it. The service is also good and attentive. Parking in this particular area can really be a pain depending on the time of day. Most of the parking is street parking and metered. I've always had pretty open seating but this was during the weekdays. When I've gone with my family on the weekends, sometimes there's a bit of a wait. Food has come out super fast and warm. I haven't had any complaints about this place! Always take food home! read more

My dad and I were originally headed for Kelly's Diner down the road since that is our usual spot and we love the vintage atmosphere. Unfortunately they close by 2 on Sundays. I'd never ventured to Sound Bites but I'd often seen a line out the door so I assumed it would be as good as I've been lead to believe. The service was quick and we got to choose to sit in a booth and the menu seemed impressively varied. Certainly more choices than Kelly's. Dad ordered the lox and cream cheese bagel. I ordered the basic plus or whatever it was called with my eggs scrambled, pork sausage and a side of fruit instead of toast or bagel. The food came very quickly but presentation was lackluster. The fruit looked dry and shriveled as if it was previously cut and left in the fridge uncovered overnight. Maybe I'm picky about my home fries but I like them with as much crispiness as possible. These home fries (while nicely seasoned) were little more than a block of mashed potatoes that were thrown on a griddle. The pork sausages were the run of the mill shriveled pre-frozen breakfast links. Maybe I "ordered the wrong thing" but that really is no excuse. My meal was nothing to rave about and I am not all that excited about going back anytime soon. read more

Sound Bites Cafe - Fruit was dry and old, not very impressed. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

Went on a holiday morning for brunch with a group of friends. There was a wait, but only about 10 minutes, not bad at all. It was crowded, but we were given a booth. The OJ was fresh squeezed and delicious, there were plenty of coffee options, and the menu was extensive. The food came out quickly and was tasty. We particularly liked the mashed potato hash browns, the PB & banana-stuffed french toast, and the omelettes. The server was friendly, our bill was calculated correctly, etc. All good, right? Why am I only giving three stars? Because of the way our meal ended. We were sitting at the table, lingering after the check had been signed, and were asked by a few different people if we "needed anything." Not too different from the typical "let me be extremely polite and helpful so that you have no reason not to leave" game that servers usually play. But then a woman (not our server) came by to clear the plates. After she did that, she proceeded to wipe down the table and reset the entire condiments section while we were sitting there. She wasn't friendly. She didn't smile. She didn't say excuse me-- she didn't say anything, as a matter of fact. She simply acted as if the four of us weren't there. It was so awkward that we had no choice but to leave. (By the way, it's not like we had been sitting there for twenty minutes at an empty table-- it had been less than five minutes since they'd taken the signed credit card bill.) It was incredibly rude and left a really bad taste in our mouths. I know that brunch on weekends and holidays is a busy time, and I know that tables were at a premium, but each person at that table had ordered a full meal plus beverage, and I think that should have earned us the right to linger a bit at the table. Instead, it felt like we were being told, "You ate your food, now get the hell out." read more

I came here with a couple friends for a late brunch (i.e. lunch but with brunch food). I noticed that there was a huevos rancheros eggs benedict, which combines both of my favorite brunch foods. There were a lot of options to choose from, but I ultimately settled with that option. As far as the eggs benny, the flavor was good, but there could've been more hollandaise sauce. Also, one of the eggs wasn't runny enough, and the yolk was almost cooked solid. The fries were nothing really to write home about and the orange slice was a little odd. The place seems to have quite a few options and the flavors were quite delicious, but I'm not sure I would get another eggs benedict if I find myself back here. read more

Sound Bites Cafe - Huevos rancheros benedict w/ home fries - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

This place did not meet the expectations. The service was very poor and the servers looked pissed to me. We ordered the Avocado Eggs Benedict and the Tuscan Omelette. The eggs were fully cooked in the Benedict. The mushroom in the Omelette was not fully cooked so by the time it arrived on my table, there was water everywhere on the plate. Cappuccino had a layer of chocolate syrup on it which was weird since it was not mentioned anywhere in on the menu. read more

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Look, I really did want to have a more positive experience my second time around. My boyfriend and I came to Sound Bites for brunch, which is what they are known for. My last experience at dinnertime wasn't so great, so I had great hopes that brunch would be better. Here's the deal: all the tables are crammed together so you can hear everyone else's conversations. Yes, they are a well-oiled machine in the kitchen, but it means you're in and out and the leisurely experience is lacking. I ordered an egg white omelette with asparagus and swiss. It came out oily AND watery and sat on my plate in a sort of weird puddle. I could only eat half. My boyfriend and I shared the apple pancakes were were pretty delightful, so kudos on that one. All in all I just really prefer the atmosphere at Ball Square Cafe. I think that it's worth the wait over there and the food and wait staff treat you like family instead of another group to get in and out as fast as possible. I wish I liked this place as much as other people! read more

I was told to go to the pick up register to get my order that I placed over the phone. The women was helping someone before me so I waited. The people in front of me got their order and left. The employee literally acted as if I was invisible, turned around, went on to table and left me standing there. That was very ignorant and disrespectful of the women employee. If that's how the employees treat their customers, please everyone go to ball square instead cause that was unacceptable. I could have made it a bigger problem if I had the time this morning but I didn't. But this is a WARNING, don't go here. They are racist AF!!!!!! read more

I get it's all about the location but food is just OK and drinks are expensive. I want everything to be $3 cheaper and then I'm sold, haha. Good staff nothing bad to say but not my pick for brunch. read more

Great place for a family breakfast on the weekend. They have the best lobster omelet. If you are local or leave close by, you should definitely check it out read more

Ordered through Grubhub and basic breakfast food was overpriced and almost inedible. French toast just tasted like burnt oil and egg dish had no flavor. We were extremely disappointed and have to throw out the majority of our meal because it's just not worth the calories. Money down the drain! Don't recommend. read more

What an excellent place! Can see why it was so popular in the before times. We crashed in the late p.m., had to eat, they were nearby and open, we went in. The burger and sweet potato fries were on point, and the Middle Eastern plate was full of good stuff (outstanding grilled chicken, very moist, plus hummus, tabouli, a salad, and pita) and could've fed both of us. Add bottomless coffee and great prices, and you've got a gem. Lucky Somerville! read more

Had a great and pleasant experience here with my wife a few months ago. We were recommended by my boss and it did not disappoint. If you like good food @ a great neighborhood this is the place to go to. I (honestly) go to a lot of places to eat and I can't recall exactly what I had to eat except for the perfect french toasts! Go get yourself some breakfast here, highly recommended. read more

Was my go to spot for brunch pre-pandemic. Now, getting Sound Bites for Sunday takeout is a perfect reward each week. Highly recommend their French Toast - hits the spot every time. read more

Here's the problem with crowded brunch hot spots in college towns: The servers tend to neglect your coffee refilling needs. Sound Bites has found the solution: Get your own damn coffee. It's true, there exists a Self-serve java bar at Sound Bites. Holla! Your cup will forever runneth over! Service is good, and the food is fantastic. First, you are served a complimentary fruit platter to hold you over until your meal arrives... which, in my experience, isn't that long of a wait. I recommend trying the turkey sausage patties with your meal... they are fantastic. read more

Sound Bites Cafe - Stuffed French Toast at Soundbites - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

Atmosphere: lively during brunch time Food: ordered the green eggs and no ham bennedict - came with home "fries" which was basically pan fried mashed potatoes. It was good, but nothing special. Beverages are all self serve. If you aren't having coffee, don't take the mugs! read more

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I love the chocolate raspberry coffee. My sister and I have gone here often and I enjoy the food very much. This is our go to place for delicious coffee and a satisfying breakfast. read more

Good diner spot in Somerville area. Don't miss out on the mashed potatoes!! Don't think they're breakfast potatoes? Think again. Quick spot for pick up, we call ahead and it's ready in 15, during a busy weekend morning. read more

BEST BREAKFAST I'VE EVER HAD! I wish I could give this restaurant more stars- I can't praise them enough. One word: fresh! Every time I come here I am blown away- it's the little things: filtered serve-yourself water, bottomless fresh brewed flavored coffee, tons of fresh vegetables and fruit to add to your order and fast service. I will admit, this latest visit for breakfast, I placed a very diva-like complicated and specific order...but they nailed it, every obnoxious detail! Coffee and tea are delicious as well. Eat here- you will not be disappointed! read more

Excellent breakfast. The fresh fruit tastes just picked, the waffles - melt in your mouth, and well everything - basically goes down with lots of "This is so damn good" and " No really...this is sooooo good" - especially after a late night of boozing. Despite how quicly the breakfast goes down -the line to get in Sound Bites is usually painfully long. Sound Bites - is famous for its breakfast and it's the first thing many people think of when they want to nurse a hang-over or begin their Sunday. The owner is quirky and doesn't allow cell-phones or too much lingering over breakfast, but with breakfast this good - Sound Bites can get away with it, and adds to quaintness of the place. Hats off to owners -for taking a stance against those that feel it is their duty to enlighten every table two feet away on their crazy exploits the night before. read more