A Los Gatos staple for as long as I can remember. Although the ownership changed a few years back, they really stuck with the heart and soul of the restaurant and menu. I tried a good variety of the menu, Shrimp & Grits, Pulled Pork Benedict, Chicken & Waffles, Banana Nutella Churro Waffle, and Cornbread and Coffee cake. I've had grits a few times in the past and have never really liked them before, that was until these! The Shrimp & Grits was actually a highlight! The shrimp were cooked perfectly and there was a good portion of them. Really flavorful dish. Other favorite was the Pulled Pork Benedict and Chicken & Waffles. Great portions and flavor on each. The Banana Nutella Churro Waffle was a little decadent and sweet for me, but I would've loved that dish when I was younger, and probably could've eaten the whole thing too. Service was friendly and food didn't take long to come out. Love that they have indoor and outdoor seating, we opted for inside this time, but would definitely pick outside on a nice day! read more

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Ambience was a little cramped during lunch rush, but the food was exemplary. Best fried chicken I've had in a long time, and the Cole slaw was wonderfully flavorful. Server was quick and friendly. Gave her a nice tip because she earned it! Definitely going back. read more

Southern Kitchen - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Los Gatos, California

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I ordered the chicken and waffles and French toast through DoorDash. The description of the chicken and waffle clearly states it comes with country gravy and syrup which is also pictured in the menu. The French toast doesn't indicate it's supposed to come with syrup but I think it should. I have no problem paying for syrup and butter but it's not on the menu so therefore cannot be ordered. I know some places consider these items condiments (they shouldn't if they are listed in the menu as "comes with"...) but anyway I ticked the box to "include utensils and condiments". The food arrived with no napkins, utensils, no butter no country gravy and no syrup. The restaurant controls the menu on DoorDash and owns the customer experience when it comes to what is included in the box. Considering how expensive DoorDash is and the fact a customer cannot send the food back if there's a problem, the restaurant should spend extra care to make sure it that food arrives complete. Missing these items is really inexcusable which is really a shame because otherwise the food was delicious (using my own maple syrup I had in the fridge... lucky me I guess). I'm now less inclined to order DoorDash breakfast from this restaurant, and I wonder how many other people feel the same way because the same thing happened to them? read more

We popped into here before a long drive, and had every intention of stuffing ourselves. We were super successful- the food was amazing! I got the Los Gatos Lu (southern fried chicken over biscuits and gravy) and ate the entire thing with zero regrets. It was delicious. My boyfriend got the chicken fried waffle and he absolutely loved it- there was huge chunks of fried chicken in the waffle. It's exactly what he pictured! We also had plain coffee, and it was delicious coffee. Not sure what kind it was but yum! read more

Southern Kitchen - Chicken Fried Waffle - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Los Gatos, California

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My boyfriend and I stumbled upon this place a few weeks ago and have already been back again because we enjoyed it so much! Overall, this is a very good breakfast / brunch spot, and well worth the driving over from the South Bay. First, I truly think there's something for everyone here, as Southern Kitchen has an expansive menu of both Southern-traditional, other savory and sweet options, and even substitutions. I've really enjoyed (and devoured) the eggs benedict with chorizo; the chorizo is house made, it's flavorful and a little greasy (which I like), and they don't skimp! I also like that this comes with avocado, and the eggs have been perfectly runny. I've ordered my entree with country potatoes both times, and they were inconsistent but not necessarily bad--one time they were more on the crispy side, and this last time they were just soft. My boyfriend ordered pancakes the first time, and fried chicken / biscuits the second time. He loved the big, fluffy pancakes, but the fried chicken missed the mark a bit. The biscuits were delicious and fluffy, but the dish seemed a little short on gravy, and he did not love that the chicken was bone-in (it was very little fried chicken by the time he worked around the bone). As for ambiance, both the indoor and outdoor seating feels a little close to other people, but we also appreciate that this feels like a smaller, friendly neighborhood restaurant. Lastly, we had great service one time and very slow service the next time, but they were completely full on a Sunday, so that's understandable. We look forward to another visit in the near future! read more

Southern Kitchen - Chorizo Benedict - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Los Gatos, California

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Great location in downtown Los Gatos Came in mid week, for late brunch. Had some ice tea and tried the chicken waffles for the first time in my life. It definitely covers breakfast lunch and might even dinner. Huge portion, I've asked the gravy on the side as I wasn't sure about it, indeed I didn't like it much. My server was really nice and it wasn't busy so food came out really quick. Only problem was all the yellow jacket bees which was kinda annoying but not much to be done about it read more

Southern Kitchen - Chicken & Waffles - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Los Gatos, California

Southern Kitchen used to be my favorite breakfast place 2006-2016 or so. I would go at least twice a month and despite the long waits, the delicious food and fast service made up for it. I have many fond memories of the dishes there. My daughter and I tried it again - we'd stopped going awhile ago when it was sold during the pandemic. We'd hoped it had returned to its former glory... The service was good and friendly. The food: - hash browns were still crispy on the outside and soft on the inside - the omelet was still layered and had good avocado and onions. I would swap the bacon for sausage and the sausage was my favorite part of the meal, beautifully textured and bursting with flavor... and the new sausage isn't the same. It was bland. And the omelet was maybe 1/2 the size it used to be. Was enough to fill me up but I used to look forward to leftovers - my daughter's bananas foster French toast was a healthy portion and pretty good, although not as amazing as I remember - the coffee cake was dense and decent although not the same as I recall I was sad - I really like diner food especially for brunch and southern kitchen used to be the place I recommended most heavily and I can't say I enjoyed it as much as I used to. read more

I had the perfect huevos rancheros, today. Eggs a perfect over medium on top of crispy corn tortillas. A nice layer of refried beans and chorizo coating the tortillas. Fresh salsa and avocado slices with a sprinkle of cheese to round it off. Hash browns were nice and crispy and Pam kept my mason jar cup of iced tea full. Great way to start off the day! read more

Southern Kitchen - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Los Gatos, California

Friendly staff and very accommodating to our rather large party. I had the breakfast of champions and it was a good amount. Fluffy pancake, thick bacon. However I asked for over-well eggs and it was runny. Vanilla latte was okay. I'd come back here for some breakfast. read more

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(Tom Cruise voiceover) The vibe is warm Southern hospitality right here smack dab in Los Gatos! Pam warmly greeted us! She is fab! Cold press juices! Wow! Cappucino avec quatre shots! Perfect! Veggie Benedict! Healthy! Corn Beef Hash w/ Poached Eggs! Exquisite! And bien sûr le Frickles! It's why I'm here! Satisfying! And prochainment le Fried Green Tomatoes! Would order everything again! Thanks, Pam! Woohoo! read more

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Southern-style diner with breakfast food. I got the Southern omelette, which was pretty good, but the hash browns didn't taste like much. I really liked the coffee cake, which reminded me of a churro. The grits also had very little taste. read more

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Great food and good service. What we order, and rating: Drinks: -matcha latte 3.5/5: good drink a bit bitter, but i added a bit sugar. -vanilla chai 4/5: taste like christmas Food: -meat lovers with pancake 4/5: relly good, just wish the omelette was a bit bigger. -chicken and waffle 5/5: chicken is inside the waffle. Waffle tasted like a funnel cake. Delish! Overall, will go there again. Only problem is finding parking. read more

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Post-Wedding Brunch Vibes & Coffee Cake Worth the Hype.... We went to Sarah's Southern Kitchen today at 10am to meet up with my little brother before driving back to Sacramento. We were in town for a wedding last night and needed one last good meal before hitting the road. No reservation, but we were seated quickly inside. The place is cozy but definitely loud--lots of energy. I had their signature shrimp and grits, which were good but needed more salt and that little extra something. Even my boyfriend--who's from New Orleans--agreed. He ordered the huevos rancheros with housemade chorizo and it was amazing. I ended up stealing a good chunk of it. My brother went all in with French toast and the Champion's Breakfast, a classic all-American plate. We wrapped it all up by sharing the blueberry coffee cake, which was hands down the best part--moist, flavorful, and served with real butter on the side. That little touch made it. Service was great, but dishes came out one by one, so we waited for everything to arrive before eating. That meant some food cooled down by the time we all dug in--not ideal, but not a dealbreaker either. #PostWeddingBrunch #ChorizoWins #CoffeeCakeCravings #LoudButWorthIt #SaturdayFuel read more

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I am back in Los Gatos and came here for breakfast but it was so crowded and usually worth the wait. . I have eaten here several times and it's pretty good for Southern food. Grits are gluten-free and everything else is pretty good read more

Southern Kitchen - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Los Gatos, California

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Since we had a large group, there was a bit of a wait for us to get a table which was understandable. However, it took an extremely long time to get our food, over 30 minutes which was not worth it especially since others who came after us got their food before us. I really enjoyed the breakfast burrito, it was great along with the sauce, and the hash browns were very plain. In my opinion, the food was good but it was very pricey. read more

Southern Kitchen - Avocado Toast, South of the Border, Eggs Florentine, Breakfast Burrito, Banana Nutella Churro Waffle, Strawberry Nutella Churro Waffle - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Los Gatos, California

Super yummy and comforting breakfast. We stopped by for a brunch date before visiting monterey aquarium. Service was super fast and the servers were very sweet. I love love grits. The sausage had a tasty smokey flavor and was perfectly cooked. The decorations are very warm and comforting with a classic diner feel. read more

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Extremely mediocre. We were one of maybe four tables of people in the restaurant in the service could not have been slower. The food also all came out lukewarm to cold and it took a long time to get them to heat it up. I got the spinach Florentine, which was already a vegetable dish, but it came with barely any vegetables and two very tiny eggs for the price. They also round up when you pay with cash so you end up paying up to $.50 more than your actual bill and they don't tell you this when you come in. The menu is very extensive and they do offer a delicious gluten-free pancake hence the two stars. Another note, the grits that they offer are instant and come out very watery. Really really surprising for a supposed southern food based restaurant. read more

Tasty American breakfast served in big portion, skip lunch if you come for breakfast ! Came here on weekday breakfast around 9:30 and sat on outside table. I ordered California egg Benedict with side of hash brown. The egg was runny inside which I like and tasty with bacon and avocado. The hash brown was crispy outside and soft inside. It doesn't have any seasoning so you need to season with salt & pepper or ketchup. French toast my friend ordered was very big portion and comes with whipped butter & maple syrup. It was too heavy if you eat all by yourself so I would recommend sharing. Their service was fast and attentive as it was not so busy on weekday and food is decent. read more

Southern Kitchen - French toast - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Los Gatos, California

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Came here right when they opened Sunday morning and there were alreayldy several groups inside being served. The waitress was very friendly and catered to our needs well. What we got: The Southern omelette, no cheese (4/5) -- loved the portions of the omelette and the hashbrowns but both needed seasoning which was readily available at our table. Hashbrowns were super crispy and inside was tender, but not mush which I like Cornbread (2/5) -- good corn flavor but so dry and crumbly, I did not want to finish it even with the butter they givr you...I would opt for toast next time Fried chicken churro waffle (5/5) -- i thought this was pricey (~18) but it is so worth it, especially if you come with a group that wants to share. Came out piping hot with crispy edges, fluffy interior, and nice bits of salty fried chicken dispersed throughout. I will say that it bloated me for the entire day so the lactose intolerants definitely need to bring their lactase if they get this Corn beef eggs benedict (5/5) -- my friend had no complaints and said he would come back here The only Southern part of the meal, the cornbread, was weak but I will be returning for the churro waffle and other items. read more

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One of our favorite brunch restaurants in the area. The staff were always nice, food served quickly with tasty and good temperatures. There were outdoor and indoor tables. Sitting outdoor is really nice because it is always enjoyable to watch nice cars on the streets . But, it could be hot and in the sun. It provides good variety of food, not only for brunch. We enjoy the restaurant a lot and recommend it read more

IDK why? people have not reviewed these guys!!!! They deserve more reviews &'I'm pretty's sure I'm NOT the only person ELITE I came in to update my review & I was the last person to review which was 2Yrs Ago soooo if your reading this & happen to be in town or live local & have never been, Slide through, prices are not too bad for the food & drinks, parking suks! it's down town LG so good luck! but service is A+ from the time u walk in till the time you leave. Good Company or solo bolo, check this place out. Hrs are limited, that's even better. Because I like to try new & random places, apparently it took me a Whole 2yrs later to pay this place a visit read more

Southern Kitchen - Salmon Benedict - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Los Gatos, California

Cozy outdoor seating, kind staff, omelette and grits reminded me of childhood. Very good.

I live an hour plus away from Los Gatos, but I just wanted biscuits and gravy and to check out some new places in the South Bay. I'd never been to Los Gatos before, and I don't have friends or family here, so I never really had a good reason to come here at all. After finding Southern Kitchen on a search, I decided to check it out as well as Los Gatos. I ordered the shrimp and grits and the biscuits and gravy. The grits had cheese, and the chopped bacon, bell peppers, and onions were nice, but the grits had very little flavor by itself. I love grits, and I wanted to see if I could find a way to make grits differently. If anything, it just solidified the fact that I don't really care for cheesy grits. The grits come with your choice of cornbread, banana bread, or coffee cake, and I opted for the cornbread. The cornbread was airy, and I could tell that the cornbread was made fresh. I love cornbread, but for a $25 dish, the grits should've been the star. The grits shouldn't be carried by the cornbread. What was the saving grace was the biscuits and gravy. I like a crunchy exterior with a soft interior with biscuits, but here it wasn't a problem. The biscuits were really tasty, and the gravy had that lumpy goodness you love with the thickness of the sauce and the sausage in the gravy. The gravy had a good peppery taste to it, but I think it could've used more pepper. The place was pretty busy, but who could blame them, since it was Saturday, and there was warm weather. They have outdoor tables as well, but since the tables were just vacated by other customers, I told the hostess that I didn't mind sitting inside so the staff could clean the tables. The waitresses were really friendly, and the workers here were great. The service was a 5/5, but for the food, I think a 3.75/5 is pretty accurate. Also, be advised that parking is kinda weird. Since I don't know the Los Gatos area that well, I didn't realize that Southern Kitchen is in the downtown area. I ended up finding a parking lot that's a six minute walk away, but if you're not familiar with the area, just know that your best options are street parking or the odd parking lot here and there. read more

* Saturday brunch, not a busy day but the patio was not usable because of rain so it was full house inside * Place was busy but able to seat right away * Staff are very friendly * Berry coffee cake is amazing * On street parking sometimes a challenge * Small local owned cozy place We have been coming here off and on for several years and it's a treat. Parking can be a challenge especially on a nice weekend when all the traffic to Santa Cruz thinks they are going to take a short cut through town. Lots of normal comfort food but my go to is the Monte Cristo and my spouse does the chicken and waffles. Other favorites are the benedicts. I have not had a bad experience and although sometimes there is a wait its worth it. read more

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Cozy spot in downtown Los Gatos - stepped in around 9am on a Sunday (no lines)! Enjoyed a mimosa and a few dishes. Pancakes have a great crisp to them (the maple syrup is very very good), but the refried beans on the omelette and the grits were a bit on the cooler side (temperature wise). Going to try and come back to check out the country gravy and fried chicken dishes! read more

Southern Kitchen - Omelette - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Los Gatos, California

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Visited southern kitchen for Sunday breakfast, we were seated right away and ordered rather quickly. 40 minutes later, no food arrived. My food came, looked good, but my partners food never came. Our waitress was very busy and hadn't realized we were missing food until we flagged her down. Had she checked on us sooner she might have been able to help us. We waited another 10 minutes with no update and no food. Eventually we just decided to cancel the food and move on with our day. The most frustrating part being- we weren't offered a refill on drinks or any sort of gesture while we waited so long. read more

We tried this breakfast spot last Saturday and loved it. We are always on the lookout for good breakfast spots with outdoor seating within easy driving distance of where we live (in Mountain View). The food was delicious - my husband said his waffle was very good and he's very picky - and my ham and cheese scramble and breakfast biscuit were also delicious. Service was exceptionally friendly and the vibe of Los Gatos is super-friendly, especially towards people with dogs. Highly recommend. read more

We had breakfast here and it was delicious . The grits are good would definitely order them again and again and again and again! We enjoyed a banana milkshake. It' was scrumptious . It's made with real peanut butter and bananas . No powder stuff. I had chicken and waffles. This plate was so yummy. We sat outside the weather was nice . There was a little bit more than expected people walking up and down the sidewalk for a Tuesday. Overall enjoy the scenery. The saff was okay . She came and refilled are waters . I don't like to be bothered by the waiter/waitresses while I'm enjoying my meal and this meal I was enjoying. Oh I forgot. I also ordered a latte. It was a five out of five.. read more

We were here on a Saturday for brunch. The place does not accept reservations. There was a 15 minute wait time. However, the service is quick once you are seated. The restaurant could be a lot cleaner than it is. My wife ordered the huevos rancheros and she like it a lot. Would give 4/5. It was flavorful and the potatoes were crispy and well seasoned. I ordered their Los Gatos LU, which is their fried chicken with biscuits and gravy. The dish was very flavorful. Chicken, crispy and well seasoned. However, unlike other places where they give you more protein, here they serve one piece of chicken with 4 biscuits and gravy to fill you up. Feels like a gimmick. And the cocktails are not freshly made in the house. They are from packaged off the shelf bottles. read more

Southern Kitchen - Los Gatos LU - Fried Chicken and Biscuits with Gravy - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Los Gatos, California

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Oh my goodness. Or maybe I should say, "Oh their goodness". What a treat it has been to find this gem of a restaurant. I had just finished up with an early morning medical procedure. You know...one of those with admonishments to eat nothing for 12 hours before the appointment. Then one waits for it to be over and before long, it's been 16 or 17 hours of cruelty. I searched for "hash browns" in Los Gatos, CA and found Southern Kitchen. We made a bee line for the restaurant and were immediately seated in one of their cushy booths. The menu is extensive but not intimidating. It was clear from the first pass that a promising, traditional breakfast was in play. I double checked their ability to cook my order gluten free and went for it. Eggs scrambled with bacon, hash browns, coffee, OJ and a GF pancake. Everything was delicious. And that pancake was the best GF has to offer. It was light and fluffy with great flavor. Our server was top notch...friendly, full of information and happy to make sure all was good. We've returned once on this trip to Bay Area CA, taking advantage of their outdoor seating. Southern Kitchen has become a "must visit" restaurant anytime we're in town. read more

There fucken service they racist they tried to sit us next to the dumpster we are Mexican we waiting for 30 minutes and they didn't even call us when we gave our name there was another person Asian who said why didn't u sit them when they have been waiting before me and u just sat another party her excuse was they sat them selves and still didn't say nothing to them then she then said it be about 10 minutes that a booth was opening up and they were paying and then just giving us a bad attitude when it's her fault for not doing her job correctly no name tag but she was a white girl black Tshirt blue jeans we were trying a new place for the fist time and this is the shit we get we ain't even from here we from the city we were out here for a wedding and wanted some breakfast but for this kind of experience we ain't never coming back worst experience ever read more

Cute & cozy in downtown Los Gatos. I found the parking easy & was thrilled to be seated upon arrival on a Sunday around 12-1p. The chorizo eggs Benedict and pancakes were fantastic. The hash browns were so so. I wish they had been more crisp. I find it pricey especially since you can get similar dishes at Holder's inn and pancakes are included, not an additional $2 charge. read more

Great atmosphere for a brunch date. Menu has a lot of variety without being overwhelming. Parking is a little tough on weekends, but worth the hassle! read more

I made an exception to my usual rule of not getting southern food outside of the South for this spot, safe to say I'll go back to sticking to it. I called ahead to confirm that they were open on a holiday, they gave me wait times and I left my name, party size, and estimated eta to join the waitlist. I had really high hopes at this point because it was one of the better call ahead experiences I've had. When we arrived we were told that it would still be 10-15 minutes wait for an indoor table, which was in alignment with the original estimated wait time I got on the phone. No problem, we walked around a bit and came back. Both hostesses just seemed absent-minded at this point, we checked back in but ended up awkwardly standing around as we didn't get a clear answer on whether we had to wait longer or we would soon be seated. I started to have doubts about the quality of my overall experience at this point. I had the Los Gatos "Lu" special. The chicken was on the dry side and not to my liking. The biscuits were a little strange as well--in a way that I'm not too sure how to describe other than they didn't taste like any biscuits I've ever had before and were not to my liking. The gravy was the best component, but it was very white in color whereas I was expecting a bit more flavor/color. I'll give the staff kudos for being open and working on a holiday, but in terms of the food much improvement can be made. Even if this is California's own version of southern food as other reviews have called it, I hope those who have never tried authentic southern food before don't get the wrong idea. read more

Went again last week and the food wasn't great. Since it was a great day, we sat out but had a lingering smell in the area. It took a while for the food to arrive and the basic Huevous a la Mexicana wasn't great. It lacked flavor and they didn't have any spicy (or any) house-salsa And they messed up the bill again and it needed to be corrected this time too. read more

Southern Kitchen - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Los Gatos, California

Best pancake and humble service. Everyone serves with a smile. We were greeted by Sophia who at a glance offered us seats which were pleasant. Then Nathan made menu item suggestions that best fit our caloric preference. Our wait for food took a bit longer; albeit us being distracted with our discussions, Nathan brought it up and noted he will look into it! Sure enough we got our order in no time after. We were offered complimentary pastry in an effort to make up for the delay in order. Absolutely amazing people and food! read more

Southern Kitchen - Pancake - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Los Gatos, California

=== Wanted to like it but just ok === + Lovely menu. + Service was fine and friendly enough. - Prices were high, even for Los Gatos area. - Just didn't love it. It seemed like fried chicken was the point of the menu. But mine was just ok. * Note: no AC when we went and it was hot. They did have a fan. read more

This review is only for the front of house (FOH) staff. Front of staff are the people customers first interact with when entering an establishment. This can often set the mood for the rest of the experience. Therefore, for the love of humanity, please select staff capable of making customers feel welcomed. On July 12 we attempted to eat at Southern Kitchen but the dismissive vibe and half hearted attempt at "hospitality" made us look elsewhere for something to eat. Thankfully, we found a better place a short walk away. Do better, Southern Kitchen! read more

Right off the bat I have to take off one star because we were told it would be a 10 minute wait, and we ended up waiting right outside the restaurant for 45+ minutes. I get it, Sunday brunch can be busy, but I wish they would have told us a more realistic wait time so we could have gone somewhere else, as we were in a bit of a rush. The restaurant really wasn't that busy, so I think maybe it was just super slow customers, but I will say the service was also a bit slow. For food I ordered the friend chicken waffle. It was... int. I like the idea of the chicken being in the waffle, but the cinnamon sugar was a bit too much even for me. There was just so much going on and it was a bit over complicated. I wish I would have just gotten the regular chicken and waffles. I also tried the bacon fried waffle and it was about the same, maybe a little bit better. And the hash browns were not good and desperately needed salt or some flavor. Overall it's a cute restaurant, but the food and service need some work. read more

Southern Kitchen - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Los Gatos, California

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Oh my gawd, you guys! Had brunch here for the first time and everything was delish! The fried chicken and sausage gravy was definitely a stand out for me. Our servers were fantastic! Super attentive, but not overbearing. When I walked in, 2 servers greeted me and offered me to sit wherever I would like. It was a beautiful day and they have plenty of shade over the outdoor patio, so I chose to wait for my work-wife outside. Even the neighborhood is hella cute. Will definitely visit them again. read more

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