For such a local, neighborhood spot you'd expect a more friendly attitude. However, it was unfriendly to the point of rude. A few observations when it came to the service we received: - The older lady who seated us and served us was running around from table to table the whole time we were there. She was taking orders, going from table to table both inside and outside, working the register and making coffees. She looked visibly preoccupied and could barely muster a smile when she served us before rushing away. If you're that busy, then hire more staff. - When you enter a cafe, it's polite to have a server walk up to you and seat you, rather than yell from the counter without even looking up, "sit wherever you like". - If I ask to see the "weekday specials", don't tell me they're on another menu without offering to get it. She even sounded sarcastic when she said it. Would you prefer that I walk back outside and read the board that advertises you have weekly specials instead? Here's a tip: include the specials menu with the regular menu when guests get seated (or seat themselves in this instance). - The biggest issue for me was the lasting impression: our check was dropped off with our change without her even looking at us. It was basically dumped on our table as she quickly whisked away to the next table. No smile. No "thanks for coming in!" No "have a nice day!" Nothing. Basically we were treated like a number and not a customer at all. I could be wrong but the older lady who served us could be the owner. If that's the case, then you'd think she'd know better to give such poor, unfriendly service. Re the food, it's nothing special and not worth the long wait it took to come out. The granola is probably the best thing here, otherwise I don't get the hype for this place at all, especially the long lines I see on the weekend. I would definitely not wait for food here with this level of service. Bottom line: I can't see myself going back, nor recommend this place. I'd much rather give my business to the many other neighborhood cafes who act like they value and enjoy their customers. read more

Omg my favorite neighborhood cafe! Everything is amazing but you cannot go wrong with the French toast. My personal favorite is with the berries. But literally everything is delicious!! read more

Great place to be. I got the special pot roast scramble that isn't on the menu. Lots of fun fo eat, but I wasn't the most excited about its preparation. The whole thing isn't very difficult to make for its price. Although I rate 4 stars because their French toast, their potatoes, and especially their scones are amazing. The atmosphere is good. read more

Awesome food. Their scones are delicious. I loved how they roasted the potatoes. A must try !

Had a wonderful yummy breakfast we ordered the French toast with berries and a latte my hubby ordered the traditional breakfast with salmon.

The ambiance is great. The menu is not overwhelming and the staff is great. The French toast is a must and the bloody Mary as well.

Attention ketoers: went there after a 36 hour fast. Had the eggs with slow roasted pork and carmelized onion. Subbed out the potatoes for a small salad and added avocado. It was great. Also shared a side of bacon. Thick cut and delicious, the best I've had in a long time or maybe ever. read more

Loved everything about this place. Delicious food, super friendly service, very quaint and bright atmosphere. What a gem!

What a great find! This place offers some great mimosa choices. The bacon and potatoes here are so delicious! We'll definitely be visiting here again soon. read more

French toast is amazing!!! Cute location with great feel. The scones are legit along with lemon curd bottom be missed. This is a 5 star breakfast place!! read more

This place is fantastic for brunch. It's a quaint neighborhood place, away from the hustle and bustle of 2nd Street. A friend and I came here for brunch recently on a Saturday afternoon. There wasn't a wait and we could sit where ever we wanted. I ordered an ice tea, basket of scones to share, and the crab cakes and eggs. The scones came with a delicious lemon curd, which was tart and heavenly. The crab cakes came with scrambled eggs and the polenta potatoes, all of which was delicious. I really look forward to coming back here again. read more

Simply the very best homemade scones in Long Beach (you just don't find those very often). If you're looking for something that's different and far superior to diner food, this is definitely your breakfast spot in Long Beach. Complete with delicous, European-style espresso-based beverages, the quality and culinary care is extraordinary at this hidden residential gem. HIGHLY recommend. read more

Simply my happy place!!! Give me a scone and some lemon curd or orange butter..... Crab cakes to die for.... Polenta with fresh fruit...... And then there is lunch...... happy servers ...happy me...delicious tea read more

I love that this place is smack dab in the middle of a neighborhood. The restaurant decor is so cute and fun. I've been here for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I prefer to go for lunch or breakfast. For breakfast I highly recommend the scones, but get there early because they do not always last all morning. I had the classic breakfast but I have to say my husband's stuffed french toast was something extra special. For lunch I suggest one of their salads the Smith Apple Salad or the Sonoma Salad. The sandwiches are good as well and come on crispy baguettes. read more

We went for breakfast around 10 and we were sat right away. It got pretty crowded later. The coffee is very good and they are very good about refilling as needed. We had the stuffed french toast with berries which is made with baguette and berries. It is stuffed with mascarpone cheese which is delicious. It was very decadent. We also had a scramble with veggies and it came with potatoes. The portions were filling but not over the top. The fresh baked scones came with a lemon curd and orange butter and were a great way to start the meal. The whole place reminded me of the breakfast places in the Bay Area and I'll definitely be returning. read more

Currently multi-tasking between typing this review and eating their French toast with apple topping - only stopping to type as I chew. This is sooo good & I couldn't wait to review it. The bread they use has the perfect texture and pairs well with the marscapone and apples. I hardly ever like stuffed French toast, but this here is a winner. read more

I've been here twice for breakfast, so I can't really comment on other meals, but I got a good feel for the place. The restaurant itself is real cute, kinda cleaned up hipster. Its in Belmont Heights, so you got your hipsters, with some grandmas, and regular folk mixed in. I had the eggs and apple sausage the first time and it was okay. Sorry but that's all I can really remember about the meal, except I don't remember my sausage tasting like apple.. ha ha. Today I had the cheddar scramble with roasted potatoes and a baguette. It was their weekday special for $5.95. For that price it was a good deal, but it really was nothing out of this world that I should have driven from Cypress to Long Beach for. The biggest disappointment was the home made basket of scones. I read all the hype about these scones and I really thought if I ordered this my life was going to change, but it didn't...in fact these were the plainest most dull scones I've ever had. The orange butter and lemon curd accompaniments were tasty but $6.95 for 3 dry Sahara-style scones was a rip off. The servers both times were pleasant, but very busy so we were a little neglected. I wasn't impressed with this place. read more

My God, that french toast. My friend and I first encountered this place this summer. We ordered some egg dish entree and the french toast (apple). We took one bite of the french toast, looked at each other, and realized that we just tried the best french toast of our lives. Been here twice since, and it never fails (except that one time when they gave peach instead of apple french toast -- that really bothered me). If you live in Long Beach, go there for breakfast tomorrow morning. Stick to the french toast though. Everything else on their menu is good but not fantastic. read more

Met some friends for breakfast here. Good food & good service. We'll definitely return.

Very yummy stuffed French Toast. Always a good meal here and the staff is super nice

Great breakfast and environment!!! Definitely will be coming back! I got the French toast and now I'm going to dream about it forever.

I tried this place today for lunch and I thought it was terrific. I agree that the drinks are expensive ($4 for lemonade) but I didn't think the food was overly priced. Everything was fresh and flavorful and I will definately be back. read more

Love love LOVE Starling Diner!!! I take every single out-of-town guest I have here and they are always impressed. Why? Because it's so cool to have a place like this hidden away in a nice residential neighborhood like Belmont Heights AND the menu is unusual, diverse and cool. Wehn I took my mom, we sat inside and drank up the mimosas and their amazing fresh squeezed OJ (get the large - it's worth it) - plus their cucumber wter is so refreshing. When my New Yorker friend came to visit, I was hard pressed to think "how can I impress him with our local restaurants..." and the answer was obvious: Starling!! Why? Well, my friend's response (as his salmon crostini and my breakfast bruschetta were delivered on their cute rectangular plates as we dined al fresco with my dog next to the blooming jasmine)said it all: "This place is great - it's so Californian!" I have another friend who has some serious food issues: no dairy, no this, no that - and she loves this place because she always finds options on the menu and/or Starling can modify it to acommodate her food allergies. It's definitely, as a nother place put it, a take your mom to brunch type of place, but I often get small orders to go. Their scones are amazing, and their salmon sandwich on baguette will dill cream is SO delicious and refreshing on a warm weekend day - especially when I can take it to go and eat it lounging by the pool. they're not the cheapest lunch joint, but you get what you pay for and then some. I mean, i salmon bagel at Einsteins costs $7-8, and for a few more dollars here you get something infinitely more tasty, unusual, and with a side salad and their delicious dressing to boot. Plus, I like having an upscale-but-down-to-earth restaurant I can walk to - there are enough Egg He@ven or cheap-Italian-or-Burger type places in or near Belmont Heights already Highly HIGHLY recommend this place!! It's a hidden gem. Update: Ordered yet another takeout of salmon sandwich and scones - once again, I just love this place. Plus, did I mention they're dog friendly? I can walk my dog to Belmont Launder Pet for her no-grain, high protein treats, then sit at Starling for a cappuccino or latte and scones - so nice! Thank you for being awesome, Starling! read more

Went to Starling Diner on a Sunday afternoon for brunch. Surprisingly, there was no wait and we sat at one of the tables outside to enjoy the nice day. Started out with a latte and basket of cream scones. The scones with lemon spread were sooo good. I had the hash with eggs -- so yummy! The breakfast potatoes were also really good. My friend had the french toast; I thought it was just okay.. wasn't a big fan of the cream in lieu of syrup. Service was a bit slow (maybe because we were sitting outside). Overall, this place is cute for Sunday brunch but is a bit on the pricier side. read more

This place is awesome for breakfast/brunch! I came here with some friends who had been here once before and said it was really good. I love the smoked salmon papillion appetizer, its sooooo goood, looks like nearly everyone gets it at this place, definitely a must try. I got a pizzette which was pretty good. I was worried it would be heavy but it was just right. The bread was somewhat thin and crispy and it had chicken, bbq sauce, and just the right amount of cheese. The cheese soup was also pretty good and I generally don't like cheese. My bf got an omelette and it came with a side of potatoes which was really good... very well garnished. You can definitely expect a wait if you're coming on the weekends. I would definitely come back here again... i'm still craving that smoked salmon... yummmmmmm read more

Great new find! Breakfast served all day. Attentive service. Secluded in a residential area (you would never know there is a restaurant here). I was there are lunch but in the mood for breakfast. I had the roasted pork scramble and it was really good. I think I will try their famous stuffed french toast next time. I would like to see a more extensive lunch specials menu. read more

This little out of the way gem was busy when we went. We took our daughter (not recommended) and had to wait about 20min for a table. This is WAY to long with a 2yr old. We were sat at a communal table (nice way of saying we had to share with another group of people). I ordered their stuffed French toast which was supposed to be an award winning "new take" on French Toast..... my advice: skip it! I tasted my wife's omelet and it was very good. I would recommend going that route. read more

Crab claw bloodymarys for the win! And the cherry French toast! Sooooo delicious!

From other peoples reviews, I was like oh man! im stoked to go here, everything looks so good! but i gotta say, it was ehh.. okay. It wasnt horrible but it wasnt that great. The French toast was definitely very yummy and their poster child. My bf had the scramble with spinach, mushrooms, and something else. it was really a small portion for a breakfast scramble I have seen many other places. It came with breakfast potatoes( 5 chopped pieces seemed a bit stingy to me) and a baguette. I did really like the french toast, but it just wasnt that impressive. Oh yah and I had the chai tea latte, which was mostly milk and hardly any chai taste. So, I probably wont go back here. Coffee cup or Egg heaven is where ill be, big portions, and cheaper. read more

French toast is bomb. I asked for a vanilla steamed milk thinking it was a latte. My bad. CON: what I and my GF were most disappointed with was the bloody Mary. I think they used soju, which is fine, but they put so much extra crap in there, like sprouts, leafy stuff, crab (love crab but thought it was kinda gross), that it gets clogged in the straw and doesn't let you drink it, disappointing. It gives it a nice presentation and organic look, but in the end, you have to be able to actually drink it, an not just take a picture of it. Still, the bloody mary in itself wasnt anything to write home about, and I LOVE a good bloody mary. read more

Their broiled French Toast is rich and delicious. I dream about it. Scones and omelets are great top! Cute cafe vibe.

The diner is literally right across the street from me, so I find myself here fairly regularly. The roast beef hash is my favorite! And don't leave without trying the scones! I haven't been here for dinner yet, but hope to very soon. read more

The scones were really good. I usually do not care for them because people do not know how to make them. Usually they are too hard or do not taste like anything. Not this place. It had great flavor they were nice and warm when they came out and over all the texture was good. I ate the SF stuffed french toast with apples and it was yummy. I also tried some of my friends crab benedit that was also pretty good. read more

After getting coffee at Viento y Agua Coffeehouse & Gallery, my friend and I decided to walk a block to get breakfast here. THE BEST FRENCH TOAST I HAVE EVER TASTED IN MY LIFE. so so so so so delicious. The service was a tad slow, but I will forgive them because of the deliciousness of the food. My friend got the scramble, and said it was fine. You can't really mess up on eggs though. The french toast however, WHOAH. I will definitely be returning! read more

This place is by far one of two of my favorite breakfast/brunch spots, ever. The service is always amazing, the staff is very kind. I've tried some of the other things off the menu and they're all fantastic, but the apple stuffed French toast will forever be my favorite - it satisfies my brunch food cravings and my sweet tooth. I come here to get my French toast fix, and if there is a wait, it's worth it every time. read more

Such a cute breakfast spot. You must be comfortable with strangers near you, everywhere you sit you're pretty much sharing personal space. The food was really good and the drinks were delicious. read more

Had breakfast here on a Sunday morning and it was fabulous! This cute little space is located in a residential area on 3rd street in Long Beach so you don't have to fight the usual parking battle and it's a great place to take a nice after breakfast stroll...I had the baguette french toast with seasonal berries and it was fantastic! No syrup served with it and no syrup needed...the house made whipped cream was perfect and not to sweet. My husband had the roast beef hash and it came formed in a patty over his eggs which seemed odd at first but was delicious once he broke it up and mixed it with his eggs. We also had a scone with the house made lemon curd & citrus butter because we had read about it on yelp, thanks again fellow yelpers, you were spot on. read more

My go to breakfast joint when in town. The french toast is to die for! the scones are also very yummy! it is always worth the wait to eat here read more

The Soyrizo Bundle was so delicious! It took a little bit of time for us to get our food, but it was worth the wait. My wife basically licked the plate clean when she ordered her Eggs Benjamin. I definitely look forward to going back! read more

After waiting a few months to try this place, I finally caught them open. I always saw a crowd there and wondered what all the hub bub was all about. Unfortunately, I'm still wondering. I have never paid so much for breakfast before in my life. $14 french toast which consists of 1/3 of a baguette. Our bill for 2 people was $51. A coffee, a tea. A breakfast burrito that was cold, a cheeseburger scramble. Food no way compared to the price. Can't believe they are still open, with the coffee cup cafe right up the street. Could have ate there 3 times for this price. read more