The food here is top notch, well worth the inevitable wait. Put your name in and take a walk around the neighborhood to work up an appetite. I suggest the Eggs Benjamin. read more

A small neighborhood eatery that gets packed fast. And there is good reason for that. They have a full menu with daily specials and a wine bar. A must try is the pot roast entrée. read more

Great atmosphere and wait staff, the food was a little bland and the price was a little high for what was being offered. But it is environmentally conscious so that's a plus. Overall I enjoyed the restaurant just not the wallet damage. read more

Let's start with the positives...cute little place in the neighborhood. Good service. French toast was great but was more like a dessert than breakfast. The goat cheese, mushroom and spinach scramble lacked flavor. $40 for breakfast for two is expensive in my book. We'll stick with the local spot for half the price and just as good. read more

Awesome French toast and angus hash. Service was great I will be returning soon. This place is in a nice little neighborhood. Great place for breakfast , I brought my mom this time and she loved it. The atmosphere is nice and there is always local art on the walls. There is usually a wait to get a table when I go on the weekend, but definitely worth the it. read more

This is a hidden gem within a neighborhood community, and the perfect spot to enjoy a relaxing Sunday brunch. The quality of food is like a gourmet restaurant, but with the feeling of home. The service is friendly and attentive. If you're down in the Long Beach area, this is a must-visit stop. Order the lemon mint cooler! I guarantee you'll feel refreshed! read more

This place was great. Peaches & cream French toast was perfect and corn chowder w/ blue crab cake sandwich was delish! I'll be back for sure

The food was great . Had the crab cakes and stuffed french toasts . The wait was a little long but it's expected since the food is good.

Love this place! First time last Sunday and it is now my favorite spot! Amazing food, great service, yummy mimosas and adorable decor!

If this place put as much thought and effort into the food as they do the drinks, it would knock my socks off. The pear mimosa is hands down my favorite cocktail, but so far, the food has been lackluster. I've been here several times and have tried different things each time, but so far...meh. The service is a bit lacking as well. No one seems to be in any kind of hurry to provide service. And I have left still hungry almost every time. A little overpriced for what you get. read more

Food is great. Service isn't. Sat down, didn't get a anyone to acknowledge us for 21 minutes, then the waiter took our order but we had to wait for our drinks for another 15 minutes. Finally our food came 10 minutes after that (no drink refill offer) and we ate. Had to waive someone down to request a glass of champagne to add to my pear juice that was supposed to be a mimosa. But when we were done eating they took our plates immediately after the last bite! Wow! Get us out because they have others waiting! I understand they are extremely busy and rightly so because the food was delicious, but they need to find a way to manage their heavy traffic. I will go again and give them another chance. Hopefully we will have a better experience. I do recommend this place as I hope this was not the norm. read more

My family and I waited for over an hour for a table. We are only a family of four. When the hostess sat us at our table, we asked her for a highchair she did not being one, she helped other customers instead. . .I think after personally watching us wait for an hour she would of been more accommodating. Our waitress was frazzeled and had way too many tables. I asked if I could have a bloody Mary but they were out of mix and she didn't want to make anymore. The food was average. . .the "famous" French toast (apple) was a disappointment. The caramelized apples were rock hard and our burrito was cold. Such a disappointment. read more

The best french toast I've ever had! We had the french toast with mixed berries and also a chicken salad sand with the beef barley soup. Delicious soup and the sandwich was good. Can't wait to come back for that baked french toast! read more

PROS: some delicious dishes CONS: long waits and high prices Don't go hungry because you'll likely have at least a 30-45 minute wait, plus another 15 minutes before any food hits your table. That's why this joint has "appetizers" for breakfast -- because you're starving and will pay extra for a snack while you wait another 15 minutes or more for your main meal to arrive. So before you've had your meal, you're at least $20 in the hole for those 2 appetizers... And well on your way to that $130 breakfast bill! I must have ordered the last batch of scones for the day because they were as dry, crumbly and hard as any other bad scone I've choked down. It was 11:30 by the time we were seated, so I guess if you're not eating a scone by 10 AM, don't bother. The 2 tiny containers of orange honey butter and lemon curd were tasty, but no amount of schmear was gonna save the 3 dry little turds that arrived in a basket. Maybe you'll luck out and get the allegedly moist scones, but I'll never order those again. Our second appetizer was some kind of salmon bruschetta with capers. Meh. Not as disappointing as the scone turds but not worth ordering again. Should've had a snack before I left home. The real winner was the Bloody Mary. Spicy deliciousness served with a crab claw and celery. It looked as good as it tasted and dulled the pain of the mediocre appetizers. The French toast was phenomenal. From the pictures and description, you'd expect a cloyingly sweet dish, but it's actually mildly sweet, lightly crisped on the outside and fluffy/gooey on the inside. The eggs with crab cake scramble was also delicious -- so good, we ordered a second round! Then there was some other poached egg on baguette dish that was not as impressive. Won't bother with that again. So, 4 dishes, 3 Bloody Marys, 2 appetizers, 3 coffees and 2 1/2 hours later, we managed to spend $130 (before tip) on breakfast. That's okay for a special occasion, but definitely not a weekend "diner" option. read more

Surprisingly mediocre. Maybe it was just an off day (for food and service), but my friend and I were disappointed. We were looking forward to our visit and wanted to like it for so many reasons but that was just not the case. Enjoyed each others company so not a total wash. read more

The food and service was fantastic! My girlfriends and I met for brunch and everything we ordered was yummy!! We started with the scones with the lemon curd and butter..wow! The stuffed french toast and the blt was scumptious! The only reason I am not giving it a 5 is the wait since they don't take reservation. We had to wait over an hour but having the free coffee while you wait was great since it sort of curb my hunger pain! :) read more

This place was amazing, a secret gem hidden inside a sprawling residential area. At first I thought we had received the wrong address, but it turns out it is just really low key. I ordered the Roast Hash and it came out relatively quick because we were one of the only people in the restaurant on a quiet Friday afternoon. The meat and eggs were so delicious and the potato's were so perfectly cooked. The thing that topped it off was the sweet corn chowder and great French bread. I definitely recommend a visit to place as I will be coming back to try the vast and delicious menu. I never would have found this place if it wasn't for the TV show it was featured on. read more

We love Starling Diner!! Charming neighborhood setting, great service, and always yummy food! Stuffed french toast is their signature dish, made with fresh baguettes...beautiful. Order a basket of double cream scones to start, comes with orange-honey butter and lemon curd. Egg scrambles are great, and come with roasted potatoes and fresh baguette. Had the goat cheese, mushroom and spinach scramble today...amazing. This place never disappoints. A bit pricey, but well worth it. :) read more

I love Starling Diner. It is a nice, homey cafe nestled in the middle of a lovely neighborhood. The vibe is casual and comfortable. They offer seating both inside and outside. I've been here several times and it can get busy here--especially on the weekends. Definitely must have = Stuffed French Toast with seasonal berries! Will not disappoint. It is different from any French toast you've tried with use of a baguette. It is simply DELICIOUS! read more

French toast and Pot roast beef hit the spot!!! Good food&service&people but we waited over 30 minutes:) other than this I enjoy coming here once in awhile. Keep it up guys. read more

Great service! Cute decor! Awesome food!

I love breakfast here! The French toast and mimosas are yummy :))) also the homemade scones are a must! I tried lunch here too, a salad and a sandwich but it just wasn't the same as breakfast. breakfast is much better read more

Excellent breakfast I had the stuffed French toast with cherries yum. Staff very friendly service spot on and walking distance from the house. read more

Went for brunch with an appetite and left satisfied. I got the crab cakes with poached eggs and the cherry French toast. They were both mouth watering. The only downside to this place is parking (street parking) read more

I've been to the Starling Diner for the last time today. The food is always adequate but extremely expensive. $18 for a Chicken Apple Sausage and two scrambled eggs. That's not the issue: the service is horrendous. After waiting 25 min. for a table, we waited another 40 minutes after we ordered our food. This is what happens every time we've been there for breakfast. The waiter apologized that the kitchen was backed up. I don't care. There's no reason to be overcharged and have to wait for mediocre food for almost an hour. All done. I'll stick with the Coffee Cup Cafe for a great meal, great value and great service. read more

Both times I've been to Starling Diner were fantastic. The service is wonderful, it doesn't matter who your server is because they're all very attentive and anticipate the needs of guests. The food is delicious, especially the scones, ours were fresh out if the oven, with citrus honey butter and lemon curd. Thanks again to Tara for the suggestion. The hubby's only complaint is that it's pricey, but I say its worth it. read more

So delicious and excellent service. Understand it's very popular, so you might have to wait a bit to get a table.

Not worth the wait. Go somewhere else. Save your tummy from hating you because you waited too long. Just ate here for the first time today... Waiting time to be seated was 45 min to an hour, but we figured if we went somewhere else, the drive and wait time would be similar so we decided to stay. We were seated within that time frame which is why I'm giving them one star. Once seated and our food was ordered, it was another 40-45 min 'till we got served, which is completely unacceptable in my opinion. They kept on asking us if we wanted to order scones, but heck, it would've been nice to offer them instead and let us know our food was going to take forever to come out. In the end, the wait was not worth it at all. I got the goat cheese scramble and my husband had the berry French toast. We definitely had better of these two dishes elsewhere. read more

The food here is great and the mimosa's are THE BEST. I was feeling nice off one alone. I like their bundles and French toast.

Cozy little dinner in a residential area of Long Beach. I had scrambled eggs with apple chicken sausage and me and the hubby split some apple French toast. They make their French toast with baguettes, and broil them. Food was amazing! read more

Starling Diner - apple chicken sausage scramble and apple French toast - New American Near Me - Long Beach, California

Delicious!!! I got the egg/goat cheese/mushroom and spinach scramble. Super goat cheesy!!! Delicious!!! The best scramble I've ever had!! Also came with baguette slices and roasted potatoes. Everything was good on its own. Love this place!! Found a tummy new breakfast spot!!! read more

It was a great place for brunch the mango mimosa was so good and the food was amazing. They have great people very friendly and I would certainly come back with my husband. read more

Finally checked this place out since it seems like a hyped place to have brunch in Long Beach. Lets just say I was less than overwhelmed on my visit. While the place is pretty cute, the tables are squeezed so close together. If I stretched my arm out, I could literally touch some other patron sitting at a neighbouring table. Definitely not the place to have an intimate conversation, unless you don't mind everyone else listening in. The service was prompt and courteous, which is why I gave the extra star. The food was nothing spectacular like I hoped. The best thing was probably the cappuccino I had, followed by the berry crostinis with mascarpone cheese. For my main plate, I ordered a chicken sandwhich with caramelized onions. The sandwhich didn't have much flavor. It was nothing memorable. My husband ordered a huevos con chorizo special they had. While it tasted better than my sandwich, I could whip up some better tasting huevos con chorizo at home, JUST SAYING! His eggs came with a side of roasted potatoes, which were pretty good. However, they literally only gave him 5 potatoes. The portions here are small, so I'd recommend eating a fruit before or something to fill up on if you are really hungry. Overall, I wasn't very satisfied and don't think I'd come back. Especially since we spent $65 with tip included and we still left hungry! read more

This place is cute, and tucked away in a residential area. The food is good too. I have had a few blips in service here a few times (cold potatoes, didn't get a refill), but all in all, this place is a nice little neighborhood cafe. read more

Open face chicken and mushroom melt is to die for. I can confidently say it was one of the best sandwiches I've ever had. I cannot wait to go there for dinner. read more

I've only been here once, saw it on Diners, Drive-in and Dives. Cute little diner, food is pretty good. Only problem is the parking in that area is limited and the place isn't that big so it gets busy fast. Looking forward to my next visit. The French toast with berries is delicious and pork roast scramble is good. read more

Breakfast was amazing. It really was the best French toast i have ever had. OC Weekly got it right. Service was also excellent - friendly and attentive. Striking array of mimosas as well . read more

Wait time for the food was long. Out of scones and I am pretty sure the crab cakes were made from canned crab. The staff was friendly and polite, but I was expecting more in the food dept. read more

Fabulous food and atmosphere! The french toast is the best anywhere - so unique and a taste sensation. Even the basics taste better here! Highly recommend! read more

It's hardly conventional, but their French Toast is excellent! The French toast is a generous serving of baguette with marscapone, creme anglaise, and berries. It's delicious and not as heavy as other French toast creations I've had. I just had their basket of scones for the first time today and LOVED them. These were much better than the "scones" they serve at Starbucks and the like. These were much closer to scones as I know them... rich and almost biscuit like. I actually think they might have been a little TOO biscuit-like, but that's definitely preferable to the eggy lumps they call scones elsewhere. The waitstaff was very attentive and the feel of the diner is so cozy. I love it! It seems like the kind of place you'd find up in the Bay Area where they really care about food. Updated: I forgot to mention that the tofu egg scramble thing they make is really tasty. My toddler even liked it and we all know how picky they are. read more