LOVE this spot!!! The food is awesome. Stuffed french toast, sooo good, cherries or peaches, you can't go wrong. Crab cakes, delicious, the eggs were so fluffy and light the sauce was perfect and the cake was heavy on the crab not filler. All of the servers are so sweet and ON IT. My last visit I sat at the counter and saw the staff working so well together. read more

We had a very good breakfast! My eggs were excellent and my husband's granola and berries were delicious. The scones were fresh warm and tasty. Service was fast and cortious and it has a quaint ambiance on a quiet location in LB. The owner, Pete, is a fine and pleasant gentleman who is on top of things and eager to please customers. Decaf coffee has room for improvement. read more

It was Sunday morning and I was in the mood to try something new. I had this place bookmarked for a while now, so I figured there was no better day than today to enjoy this much raved about restaurant. Located in a residential area of long beach, the parking, unfortunately, was pretty limited. Luckily, there was ample parking at 11:30am. As we walked up, we noticed crowds of people waiting in the front of the restaurant! Wow, how long would this wait be?! We were told it would take about 30 minutes. As soon as we walked inside to grab some coffee, I felt the inviting warmth of the restaurant with its provincial theme and comfortable decor. I could imagine coming more often, if only it were closer to me! We asked the waitress at the bar how long the wait was for bar seating? She replied, "there's no wait at all." Sweeeet! So, we sat at the bar and looked over the menus. Our server was welcoming, friendly, & attentive! I inquired about the scones, knowing well they would sell out quickly. Apologetically, she said they were sold out but gave me the last scone on the house! It was served with whipped honey butter and lemon curd. The scone was nice and flakey on the outside and fluffy inside with an irresistibly buttery flavor. I liked the choice of whipped honey butter and lemon curd, because the butter was smooth, creamy and sweet, while the lemon curd was refreshingly tart and tangy. Excellent contrast of flavors and textures. Next came the cream cheese stuffed French toast with seasonal berries (strawberries & blueberries) and whipped cream. The French toast was a crisp baguette with a beautiful glaze to it. I never had a baguette French toast before, but wow, better late than never, right? It was crisp, delicious and addicting! The surprise cream cheese in the center coupled with the fresh fruit and cream was sweet decadence! There was absolutely no need for syrup here. The cheeseburger omelette and eggs Benjamin came out next. The cheeseburger omelette was fantastic! Loads of tender ground beef with melty cheese! It was both flavorful and satisfying. The eggs Benjamin, which was poached eggs atop smoked salmon and sauteed spinach, was very mild and light. The salmon was buttery soft and melted in my mouth. I would have preferred, however, some capers with this dish to add bite to it, but overall it was a good dish. The side of potatoes were roasted beautifully and the flavors were on point. I ended the meal with a warm vanilla steamer. Ahhhhh! It was smooth, sweet and creamy with a delightful aroma. A perfect finish to a magnificent meal! I would highly recommend this place to anyone that enjoys breakfast like I do! Just remember, there can be a wait, so just be patient...it'll all pay off when you bite into that amazing French toast! Happy Eats! read more

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First time at the Starling Diner and it definetely will not be my last. The wait was about 30 minites for a Saturday but truly worth the wait. Its a small diner but with ample seating. I had the pork chorizo scramble and it was soooo delicious. The eggs and the chorizo were lip smacking good and super cheesy, which only added to their goodness. I also shared the San Francisco French toast baguette. I really didnt want to eat it but who could resist such sweet and fruity greatness. Inside each beget is marscapone and a sweet runny sauce on top not to mention the berries that adorne this awesome breakfast meal. If you come and you must come, do so with an appetite. You will surely enjoy any meal that comes out of the Starling Diner's kitchen. The staff here is also very attentive and make your dining experience that much more enjoyable. Go ahead, break your diet even if for just one day. You will not regret it and the best part is that the staff will appreciate serving you. Parking can be a bit of a headache since the diner is located in a residential area but you will find a spot. I highly recomend it but you dont have to take my word for it. read more

Starling Diner - Chorizo scramble!!! Perfection on a plate. - New American Near Me - Long Beach, California

Love Love Love this place!! This little diner is situated in a quaint residential neighborhood of Belmont Heights, surrounded by several craftsman homes. Brings a smile to my face as its reminiscence takes me back to places in the Northwest like Seattle, Washington and Portland, Oregon. There's free street parking but it's best to get here when they first open because it does get crowded (both street and in the diner). I can't get enough of their Broiled San Francisco Stuffed Toast with berries and whipped cream. It's what I always order! Very nice presentation. The toast was crunchy on the outside, soft and moist on the inside. It's filled with creamy mascarpone and creme fraiche and topped off with fresh berries and whipped cream. SERIOUSLY Delicious!!! I washed it down with a glass of their mango/peach mimosa. Thanks for the lovely orchid! One of my coworkers had the Chorizo Burrito Special with potatoes. It was a huge burrito he had no problem polishing it off! Excellent service here!! I would have to agree with Marko C, and give this place FIVE SHIMMERING STARS!!! read more

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BEST FRENCH TOAST IN TOWN!!! I've been wanting to try this place. Hidden gem in LB for sure. Glad we chose to dine here for our Sunday brunch. The hostess was very welcoming and servers were friendly and efficient. Our coffee cups and cucumber waters were never empty. What we ordered: For our starter Salmon & Capers crostini -- YUMMM! Smoked salmon, roma tomatoes and herbed cream cheese topped with fresh dill. (4) I got full from eating two of these babies. For our main dish.. Roast beef hash with scrambled egg-- comes with potatoes and slices of baguette. This dish was alright. The hash was on the dry side. Not something I would come back for. Roma tomatoes, applewood bacon and cheddar-- scrambled egg with golden potatoes and slices of baguette. I really like this combination. Simple yet so delish. *I'm so full... but who cares... no big deal... I WANT MOREEEE....(in the tune of part of your world) :D San Francisco stuffed french toast-- TDF!!! Breakfast and dessert in one plate? YES please!!! Fresh baguette stuffed with mascarpone cheese with your choice of cherries in cherry reduction, caramelized apples and seasonal fresh berries. I got the berries and it tasted amaziiiing! Came here twice for weekend breakfast/brunch and I can't wait to come back and try what they offer for lunch! read more

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Cozy little diner in the middle of a residential area. Service was good as we got checked on regularly. Food took a bit to come out but was really good. Would be coming out again. read more

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Starling Diner is such a cute, cozy, little restaurant hidden in the neighborhood of Long Beach. It's very hip and trendy with awesome wall art that will have you take a second glance around the whole restaurant. I've been wanting to come here for the LONGEST time and was finally able to drag the Mister to come along with me on a weekday where we were both off work. We ordered: 1. Breakfast Bruschetta: broiled baguette slices slathered with creamy mascarpone & topped with fresh seasonal berries. 2. Stuffed French Toast: broiled with creamy mascarpone and crème fraiche topped with fresh seasonal berries and whipped cream. 3. Crab Cake Scramble: Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes over scrambled eggs with polenta potatoes and sliced baguettes. Hands down, they have the best stuffed french toast ever! By far the best I've ever had in my whole entire life and this is coming from a girl who doesn't like french toast in general. The flavors combined, the texture, the way it's made (broiled instead of pan fried) and the bread used, just divine! Loved every bit of it. We've been here many times after the first visit and my advice to you is to stick with the French Toast, don't bother getting anything else. read more

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There are things that I just don't make time for anymore....exercise, letter writing, dusting, meditation and most importantly Mimosas...this is where Starling Diner reminds me that life is worth living...with a mimosa in my hand. I met some friends here for a much needed break from the usual routine and SD not only provided me with a delicious meal, but a revelation on how weekends should be spent. The wait was about 20 minutes, the server arrived within 3 minutes of me sitting down with drinks and checked on us regularly to see if we were ready to order. We ordered the Cream scones to start which were more biscuit than scone, but scrumptious just the same. It came with 2 spreads, of the 2 I appreciated the orange butter the most. My mimosa was served in a large glass, which you know should have been enough, but if I wasn't driving I would have gotten another =) I ordered the Blue Crab Cakes and scrambled eggs, it also came with yummy potatoes and a slice of their fresh french bread. My friend ordered the French toast, which I appreciated as I snagged a bite. I adored my meal, it was delicious, I ended up taking one crab cake and some potatoes home, which V.R was very thankful for. The french toast was delightful, light and creamy on the inside. I believe I will get the french toast next time, with the fresh berries on top. I saw the Granola go by, which also looked fantastic and may be a breaky appetizer next time. I highly encourage you to take some friends to brunch, it's a beautiful ritual. =) read more

Starling Diner - Mimosa? Yes, please. - New American Near Me - Long Beach, California

Just one week after Shillelagh became my favorite breakfast joint in the area; Starling Diner now steals the crown. Does that make me a fickle? A lover easily swayed by new allure? A cheater who would sleep with any old breakfast place as long as it had applewood smoked bacon? So be it...my scramble here with chicken apple sausage and wonderful $4.00 Mimosas was outstanding. And I love the vibe & energy even better then at Shillelagh. Tiffany Wang...an artist in dental school who loves to draw birds...she was the featured artist du jour and while overpriced, I love her stuff. And sorry my friend Laura S., a baguette is just fine by me. My friend had her scramble made with Roma Tomato, Spinach and cheddar...very good although the Spinach flavor dominated. Great little place...you will wait on weekends...but food and eclectic crowd make it worthwhile. So four stars for Starling Diner...and I'll end with my favorite quote from a certain movie featuring fava beans and chianti: "You fly back to school, now, little Starling. Fly, fly, fly". read more

Lovely little diner, kinda reminds me of being in (really sunny & warm if likely) Portland with all the bikes in front lol Parking on the streets. The wait for brunch was about 15mins for 3 around 1pm. Lindsay was ameowzing & friendly with the daily specials. Kept us filled, happy & fully satisfied. Mimosas are deliciously fruity & strong. Berry French toast is really where it's at with the baguette bread, keeping it from turning soggy. The whip was perfectly light. I turned onto French toast after this brunch ;)) Blue crab cakes are Huge!! Not bread battered & literally all crab. It's on top of scrambled eggs, next time I'm asking for poached eggs ;))) The potatoes here are deliciously golden, yummy by itself. I don't think there was much to it The Eggs Benjamin were okay-I've had better; although the salmon was not overly salty. I thought the poached eggs were not runny enough!!-That's my fave about them. Also, where's the real hollandaise sauce?? The eggs & salmon were laid over spinach, and there was side of bread for the carb lovers. Overall, this place is cute for brunch. Portions are decent. For 3 people, $75 after tip. I'll come back eventually read more

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I think that Long Beach really needed a place like this......It reminded me of a lot of quaint Breakfast/ Lunch cafe's I've eaten at on the East Coast....Or even Silverlake for that matter...(Just saying Long Beach Specifically doesnt have anything else like this.) I think that the food and drink presentation deserves 5 stars....And the decor is clean and simple, without being boring... The Bloody Mary (look at the picture) was amazing, and came with a snow crab claw, but it was 10 dollars! All of the food my party and I ordered was outstanding. I had a Hand Carved Turkey Sandwich that came with herbed cream cheese, cranberry sauce and sauteed red onions. It was amazing. Breakfast Bruschetta! Hello! There are a lot of price complaints, but I think that as far as the food goes, it's only overpriced by a dollar or two. (the drinks are another story.) Oh and the water.... Andrya "ew, this tastes funny" Dayna "I think it's cucumber water" Andrya "oh, ok...Well in that case, it tastes refreshing." read more

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A lucky find! My friend literally ran across this place on one of his runs in the area and remembered it when we were trying to decide where to eat. :) I love benefiting from other's workouts. Such a cute brunch spot - but with any quaint place there is a wait so make sure you aren't expecting to be seated immediately and try to get there a little later in the day. The hostess is funny and great! She'll make the wait fun. We waited about 20 minutes before being seated at the counter. The place was busy but you did not feel cramped or like you were yelling over the noise level. Overall a great ambiance. The food was super yummy! He got the Rost Beef Hash which was super yummy and I got the blue crab Benedict which was also good. If you like Blue crab it's lovely with the scrambled eggs and aioli sauce! The only thing I wasn't a fan of was the use of baguettes for the stuffed french toast. I love a good soggy stuffed loaf but the baguette was too hard and a bit difficult to consume. It had delicious flavors with the brandy butter caramelized apples - so it would still be a dish I would maybe order again to share though. Overall this is a delightful and homey place to hang out with great friends for brunch. Lovely neighborhood spot! read more

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Found it on Yelp! Since we were taking advantage of our free admission to the Aquarium of the Pacific thanks to the ICB Long Beach Half Marathon, I thought it'd be a good opportunity to try something new for brunch in the LBC. Starling Diner came up as a selection under a search for "french toast," and since there were endless rave reviews about the stuffed french toast here, I had to try. If you ever want to get there on the 405 South, I would suggest NOT taking the Cherry exit and going south. You go through the sketchy parts of LBC before you get to the areas of Long Beach where they can charge $11 for french toast. You can probably take the 22 to 7th Street or something like that. Starling Diner was in the middle of residential neighborhood, so parking was easy to find, and free! We waited about 15 minutes for a party of two, even though there were a lot of people waiting on the sidewalk, hanging out on the curb. We were pointed to what I call the kiddie corner because we were seated at this really low counter that you see when you walk right in, and we're staring at this white butcher paper poster advertising their Edgar Allan Poe dinner the whole time. It was kind of like an afterthought area, but whatever, as long as we didn't have to wait anymore. We ordered the following: San Francisco stuffed french toast with fresh berries $10.95 Open face pot roast sandwich with soup du jour of tortilla for $10 (lunch menu available after 11:30 am) The stuffed toast was really good, even though I'm not really into stuffing things into other things. But it was the perfect amount of two small baguettes with marscapone cheese, strawberries, one blackberry and raspberries. And the toast had a nice crispiness around the edges. I loves me some crispy! The pot roast we both agreed was good, but it just had a slightly different flavor to it than other pot roast I've had. I couldn't quite place my finger on it, but it was some added spice or something. It was just...different. But not in a bad way. It was open face and sat on top of polenta mashed potatoes. I wish they used just regular mashed potatoes. I like that they use compostable small cups for their water, to reduce waste and impact on the environment, but they also used it for their juice and it all just reminded me too much of airplane cups. Our server was friendly and was attentive, as well as our water-filler and plate-clearer. Environment is loud and filled with the Long Beach version of the LA brunch crowd. I'm glad they spread out their seating. You're not sitting on top of each other here (especially not at kiddie corner), and they have a few tables outside as well, where you can hang out with all the people waiting on the curb. Good place and glad I tried it, but if I wanted to pay these prices, I would just as soon go to LA where at least I might get a celebrity sighting. Plus, there are other places in the LBC that are still on my "to try" list. I wasn't that wowed to come back on my own again, but would come again if friends suggested it as a place to meet up. read more

The casual atmosphere, excellent food, good friendly service, fun specialty drinks, plus short walk to beach makes this place a recommendation when you are in the area. Definitely a great breakfast all day kinda place. Yes-go! Glad to discover this wonderful gem. Known for their stuffed french toast but everything we got was delicious. Will be back! read more

Goat cheese & mushrooms in an omelette never tasted so divine, but the best part about eating at the Starling Diner is watching the empty thought bubbles burst out of the heads of the waitstaff. On my last visit there, me and my better geek elite half walked into an uncrowded restaurant with 5 servers rushing by doing absolutely nothing. And it took them 15 minutes to figure out who was going to take our order at 2pm in the afternoon. I've eaten at the Starling 3xs so far and have found the customer acknowledgment quite lacking every single time. And when I'm dragging my ass in there for breakfast at 2pm, you must know that I am flippin' starving! If they keep up the crappy service, then they can keep up their high prices, because it will reflect in their tip. And it will be the equivalent of getting great service somewhere else with more reasonable menu prices. read more

If breakfast were heaven, then heaven would be the Starling Diner. It's that freaking good. Everything about this restaurant is just....right. From the cute knick knacks on the walls to the perfectly put together dishes, Starling is right on in everything it does. I love a breakfast place that offers appetizers, a main course and dessert. Yes. A three course breakfast. That's how it's meant to be done! We started off with the breakfast bruschetta. Think perfectly smooth and sweet mascarpone with a beautiful strawberry, blueberry and blackberry atop then drizzled with honey. I ordered the pork scramble for my main course and it was fantastic. The pork was nice and tender and had lots of flavor and the scramble was served with their signature polenta potatoes. So nice to have a change from the usual hash browns. Vince's crab cakes were amazing as well. Dessert was berries and cream. A sweet end to a perfect breakfast. I'll post pictures soon so you can salivate over our yummy breakfast, but till then, I highly suggest having a nice quiet breakfast at the Starling Diner. You'll thank me. I promise. read more

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Smack dab in the middle... (or off to the right, I can't tell)... of Belmont Heights, this 'lil neighborhood brunch-and-so-much-more place gives you a warm fuzzy feeling. Okay, lemme back up. ::Beep::Beep::Beep:: Things that can cause warm fuzzy feelings: Landing a parking spot Being with the fam Celebrating a double birthday breakfast brunch Not having to pay ;) Kicking off a long weekend Taking pics, talking, laughing while waiting for a table Being an early bird to not have to wait so long for a table Small, cutesy eatery Friendly service Great coffee Yummeh French Toast and crab cakes and Playing with a 6 year old Yep, warm fuzzies all around ::CLAP::CLAP::CLAP:: ::Sidenote:: You've got to unleash your inner early bird here or the warm fuzzies will disappear...POOF! read more

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The Stuffed French Toast was the best French toast I have ever had. I also had the breakfast bruschetta as an appetizer and it was scrumptious. At our table we also had the scrambled eggs with bacon and avocado and that was equally as good. Amazing five star breakfast experience. read more

Starling Diner - Menu - New American Near Me - Long Beach, California

HANDS DOWN the BEST FRENCH TOAST EVER!!!! I love yelp for this reason. Starlings diner is tucked away in a residential area just a few blocks from where I live. Lucky me!! I never knew about it until 'monocled' breakfast. It's an adorable place. Great service. Street parking. Must.go.NOW. read more

Starling Diner - DDD - New American Near Me - Long Beach, California

I don't understand the hype about this place. I saw Staring Diner on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, and it looked absolutely amazing on TV, so I dragged my friends here about a month ago. We sat down pretty quickly, which was nice, but after that everything went rolling down hill. It took our waiter about 10 minutes to get to us. We ordered drinks, our meals and scones. It took about 15 minutes for the waiter to come back with scones and our drinks, but we had to wait another 5 minutes for us to be able to flag down someone to get us utensils. Oh, and did I mention this place was nearly empty? I believe there were only three of four other tables with people sitting at them. After that, it took us a little more than 30 MINUTES to get our meals! I ended up trying the stuffed toast. Now just a note, but I love French toast. I get it anywhere I can when I go out for brunch, so I'm really judgmental. Anyways, back to my review, the french toast was extremely disappointing. It may actually be one of the worst I've ever had. My toast was drenched in Mascarpone and Creme Fraiche, but didn't taste good at all. The Mascarpone and the Creme Fraiche were way to overpowering. I ended up ordering a side of maple syrup because I thought it would help the taste. Turns out maple syrup isn't free here, so I ended up paying $3 for a tiny thing of maple syrup. I also got a side of bacon, which cost just as much as my maple syrup. Now I love bacon, but the bacon I got tasted like bacon I could get in value packs at Costco, and not the good kind. While the food sucked, the thing that really pissed us off was Starling's lack of customer service; their customer service is the worst I've ever seen in regards to speed. We waited such a long time for everything, even though the place was nearly empty, and we had to ask multiple times for things to get done. When we got our bill it took them another 10-15 minutes for someone to even come around and get them! Let's just say my friends and I were not pleased with our experience here, and do not plan on ever coming back. read more

Starling Diner - I paid the same price for my bacon as I did for my side of maple syrup - $3 each - New American Near Me - Long Beach, California

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This place is amazing!! My friend and I opted to not go to beach yoga due to the rain and ended up here for breakfast instead. Best decision we've ever made. The wait wasn't too bad and we were placed in the perfect corner spot to people watch and privately chat. I ordered the portobello and spinach bundle....I ate the whole thing, every last amazing bite. It was so delicious. And I talked about how yummy it was all day long. Next time I will ask for avocado, because then it would have been out of this world AMAZING. Our friend met up with us and each of the other girls liked their dishes as well. One for the standard breakfast and the other got the goat cheese spinach scramble. The only weird thing was the carafe of water had black specks in it. Not sure what that was, but we drank it anyway! read more

Starling Diner - Portobello and Spinach Bundle *drool* - New American Near Me - Long Beach, California

Let me tell you something. There are few things in life aside from an electric jolt or a bug bite on your patootie that will make you jump out of your seat in an instant. I've discovered something that can do just that. STARLING DINER's FAMOUS FRENCH TOAST! Baguette bread stuffed with marscapone cheese drizzled with a reduction of sugary, sweet, amazingness that can only be truly experienced by a bite of this french toast goodness. You can further cater your french toast to your preference of a choice of fruit compote. Caramelized apple was my pick, but for those who enjoy the tartness of mixed berries or ripeness of fresh cherries, can also have a choice of the latter. yum yum in my tummy. I also ordered the Benjamin Eggs Special- poached eggs on top of smoked salmon over a bed of sauteed spinach, chopped ripe, red vine tomatoes, finished off with a touch of a lemon reduction to compliment the softer, smokier flavors of the egg and the salmon. A perfect combination I must say. Parking here is street parking and finding this place may be a small challenge as this place is hidden in the nooks of a neighborhood, but don't be deceived by the obscure location. It'll definitely be worth the trip and effort! read more

The food is all delicious! I can tell that much. ..However, the chefs don't take lessons on how to properly poach an egg. When I positioned my fork into my egg, I hit solidity. Out of hundreds of pictures on here, I don't see one single juicy egg picture. What?! Also, the waitress was cold. If she was nicer, everything would have been seen a tad differently. Watch out for the middle aged slender white lady. Recommended for good quality food in a comfy atmosphere, but avoid the ice queen and poached eggs. read more

Starling Diner - No gooey goodness. :( - New American Near Me - Long Beach, California

Words cannot describe how perfect this place is. However, since I am required to write about it I guess I'm just going to have figure something out, huh? The Starling Diner is just one of those places that immediately feels like home... or what home should feel like for everyone. Having the location in the midst of a quaint residential area in Long Beach adds a significant amount of charm and mystery. The amount of love and good energy that exudes from the kitchen and the staff hits you before you even speak to the host about getting a table for two. Start your dinning experience off right with a Bloody Mary. These aren't just any kind of Blood Marys. They're stiff, spicy, flavorful, and topped off with fresh micro greens and the cutest crab claw with crab meat stiff in tact. This little garnish is genius. By far one of the best Blood Marys I've had... and yes I've tried a lot. SCONES are a must. Don't even bother with ordering a single. Just thank yourself in advance a get a basket of three... for yourself. Accompanying these morsels of heaven is a specialty butter and homemade custard. Baked fresh every morning and in small batches, these puppies sell out quick. So, when you're being hassled by your brunch date to make it snappy... I suggest you listen to those words of wisdom. San Francisco french toast stuffed with mascarpone cheese and drizzled caramelized apples in brown brandy butter was breathtaking. Simply breathtaking. This is how I want french toast served to me.... every time. Benjamin scramble was another masterpiece that was thoroughly enjoyed. It is two poached eggs on a bed of smoked salmon lox and micro greens with yukon potatoes. This was equally as scrumptious as everything else that I devoured. Having this be my first time and being blown away was everything you could ever want when you spend money to eat somewhere. I appreciate supporting businesses that pay attention to detail, is extremely creative with their cuisine and decor, but also treats you like you are home. Let's just say after my meal I was already looking at the menu to see what I would order come next visit. read more

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Best brunch in Long Beach! Crab cake benedict and their french toast are amazing! Worth the wait!

This is another LB gem. More upscale, quieter (and less of a wait) than the Coffee Cup (see separate review for another amazing LB breakfast/lunch place), the Starling Diner really delivers when you want a mimosas-and-girlfriends Sunday brunch, someplace nice to take Mom for lunch, or even a romantic brunch date. It's even great as an everyday breakfast/lunch bistro kind of place. Food: 4 stars. Thought and attention are given to ingredients, prep and execution. My favs: The French Toasts are AMAZING (both the regular menu French Toasts and the Daily Special ones. Strawberry and peach are probably my favs.) The crab benedict is deliciously decadent. The salmon crostini app is so simple yet good you'll want to order a second. The lightly flavored water (cucumber, I think) is yummy and refreshing. Price: 4 stars for value. On the mid-to-high end for LB brunch, but quality is worth the price. Ambiance: 4.5 stars. Charming, comfy, not too loud. Outdoor seating is awesome. Mostly residential neighborhood and low traffic makes eating outside very pleasant. Service: 3.5 stars. Functional, efficient, polite and reasonably attentive, but not memorable. read more

This place makes me want to work at nearby Wilson HS!!! Wow! This is your prototypical mom and pop diner. Small'ish but very homey! Maybe 24 seats inside and another 8-10 outside. The food is really, really good! They are known for their french toast...get it...you won't be disappointed. I ordered the tofu scramble and was completely satisfied. The prices are a bit high, but, in line with boutique restaurants that pay top dollar for rent. Service was attentive and friendly. Food is homemade to order so don't expect quick food service...it will be a few minutes so order coffee and relax. :) Definitely a great place for special occasions. They have cocktails, wines, etc for sale so you can order your bloody mary or mimosas with bfast. Just so ya know ;) read more

Came back to celebrates a friends birthday get-together. Don't come with a party larger than 2. Came here to meet some friends who I haven't seen in a while. Party of 6 arrived at 11am. Because of the small size of the restaurant with only 2 large tables, we didn't get seated until 12:30am. Other smaller parties who came after us got seated AND finished their meals and left before we even got seated.... We didn't get food until 1:30pm after all said and done. Ordered something similar last time but hoped it would be better this time around. Spoiler: It wasn't.... I ordered the super power plate. "herb crusted" chicken is boiled chicken that they ask you dip in soy sauce- chicken had no flavor, and soy sauce, really? The apple sausage tasted and felt like the exact ones you can buy at Costco. Also, I don't get the sliced tomatoes on the side. 2/5 The ONLY thing worth coming here for that I've tried is the french toast. They actually use french bread. The pumpkin one is really good. Crispy edges with light and fluffy interior tastes of cinnamon and other the other pumpkin pie spices. 4/5 The apple one is good, but I'd give the pumpkin one a try first since that's seasonal and the apple one is always available. Large chunks of apples covered in syrup. 4/5. The french toast washed out the disappointment brought on by the super power plate. However, the french toast did not make up for the 2.5hr wait.... read more

Starling diner was my favorite grub hub in Long Beach because the staff was friendly, the food so delicious and fresh, and most importantly their Bloody Mary was the bomb-dot-com. Just went back recently, and I was a little sad. Although the food is still delicious, the Bloody Mary's were not the same (I ordered two thinking maybe the first was not done right) and staff was not really as friendly. Also, if the issue of the long wait is the wait for food, I'd happily sit and wait for the food so long as I can order drinks...after all, the food is worth the wait. Please Starling, get back to being the gem I know and love. Lastly, if the business hours have changed, could you please change it on Yelp too so I don't travel through traffic just to arrive to a closed restaurant. Thanks a bunch! read more

This is my favorite breakfast place. The atmosphere is great and upbeat. The food is amazing. And the service attentive. A definite "must try", you won't be disappointed. read more

Starling Diner - San Francisco stuffed French toast and "the classic". - New American Near Me - Long Beach, California

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Had to try the well known stuffed french toast with peaches. The french toast was warm sweet and just melts in your mouth. It was so good that I ate half of it right away; however, half was max I can eat because it was just way too much sugar in the morning for me. I was disappointed when I found out the peaches were going to be from a can I would've ordered a different type of fruit in hope that it's fresh. The peaches tasted burned to me so I didn't finish them. The crab cakes and eggs we got were super disappointment. Eggs and potato were season well while the crab cake was overly salty. Most definitely difficult to finish. Flavors in this restaurant is a little to strong to my likely. I would recommend the stuff french toast if you are sharing it; however, if you have a major sweet tooth then you can eat it all by yourself. read more

Starling Diner - stuffed french toast with peaches - New American Near Me - Long Beach, California

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I am typically a huge fan of the Starling Diner; mainly for its inventive way of doing breakfast and brunch. My server is an amazing, funny and courteous guy (who's name I cannot recall at the moment). All I know is he wears glasses (wait, 2 of the guys wear glasses). Well the servers are great! The owner on the other hand could use a dose of Attitude Adjustment Tonic. Today I ordered a great brunch sandwich and both my meal and my friend's came to the table at a luke warm temperature at best. For a slow cooked breakfast, they both tasted as if they had been sitting under the AC vent before arriving at our table. When we asked the server to send it to the kitchen to put a little fire under it; he graciously complied. However, when the new plates were delivered to the table; not only were they warmer, they were served with a side of ATTITUDE from the Owner who brought out the food. The woman actually said: "I am going to stand here and watch you eat to make sure it's too your satisfaction" - It took every ounce of patience for me not to give this woman a piece of my mind in response to her condescending comment. When a customer is dissatisfied with the temperature or presentation of their meal, it is customary to voice the concern and send it back. While the kitchen staff may not appreciate it; the customer should not be treated poorly as a result of an error on the part of the restaurant. read more

Food was great, but for the love of all that's good in this world, DO NOT SIT AT THE SHORT COUNTER. I don't know what the deal was, but even though you are immediately bordering one of the only one or two entrances between the kitchen and the dining area, you will not get seen. It's a short counter so you're sitting lower than people at tables and much lower than the people at the bar right next to you. Which apparently means you can't make eye contact with the staff. Which means you won't get refills of coffee or water. Maybe if you're super lucky like me, you get one refill in an hour. You also won't get anyone coming by to check on you, and it'll take as long to get the check as your entire dining experience thus far. Ask for boxes AND refills? Think again, I only had luck with one request at a time. I got the bloody mary. It was pretty cool with the crab claw (which provides endless entertainment for the kids....or the kids in adult bodies, which may or may not have been me), but a bit on the pricey side. I also got the crab cakes and eggs. The crab cakes were nice and big and looked exactly like the pictures. I'm a bit sad that I didn't get the stuffed french toast because if everything else is like the pictures, that is definitely the smart decision. Oh well, next time! (If there's a seat available other than the short counter) read more

Starling Diner - My poor, neglected glass. Went through the entire meal like this. Still waiting for someone to acknowledge me, 20 min later - New American Near Me - Long Beach, California

I can't believe I forgot to review this place when we were there! Maybe I slipped into a coma after the delicious food. It may have been a while since our visit, but I will never forget the French Toast. O. M. G. Stuffed French toast is a real treat that I only indulge from time to time now, but I'm so glad I got to try Starling Diner's version. My husband knew of this place because he used to live in the neighborhood. It was a little odd being right smack in the middle of the neighborhood. After a brief wait outside, we were seated at the bar and got to watch all the action going on in the kitchen. Mascarpone cheese, whipped cream, berries and French toast. What more could a girl want? It was definitely an indulgent breakfast, but I was on vacation after all. You're allowed to indulge on vacation, right? My husband had some sort of scramble. We do have a picture but we're unable to recall if it was a special or just part of their regular menu. Glad to see to see they're still lively & going strong. Go now before they're on Triple D! read more

Starling Diner - Stuffed French Toast - New American Near Me - Long Beach, California

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A refund for the illness caused by previous brunch was finally granted. This was after more negotiation than the UN encounters in a similar time frame. Had bf not been told "this has never happened before", I would have added another star. See my previous comment. Restauranteurs, stand behind your establishments, but don't blindly defend them. Of course, their stale $3.00 scones would serve as suitable weapons. Speaking of those scones, $1 menu McDonald sausage bisquits taste 300 times better. Understand that negative feedback really helps your business îf ÿou listen.. read more

Ambiance: ADORABLE. This is a very sweet, cute, chic kinda place. Like an old cottage straight out of a fairy tale. I mean, they have cute little chairs hanging on the wall... The size itself inside is small - I'd say probably 15 small tables and a bar with about 5 seats. But the service is fast, so we didn't wait long for a table, food, or bill. Drinks: My hubby tried their pineapple mimosa, which was way fancy in his manly hand - but really tasty. I've never tried pineapple juice before - either they are super genius, or I'm way behind. It was morning, so I had to try their Irish Coffee. Mmmmm... it was perfect. Grub: My hubby tried their Roast Beef Hash, and felt very "eh" about it. Not because it wasn't tasty, but he was expecting bigger chunks of beef I suppose. It definitely didn't turn him off from wanting to come back and try something different though. I tried their Mushroom and Goat Cheese scramble - AHH, it was so tasty biting into chunks of goat cheese with mushrooms to balance out the flavors. Each of the plates came with some french bread and potatoes. I love french bread, so this was a major plus for me. Price: Breakfast wasn't too bad - the avg price is about $9 per plate. I'd like to give them a try for dinner, but I think they're a little bit pricier for dinner because of the gourmet feel of the food. The ingredients are certainly fresh, and some ingredients used are unique. Service: Efficient and friendly! I do recommend Starling Diner, and plan to come back another time to continue exploring their menu. read more

Starling Diner - Irish coffee and a pineapple mimosa. Mmmmm!!! - New American Near Me - Long Beach, California

I'm not sure if it was the slow and lackluster service or the fact we were sitting outside next to garbage cans and flies, but I left Starling Diner less than enthused. There was a bit of a wait on a Sunday around 1pm, and we're sat outside. No alcoholic drinks allowed if you're sitting outside, we figured we didn't care where we sat (inside or outside), we just wanted to get our hands on the French toast everyone was raving about. After being seated, we weren't greeted for a good 10 mins and the waitress actually went to the table next to us (they got seated after us) and took their order first. When the waitress finally came over we ordered the SF toast with berries and the crab cakes. The toast came out and looked sloppily put together. The whipped cream looked like they ran out and just squirted whatever was left in a can onto my plate. Other than that, it was ok, I've had better french toast of similar style in downtown Fullerton. The crab cakes were ok, there was ton of crab shell bits, not cool. We had such high hopes for the "best French toast" in OC but left kind of unimpressed. It also didn't help that the restaurant was located next to residential homes that kept their trash bins outside. Trash + heat = smelly air and flies, sigh. Also, it took awhile when we were paying and we ended up having to just get up and go inside to pay. Probably one of those places where I can say I've been there but most likely won't feel a need to revisit, sigh. read more

Starling Diner - why didn't my french toast look like all the photos I saw on yelp boo :( and the crab cakes in the back - New American Near Me - Long Beach, California

Hands down best blue crab cakes!!! also their stuffed apple french toast is Amazing!! read more

Starling Diner - Blue Crab Cakes poached eggs & potatoes - New American Near Me - Long Beach, California

Always a pleasure to come here and enjoy a great meal. Reasonably priced and the portion is spot on. Everything is made in house - can't complain about that. Always ask what the daily soup is... so far I've had the Tomato Basil & Corn Chowder and neither disappoint. Staff is friendly and knowledgeable and I will continue to come back here again. read more