Cute, locally owned diner! In the heart of niwot and near many other shops and businesses in the area. Came in for a quick bite before a workout class and was in and out in less than 30 minutes. Wait staff was very efficient and pleasant. Food was good. Nothing you can't make yourself at home, but that is the novelty of a small diner. I got the mile high sandwich for something healthier and lighter before my workout class and was perfectly filled enough but not overly full, and still had half a sandwich and fries to take home. Will definitely be back! Excited to try their breakfast next time. read more

The Garden Gate Cafe - The Mile High - Sandwiches Near Me - Niwot, Colorado

Such a cozy little neighborhood breakfast and lunch spot in Niwot. Nothing fancy -- just solid, home-style food and a welcoming vibe. We had the Denver omelette, Nutella and fruit crepes, and my husband ordered the French toast with eggs and bacon -- everything was yummy and hit the spot. Service was great, as usual, which always keeps us coming back. A comfortable, reliable place for a good meal. read more

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This is a very cute place and we were looking forward to eating here after a nice long hike in the Flatirons. The servers were fine and polite. The food came out amazingly fast. I ordered a 3 egg omelette, hash browns, and toast. I am not sure where all the eggs were or if they use miniature chickens. Eggs have gotten very pricey. Bottom line: $18 for that and the serving was small, the hash browns tasted like they had been oven cooked about 6 hours earlier and then thrown in a salamander once plated, the slice of toast was ok but the butter/oil topping was rather off putting. Once my $3.00 soda was added and then my wife's meal and coffee...we hit ~$50 after tip for a bland, small, mediocre breakfast. Perhaps an off day or just not our " cup of tea." read more

The Garden Gate Cafe - Signage from their outdoor seating area - Sandwiches Near Me - Niwot, Colorado

Very successful diner celebrating its 25th year of business. Lots of food options. English pancakes (crêpes) were all right, but the other pancakes are better (with cranberry orange granola pancakes being the best). Salmon omelette was good. Mountain skillet was good, but everything was so shiny (even the over-easy eggs on top) because of all the grease, which made me feel like my GI system was coated in oil and me sick/nauseous. Still, it's a good diner, just have to know what to order, which I'll learn as I visit more. Diner was very busy, but everything moved quickly. Ambiance - busy, packed with people, lots of people watching. It's a Niwot staple, I will definitely be back. read more

The Garden Gate Cafe - Salmon omelette, Mountain skillet, English pancakes - Sandwiches Near Me - Niwot, Colorado

Great service on the outdoor, dog friendly cafe from Stacy. Ambiance was standard, but I really like a place that A. Trusts me with a ketchup bottle, and B. Leaves the coffee carafe on my table. Problem was, food is Ho Hum. Exactly the same thing I could get at a Free Holiday Inn Breakfast bar: generic biscuits and gravy, and an all too familiar sausage patty. Not a problem when it's free, but when I'm paying $18.00? No. read more

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Its a basic breakfast restaurant if you just want staple American options. I had the corned beef hash and eggs with sourdough toast. The coffee is not premium, but it is what it is. Ill go here when im in the mood for the basics. read more

We came here for brunch. I had such a hard time deciding what to have; they have an extensive menu. Of course I'm always going to try something with pork green chile first, so I picked the Mamas fritas. Potatoes, eggs, chorizo, chile, cheese...yum! My husband had tamales and my daughter had a French dip. It was all awesome. I'll definitely be back to try crepes and pancakes. The service was great and the restaurant is very cozy and cute. What a great place! read more

The Garden Gate Cafe - French dip with fries - Sandwiches Near Me - Niwot, Colorado

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Food was good. Cute cafe with a large menu. Staff was friendly. Food came out quickly and we enjoyed our visit. A few shops in the area around the cafe as well. read more

The Garden Gate Cafe - Sandwiches Near Me - Niwot, Colorado

Wow, this place has really gone downhill! It's too bad too. It has always been overpriced for breakfast, but in the past at least you could count on having a decent experience and getting decent service. It seems to have been gradually going downhill for the past year or so. The current staff is not shy about letting you know how little your presence means to them. There is zero ambiguity to the fact that they would much rather be somewhere else. You know how it feels when your drink goes untended for the majority of your meal. And then when you do get a refill it's practically tossed at you, no wasted effort with regards to grace. Or how it feels when you just need a togo container, but you can't figure out what on earth happened to your waitress. Or you need change, if only there was someone to help. Welcome to The Garden Gate Café folks. Have you ever finally had to walk up to the counter to request a togo container, only to have TWO employees BOTH turn their backs to your request and pretend like they don't care? News Flash! They actually don't care and they are unconcerned about who knows it. There must be either an absence of ownership, an absence of standards, or both. Either way, don't waste your money here folks, it is not appreciated! The chef is decent, but prices have been raised both upfront and through portion reduction. Save your money! read more

This place is gross never been to dirtier place. The bathroom is in the back which means you have to go pretty much through the work area to get to it. And the work area is absolutely disgusting. Food everywhere floor just gross. Could you only imagine the back of house where our food comes out of? During my stay I watched a big waitress, go out to smoke several times and come back in without washing Her hands just moved on to her tables. They also feed the squirrels they're rolling around on the floor feeding the squirrels and again they come in and do not wash been to their hands! Didn't even eat the food looked so bland. The other things also really grossed me out. read more

I came here for breakfast this morning at 7:15 and when I got seated my waitress let me know the cook wasn't there yet, which wasn't a big deal to me, but I didn't expect to wait 30 minutes before their cooks showed up. I waited another 40 for my food to come out and it bland and cold. The only reason I'm giving two stars is because my waitress was so nice and apologetic the whole time I was there. read more

This is my first time leaving a review anywhere but this restaurant really should change their open hours. This is the second time I've come to this establishment when they open around 7 and there's nobody to cook. I'm not sure if I'm the only one who's experiencing this but don't come on a Monday morning unless you are planning to wait 40 minutes to get your food. read more

Garden Gate has been my one favorite breakfast restaurants since I was a little kid, it never disappoints. All of the food I've gotten is always great, especially the pancakes, they're huge and some of the best I've had. The chocolate chip pancakes are my favorite, I order them almost every time. I also remember getting hot chocolate there as a kid and it coming with a mountain of whipped cream, which was the best, especially when I was younger, it was always something I'd look forward to. The service is always super friendly, it is a hometown spot that I'll always come back to. read more

So sad to give a single star but this place should not be opened. We sat outside because we had our dog with. Our servers , because we had 2 brought out our water, took our order, brought my latte, which was a 2 at best, brought our food and never came back to the table. I went to the restroom which you have to literally walk through the kitchen to get to, so wrong. If you have to have your guests walk through your kitchen, it should be spectacularly clean but not even close. Very disgusting. Also had to get up and ask for salt and pepper then had to get up again and ask for water. As I said our "servers" never came back to our table. We unfortunately will not be returning to this establishment. read more

Surprised my 85 year old dad while having breakfast here and morning crew were all AMAZING. Gave me an apron and pot of coffee so I could pretend I was a server!. Then they gave him a birthday pancake (with sprinkles) and sang to him. Breakfast staffs always work extra hard anyway but these ladies truly went an extra mile! read more

We were in Longmont and reviewed the rating of this Cafe. My wife and I went out of our way to try this place. It is a great small town feel place and the food was fabulous. The people were very nice and the food was hot and fresh. We are sure to go back again soon even though it's far from where we live. Thanks for all the great ratings. It help in our choice of places to try. You have to enjoy a great meal at The Garden Gate Cafe... You won't be disappointed. read more

Disappointed for multiple reasons Arrived at 1:15 pm sat immediately on patio. Ordered at 1:25 pm and was told they were out of the homemade bread they use for the French Toast. Which, was the only reason I came here. After ordering something else, the server came back at 1:30pm to let us know that 2 of the other dishes would not be able to be served as they were out of the carnitas for both dishes (2 different dishes). So, of the 4 items we ordered... ONLY 1 - the kids corn dogs were able to be made. We has to change 3 of 4 orders on 1:30pm on Saturday... at a breakfast and lunch only place!? My son's order was 10 minutes later than the other means - rest of us were nearly done eating. Plus, they were also out of rice which they didnt mentioned until he got the lunch. SO... THREE 'staple ingredients' they were out of. At least they discounted off his lunch since it was super late. The food we ordered was OK, not spectacular. The omelet was not light and or fluffy. The hash browns were average. The only dish that seemed to gone over well was the Chimichanga my 12 yr old ate. read more

The Garden Gate Cafe - Water... At least they didn't run out of that - Sandwiches Near Me - Niwot, Colorado

The service was slow and unfriendly- food was a big disappointment. We won't ever come back that's for sure.

Friendly lunch and breakfast spot with good food at a reasonable price. Service is prompt and these days they have added a few tables on the parking lot to keep a safe distance between customers. I was especially excited to see crepes on the menu and loved the spinach and bacon one. The fresh fruit crepe is also yummy and perfect for sharing. Great spot in Niwot! read more

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Great food and kid friendly. Loved how they brought little hot wheels and crayons for the kids and made chocolate chip pancakes on request. Wait wasn't very long and service was quick and very friendly. My latte was huge and delicious! read more

I wanted to like this place. It's a great location with outdoor and indoor seating and a promising menu. However, the food was slow to arrive. My pork tamale with "green chili" was ice cold in the middle and the sauce looked (and tasted) like glorified red salsa. The staff said they were "remaking" the dish. However, the dish returned and they had just reheated the plate, because the sour cream and avocado were now also warm. The hash browns had a used-oil taste that was very unpleasant. Overall, very disappointed. I'll save my time and money for more worthwhile places. read more

The Garden Gate Cafe - My Spicy Pork Tamales (with "green" chili) - Sandwiches Near Me - Niwot, Colorado

Wonderful country Cafe specializing in breakfast and lunch..., Awesome food and service. I'm definitely becoming a regular once a week visitor. Today I'm enjoying a California Benedict with sourdough toast and home fries. read more

The Garden Gate Cafe - Typical interior photo early morning, before they get busy on a Saturday morning. - Sandwiches Near Me - Niwot, Colorado

Food is always good! Love the veggie skillet and the chai with oat milk :) The place is always bustling, however, the wait and bus staff are always on top of keeping everything moving. Garden Gate has that small town community feel of visiting your favorite spot in your favorite town! Comfortable seating, a bit noisy, but, hey, that's what makes it vibrant and fun read more

The service is great and the portions are very generous. However I've had a few undercooked items here (not cooked-through pancakes, runny eggs when I asked for hard/medium boiled). The fast service and the variety of menu items will keep me coming back though! read more

This place had good reviews, visiting the area I thought I'd give it a try It's possible the pandemic has hurt the operations. Note to whomever is hiring: ANY staff is not always better than no staff. Before you eat here consider: How thick is your skin?; and what color is it? (particularly for non caucasians) come here if you enjoy being given the hairy eyeball and Gate-Kept by the 'Host'. How strong is your stomach? Waitresses wear masks only when close to a customer, but not their food How high are your expectations of the kitchen? I was served a warmed but not cooked flour tortilla. I am definitely afraid of what happens in the kitchen. read more

Yum, the mamas fritas are delicious! And the service is always fast and friendly. Always a great breakfast spot

Friendly staff, I had the tamales with scrambled eggs and hash browns and it was terrific

Been here a couple times and decided to sit and take my morning meetings from the patio while enjoying a delicious omelette and it was the best start to my day I've had in a long time! read more

The Garden Gate Cafe - Woman drinking Coffee - Sandwiches Near Me - Niwot, Colorado

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Cute little farm looking place in Niwot! I had the valley skillet with sunny side up eggs and loved it! It had yummy potatoes, bacon, tomato, cheese, and mushrooms ! Coffee was a little weak, i like stronger coffee. Not a fan. Our waitress was super nice. No refills on water though. And we had to ask for utensils twice. I mean because she was super nice we just laughed it off. Everyone else at the table said their meals were good. My bf has the southwestern omelette and said it was pretty good and spicer than he thought. I would come back! read more

I always give credit where credit is due and fairness when my experience fall short. The garden gate cafe deliver good food, great service, fun atmosphere and at a reasonable price. These are the hallmarks of success. If you live out of town, it is worth the trip to this restaurant. Sit outside and relax if you can. Very pleasant place to eat. I highly recommend it. read more

Great breakfast or brunch. Good service. Good sandwiches. Insidec& outside dining (weather permitting). Fresh. Ask for the tamale plate (not on the menu). Very good. Espresso drinks are available. They can be busy. Local cafe. read more

What a nice place with good service and very good food . We stopped in here recently with grandson on a short drive up North . Its full and busy , not noisy , a big menu with a fine selection . I had the Cubano sandwich . Tasty juicey pork, with just enough cheese . The fries were a bit soft and warm but the sandwich was great . My spouse had the Tuna melt and salad , both of which were pleasant and tasty . Little boy was instantly met with a basket of cars the play with , bonus points , and got the pancakes which he loved . I would say 4 but we were tired and busy, if we had more time to sit and enjoy in a more thoughtful manner it would get a better mark . ( so grade me on my critique if you will , I must be honest . We will be back , and we recommend this place . read more

The Garden Gate Cafe - Great sandwiches! - Sandwiches Near Me - Niwot, Colorado

A friend recently introduced me to The Garden Gate for brunch. I was quickly impressed - fast seating, excellent service, a large selection of brunch items and the food was really good! My first visit, yes, I went twice, in one weekend (don't judge!), I ordered the California Benedict and let me tell you, it was so yum! The hollandaise sauce was just the way I like it, the eggs were perfectly poached and I loved the tomatoes, mushrooms and avocado on it. The hash browns are out of this world good too. The second time, or the next day, I brought my boyfriend, and our puppy! Huge plus that they're dog friendly on the patio! Again, super quick seating and friendly service. My boyfriend was impressed by the carafe of coffee he received so he could refill as much as he wanted and he liked the assortment of dishes he could order. He settled on the French Toast with a side of hash browns and I ordered an omelette. Both were really delicious but his French Toast really stole the show! I'm already looking forward to this weekend's brunch! read more

I've been here 2x and I'm 1 for 2. Today was not a good day with underdone toast and overdone omelet - flat and burnt around the edges. Hash browns were very greasy. They're not cheap (not expensive) but care in the kitchen seemed lacking today. I, like other reviewers, think their menu is pretty varied so I will give the place 1 more time (a tie breaker) before I write it off. Most people were sitting outdoors because it was a nice day so immediate seating inside was an easier choice on a Sunday. Unfortunately, the place is dark and a bit worn down (e.g. seat cushion vinyl starting to crumble, a men's room dark and too narrow to step up, you know what i mean). Saving grace - good wait staff and good coffee. read more

The Garden Gate is a "Niwot tradition", but sadly it needs to be bought out & to totally hire new people. It's so sad to slam a small local spot we want to love. People do stay loyal -- we even know friends in Boulder who will drive up to Niwot just to go there. (Which is now incredible, as the quality & service have fallen off badly...) We've gone back to try to "be fair", BUT will in future avoid it. The last few meals have included some embarrassments with family visiting from out of town. Today was again extremely disappointing and is the last straw. Our waitress seemed almost literally hostile. I won't put her name here, but will divulge that it starts w/a "T". She was not friendly & seemed as though every request we made was a huge imposition. Why would someone work in the service industry -- and be kept on -- with that attitude?? Finally when she brought the check clearly she realized she might not get any tip & managed to smile. My husband didn't like his salad, and in the past, while we've liked our burgers or sandwiches, the cafe simply does not live up to the prices they now charge. EG Today two teas, a salad & a sandwich came to $45. This is Boulder County. You can do so much better with good, fresh food quality, & it wouldn't mean a jump in prices. Our advice: Go to the other places nearby -- the quality will be better for similar cafe-style food, sandwiches, omelets, etc. AND for sure, the service will be more courteous. read more

This is a really charming place to take family for breakfast or lunch. The decor is interesting: upside down tin buckets for lampshades--and gardening tools on the wall. Our group ordered pancakes, french toast, fried eggs, bacon and a scramble. All was generous and delicious. Service was very friendly, and we had great time. Highly recommend! read more

The Garden Gate Cafe - Dining area decor - Sandwiches Near Me - Niwot, Colorado

Impressive Quality, menu variety, and such a hardworking staff hustling for the community Thank you for being here! read more

I want to give this place 4 stars based on service & cuteness, but the food itself is just not up to the level I would consider fabulous enough for it. Basic breakfast - yes - this place is good. For me though, their hashbrowns have a weird taste to them that is either an oil flavor or margarine? I dunno what they use, but its just not working for me. Their home fries are with that paprika kind of spice on them, which for me, is just a bummer. I never like that and I have to add a lot of salt and pepper to be able to really eat them. The pancakes are ok - though I dunno why for the orange/cranberry one they would use dried cranberries? That was an unpleasant discovery (even tho it states it clearly in the menu its dried) - it really just gave a super bad texture to the pancake to have to chew these dried hard cranberry bits. At least soak them in some orange juice to plump them up a little bit before putting them in the pancake? That one really needs a do over on the chef side. Everything is just ok. Even though we are near Niwot, its just not a place I would go out of my way to over and over and over again. Occasionally, like once a month or every other I will be sure to come in tho, when all the other places are feeling a bit tired to my palate. I do quite like their chai and espresso drinks, they do have soy as an option and its super tasty and good. This place is extremely kid friendly tho, so definitely bring your little ones with you. They have crayons & fun things all over in decorations to look at. I wish them well, I just wish that they would do a tasting review of all their menu items and get some fresh eyes on the turnout of the food and flavor profiles. There is no reason for basic get by food, when it takes so little to make it amazingly delicious. The read more

Food and atmosphere are good, but the service is so slow. I've been here multiple times and same thing. Waitstaff and the kitchen take forever. Duration waiting is not normal or acceptable. read more

Always a favorite for breakfast and lunch. Great menu - with varied breakfast and lunch options. Staff is excellent.