My husband and I went to Payson for an enjoyable day and the first stop was The Pinon Cafe. The hostess was pleasant as she informed us of a short wait. The wait room is a separate area, but very small and cold. Fortunately, the wait was short and my husband and I were quickly sat at a comfy booth. The food was delicious! I had the chocolate chip pancakes with bacon, yum yum. My husband had the 2,2,2 and a side of potatoes. He also thoroughly enjoyed the meal. I can't wait to go up to Payson again and hopefully try their giant cinnamon roll. read more

The Pinon Cafe - Cafes Near Me - Payson, Arizona

What could improve is the tables and chairs there very outdated and the service was okay but when the other lady came by to take our order she rushed us to get our order and when she was walking away I don't know if I miss heard her but she kept saying dumbass, the food was ok but they put everything on my burger when I told the lady only bacon and cheese and they burnt my grandpas potatoes. read more

Solid little hole in the wall in Payson. Great breakfast options and the burgers are amazing. Friendly staff who love to chat. I would highly recommend if you are looking for an option instead of a chain restaurant. We will be back when we are in the area. read more

The food was really good. The staff is really friendly. The energy is just wonderful.

First time here, they have plexi glass and are enforcing mask, cleaning frequently and condiments not kept on the table. The food was just eh quite honestly I don't even recall what we had because it was not memorable. Not sure we would go back service was just ok. read more

Popular breakfast with a sold diner vibe and good breakfast and lunch fare. Biscuits and gravy are well made and tasty

This seems like the ideal place for friends of all ages, decades-old couples and people who are trying to settle on business transactions. Seriously, does everyone here know one another? People talk about where they're from and the weather (the January snow was horrendous) and their travels and health conditions. Just feet away from the Beeline Highway as you are entering Payson, Pinon Cafe is a highly casual diner in the traditional sense. You will likely see a line of pickups and Harley's and family sedans in the parking lot. That would give the impression that the beard-to-shaved face ratio would skew toward the hairy. But oddly, it doesn't. Pinon Cafe is clearly cared for with love. I hear the owners are locals. It's not the type of place where you are going to be mopping up grease stains the moment you sit down. And it is mostly spacious, so you won't have to worry to much about overhearing your neighbors talking about the church fundraiser or their recent bout with the gout. You can expect swift, attentive service. Breakfast and lunch are served all day along. All of the booths are right upon against the windows, which is just wonderful. There is also the standard bar facing away from the booths for the single or swift eater. One section of seating looks like the maroon-colored cushion backs were striped out of an old Cadillac. The diner sells the range: omelets, french toast, biscuits and gravy and other breakfast items. Some menu items have endearing names, like Mogollon Monster and the Croque Madame. They make their own pies, muffins and sweet buns. They also sell cheeseburgers and milk shakes; you will also find chicken fried steak on the menu. I went with the Huevos Benedictos. The poblano/green chile sauce was delicious. It didn't come with hollandaise sauce, by the way. But it looks like the two other Benedicts on the menu do. Served with hash browns, it was a delicious and ample serving. But not so ample that I left with a tummy ache. read more

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Love da Pinon!! Great food in addition to being Dog friendly! and people friendly! most of all Police Friendly!! Thank you Men in Blue !! Godspeed read more

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Great little cafe. The biscuits are very good. I have the Redneck Bene so good with the biscuits and gravy. Good solid cafe.

Stopped in here on a Sunday after camping and rodeo... we were looking for a bomb breakfast and we got a very good meal. It was definitely good, but nothing spectacular... I got a burrito and it was filing, as I sat it "all filler no thriller"... it had a lot of potato in it and not as much chorizo. So it was just very carb loaded. My girl got the 1 biscuit and gravy and that bad boy was huge. Overall food was pretty good, the staff was amazingly wonderful. They were prompt, kind and helpful. Aside from all this, as soon as I walked in there were political Trump signs everywhere. For the most part I don't really pay much attention to these, however, it does bring in a different crowd. I'm all about supporting who you like behind the scenes, but don't shove it down my throat. The political signs had no affect on my stars. I thought I'd just share that. read more

I think it's safe to say that this is the most disgusting breakfast I've ever had. The Redneck Benedict was absolutely drenched in flavorless gravy. The biscuits tasted like raw flour. The potatoes were cold and hard, and I'm pretty sure they were from hours earlier or the day before even. Nothing here tasted fresh at all. Apparently in Payson, if you get giant portions at a cheap price, it doesn't matter if the food is terrible. So people, save your stomachs and don't come here. Just my advice! read more

Ate here two days in a row because it was so good !Great service too. Definitely coming back.

Fantastic experience! My buddies and I are on a road trip and pulled in to get Wendy's. We looked across the alley and saw this place, so we decided to stop somewhere unique while on our trip. Boy I'm glad we did! The inside is really cute and unique, very small town country, perfect for Payson. Waitstaff was patient with myself and my 5 annoying friends (don't worry, we tipped nice). Ordered bacon, eggs, potatoes, and a biscuit, all of which were great and only $12.85. The prize of the meal was a $7.50 cinnamon bun. The thing was massive and perfect for 6 hungry boys. The thing tasted wonderful and I only wish I could get one more without my arteries clogging. Great place, will stop by next time I'm in town. read more

Good simple food, clean and nice service. We eat sure on our way out of town every visit. I especially appreciate that they have gluten-free toast as an option. And they have a good coffee !!! Great family business to support. read more

California Omlette : very well done being stuffed with bacon!! I wish it had more avocado but it was still tasty Had a bite of my friends buttermilk pancakes and they were super fluffy. My baby niece loved them too! My sister loved her breakfast quesadilla Stopped while driving through Payson. Worth it! read more

The Pinon Cafe - California Omlette - Cafes Near Me - Payson, Arizona

What friendly and capable service we encountered at TPC. The server was wonderful (she filled coffee at the half way mark!), and the food was tasty. We had the Breakfast Quesadilla and The Elvis (French toast with peanut butter, bananas and chocolate syrup). Really a treat--you feel the love in this place. read more

I was driving through to Mogollon Rim and saw this cafe and stopped for breakfast - I'm so glad I did! If you ever find yourself in Payson, AZ you have to eat here. The food is amazing and they have cinnamon rolls the size of your head! And to top it off, everyone there is friendly. read more

The Pinon Cafe - Cafes Near Me - Payson, Arizona

Had the biscuit and gravy and they were delicious. Second best I've had so far. The people there were great. Definitely will return.

Yummy breakfast here this morning! We both had the Huevos Rancheros eggs benedict and it did not disappoint! Definitely prepared to order with perfect flavor profiles and just the right amount of heat. Really enjoyed this one! Wait staff is very friendly, service was great and the cafe is spotless. Thank you for an awesome breakfast! read more

Great breakfast place in Payson when you're in town. Prices are reasonable and the food is good. I had the California omelette, 3 eggs,cheddar, bacon, avocado and salsa. It was very filling. Dining room is clean And the service is good. Highly recommend this place for breakfast in Payson. read more

This place saved our butts when we were hangry! We had a bad experience at a cafe up the street and we just were craving some good breakfast! Got here and got sat quickly and our food came just as fast! Us being hangry we didn't get any pictures because we both ate so fast. But i have the redneck breakfast and my boyfriend had the chicken fried steak & eggs sunny side up. We both ate it so fast and it was really really good! read more

There are very few things in this world that are more satisfying than a good hearty breakfast to me. That's exactly what you'll get if you stroll in the Piñon Cafe. Conveniently located along the Beeline highway in Payson is where you'll find the best biscuits and gravy you've ever put in you mouth. The Piñon Cafe, formerly the Knotty Pine Cafe, is also homered of the Mogollon Monster, legend says you can eat this and not get hungry again for 24hrs. For those of you with more of a sweet tooth they also have the largest cinnamon roll I've seen outside of LasVegas and delicious fresh made pies. Stop on in, pull up a chair, sip on fresh brewed coffee and order a plate....you won't be disappointed. read more

The Pinon Cafe - Mogollon Monster - Cafes Near Me - Payson, Arizona

One of my Dads favorites for breakfast. He lives in town and when we came for a visit he said we should go. It's a fairly small location with quite a bit of parking which is great on a busier weekend. We were seated quickly and our drink order taken. I was pleasantly surprised at the many options. My eyes went straight to the eggs Benedict options. Lately it's my go to and I want to try them all every where I go. Today I ordered Huevos Benedictos, which is poached eggs, chorizo on a English muffin with green Chile sauce with a side of country potatoes. My sis and dad ordered omelettes. The decor is old country vibe, signs on the walls for purchase, and a little bar area to sit and eat if alone or with a friend. Very homey and invited. Our server was great. Our food arrived quick and was SO GOOD! Mine had the perfect amount of spice, eggs cooked perfectly and potatoes filling. My family enjoyed their omelettes as well. Very large and full of veggies and meat. Definitely see why it's a favorite of my dad. Worth the stop if you're in town. read more

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While hiking the Arizona Trail I stopped it here at the recommendation of my friend Joss who lives in Payson. This is a delightful little café with a very friendly staff, full breakfast selection and the usual collection of locals who gather there daily. Drop in for breakfast for you will not be disappointed. read more

I ordered a bacon and cheese omelette like I have many times before. This one was insanely greasy and almost impossible to eat. I got home and am currently having an allergic reaction to something I ate there. I havent had this issue anywhere else I have gotten an omelette and there were no allergens I have in the food. This was overall a terrible experience read more

Stopped here for breakfast on our way back from camping on the Mogollon Rim. Absolutely great breakfast spot, I will be stopping here every time we're in the area! The biscuits and gravy was awesome, and I'm a bit of a biscuits and gravy snob. The Piñon burrito was excellent, very tasty, with all the ingredients working well together. My wife said the salsa is some of the best she's ever had. She got the chicken fried steak and raved about it. After a couple days out in the woods, this really hit the spot. Plus, the staff were very welcoming and attentive. All in all, a good small town breakfast joint I look forward to returning to! read more

The Pinon Cafe - Piñon Burrito and Biscuits and Gravy - Cafes Near Me - Payson, Arizona

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Was in payson to work on a project and we decided to give a small local business our money rather than Starbucks it McDonald's. Most of our crew ordered breakfast from here. The server was nice but a lot of things were forgotten like plastic silverware and condiments. To top it off, it was by far the worst food I have ever had in my life (and I don't like to complain or send things back but had we dined in then I would have sent it back; unfortunately it wasn't an option due to covid19). My hash browns were gray, tasted like old oil, and didn't appear to be cooked through all the way. The chorizo was in some patty form I had never experienced and the bread it was sitting on was too hard to chew. Later that afternoon, a colleague threw up their burrito and felt like they had food poisoning. Very disappointing experience. read more

Great service and good food! Family oriented and great environment for family breakfast and/or lunch! read more

Manager was quick to get us water.. was also very quick to say he could not take our orders as he was not our waiter. Waited for 15 min and he didn't take our orders, and our waiter or waitress never showed up.. can't really rate the food as we eventually got up and left, no one even came to apologize. Would not recommend. read more

If you like biscuits and gravy, don't sleep on Piñon Cafe. Excellent choice, not to mention the cinnamon roll is a must. read more

While the atmosphere and service is great, the food was really terrible. The cornbread was microwaved so long it was hard. We did not dare ask for our cinnamon roll to be warmed. We ate it cold. read more

Best breakfast place in Payson, family oriented, very clean and the owner it's very kind and treats you as family. I highly recommend it... read more

Cute little cafe- service was friendly and prompt. The food was delicious! We had the Elvis and the Mexican omelette- both came out hot and were huge portions! Would definitely stop by here when we're in town again. read more

So delicious!!!! One of the best breakfast we have ever had! Can't wait to come back on our next travels. Customer service was excellent! read more

The Pinon Cafe - Cafes Near Me - Payson, Arizona

We were passing through Payson and was looking for a cute diner to stop at for a bite to eat. Based on the good reviews, we chose this place. Did not regret it at all! We both ordered burgers and it was hands down one of the best burgers I've had. Nothing out of the ordinary, but tasted like a good ol' burger that we all crave from time to time. The staff were very down to earth and very friendly. They support military and first responders!! We didn't even have to tell them, they asked. The owner asked if we wanted a cinnamon roll (we arrived close to closing) and he offered us a free one. He even offered to warm it up for us! Wish we came to Payson more often because of this place! HIGHLY RECOMMEND! read more

The Pinon Cafe - Cinnamon roll! - Cafes Near Me - Payson, Arizona

I had your basic breakfast - eggs and bacon, a benchmark by which all breakfast cafes should measured. Came out fast. Cooked perfectly. Crunchy hash browns and quality bacon. Great service. Law enforcement officers were here eating so you know the food is good and reasonably priced. And you feel safe. read more

Had a breakfast, two eggs over medium, bacon and a pancake, the chef rushed the eggs, i.e. browned on the edges. other than that the service was excellent. read more

This unassuming cafe serves surprisingly good food with ample portions. Their French fries were very tasty and the hamburger had an unusually good flavor. Actually, all of our food was quite good. The only reason that I'm not giving them 5 stars is that our waitress was inattentive, despite the fact that the restaurant wasn't crowded when we were there mid-morning. She was off to the side looking at her cell phone. That said, I'd definitely recommend this restaurant for the delicious food. read more

Three stars is a stretch. Four of us just left. Home fries were actually burned, the burger way overdone (requested medium, got well done) gristly corned beef in the Ruben, and the veggie burger was loaded with grease ( probably French fried in oil). Service severely lacking, probably because of a heavy after- church crowd. Won't go back. Too many other restaurants to choose from. ...... read more

Wonderful lunch spot. Stopped on the way home from pine top and was glad I did. Loved the chili burger and the sweet potato fries. Would be back again. read more