We came across the worker bee unexpectedly. This place is such a treasure! The hospitality was so wonderful. I always love supporting a family run business. I went with what (I'm assuming) the owner recommended. Potato skins with eggs and cheese and a delicious sour cream horse radish drizzle. oh my gosh, I'm so glad I went with his recommendation. The flavors were amazing! My husband ordered the classic Benedict. It was also incredible. The homemade hollandaise sauce was delicious. We will definitely eat here whenever we are in town! read more

Really good breakfast here. Be patient, everything is made fresh. Super friendly staff, really liked our server. They have fresh Kombucha too. read more

This was our first visit to the amazing little Carpinteria seaside town. Loved this cafe and the food was excellent! It was very home town feel. We enjoyed it when the owner came up, pulled up a chair beside our table and told us the history of the cafe and how it started. We will for sure be back! read more

We've reviewed them before. Have tried going to the worker bee consistently since my daughter could eat solids. And back a few years we had a handful of trips with no problem. Food was good. We put it into the rotation. About a 18 mo ago we had two stops that took over an hour. With a 2 yo. And we raised concerns about wait and delays and there was no acknowledging that this was not what should be happening. The server threw up his hands like there was nothing to be done. (Clearly there were solutions like more than 2 servers when you have a full in and outside restaurant or having a runner or more cooks) We reviewed the place after we saw it becoming a non choice given the service issues and weren't back since. About a month or so ago we saw signs that the worker bee was under new management or ownership. We decided this was for the best and came back yesterday to see if it had changed. We put our name on an unmanned list outside. No time estimates were given. We also noted that there were two open tables (a 2 and what could be a 4 top if they put chairs on the other side). Fine. They were using two tables for staging and to hold sugars and jams and syrup. Fine. After about 20 minutes we checked to see what progress has been made and our name was crossed off. We asked what happened and they said it wasn't really crossed off and rewrote it. And we waited. After another ten minutes we looked in again (people were coming out and no one else was sitting on the benches) and a waitress frenziedly snapped when we asked if they were going to seat the now open tables. She told us she could but it would be 25 minutes before anyone helped us. I said it has already been more than 25 minutes waiting and she said that this was normal. I didn't see more than the same two servers who ran the place before the transfer. There was no real change to the menu or setup. And it still clearly has the same problems with staffing and slowness. We left. We won't be back till there's reason to believe the problems have been fixed. Because there are too many other options to go somewhere the staff acts like you're being unreasonable to expect to be treated politely and to eat breakfast in a diner that specializes in breakfast in less than an hour. read more

Good weekend breakfast joint with the hardest working waitress west of the Mississippi. Mostly a back/egg/pancake place, but they have a great selection of gluten free items (if you're into that sort of stuff), a few local brews in bottles, and a respectable lunch menu. Given that this is a small town the weekend rush can overwhelm them and their 12 tables + counter stools, but you won't go away hungry or disappointed. read more

I gave a lecture at UCSB a few years ago and a recommendation lead us here for breakfast...twice. The food is fantastic. Service is great, everyone is super nice and it is really affordable. read more

We have been a few times, chicken fried steak was delicious but the service sucks. It's really sad because the previous owners were really friendly. They do not have enough help so it makes the service bad. We have a dog so we are always looking for a patio, their patio open sometimes, most of the time not. My daughter called to see if patio was open they answered phone with a quick yes and didn't even say good bye, just a click. So now we go to Hugo's for our CF Steak.. Great food Great Service. read more

The Worker Bee Cafe - Beatiful Carpinteria - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Carpinteria, California

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The biggest and greasiest plate of omelette and home fries! Very tasty though. Our server was super sweet and friendly...I didn't catch her name but tall and skinny blonde. Made our trip that much more enjoyable:) read more

The Worker Bee Cafe - Menu - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Carpinteria, California

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I will be honest, I am not a huge breakfast eater. Just not my favorite. I was reluctant to go out to breakfast, but so glad i gave it a try! BEST BREAKFAST i have ever had! The Potato Skin Hash was so tasty and there was enough leftover for another meal. Husband's hash browns were perfectly crispy and you could tell the bacon was good quality. Will definitely be back! read more

I stopped in Carpinteria for lunch and was VERY HAPPY with this place! I have specific dietary needs and the menu had many options for me! I found our waiter very friendly and attentive. The cook in the kitchen knows how to create a delicious meal! I definitely recommend this place and would return to try other items on their menu. read more

Great local diner in old Carpinteria. Really good food. Definitely a cut above most breakfast places. During busy times you must have patience as the owner/waiter is working like a one-armed paper hanger! Relax and enjoy the grub! read more

We were looking for a place outside expensive and busy Santa Barbara and I've always loved Carpinteria. I'd never eaten there. Just been there for the beach and on the way to camping. Found it on Yelp and decided to give it a try. My sister in law from Scotland was with me as we had just visited my son (her nephew) up at UCSB. We were attended to immediately even though it was a busy Sunday morning. Nice man with alot of energy seated us and took our order. Really seemed to care about our experience and the food we ordered. My sister in law loved the authentic diner/cafe feel. The food was delicious and plentiful. I will definitely be back next time I'm in Carpinteria. read more

The Worker Bee never fails to delight. The service is impeccable and the food is truly made with tlc. We have been coming to this place for over two years on our visits to Carpinteria and look forward to our breakfast at the Worker Bee every time! read more

Really great service, great prices, and good veggie options! Loved this place and would definitely return the next time we're in town.

Wanted to give this place a 5 star review on the quality and tasted of the food we had but the wait was for the food is what kept me back from the 5 star quality it deserves. Great food.. for the breakfast champion looking to score a decent meal in the local area. Not too far from walking to the beach should you need to :D read more

The owner was extremely nice and had an awesome personality. It was obvious he loves what he does. He gave recommendations for our meals and we're really glad he did! The coffee was delicious and the food was amazing. I had the potato skin hash with jalapeno bacon. My husband had the chilaquiles special. To say he was happy with his meal is an understatement. The cafe was nice, clean, and had lots of natural light and open windows. read more

Oh so yummy...and generous with their portions. Found this place on Yelp when looking for a good breakfast place. It didn't disappoint. The biscuits and gravy were delicious...with plenty of crumbled sausage all the way through. Servers are very friendly. Sometimes service is a tad slow, depending on how busy they are. However, if you're a breakfast lover and in the area...go! You won't be disappointed. (We ate here three times in one week when vacationing in the area.) read more

Have been coming to Carpinteria with my family every summer since I can remember, and for the past few years have gone to the WBC at least once for breakfast. This time was different... we were shocked when we walked in to the WBC and noticed something was different. Where was Jamie and Oscar?. Where were all the dusty bees everywhere. This was the reason we went here! lol The arguing between the two of them and Jamie threatening to walk out half the time (mind you, she's the only waitress lol) was priceless. Oh no! What will we do now?! Well, what a welcome surprise. The new owner is fabulous and so friendly. I'm sure he gets asked a million times a day what the heck happened to Jamie and Oscar and he was so gracious and answered all our questions. ;) The food was fantastic and we look forward to going back next year and every year after that. Thanks WBC! read more

I had the half order of Corned beef hash with eggs..the best rye toast I've ever had. Very clean and excellent service. A great little breakfast spot..Family friendly read more

The Worker Bee Cafe - Half portion of the corned beef hash. Delicious - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Carpinteria, California

The food was great and the staff was extremely friendly! I ended up leaving my purse and wallet there and heading back home (out of town). The owner Rick got in touch with me via AAA and sent my purse and wallet (with everything intact) overnight! We are so thankful! Please come try them out and support this delicious local business! read more

Stopped by here for a great outdoor breakfast on way to Santa Barbara a few weeks ago. Good food, pleasant outdoor distanced seating, friendly staff! read more

Very good breakfast for the family. Good portion sizes on all plates. Corned Beef Hash was outstanding and the Biscuits and Gravy was very good. Country fried Steak plate had a tremendous amount of food and filled up my 17 year old son. Very satisfied with the meal and glad we found this local establishment. read more

Terrible. Just terrible. Inedible and undrinkable. Maybe just the day, but this was way overpriced and each meal was greasy and poorly made. Be forewarned. read more

Stop because I saw the place was packed. Good reason - breakfast burrito was great and the service was quick and friendly.

Came here while on vacation with my family. One of the scariest things is having to find safe gluten free food in cities I'm not familiar with. This place is amazing gluten free muffins and waffles are the best I've had in a long time and the customer service was great! Will definitely be back when I'm back in town! read more

We came here for a breakfast with gluten free options, and they did not disappoint. The gf pancakes were delicious and the toast was so good I almost thought they made a mistake and gave me regular bread. The owner was so friendly, service was great. Will definitely return next time we're in town! read more

This is a quaint little cafe located in the charming downtown area of Carpinteria. The employees greeted us upon arrival and took drink orders within minutes after sitting down. The food was tasty and the amount was a good portion. The only negative was there is an extra charge to swap out potatoes for fruit. read more

Very nice and quaint place . Staff is friendly and efficient. Atmosphere is great!!! And the chicken salsa verde omelette was amazing !!! Great place , worth going too on your next road trip !!!!! read more

I love this place. Usually a little bit of a wait, but always worth it. Friendly wait staff, father and son owned, and they serve beer too. Try their french toast, or corned beef hash... can't go wrong. A must try! read more

I usually don't order Steak and Eggs because restaurants tend to overcook the meat or the meat quality is terrible. BUT! I decided to order Steak and Eggs here, and I'm glad I did. The meat came medium rare and very tender. I absolutely loved the seasoning that came on top, and this meal was very filling. Service was a bit slow so keep that in mind m, but other than that, I'd love to come here again! read more

Great customer service! Excellent food! Will come back when I pass through again.

Nice outdoor dining and good customer service after you are seated. Ordered the corned beef hash and it was the BEST i have had in a while!

This place is so incredibly delicious, the food was absolutely outstanding, the owner was so polite and informative, he even sat down and explained all the various hot sauces to us (as we all love spice). I can't wait to return!! read more

My three girlfriends and I stopped here on our way out of town and were more than pleasantly surprised. The food was outstanding. The service was great! Rick (whom I assumed is the owner) sat us, took our order, gave great suggestions and made sure our drinks were filled and our tastebuds were satisfied. I have a few food allergies (they have a great gluten free menu) and Rick made sure my food wasn't cross contaminated. I felt very safe eating here and had no issues with the food. Even the chef checked to see how we enjoyed our meal from behind the counter. We will definitely be visiting here again if we ever make the 3 hour drive back to Carpinteria. :) read more

Such a rude waiter that I think happens to be one of the owners. We have been here before and had a kind older lady serve us. The guy was irritated when we arrived, said go sit over there in the back. I thought was he rude or was it just me? My husband agreed he was. Then he came over slapped the menus down along with silverware, then said, specials are there on the board, its small but that's the way I write. Then he walked away, didn't ask if we wanted anything to drink or good morning. Just an ass! We left, im not giving business to someone who acts bothered. Went to Easu's and had a wonderful breakfast and amazing service. They actually appreciate their customers. Glad we chose to leave worker bee. read more

Maybe we came on an off day, but we were in Carp and wanted brunch, and came here because of the stellar reviews on Yelp. First - it was a Sunday late morning and the place was slammed. I usually see that as a good sign - worth the wait and all that. Once we were seated it took about 15 minutes to get some waters (it was very hot inside) and the guy I think was the owner/manager was hustling his tail off. It became pretty clear they were short handed, and he said he had someone not show up. Even though about a third of the seats were empty the wait time was looooong. Not dinging points for that because hey, stuff happens. The three stars are for the food, if we accounted for service it would have been one or two. Ordered quickly - burgers for the kids, omelette for the wife and I got the special - braised pork and green chili sauce with eggs and potatoes. After a 45 minute wait (and hour after sitting down), food came. Burgers were fine - hard to mess up a burger. Wife's omelette was good but greasy. Mine was not edible. The pork was so fatty and grisly it was untouchable. The potatoes were undercooked to the point that they were hard. At that point I was so hungry and we were all so hot and fried that I just ate the eggs, we paid the bill and left. Pretty meh experience in all. read more

This charming dinner was perfect for breakfast. We shared a delicious sausage and veggie omelette and scrumptious gluten-free french toast with fresh blueberries. Other gluten-free options, too. Real friendly service. We'll definitely go back next time we are in the area. read more

Corned beef hash was delicious! Big chunks of beef, crispy and tender mixed with just the right amount of potatoes. Perfect!

Love this place... what else can I say... oh yeah.. big portions.. great service.. owners are as sweet as they come... they make you want to come back again and again. ... This is a local favorite for breakfast or lunch... that many come through town to enjoy. Hope you enjoy it too... Tell Jamie ... Chuck says hello. read more

Went here for breakfast based on Yelp reviews. We were not disappointed. We were there early enough that there were no other customers. The owner spent time talking to us about our trip to the area and the old missions we were there to see. The food was good, a bit pricey but would still go back. read more