I'm updating an 11 year old review I posted in 2013 to give this restaurant and their team the 5 stars they DESERVE!! Owner Rick and his team present a menu filled with locally sourced ingredients with many of their plate options named after local landmarks (ie the Linden Ave omelet). There is a quaint outdoor patio for those who want to bask in the Carpinteria sun or have their dogs in tow. The Worker Bee is our favorite breakfast spot in Carpinteria! read more

This place is Great!!! A bit of a retro feel with delicious dishes to satisfy anyone's hunger. Great variety of breakfast classics and some wonderful lunch offerings as well at a fair price. The thing that really stands out is the personal service, especially from the owner Rick. He made us feel like we were family he hadn't seen in a while, awesome person with an authentic love for people and food. I Highly recommend the Worker Bee Cafe if you're in Carpenteria and neighboring communities, you're in for a special treat read more

Breakfast!!! Most important meal of the day! Small and welcoming - Server Joe made us feel at home with some Hawaiian Local Jams! My daughter ordered Pumpkin Pancakes and they were so good, not to sweet and you can definitely taste the pumpkin - the fresh strawberries on top was a plus. Bacon pieces were thick and juicy! I ordered the Turkey Club Sandwich on Sourdough and I devoured that too! No skimping on the protein. Fresh lettuce and tomatoes topped off the sandwich and the sourdough was toasted just right. The fries were to a light crisp just the way I like it and seasoned just right. My brother had the Linden Omelette which was stuffed with onion, bell peppers and corned beef. It came with biscuit and gravy and potato hash. He let me try the Omelette and it was savory - I was surprised that it wasn't too salty. The biscuit and gravy was ok and the potato hash was crispy just how my brother liked it. Overall the food and atmosphere was great for a small beach community! Definitely a city to check out. read more

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I would have taken a picture of my breakfast burrito, but I couldn't wait to eat it when I saw it come out of the kitchen. It's a moment I will remember forever since it looked so amazing. I grabbed a side of pico to go on it and this was the best decision I've ever made since this burrito was the best breakfast burrito I've ever had, in my life. I got the jalapeño bacon; and idk how they did this but it blows every burrito out of the water. Literally. A must try. read more

Excellent. Hadn't been that way for a few years. The jalapeño bacon is a must! Great staff & ambiance too.

I can dig it. I still have yet to try everything on the menu, but I can say that whatever I order tastes good and I don't feel shortchanged. The portions sizes are perfect and the flavor of anything you order is spot on. I got a grilled cheese with TWO cheeses and extra crispy bacon added, and let me tell you what: SILENCE. I don't remember talking much to my friends. BUT!!!!!! - - don't fry the French fries so hard. The fries should be fried light. Lightly. And if a person wants hard fries, let it be a hard/crispy fry per request. They are too skinny of a fry to be fried so hard like that. Next time I come back, I'm trying the cinnamon roll. The display was over there looking at me. Don't worry, cinnamon roll...I was looking at you, too. read more

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What a fantastic find!!! Exceptional breakfast!!! Be sure to stop here for a great meal!!!

Food was good, ordered the avocado toast and my husband got the biscuits and gravy...would recommend both.

This is a late review but better late than never. We stopped by at this place to grab a bite on our way up north. Place is small but service was fast and food gives you that homey feeling. Our meal was very good, our server which was an older woman saw me hugging my fiancé's mug of coffee and she was kind enough to give me a warm water in a mug so I can keep my hands warm. Small gesture like that will always warrant another visit for me. read more

I had planned a bike ride here based on recommendations and confirming it on the website. But when we arrived they no longer had outdoor dining on the back patio as shown on the website. Even sitting inside, if willing to wait in the line, is really a no go for cyclists with no where to park their bikes. There are so many good places in Carpinteria for breakfast and it is a shame this one had to be crossed off our list. There were enough people that it probably has good food, it just did not work for hungry cyclists. read more

I'll keep it short and sweet since I had nothing to COMPLAIN about. It's a small cafe so you can only expect so much. Lots on the menu and contrary to what others have said I think the chicken and waffles were bomb! Chicken was perfect and the chilli syrup hit the spot. Fresh stuff Maybe cause we got here early. Good staff Can't knock it Thank you Julia for the excellent and attentive service:)))) read more

I was hoping to give this place a good review. However, the wait time for our food was long and the food was disappointing. We chose this place because they had gluten free options. I always like to get pancakes when traveling since I haven't found a GF mix that's any good. Two pancakes for $12.00 seemed excessive but if they were good then ... they were probably the worst GF pancakes I've ever had so far. They tasted coarse and grainy. Perhaps they should try a different mix. The Original House of Pancakes has the best ones. The 3 stars was for the waitress that served us. She was friendly and kept coming back to bring us more coffee while we waited for our food. read more

A local gem! Such friendly service and fast! The worker bee was delicious and we could tell our food was made with love. Due to covid, outdoor seating is limited, but we chose to take our food to go and it was served hot and fresh! Coffee was delicious and the breakfast burrito was filling and oh so savoury! If you are on the 101 and hungry, I suggest stopping off in Carpenteria for a quick bite at a local spot. Thanks Worker bee! read more

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

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'looks like the place is closed but there is a sign that shows the back patio is available for outdoor sitting ! It turns out we did not get disappointed. The outdoor sitting area was big enough for comfortable table/group distancing. Husband and I only took our masks off after we were served our food and so did the other patrons (as we noticed). The service was great and staff was quick and very attentive. Food was delicious. We had very simple order. Minor mistake on my omelette but I'm giving 5-star because I am always for people who are quick to admit they are on the wrong. It builds character. Highly recommended! read more

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Love this place first time here. So welcoming and the food is amazing it's a must stop when you come to Carpinteria read more

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The food was SO GOOD. The service was fast and friendly and it was a cozy feeling. The menu was big so there was a vast amount of options. I ordered the Open-Faced Avocado Sandwich and my partner ordered the Veggie Benedict. I cannot stress how delicious the sandwich was (sourdough bread was good!) read more

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

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Good food & friendly efficient service. Especially like their pumpkin pancakes and eggwhite breakfast burrito with quinoa, avocado and feta cheese. read more

This place is phenomenal. We drove 40 minutes because of the great reviews here on Yelp and it was absolutely worth it! The most delicious breakfast and hard working staff. I'm very particular with french toast and it was cooked perfectly. My fiancé was recently diagnosed with celiac and has been struggling with finding tasty gluten free options. I wanted to give a special thank you to Rick who came over to chat with us and took the time to walk us through their extensive gluten free items. He was so kind and we absolutely adored him. We will definitely be back! read more

2nd time coming. Not disappointed. It is an old style diner with amazing service. The coffee is excellent. The bloody Mary is excellent. The breakfast burrito is huge, flavourful and deciduous. read more

The atmosphere and service is FANTASTIC!! Great breakfast!! The Renowned Homemade Corned Beef Hash is a MUST! read more

The Worker Bee Cafe - The Renowned Homemade Corned Beef Hash - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Carpinteria, California

My go-to breakfast place in Carp. Food is always delicious and it's always a pleasant environment to walk into.

Excellent food and reasonable price and good customer service back has a beautiful patio, they refill the coffee as much as you can drink, we went to visit Carpinteria all those places was amazing love this restaurant as well. read more

The Worker Bee Cafe - Breakfast Burrito and Cup of Homemade Salsa - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Carpinteria, California

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I placed an order through grub hub last night for a pick up on 10/8 at 11:15am. When I showed up to pick up, the waitress told me that I had submitted the order for pickup yesterday. Clearly, she was lying because the receipt shows the correct date/time. She also gave me an attitude and said I should've called this morning to confirm because they were "too busy" to accommodate the order. There were only two patrons in the restaurant. The customer service was horrid. Your money can be better spent elsewhere. read more

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

Not a good welcoming experience with the hostess staff. Poor customer service overall from the faces of the restaurant.

Excellent breakfast menu. Casual atmosphere and great people. The service was great. Not a huge place but worth the wait for a table. Can't wait to visit again. read more

Great food and service in this charming location within walking distance to the beach. A lot of food for the money. And you can bring your dog. read more

Host was friendly, food was delicious. The place gives off small family diner/ home vibes! read more

The Worker Bee Cafe - French toast with side of sausage and scrambled eggs - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Carpinteria, California

Today my wife and I celebrated our 7 year of our first date and she suggested the worker bee cafe as I have not been in there yet and we made it before they closed and I ordered a patty melt my wife ordered the breakfast special she liked it a lot and the meat she let me taste was awesome I will have to order that next time we go in as I wanna go back we even got to chat with the owner Rick who was very nice and his son works there too seeing it a family run business makes me even more wanna go back good food good atmosphere friendly service my wife has been try to get me in there and this time I was finally able to. I RECOMMEND THIS read more

Had breakfast with my newlywed bride here. Not you plain jane grub here. This was regular breakfast dishes made well with love and care. Notable items: house made chorizo, farm fresh eggs, jalapeno bacon and fresh made gravy (choose a meat for it). Generous portions in simple atmosphere with friendly staff. Love to see people happy when eating! read more

I've visited here recently and they have very good food options and great service! Would recommend!

Ahhhhhh I love Carp. Took a little Sunday road trip and stopped by here for some grub. I opted for fish and chips and it was very tasty. The fish was hot and flaky, perfectly fried and came with a huge side of fries and some good cold slaw. Service was good and everyone enjoyed their meals. read more

The Worker Bee Cafe - Fish and Chips = $14.95. TASTY! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Carpinteria, California

Came here for brunch on a Sunday morning. Lovely little spot with good food and big portions. Small indoor seating, but lots of outdoor seating in the patio out back. The menu has a wide variety; breakfast and lunch items. Didn't have to wait too long for a table on a Sunday. Would recommend for classic food and friendly service. read more

If you're looking for a hearty breakfast and friendly service then The Worker Bee delivers! Beware of the wait because it can be lengthy. Then again no one wants to eat at an empty restaurant. While there is plenty of outdoor seating the indoor seating is very charming and it gives you a real sense of how the food gets pulled together. The energy and vibe really sets this place apart. Reminded me of an old cafe with the counter seats and attentive servers. We didn't sit outside so not sure how the service is outdoors, but indoors was spot on. The Soju Bloody Mary was an interesting take on the old standby. All in all, very good indeed. Also, if this is your first time I recommend be the beef hash. Super heart and tasty but not for the faint of heart. This plate definitely borders on being a widow maker if you know what I mean. The avocado toast was also good without the foo foo pricing. Down home meal at a down home place accompanied by service with a smile. All in all, a great experience which reminds you why you came to Carp to begin with. read more

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Review is for breakfast on 9/9/23. We LOVED the Worker Bee Cafe! Our 1st time here and we got seated right away on their patio. Service was friendly and fast! Food was delicious and plentiful! - Hubby ordered the breakfast burrito (with chorizo and ham). Loaded with the 2 different types of meats and big chunks of potato. (8/10) - I ordered the chicken and waffles. I just had to get the jalapeno bacon too! Chicken was moist and crispy (chicken was breaded with panko crust?) and waffle was thick with a light crisp on the edges. It came with a spicy maple syrup which was unique and added a nice "kick" to the sweet syrup! Jalapeno bacon was thick and nicely crisp but not as spicy as I had imagined it would be. (10/10- chicken & waffles; 9/10- jalapeno bacon) - My daughter ordered the breakfast croissant sandwich with sausage patty, instead of the ham, and crispy hashbrowns. She loved the sandwich and never had it with an over medium (slightly runny) egg in the sandwich (she always got breakfast sandwiches with scrambled eggs) so this was a nice surprise to her. She devoured the entire sandwich so definitely a 10/10 for her! We plan to return to the Worker Bee Cafe on our future trips to Carpinteria (and I plan to try out their lunch items!)! read more

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Great food biscuits and gravy need it a bit more gravy but overall it was delicious wife order Catalina omelette it was great I finish it personnel was kind great service read more

Old school diner feel. Service was excellent as was my "classic " Benedict and hubby's French toast, eggs, and bacon. Just really good food. A little expensive but worth it! read more

Totally a greasy spoon but I'm not hatin'! The Worker Bee is my Go-To breakfast and Brunch spot in Carpenteria. Also, they take AXXESS! I love this Carpenteria vibes diner with friendly service and kombucha mimosas! I also LOVE all the vegetarian options including Veggie Chicken fried steak! Nobody bats an eye when making a modification to a menu item and creativity with your ordering is welcomed. I especially love coming here because of the sweet staff and local feel of the place. As far as breakfast items you can expect to fins everything you would find at your average diner; pancakes, egg dishes, hashbrowns, and oatmeal. BUT they also have really unique homemade offerings such as house-made chorizo, gravy, and jalapeno candied bacon! The portions are pretty ample and the prices are right! I would definitely recommend The Worker Bee Cafe to anyone in Carpenteria or Santa Barbara ! read more

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We love coming to worker bee. Wow I haven't been here in 15-20 years and it is still just as good as I remember. It was so nice to be back and eat some of my favorite foods. read more

A true Carpinteria classic! This family owned restaurant is as quaint as the town where it's located. This is the kind of place that knows your name and bends over backwards to satisfy your breakfast, brunch and lunch needs. Marie is one of the busy servers who cheerfully welcomes customers and is punctual with coffee refills. The menu is extensive and high-quality specials are posted daily on the blackboard. Give Worker Bee a buzz when in Carpinteria! The service is excellent and the food is delicious. read more

Went to this cool little cafe during our getaway to the Ventura area. This place has a good vibe. We ate on the patio and had some great meals. I had one of the best breakfast burritos that I have ever had. Our server, who I believe was named Angela, was awesome, she was very nice. Next time I'm back in area, I will make sure to stop in for another breakfast burrito. read more