My friends and I love this place for happy hour and dinner. They have a HUGE variety of food that literally anyone can find something to eat! Our servers have always been SO nice and are willing to split our checks easily (we usually go with a group of 6). The vibe of this place is a little odd to be quite honest. It doesn't keep us from going there BUT we don't go for the ambiance. The seared ahi salad is AMAZING!! I loved the wasabi dressing. Would defiantly recommend! read more

Z Cafe - Seared ahi salad - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Bonsall, California

I just wanted to say that it's been 6 years since I first tried this restaurant and it still deserves 5 stars! I have never been disappointed and everything I've ever tried has been delicious. Yesterday I made it for breakfast for the first time in 6 years so that was exciting! I had to get the loco moco with over easy eggs and it was EXCELLENT! And under $10 for that I can't believe it. My boyfriend got chicken fried steak which comes with a biscuit and gravy on top of it! He said it was the best he's ever had. This place is probably my favorite restaurant all around. They have great happy hour and early bird specials which are unbeatable. I love their sushi! I always get 2 hand rolls for $5 on happy hour. Also Wednesday is buy one get one free burgers!!! I'm obsessed still after all these years so I think it's pretty amazing. I'll be back very soon! read more

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This is such a quaint, fun restaurant affordable waiters and waitresses are kind, get there early. There is a wait if you get there too late. Very fun restaurant. read more

Great garden feel in the dining room. Endless menu and everything I've tried I've been happy with. Love the chicken and waffles. Large portions, salads are phenomenal. Convenient location and servers hustle! read more

This place is Amazing! Fantastic food all the time, Great Atmosphere, Good Vibes all the way around. Enjoy!!!

Every one of the staff that we came in contact with on our visit was wonderful...friendly, engaging and helpful. I was there with a friend but was really happy after looking at the menu, that I knew I could come back with my picky husband. My friend orders Brussels sprouts appetizers wherever we go, and I think these Sriracha teriyaki ones were the best I ever had. I love that a half sandwich is an option, especially when I can have it with onion rings, portions are just too big and I hate wasting food. The onion rings with the turkey club on Squaw bread was fantastic. Looking forward to returning! read more

Z Cafe - Sriracha Teriyaki Brussels Sprouts - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Bonsall, California

Great food at reasonable prices. Lively atmosphere with good efficient service. Can get very noisy if crowded.

Went for lunch, shared a Philly cheese steak, it wasn't a Philly cheese stake, the kitchen has no clue what this sandwich is, dry no cheese and just a wisp of peppers. Wasted an afternoon out read more

It's easy to see why Z Cafe is popular: it is an inviting open restaurant with a bar and large patio; the service is pretty friendly; and, for the cost conscious, the prices are considerably more reasonable than what you might find elsewhere in coastal California. The fact, too, that there are many breakfast and lunch offerings combined with ample portions makes this place a natural fave for many. But once you get a closer look under the hood, its many virtues seem less impressive. To begin, many of the plates offered are starch heavy and item light. The omelet offerings, for example, come with ample hash browns and toast, but the actual eggs themselves are somewhat on the thin side. Second and more serious is what is actually being served. The owners seem to be working on the "quantity = quality" theory of food service. This is something that was ubiquitous in San Diego County 20 years ago, a practice that has for the most part been thankfully abandoned. While ample amounts arrive on your plate or in your coffee cup (including offers to freshen espresso drinks with brewed coffee!), the actual quality is mediocre. Especially in the matter of fresh produce, they border on spoiled--limp lettuce, badly browned and spotted avocados, etc. Meats are thoroughly cooked through, which naturally raises questions about their freshness as well. Even the hash browns feel pre-made. In toto, a lot of so-so food does not make it good or even a good deal. Lastly is the service. To a degree, this is not the waitstaff's fault. The place gets busy, especially on weekends where waits for a table can be long. So it is unsurprising that there is a certain degree of slowness and disorganization, but it seems a bit worse than it should be. My guess is that this is a management problem--either they do not have not enough waiters and waitresses available or they are not being directed well (I suspect it is the former, but I don't know). Don't get me wrong. There is nothing intrinsically wrong with Z Cafe.But there is nothing special or remarkable about it, either. This is cafeteria-quality food gussied up and set in pleasant surroundings. read more

I love this place! It's a charming and cozy spot, tucked away in the rural area of Bonsall. The food is great, the prices are reasonable, and it feels like a hidden gem mostly known to locals since it's not visible from the street. You're sure to enjoy it here! read more

I was blessed to have had an early shot at breakfast/brunch. Z Cafe was 5 star Eggs Benedict & delicious cappuccino. Service is fast, pleasant, accurate, & a delight. If you haven't eaten here before, I highly recommend them... read more

The service and food were excellent! Pretty busy place but well worth the wait. I'll be back sooner than later

What a great local favorite! Wonderful variety of yummy & ample food--sushi, burgers, salads, omelets, steaks---everything is well presented and delicious. Plus there's inside and outside seating and a sports bar but it doesn't take over the casual family ambiance. I love Z's!! read more

Avoid Danielle R at all costs. Her performance as a manager is extremely poor as she bustles around destroying orders and forgetting items like a deer in headlights. Decent food but management is socially and professionally inept. People come here because it's the only place in town (basically) in rural Fallbrook/Bonsall area. The wait staff all are high school aged and do not have any concept of time, space, management, or problem solving. Tourists or visitors: DO NOT COME HERE. You will be treated like garbage, the wait time will Be extraordinary, the dishes simple and jejune. If you make a simple request, like silverware or extra napkins, you will be greeting with the wide eyes of a 16 year old who looks at you as if they don't speak English. If you escalate to discuss with a manager, you'll be greeted by an incompetent 19 year old who is likely only a manager due to being the closest in age to legally drink. DO NOT EAT HERE. read more

Good food for the value! Early dinner specials and happy hour specials! Give it a try! You won't be disappointed.

Service was great, food was great, prices were good, atmosphere was very nice. I have been there several times and it has always been as I mentioned, will definitely return. read more

Have been coming to Z's for years. They did a wonderful job helping staff during the COVID-19 lock downs. The food is great, the staff is friendly and helpful. If you want great food for a good value come eat here at Z's. read more

Z Cafe - Breakfast quesadilla with cottage fries - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Bonsall, California

Ok so we go here often but they have such great options and happy hour deals that make me want to shout their praises! Seriously though, if you look at my picture you'll see my dinner was $4 wine and $5 for the Kalua pork sliders (note they usually come with Cole slaw but I don't do cole slaw). $9 bucks for my dinner last night (ok who we kidding I had more than one glass of that $4 wine lol). Happy hour runs 3-6 and if you there before 5:30 there's additional early bird specials. So grateful for this restaurant option when I'm too tired to cook and don't want to break the bank. read more

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Price was surprisingly really affordable, I left there feeling like I got a really good bang for my buck. Food was delightful, and they had a huge variety of options to choose from. Highly recommend! read more

The family and I have recently started going to Z Café and we find to food to be great all our meals have been excellent we intend to become regular Costumers, read more

Always get the b.l.t. Sandwich but add egg, get squaw bread, and cheddar cheese. Seriously so good!! However after five you can't get eggs ): get the sweet potato fries! And you've got yourself a yummy meal! read more

Z Cafe - BLT with egg + cheese on squaw bread - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Bonsall, California

First of all I called to place a to-go order and was on hold for 5+ minutes... then i got hung up on. Second of all when we came in to pick up our order we had to wait a few minutes (which was fine) so we sat at a near by table to wait. We were approached by one of the staff members who had terrible attitude and told us we couldn't sit where we were and didn't redirect us to somewhere that we couldn't sit where wait. As a first timer it would have felt more welcoming if the staff had some better respect for their customers. Food is cheap and good. read more

One of my favorite restaurants for food. Everything here is amazing. I love the warm chips and fresh salsa. I always get the Salmon dish, so good!! The prices are reasonable as well. Servers are always very nice, they do seem pretty short though as every time I've come there's 1 of them on the floor. Great place to come! read more

Nice place. Large room, indoor and outdoor seating. Park and walk in. My wife knew about it but it was a bit difficult to see from the road. Food came out fast. I ordered the Portuguese Sausage (with onions) and eggs with rice and she got the corn beef hash, hash browns and eggs. I added a side of loco moco gravy and it was delicious. Not overly salty but something to savor. Service was excellent. Rose, our server, was friendly and ever present. Portions were large. We couldn't finish our meals. We plan to come again when we visit Fallbrook later this month! It was a Sunday morning (9:25) and we sat right away. By the time we left (10:25), the place was packed. The other thing you'll notice is when she brings out check--the prices are a far cry from the inflated rates you see everywhere else. See copy of check below. We eat out 5-6 times per week and I haven't seen prices like this since before the pandemic. read more

Z Cafe - This is like pre-pandemic prices. Excellent portions and full as wife had to get a box for the leftovers - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Bonsall, California

The omelettes are sometimes overcooked and other times they're just crispy on the outside and rubber on the inside , someone teach that guy cooking how to make an omelette please. That's about it read more

I came here tonight for the first time and really enjoyed the food! Great atmosphere and they had the Ducks hockey game on :). I had the shrimp tempura hand roll (from their happy hour menu) and I had the salmon with lemon caper sauces mashed potatoes and spinach. My food was delicious!! The server was also friendly and attentive. Definitely will be coming back here to try their other food read more

Z Cafe - Salmon with lemon caper sauce and mashed potatoes - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Bonsall, California

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STOP AND READ THIS! OMG! What an amazing place. The environment is so relaxing, with many ocean and tropical paintings from a very talented artist. The food is amazing and very well flavored (no over salted at all). You will get more than you pay for. The wait staff was very attentive and able to answer all our questions, without doubt. We were so lucky to have our server who has been there for 9 years, she was amazing!!! Please stop by and support Z Cafe North & Z Cafe South! read more

Z Cafe - Chicken Fried Steak (the biscuit is giant) - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Bonsall, California

This has been one of our favorite restaurants in Southern California. I went here yesterday with my daughter and son in law and I wasn't disappointed. I had the barbecue beef plate and it was delicious. The beef was fresh, juicy, the rice was soft, the macaroni salad was fresh, and the salad was also fresh and crunchy. The portions were generous and the prices reasonable. Thank you for another wonderful meal. read more

Love Z café, but our waitress was terrible. There was little to no communication. She didn't even say hi or anything she just said "what do you want to drink", nothing else was said. She was rude and served us our ginger on top of each other shown in the picture below which i thought was kind of odd, and when she gave us our plates she just quickly walked by dropped them off without saying anything. She had told us her name was valerie. The food was great but the service with our waitress was not so great. read more

Z Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Bonsall, California

Food was delicious. Prices EXTREMELY reasonable. We got the ramen, veggie bowl, broccoli cheese soup and Caesar salad. Server was nice and accommodating for our picky kids. My complaint was how long things took to come out, and things like you couldn't get a Caesar salad without the chicken, or Ramen, without the shrimp tempura. We would definitely come back. read more

Our first visit, easily accessible right off the 76. We were greeted by the hostess and had just a short wait for a table outside. Plenty of heaters so it was comfortable. Once seated we waited and waited and waited to have our waiter even say hello. We were walked past multiple times and finally had to speak up and ask for service. Once we got past that hiccup, we were taken care of promptly. We got our drinks and ordered food. Our meal came out very quickly and was delicious! The rising costs of everything lately, the amount of food and quality was top notch, and it was very reasonably priced. A beer, salad, bao buns and Hawaiian plate under $40! Will definitely go again and possibly give their breakfast menu a try. read more

Z Cafe - Beef Hawaiian bowl, bao buns, half house salad. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Bonsall, California

Pretty awesome food! Food menu is pretty good with lots of variety! Always a good vibe for family or even a casual date! Pretty cool atmosphere for outside sitting. You can watch Sports there as well!! read more

The food at Z Cafe is amazing both for breakfast and dinner. I've brought many family members to try it when they are visiting me in SD, and they love it. They also love the family atmosphere and the attention to cleanliness, as well as the attentive staff. Wait can be a bit long in the AM, but nothing out of the ordinary; definitely worth the wait. I personally love the steak and eggs for breakfast, and for dinner, the mahi-mahi fish ! .... Ps the portions are a big size and I'm saying this as a big dude who needs a decent-sized plate to get full. read more

I haven't updated this In a while, but I eat hear at least once a week. Breakfast and lunch and sometimes dinner with friends. Today, I went for breakfast but it was afternoon by the time I got there so I ordered lunch instead. They do however serve breakfast until 3 pm. I ordered the house salad and the California Roast beef sandwich with fries. The salad is spring mix lettuce with cranberries, walnuts, Julianned red delicious apples and bleu cheese crumbles. With a light raspberry vinaigrette. Unless want just the salad, don't order a whole one cause it's huge!. The sandwich was made with thinly shaved roast beef, piled high, with roasted ortega chili and Swiss cheese all on toasted sour dough bread. As always everything was 5 star , and the service is always epic from the host and hostess to the wait and bar staff. Great job Z Cafe still rating those five stars. read more

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I have came to this restaurant 3 times in 1 month I am more than happy with the delicious food & dessert I will keep coming trying new plates . Great service. Great environment I highly recommend this place read more

Went out to dinner at Z Cafe. Friend ordered the Ahi Tuna Tower and I tried the Steak Stroganoff, which was more like a Penne Alfredo with tiny pieces of Steak -- after the 6th or 8th bite of steak and having to take grissel out of my mouth, I gave up on the meal. Embarrassed to make a big deal out of it and ruin the meal for my friend, I chose to call the restaurant with my complaint the following day. I told the Manager about my let down AND that our meals were served 20 minutes apart...all I got from the Manager was I should have said something while I was in the restaurant during the meal and they could have corrected the problem. Rejecting my plate would only further ruin both of our dinners. Recommend: don't order the Stroganoff -- very disappointing on the 'steak' !! read more

Honestly it was not worth the drive for me. It's just ok, the food was alright, it's a pretty busy place. We asked to cook the patty melt very well done, but was still slightly pink in the middle and the cheese was not even melted all the way, so that went to waste, don't like sending food back. The art downstairs and on the way up the staircase that leads to the restaurant is really nice, other than that I won't be taking that drive up anytime soon only if in the area I would stop by. read more

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Z Cafe Bonsal, has been our go to place for many years. Food and service never disappoint. Good value for the money. However, this morning, the ambience was horrible. The selection and volume of the music made it all, but impossible to share a conversation. Considering not returning. read more

They were a tight ship. The food was amazing better than mom's kitchen. Service is fast and efficient really good again as a mom's kitchen vibe. The server Rose was very nice a lot of tables and she hung them all. Well I think came out and hand me. The food himself was pretty good. Very impressed. read more

Still great food, great service staff. However, be advised: 1) Using a credit card, you'll get dinged 3% on the grand total, including tax. I've never seen a posted sign (they say exists) or a mention on the menu of this. The interesting thing is: they are random in assessing this charge over many visits, according to receipts I have. 2) Make a special request and your server will say: "sure, no problem," but they won't tell you they're going to surcharge you nearly 25% of your entree cost for a nearly imperceptible addition. I found this to be unethical and unforgivable, but management there didn't necessarily agree with my argument in their response to my email about their lapses. As such, these things give me some pause with respect to recommending this establishment--as I've often done in the past-- to others going forward. Caveat emptor! read more