Amazing casual hole in wall place with super friendly staff and legit breakfast. We split omelette and pancakes. Hot and delicious with fast service. Quaint outdoor seating. Lived up to the positive reviews. read more

101 Diner - Diners Near Me - Encinitas, California

Absolutely fantastic experience. THE FOOD IS SO GOOD. Eggs Benedict 10/10. The pancakes 12/10. I can't remember her name but the server was great. Tad pricey but welcome to Encinitas. read more

101 diner located on the bustling street of downtown Encinitas. There's lots of neighborhood parking behind the restaurant if you're not lucky enough to snag VIP parking. It's a traditional diner with bar top seating, booths and a few outdoor tables. The coffee is strong and served HOT. They have larger coffee mugs which is great! You have to try the "world famous" apple pancake. It's a mixture of a Dutch baby, apple fritter, and pancake. Highly recommend. It takes 15 minutes to prepare- but it's worth it. We also tried their "ho-made" corned beef hash which was out of this world. Generous portions, delicious food, and affordable prices. I couldn't give 5 stars because that bathroom was haunting... my advice for the restaurant is bleach that toilet. read more

101 Diner - Diners Near Me - Encinitas, California

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Dropped in because the high ratings on yelp. Highly popular and quaint, we often like to try out these local roadside eateries. The food turned out to just ok and not anything to write home to. I had the tropical fruit crepe. Looks super yummy as it arrives on the table with great ostentation. Showy, colorful and topped with with a long crown of cream, the fruits were fresh and ripe but the crepe was thickish and cold. It did not hit the spot. The group of 6 felt that it was under 4 stars and did not live up to the rating on yelp. We were particularly picky eaters so don't feel that you will agree with our opinions. read more

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Located on what feels like a "Main Street" strip through town, this is fine place to hit up for breakfast or brunch. Given that the weather is typically perfect here, patio seating is a must. Typical breakfast fare that is exactly what you might expect from a neighborhood joint. Juice glasses ate tiny, so that might be something to pass on. But all in all, if you want a good start to your day in a beachtown setting; this will check the boxes. read more

Food was amazing. I was not familiar with restaurants in Encinitas. The ratings were high here on Yelp. I stopped in for breakfast. I am glad I did. The food was great. The service was prompt and my waitress was super friendly. I recommend the chorizo scramble! read more

We had lunch at the 101 Diner in Encinitas today just by pure luck! Boy did we find a gem of a restaurant. Let me tell you the food there is great! Our waitress was gregarious, funny and very efficient. In fact she sat down with us to chat for a bit. Everyone that works there appears to be having a great time. Even the bus boy -guitar player was extra friendly and gave us a short serenade when he took our drink order. I had the Southwest Chicken Salad. Where to start.....the chicken was grilled right before they served the salad. It was juicy and seasoned perfectly. The salad consisted of very fresh spinach, arugula, pepper jack cheese, salsa, corn, some crispy tortilla chips and the best cilantro-jalapeno ranch dressing I have ever eaten. I could have bathed in it. My boyfriend got the Jalapeño Turkey Melt. The sandwich also had pepper jack cheese and guac on sourdough bread. Of course I had to try it and it was superb! He really like the sandwich too. Next time we drive south from Orange County we will be stopping there. They have a nice breakfast menu and am looking forward to giving it try. read more

Loved this spot. Was really surprised how good the food was. Classic diner vibes with elevated breakfast food. Crab cake Benny was amazing, I would come back just for that. Raspberry & chocolate pancake... probably the tastiest pancake I've had all year. It's heavy but that's what we're here for! read more

101 Diner - Diners Near Me - Encinitas, California

Long time LOVER of the 101 Diner. I don't want anything part of the other breakfast joints in town! Yes, the outside tables and chairs are a bit rickety, but who cares. I'm there for the BEST eggs benny in town with jalapeño/cilantro hollandaise w/ the best breakfast potatoes around (crispy!). Service is fast and always with a smile! read more

Was looking for a breakfast restaurant after dropping off car for service in Carlsbad and stumbled upon this gem. Good portions awesome service. read more

We came for Sunday lunch. We had to wait about 5 minutes for a table. Service was a tad on the slow side, which is expected since it was so busy. But our server was really friendly and attentive. I had the Louisiana Sausage Benedict and hubby got they blueberry banana pancakes combo. We also had a raspberry shake. Everything was delicious read more

101 Diner - Louisiana Sausage Benedict - Diners Near Me - Encinitas, California

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I ordered eggs over medium and got clear runny eggs. I ordered my bacon burnt and I got undercooked fatty floppy bacon. I asked for two pieces of toast and got one. The food I got was tasteless. The server was all over the place and unimpressive. The cushion of the seat was non existent anymore. The bathroom smelt very unclean. The price for a simple breakfast was ridiculous. I'm glad this restaurant isn't in my local neighborhood. read more

We had a delicious breakfast and an enjoyable experience this morning at 101 Diner. I had the corned beef hash Benedict and my wife ordered the Hawaiian pineapple pancakes...both dishes were outstanding! Our server, Jodie went out of her way to make a great experience. Great place with top food and service...hidden gem! read more

Super cool spot right on the main drag in downtown Encinitas (I think ). Fantastic ambiance, super friendly and attentive staff and phenomenal food. Omelette was prepared perfectly and with a ton of flavor. Didn't get to try the Apple pancake but it looked delicious. Def on the list for next time. Must stop if your looking for breakfast in Encinitas!! read more

101 Diner - Tres Porkitos Omelette - Diners Near Me - Encinitas, California

Okay, I know it's not a 5 star and several reasons to why it's not that aren't anyones fault during our visit. That being said, this joint was POPPING OFF! We're got there around lunch time and we're able to snag a seat right away while the waitress was literally running around. We were able to get our order in relatively quickly but it seemed to be a bit of confusion regarding who our server was.. we had 3 different people check in on us. Once the food arrived we didn't have silverware. Ended up going and getting it ourselves. Also, never asked us if we'd like drinks... ended up asking for a water when the server came to drop the bill off. Overall the food was great! And just what the doctor ordered for an overly saturated evening the night prior. read more

Well, this is my first time here. They get 5stars for friendliness and how clean it was. Now the food is good, but it's not "I have to have that again food" didn't have lunch, maybe that's different, but that for other time read more

I hate to let this secret/not so secret anymore gem be known as the most amazing breakfast spot in town, but they're so great that I have to give them the shout out! The cooks behind the counter, the servers and the whole crew are genuinely what makes our little town so wonderful! THE FOOD IS CRAZY GOOD too!! I can't pick from all the excellent options to recommend just one or two things...everything is so good. Just go, you'll see!! read more

Encinitas is a throwback/surfer/hippie town and I should have known that when I saw the 60's VW bus parked across the street by the 101 diner. This place is nostalgic, with neat wall posters, surfboards and truly worth the visit. They close early, something like 2:30 pm so you better get there early. I just ordered the eggs and bacon with the hawaiian pancakes and coconut syrup. Aloha, I'm in Hawaii but really in SoCal. Very tasty and well worth ordering. I was amazed at all of the different omelettes and egg benedicts that 101 diner offers. Great service, great food and reasonably priced. Sitting in the back patio is relaxing and so are the booths inside What more could you ask for. read more

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It was good and the chocolate chip pancakes were to die for and the waiter was so nice and th corn beef hash is amazingly slay read more

101 Diner - Menu - Diners Near Me - Encinitas, California

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Biscuits and gravy had a lot of potential if it were hot! The flavor was really good. The Dutch pancake took closer to 40 minutes than 25, and unfortunately it was not good at all. It tasted overly eggy and almost underdone in areas. Service was not great sadly. Our server was actually kind of rude and made it apparent she wasn't having a good day to another customer when they asked how she was. Just makes you feel kinda uncomfortable and like a bother. There were flies flying all over the place inside the diner, so I definitely would've opted for sitting outside. A friend recommended this spot and it had great reviews so I am a little disappointed! read more

Such friendly and prompt service! We asked how spicy the chorizo is, and rather than just tell us, our server got us a little plate of it right away so we could decided. All were super friendly and welcoming. The location is something out of the past - a cool old diner feel. Plenty of outdoor seating, and very dog friendly. There are a bunch of cool shops up and down the street. Plus, the beach is a short walk, so overall a pleasant way to spend a morning The food was solid - not super amazing, but tasty, hot, and fresh. The apple pancake (unfortunately didn't get a pic of that, but there are a lot here) was our favorite. The huevos rancheros were a little spicy (because of the chorizo), but good. The cardiff crack benedict was nice - the meat very lean and tender. The corn beef has benedict was really good - lots of flavor. read more

101 Diner - Cardiff crack and corn beef hash benedicts on the left, huevos rancheros on the right - Diners Near Me - Encinitas, California

My friends and I ate a late breakfast there today. 101 Diner was highly recommended by friends. We waited a while to get a seat as very busy ..good sign. We were seated inside and a pleasant young lady served us water and asked for our choice of drinks. Our food orders were taken by the manager..she seemed to be in charge ..very loud and talking down to the other employees. I ordered French toast with bananas and Nutella, and side of bacon. When I asked her for a separate check, she had a look' on her face. Order came without the bananas and Nutella. Wasn't about to ask her for them! I wasn't charged for them at least. Onto my friend ordering. He asked for French toast with strawberries ..no strawberries, so he looked at the menu again and she rolled her eyes. I wasn't the only one who noticed this and we thought it very rude. So overall, we thought the food okay, nothing special, would not return. read more

The customer service here is excellent! They clearly have loads of regulars because as we were enjoying our breakfast the waitress greeted just about everyone by name and knew their orders. The banter between the kitchen staff and the waitress is comfortable and it appears they all get along really well. Skip the coffee, it's not awesome. The food is solid! We split a California omelette and a plain waffle. They didn't charge us extra for "splitting" and they even separated It in the kitchen before bringing it out. Street parking was easy but it was also 7am on a Tuesday. read more

My three girlfriends and I choose 101 Diner tto have breakfast before leaving the San Diego area we visted this weekend solely based on the Yelp reviews. I'm happy to report that Yelp did not let us down!! We enjoyed an excellent breakfast, great friendly customer service, very generous portions, and most of all, very reasonable prices. Two of our party shared a delishes chorizo eggs benedict that the restaurant was more than happy to accommodate their request. They both enjoyed generous portions!! My opinion in a review depends on one important question, would I go return..... my answer is absolutely yes!! Thank you 101 Diner! My place to go to when I'm read more

Server looked pissed for no tip. I mean their food was expensive and not even that good.

Very tasty breakfast of the carnitas omelet with potatoes. Single server was super busy but gave us excellent service. Prices are reasonable, outdoor seating as well. Look for the daily specials! read more

Stumbled upon this diner when my parents were in town and we wanted breakfast in Encinitas. So glad we found this hidden gem!! The food was fantastic and prices were great! Our server Christie was superb. At one point we counted she was waiting on 16 tables and still was extremely attentive to all guests, making everyone smile and giving her full attention to whoever she was waiting on. Definitely coming back just to see Christie and get some fantastic food again! read more

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Menu is large, food comes out fast and fresh. The waitstaff genuinely wants your overall meal to be right, they are on it.

It's a 1 for me. I ordered a salad with olive oil and vinegar, and the olive oil was as clear as water, and the vinegar had a dozen flies in it. Hard to enjoy the meal at that point. Nice staff for sure, but no credit or reduction for the fly buffet. read more

It was a beautiful day (last Thursday) to have breakfast outside. The server was terse and appeared scattered, possibly because she was only server working outside tables. She was not overtly mean but I can't say I felt welcome. The food was decent to good, coffee not so much. Can't say whether I would return or recommend. Possibly if the ambiance is more welcoming. read more

This place is a pretty solid little diner located right on the 101 in downtown Encinitas. The food is always good here, as is the service as these folks really do cater to the customer. I've only really eaten breakfast here and I will say that the omelettes are pretty freaking good and the potatoes are always nice and crispy. Overall, if you're looking for a diner, this is a great casual option to get your grub on. Legit- Great food Solid service Large portions Pet friendly outdoor seating Inexpensive Meh- Limited outdoor seating Sometimes a tad dirty read more

101 Diner - Avocado, Ham & Cheese Omelette - Diners Near Me - Encinitas, California

Found this gem on Yelp while driving down to SD. 19 of us found tables outside along the busy streets and were greeted by an amazing staff. We placed our orders, and couldn't believe how quick we were served. Not only was is fast, but everyone's food was amazing. Wide range Breakfast menu to please everybody. We got there at the right time because it was getting crowded when we're leaving. Another sign that this the go to spot. Found my new breakfast spot whenever I'm headed south. read more

Great greasy spoon. I eat here with my kids most saturdays. Best to go before 9am because it gets busy fast. Tons of different pancakes for the kiddos and their omelets and bennies are great. Service is top notch and they've had the same staff since I started visiting a few years ago. read more

Breakfast: A Manifesto We were down the street at the antifa rally and the smell of burning fascist pigs made us hungry for some carnitas benes. This food is made by the people for the people, try the baked apple pancake. Byok (bring your own knife), they were so dull it couldn't even pierce the soft skin of the bourgeoisie. Other than that the dining experiences quenched our hunger so we can yet again fight another day to reclaim the means of production. We didn't take any pictures in the 101 Safehouse to hide our location from big brother, but attached is a picture of a fruit cup we liberated. This will secure the safe passage of this declaration of triumph through the corrupt capitalist airwaves of yelp ink. We do not hide in the shadows, we do not submit. We are the the few and the many we will fight for our right to brunch. read more

101 Diner - Proletariat fruit cup - Diners Near Me - Encinitas, California

Picked a place off of yelp reviews and so glad we did! Grabbed one of three outdoor tables in the sidewalk (there is a long counter and several tables inside) And our server was a sweet gal who was really good. We ordered coffee and water while we perused the very extensive menu. So many things looked wonderful and had a unique twist to the common breakfast foods. We love eggs Benedict so decided to share the shaved ham and avocado Benedict with cilantro and jalapeño hollandaise with a side of fruit. It was delicious! read more

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On our way back to LA. My family & I decided to stop & grab a quick bite to eat. Low & behold we stumbled across this rad diner. We were quickly welcomed by the nice staff and felt as if we're at home, which is rare nowadays. Let's get down to the real nitty gritty. The food was flavorful, but not overly seasoned. Each bite had us talking about how great the food was. We were so mind boggled that a local diner could be producing so much heat! If you're ever in Encinitas I highly suggest you stop by 101 Diner. You won't be disappointed! Ps. To our lovely waitresses crista & Katy, Thank you for your awesome customer service. You both are the heart and soul of the Diner. read more

I had this place bookmarked after seeing it as a featured review. I figured the 4th of July would be a good morning to get up early and drive all the way out to the coast and try it while beating the crowd and not burning a whole day in the process. The night before, I checked Yelp and saw all this new review drama between some parties and the owner. There were subtle clues that these posters were either bogus or the same person and that peaked my curiosity as well as my trepidation. I really didn't want a 60 mile round trip from east county to be a waste of time and gas. Luckily, 101 was open on the 4th (I called first). And upon arrival, I knew the overwhelming number of outstanding reviews were all spot on. The diner was busy at 8:45am, but not packed. People were seated at the counter, out front, inside and out back. We sat inside since there were no available seats out front. The counter was full too. The indoor booths were 3/4 occupied as well. Everyone is cordially greeted upon entry and for the locals, it's tantamount to a homecoming celebration. There was no yelling, the owner was holding court at the grill behind the counter and having polite conversation with those diners as he worked his magic. The smell was of fresh cooking food and really got my appetite going. It was not the smell of grease or fry oil. The service was prompt; within seconds of sitting down here comes my coffee and fresh squeezed OJ. Yes, it was truly fresh squeezed and had no traces of the bitterness of rind or sourness from the wrong variety/immature oranges. The Benedict of the day was shaved ham with a jalapeño-cilantro hollandaise sauce. I learned that the much acclaimed maple-avo-bacon bennie was only one of about 6 different bennies that they have in rotation, so if that's what you're jonsing for, call and confirm availability for that day first. I went for the ham bennie based upon the advice of the charming young lady who was serving us. Breakfast was served in less than 10 minutes, despite the fact that the place was pretty much full. All was freshly prepared and piping hot, dispelling a concern I had from seeing some other reviews. Quality was absolutely top shelf and first rate. I was wondering how the jalapeño would be combined with the delicate hollandaise. The answer is: quite well. Just a touch of taste, no heat to overpower the richness of the classic sauce. The hollandaise is homemade and one could taste it. I could taste both the lemon and yolks, no starch or gums. This was a really great breakfast and full breakfast for two was about $25. Not a bad deal for touristy Encinitas and a full dining experience, despite my reading that one had to order at the counter. We were well fed and because the initial process of ordering and prep was so prompt, at a leisurely eating pace, we were all done and ready to roll in about 30 minutes, but no rush. Perfect! I'll definitely be back for more. Still wanting the elusive maple-avo-bacon bennie! read more

101 Diner - Shaved ham benedict with jalapeno-cilantro holandaise - Diners Near Me - Encinitas, California

8.4/10. I think this place rivals Potato Shack as the best breakfast place in Encinitas. Really good spot

We're doing the Lego Land thing today. Decided to have breakfast before the whole day activities with the kiddos. This place is awesome. We had the "world famous" Greek omelette. It was superb. The strawberry peach crepe... delish!!! We would definitely come back here next time we're in the area. read more

Well there you go everyone. My experience stands and is a true account from start to finish. The owner was not on site, didn't speak to customers. He replies with the lies told to him by the bad waitress with added insults. Unbelievable . As a local and someone who supported this place since 1995, I recommend tourists and visitors to steer clear. There's better food, service and plenty of post covid outdoor seating across the street at Encinitas Cafe. : ) Over twenty (20) years I've been coming here. It's been mediocre the last couple years. But today 5/17/24 approx 9am My friend and I come in. Empty inside and out except two booths. No waitresses/bus people to be seen. Grill cook (GC) says "sit anywhere". We choose 2nd booth from back on the south side. Than we wait, and wait. Maybe 10-15 min. Nobody. No sign of a waitress. I was going to get up and see what's up, but than the GC came out and took our drink order. Came back with a coffee and two waters. Took our food order. Me, skater special, eggs over medium, sausage links and sub the pancakes for tropical pancakes. My friend, German pancake, side of sausage.The GC says "The German pancake takes around 20 min. That's fine. Than the waitress comes out of the bathroom. There is a waitress. Walks past us a few times with no notice. Old dude takes the last booth in the back and she's all over him. Brings his regular drink. Brings his regular meal. Looked to be the skater special as well. The two booths across us get filled, the two booths behind us get filled. All drink and food orders taken. All food delivered. Over half hour now and we still have nothing. Worse yet STILL HAVEN'T BEEN ACKNOWLEDGED BY THE ONE WAITRESS. THE SAME ONE THAT'S BEEN CONSTANTLY WALKING BACK AND FORTH. we were the only booth she ignored. Whatever. FINALLY, she comes over dropps a plate with two eggs and two sausage lines and a plate side sausage links and walks away saying "I don't know who's is who's". WTF. Couple minutes GC brings out plate with the lemon and powder sugar. Now we sit there waiting for the rest. Over 45 min into this now. Other booth are done eating. FINALLY GC Brings out the German pancake and my tropical pancake. We eat. Wait for the bill now. OK, I have a dr. appointment and am not going to wait for the waitress I haven't seen since I walked in to get the GC to bring us the bill. So I'll go up to pay. She's at the counter talling up all the bills. She "what?". Me "can I pay the bill, I'm in a hurry. She "I'll bring it to your table" Me " can I pay it here?". She " give me your card".Gave her my card. She, "I'll bring it to your table". I go back and sit down. OK, she's fn with me now. She's going to deliver all the bills, process them than get to mine. . So I walk back up if I can again just pay it and go. She "I said I'll bring it to the table" gives me attitude look, walks past me slams it on the table and walks to the back. Me " your a bad watress" She "your a bad customer and I hope you never come back" Me " if you don't want to be here you should've called in". Now she's following me out mouthing off in front of everyone. She sniffs her armpits says "you stink, don't come back" Me " you just lost a longtime loyal customer". She kept mouthing off till We couldn't hear her. WTF HAPPENED TO THIS PLACE. I HAD NO INTERACTION WITH THAT WAITRESS UNTIL THE END. Over the years we've over looked the dated inter, the crowds, the slow service when they shared the kitchen with the place next door because it f elt like home. We were regulars. Watched the change in staff over the years, seen them get married and start families. Watched our kids grow. But today will be our last. Encinitas Cafe has been a part of out family just as long and will continue to get our business. Shame,shame,shame read more