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    101 Diner

    4.4 (879 reviews)
    Open 6:00 am - 1:30 pm

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    101 DINER ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Outdoor seating
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - 101 Diner

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    Reviews With Photos

    Me at the bar
    Cathy L.

    What went well? EVERYTHING! What a find in Encinitas. Sunday morning 9 o'clock. Got lucky and found parking right on the street, walked in and got a seat at the bar. Alejandro waited on me and what a treat. So nice with lots of smiles for everybody who was there. And the food? Epic. Being able to order a small eggs Benedict and have an açai and fruit bowl pairing was perfect. I wanted to try it all and I was able to. The chipotle Carnitas eggs Benedict was to die for. Not too spicy, but so flavorful. The Carnitas was made perfectly. Lots of crunch. Avocado inside was tasty. The açai bowl was huge with lots of fresh fruit on it. And granola as well...I will be back for sure.

    Crepe with bananas and Nutella. Decadent.
    Craig W.

    Who doesn't love a good diner? Peek inside and the place looks like it stepped out of the distant past, maybe the 1950s or the 1960s. Surely they are masters at greasy bacon and eggs, day old coffee, and probably little else. Wrong. Very wrong. This place may look a little ordinary from the outside but there is nothing ordinary about it. It may look like a classic diner inside but it does not sling food like an old diner. The menu is well-written and the food is high quality, excellent, and borderline gourmet. Do not order eggs, bacon, and toast here. Swing for the cheap seats. We tried the Ham, Avocado and Tomato Eggs Benedict. The hollandaise sauce was fantastic. If I didn't care about remaining somewhere under 350 pounds, I would return every Saturday and eat my way through every single eggs benedict concoction on the menu and there are many such benedict creations from which to choose. The Banana Nutella crepe, with "whip" cream (not "whipped," apparently, we're gentle with our cream here, folks), was decadent. If you like your breakfasts on the sweet side, you will enjoy this one. The Tres Porkitos omelet (made with ham, bacon, sausage, and cheese) was hearty and just as good as it sounds. The breakfast potatoes were very nicely done but could have used a little more seasoning. There is a salt shaker (and numerous hot sauces) on the table for just these types of emergencies. Do NOT leave here without getting a freshly-made biscuit with butter and honey on the side. You have made a serious error in judgment if you leave without getting one of these. Even the freshly-squeezed orange juice was delicious. Our server was wonderful. No complaints. They have dining inside or on the patio. Encinitas is a delightful community. While I loved the old school diner feel inside, you cannot go wrong with the people watching outside on one of our almost always sunny days in So Cal. If you live here, you already pay the Sunshine Tax so get your money's worth and sit outside, if you can. 10 stars.

    Tri Tip Eggs Benedict

    Was looking for breakfast and wanted to give this place a try. Their food was amazing. The biscuit is home made and there was plenty of food for the price. The blueberry pancakes and the tri tip eggs Benedict were really great. Would definitely recommend coming here!

    Shaved ham and avocado Benedict with jalapeño cilantro hollandaise, mini açaí bowl, and side of potatoes.
    Kathy R.

    I don't know why I haven't reviewed this place before. I've been here plenty of times and I LOVE it! It's a pretty small old school diner inside, but I usually choose to eat outside on the sidewalk or 'street' tables because the weather is nice and people watching is fun. This last time I got what I usually get - a half order of shaved ham and avocado Benedict with jalapeño cilantro hollandaise along with the mini (ha ha) açaí bowl, and I added an order of potatoes. I swear I would get this as my last meal if I knew it was coming. SO GOOD! The hollandaise has so much flavor, the egg is perfectly poached, and the avocado is fresh. The açaí bowl is amazing, with more of a solid scoop rather than the saucy version, and they top it with a variety of in season fruits - kiwi, peaches, strawberries, bananas, blueberries. The mini size is very hearty, but if I were to eat it alone, which I never do, I would size up. The servers there are very friendly, but also no nonsense and very efficient. I just really like the whole vibe. If you're there during busy times and there is a line just wait. You'll be glad you did!

    Breakfast - sausage , Egg and biscuits and gravy.
    Pina P.

    Food and service with a breeze of the ocean, it was amazing. Who could ask for anything more

    Cardiff Crack Benedict
    Zan L.

    I grew up in San Diego and went to high school in North County but for some reason, I had never been to The 101 Diner. During my last visit home, I decided to change that and stopped in for the first time. I was pleased to see it's a traditional Classic American diner with very fast service, a large menu, and fair prices. Inside is pretty small, which adds to the homey atmosphere. They don't have a ton of seating options but the lines here never seem to be as long as Encinitas Café across the street. Parking in this part of Encinitas is pretty easy because if there's not a space available right on the street, it's easy to find one in the neighborhood behind the businesses. Our waitress was very polite and everything that we ordered arrived shortly after we placed the order. Being a fan of Seaside Market I saw that they have a new Eggs Benedict dish called the Cardiff Crack Benedict, which has the famous tri-tip so I had to order that. I was very pleased with it and the eggs were done just as I like them. I would definitely order it again and would recommend. I plan to be back again next time I am in town.

    A nice French toast breakfast
    Fernanda C.

    I got the French toast, eggs and hashbrowns and all of it was pretty good. The outside seating was very nice and the waitress was an absolute gem. I definitely want to go back and try more of the menu.

    French Toast
    Veronica W.

    We decided to dine in closer to closing time. Seemed quite busy trying to wind down and clean up. The service was good, and we got our food pretty quickly after ordering. Eggs tasted fresh, french toast was classically done exactly how I enjoy it. We also tried the banana Nutella pancake. I was surprised by this, they actually mix the banana in with the pancake batter rather than just using it as a topping. This made for a lighter, more refreshing pancake. I really enjoyed it as pancakes can be a little too sweet for me. Highly recommend this spot for a good breakfast! I will say there were a lot of flies and the floors didn't look to be swept at all but I'm guessing this was because they were about to clean up before closing...

    Chorizo Scramble with Cheese
    Trevor T.

    Never have had a bad meal here. In the heart of Encinitas, 101 Diner has everything you would ever want and more. I LOVE their breakfast that typically comes with crispy potatoes. The staff is so nice and friendly which is their calling card along with the excellent food. You can sit outside and enjoy the people watching or inside where you are almost transported back to a simpler time. Yes you are reminded of the present when you see a surcharge for eggs due to what is happing today, but you also look around and see connections. People talking and conversing. Chatting with the staff and ordering verbally. No iPad in sight and it's a delight!

    Cardiff Crack Tri-tip omelette
    Rick D.

    Delicious breakfast, friendly staff, great menu, solid choice for great food. It's an older restaurant, kinda small, can get busy during the normal rush but I really like this place, it's the quintessential hometown diner. I had the Cardiff Crack Tri-tip omelette (cheese, peppers, onions, mushrooms) and home fried potatoes. This place knows how to make the real fluffy omelette with great tasting fill and perfect home-fried potatoes. I thought I was in a Midwest diner. One of the best breakfast spots In Encinitas! I left full, content, happy and wanting to return.

    Kayla B.

    Was super excited to try this place out for the first time, but unfortunately ended up being disappointed. Food was COLD. Flavor was good but still it being cold outweighed the flavor for me. Everything from the pancakes to the omelette to the chicken & waffle was cold (I had to wait 10 additional minutes for my waffle but that thankfully was hot & good!) Pancakes were also thin. Wish they were fluffier. If the food was hot, I'd recommend coming here. However you can probably find better spots nearby.

    Traditional Eggs Traditional Benedict with Sliced Ham and potatoes
    Brian M.

    I visit the 101 Diner every time I visit Encinitas and the food, service (Katie), overall experience is always on point. The eggs Benedict is great and get the potatoes that feel more like hash-browns.

    Atul S.

    Went here for our breakfast before returnning back to phoenix. Got outdoor seating and had pleasant time. Here are my takes: Food/Drinks: Overall it was decent. The beef meat was very chewy and maybe overcooked so I had to leave that too when it was recommended by server for being locally sourced and I decided to try. The menu is extensive so it was somewhat overwhelming to choose from. Service: There was a delay but overall no major setback during our dine-in. Ambiance: Great outdoor seating and that was the primary reason to stopped here for breakfast. Hygiene: Very small restroom and not the cleanest but overall it was decent. Price: Reasonably priced food and drinks. Nothing that was overpriced.

    Bacon  cheeseburger !!! So good and fresh .

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    9 years ago

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    Scott S.

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    4 years ago

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    Scott S.

    Thanks Edmund. B and G is one of our specialties!

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    7 years ago

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    Scott S.

    Whoa, you nailed it! We appreciate the good words.

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    8 years ago

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    10 years ago

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    Scott S.

    I'm with you Vicki! You're husband will just have to adjust !

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    6 years ago

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    Scott S.

    Thanks Casey! We appreciate the great review.

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    4 years ago

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    Scott S.

    Six stars it is!! Thanks JK

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    7 years ago

    Awesome breakfast menu! The California Omelette was perfect! Very friendly staff! Yewwwww!

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    Scott S.

    Exactly how I feel! Yewwwww!

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    Scott S.

    Thanks for the great review! Our staff crush it!

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    Page 10 of 22

    Ask the Community - 101 Diner

    Is there a cut-off time for ordering breakfast?

    Breakfast served all day until closing!

    Is the Cardiff crack Benny always available? It isn't on any of the menus I'm seeing in the photos. Also, are mimosas available?

    Crack Bene hits the menu full time beginning this Friday! We do not have a liquor license as restaurant is small and serving mimosas would create very long waits for a table on weekends

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    We came for the pie but the rest of the food was delicious as well. The California Benedict was…read morespectacular and the home fries were beautifully crispy and perfectly seasoned. The number of pie options was the thing we were most excited about and they had all four of the ones we wanted to try. The staff were friendly and attentive and made our visit great. We will definitely visit again the next time we're in Carlsbad.

    Have been wanting to try this place for quite some time. It's cute and has a lot more seating…read moreoutside in a contained patio. They have delicious delicacies up front that we did not get a chance to try. We arrived for brunch and it was pretty busy. Service was pretty good. Seemed like our table was neglected at times. Huge menu. Lots to choose from. Ended up trying the chicken and waffles, which was standard compared to other restaurant's. The only concern we had was that one of our family members waited quite a while for his meal, only to be told much later that they had run out of the crab. It seemed like there may have been some miscommunication between the kitchen and the waitstaff, which unfortunately led to a longer wait than necessary. While these things can happen during a busy brunch service, earlier communication would have made for a much better experience.

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    A rose by any other name is still a rose... You may quote me... lol.
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    Honey's Bistro

    Honey's Bistro

    4.1
    (886 reviews)
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    Had a fab breakfast today at Honey's. As other restaurants shrink their portions Honey's continues…read moreto serve appropriate servings and quality food. Great variety of food and their fruit is actually fresh. Lots of choices so let's support the really good ones!! Cobi the young man taking orders is super friendly and had something positive to say to each guest!! We will be back! You should visit.

    Came here on a sunny Monday afternoon to meet a friend and her kid. As I approached the entrance, I…read moregot a little nervous as there was a huge line, but it turned out to be Taco StandBell, and I let out a sigh of relief. I have no doubt that this cozy spot is crowded AF on the weekends though. They have outdoor seating with umbrellas for shade. Most of the shaded tables we're taken so I opted to sit inside. You order at the counter and coffee & water are self service. After looking at the menu I decided on the corned beef hash and my friend asked me to order her kid a grilled cheese sandwich so she wouldn't have to wait to eat since it was a long drive for them. The hash was good. I should have asked them to make it a bit crispier though as is it has a lot of flavor and I saw some celery in there. Happy to eat more fiber I asked for my eggs to be medium over and they were cooked as asked. Food came out in a reasonable time and overall experience was good.

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    Interior seating
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    El Paso Benedict
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    The Crack Shack

    The Crack Shack

    4.1
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    We were on our way home from a quick stay in La Jolla and found this place, so we stopped - boy are…read morewe happy we did! The food was awesome! The service was stellar! The ambiance....super cool! We went with the recommendations of the counter gal, who was super friendly, she did not steer us wrong! Hubs had the firebird sandwich, and his verdict...delicious! I had the little pecker which came with 3 chicken tenders, biscuits (with THE best honey butter) and fries (sooo good)! Dogs are welcome at any table (both inside and outside), which was a huge plus since we had our pup with us. The location is easy to get to, pretty much right off the 5 freeway. We will definitely be back!

    It saddens me a bit to write this review because I've loved Crack Shack for years, but…read moreunfortunately after my most recent visit, I feel like the food quality has gone down. My usual order (to share between 2 people) is the half bird (5 pieces of chicken) and the mini biscuits with miso maple butter. The mini biscuits are tasty and moist, and the miso butter complements them well, adding the perfect amount of sweetness! However, both of the chicken thigh pieces were quite dry. The restaurant provides a self-serve sauce bar with plenty of sauce options. They also provide large paper towel rolls at each table as well as multiple sinks located around the restaurant so that it is easy to clean your hands after eating! The servers are very attentive.

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    Potato Shack Cafe

    Potato Shack Cafe

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    It's been a few years since I've been to this iconic restaurant located in downtown Encinitas…read more Parking was very difficult on a Saturday around noon. Had to park across the 101 and trek it. Walking in there were no customers dining in but a couple of people on their outside patio at the entrance. The server was really nice and took our orders. We ordered the option C: A plain Manhole sized pancake with eggs & bacon and the Tuna sandwich w/ fries. Food arrived fast and was given salsa as well (which was delicious!). The manhole sized pancake was huge as expected and couldn't fit on the oval plate. The scrambled eggs were hanging off the smaller plate it was on with the bacon. The tuna sandwich was impressive. It was in what looked like slices of Texas Toast bread. The food was good and glad we didn't give up on the parking situation. They are still cash-only and thankfully an ATM inside. They also take Venmo.

    Old school American diner in all the best ways, diner coffee, pancakes are HUGE and fluffy, and yes…read morethey still have biscuits and gravy on the menu! Team there will get you food fast. It feels like a jump back to breakfast out with your parents in the 80s or 90s...put your phones away, be ready to pay cash, and it's still ok to enjoy stacking all the jellies into a pyramid even if your in your 30s or 40s with your own kids. Hope y'all enjoy one of the best classic breakfast diners in north county San Diego

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    Potato Shack Cafe
    2 egg over medium breakfast
    2 egg over medium breakfast
    Perfect lunch spot!

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    Perfect lunch spot!

    101 Diner - diners - Updated August 2026

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