Always so deeliiish local eatery. I feel like I'm always getting ripped off by restaurants doing the bare minimum effort to prepare. Not here the kitchen always seem to make the meals as if they are serving their friends and family. Good portions excellent variety for non meat eaters. Flavors always fresh and good. The music playing always sets the tone. We can't let this place ever close due to lack of business because they're a gem. read more

Café Rae is always a winner, especially if you want attentive care and fresh food that is delicious. I've been coming here for years and it never disappoints. I usually come with a friend and we share a veggie scramble with goat cheese and an order of the crunchy French toast dredged in corn flakes. Every bite is to die for! The seating is cozy and decor is a collection of tie-dye shirts the owner creates that makes for a funky and fun vibe. Fun fact: the owners used to cater for famous rock bands on tour, so you know they know what they are doing! read more

One of our fav go-to breakfast spots, absolutely excellent food in a very pleasant environment. The chef/owner is amazing - our meals are always perfection. A special mention of his huevos ranchero and his huevos no huevos. And, let's not forget his morning potatoes, just perfect. We find the portions are so big, we never need lunch! read more

What a wonderful breakfast dining experience. Fresh brewed coffee - frequently topped off- accompanied my fresh three egg build your own omelette. Plenty of cheese, meat and veggie filling options to choose from. Sides include potatoes, fruit and toast choices. My dining partner had The croissant sandwich, which was the perfect sized portion of fresh filled tasty meat and veggies. This quaint cafe that was bustling with friendly locals and staff, alike. Next time I'm in San Clemente I will definitely revisit this awesome establishment (lunch looked great too! But I was focused on breakfast). BTW three tables around us each ordered the stuffed French toast. A must do on my next visit!! Give this gem a try- definitely worth it. read more

Cafe Rae - Applewood ham croissant sammy (without eggs) - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Clemente, California

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I went here a few months ago and I guess I started the review and forgot to finish it. Went here for brunch and ordered for takeout. This place definitely gets busy on the weekend and be prepared to wait. There was a party there that was willing to wait like 30-45 minutes. Figured this place must be really good if people are willing to wait or come earlier because they already know there's a wait. I was a little disappointed because their google menu was a little out of date. They didn't have the pulled pork omelet or the banana- caramel fluff cream cheese stuffed and crusted french toast. The ladies who took my order was super nice and accommodating. Regardless, how busy they were they still took the time to help and explain their menu to me. 1. Brisket -salsa- sour cream omelet - super juicy and a good portion. The potatoes compliment the omelet perfectly. 2. Sausage and bacon breakfast burrito- delicious and still tasted good when we ate it like an hour or so later because we were so stuffed from the other 2 items. 3. French toast they were able to customize for me because I was deeply looking forward to the banana caramel fluff French toast.. They made me a stuffed and crusted french toast which had bananas, honey, and I believe cream cheese or something inside because they didn't have the fluff or caramel... Words can't describe the party that was going on in my mouth with the first bite. It was genius, the crust on the french toast is from frosted flakes that they coat it with... I highly recommend and will definitely be back soon. read more

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Cute little place! I attempted to come here a month prior but accidentally side swiped someone in the parking lot (yes we swapped insurances) but i was too embarrassed to go in and eat afterwards. So BEWARE the parking lot is small with slanted parking spaces. Inside is also cute and small with hand designed/crafted clothes lining the wall from a designer named Jenny. My boyfriend and i both ordered the breakfast burrito (his with bacon, mine with sausage) and we were both impressed. Best way to make a breakfast burrito is by adding frijoles (beans)! Also, They do offer vegan and vegetarian options which is great! Burrito ($11.50 each) read more

Cafe Rae - Breakfast burrito with sausage - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Clemente, California

Super friendly server. Healthy portions, decent prices. Food was delicious! Highly recommend

Had a girls day out with breakfast and a show and we met in San Clemente since it was a good mid point meeting place. First time at Cafe Rae's where we enjoyed a nice breakfast. We ordered the Mexi bowl with roasted veggies and a scratch made english muffin, the short stack with peach, coconut and blue berries and the breakfast croissant with bacon and fresh fruit. Everyone enjoyed their selection. The place is small but cute and has a cool hippie vibe. You can't miss the green building !!! read more

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This place is a tiny hole in the wall, but it's huge on flavor. First, I ordered the stuffed French Toast special with blackberries blueberries and marscapone cheese. It was amazing. I also ordered the regular stuffed French toast with strawberries and bananas, but there weren't any strawberries that I could find. However I don't care, especially since the special was so fantastic. My daughter had the Mexi Bowl which was also a special. It was also incredible. Go!!! As I said, the place is tiny. You may have to wait for a table. But I can assure you, it will be worth the wait! read more

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We happened upon this restaurant after visiting the DMV... what a find! I ordered the Applewood Smoked Ham Breakfast Croissant - the BBQ mayo gave it a very unique flavor and the fresh fruit was not out of a can! My husband had the Breakfast Burrito - ginormous with freshly made guacamole and salsa... delicious! Don waited on us and excellent service! Wish we lived close but it will be our go to place when we're in the area, for sure! read more

Amazingly delicious food, friendly hosts, generous servings, comfortable atmosphere...but oh the food! Can't wait to visit again. Must try French toast - crispy juicy perfect! And the brisket omelet - so tasty! You will want more...mahalo from your Hawaiian friends! read more

Always fantastic food, service and friendly, creative, family atmosphere. Be prepared to want more because you will be back. Always try a Chef's Special, you will thank the Chef, lol. read more

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This is a difficult review to write, because there is so much good about this restaurant, which is somewhat overshadowed by one of the food items. First of all, it's a really cute restaurant, the service was excellent, and the waitress, extremely friendly, personable, and accommodating. I ordered the typical two eggs and sausage, which came with one pancake. The eggs were fine. The sausage was fine the pancake, one of the easiest things in the world to make, was horrendous and completely an edible. I have no idea what they were thinking, but you could literally open a box of Bisquick mix in a couple eggs and pour it on a griddle and come up with a product that would be so superior to what they're serving that you have to question other items based on the inability to do this one simple item. I would still recommend this restaurant, but don't under any circumstance order anything that comes with a pancake until they figure out a way to do it correctly. read more

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Stumbled upon this charming spot randomly as I was driving down here to visit an old friend and to run errands. Their colorful flowers and hippy curb appeal pulled me in and I'm so glad I did. It's a cute mom and pop diner w/ Bay Area vibes and omg you've never had pozole like this! I got the half sando and soup lunch special w some juice and it came out about $20 total. I definitely will be back when I'm in this part of the woods again. read more

Cafe Rae - Half sando & soup: Grilled tuna w/ pozole - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Clemente, California

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I got the omelette with potatoes and sourdough. It was absolutely amazing. The servers are so sweet. U can tell the service is very genuine. Will definitely be coming back! read more

Cafe Rae - Spinach, mushroom, and cheese omelette - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Clemente, California

Absolutely delicious breakfast! I had the Mexi Bowl and the multiple flavors were incredible! We will definitely be back! read more

Cafe Rae - Mexi Bowl with chorizo -- delicious! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Clemente, California

Best French Toast! I got the stuffed French toast with cream cheese, strawberries and bananas. Just incredible! Nena our service was great too. Sweet and efficient, I can't wait for o go back! read more

Cafe Rae - stuffed French toast with cream cheese, strawberries and bananas. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Clemente, California

Cute little cafe tucked behind wonderful and lush front garden. I had the turkey Swiss and ham. The ingredients are fresh and portions generous. Try the potatoes for sure, they're crispy and well seasoned. Look forward to coming back when I'm in the area next. read more

Cafe Rae - Cute front garden! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Clemente, California

This is the kind of " mom and pop" business we always look for on our weekend getaway's and we are thrilled we found Cafe Rae. Cool, "vibey boho" atmosphere and excellent food! We were seated and didn't have to wait long to put in our orders. Food did not disappoint and the coffee was tasty! We will definitely return to this wonderful establishment next time we're in the area. Owner and chef has some cool rock n' roll stories too! read more

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Amazing customer service, and the best breakfast burrito I've ever had. Salsa was so good! read more

Cafe Rae - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Clemente, California

After driving by Cafe Rae many times, we finally decided to check it out in n the great Yelp reviews. The reviews were not wrong. I ordered the brisket omelet and it was delicious. Nice tender brisket! No picture unfortunately. My hubby got the eggs and pancake breakfast. The pancake was bigger than his head! He enjoyed it! The service was fast and friendly! The vibe of the cafe was just up my alley. And the clothing for sale is fantastic. Definitely will be back! read more

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I've had several different things from Cafe Rae at this point and I can confidently say...this place is rock solid. They have an assortment of different type of dishes you can order and they are all good. Very good spot to bring the family or a date for breakfast/lunch. I'd recommend! read more

Cafe Rae - Mexi Bowl - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Clemente, California

I was staying in San Clemente for the Ohana festival this year, and while I was frugal this year food wise, I wanted to make sure I had a decent breakfast one of the days I was there. Day 3 came around and I googled this place (surprised it didn't show in Yelp before other places further away), and the prices seemed good so I stopped by. Tiny little breakfast spot, maybe 10-12 tables inside mostly for groups of 2 but I did see a group of 6 and another of 4 while there. I asked for a table just for myself and they gave me a wait time if 10 minutes but it was less than 5. The menu items had a lot of your standard breakfast fare and I'm always a sucker for a good omelette so I went with a build your own with Swiss cheese, bacon, and then added mushrooms. Might have some black olives too but didn't see it on the menu. I chose home fries over fruit and sourdough as my bread choice. The colors indoors were great, def felt like a fun place that would fit right in around the Haight and Ashbury area of SF. While I waited all of the servers were super attentive of me downing numerous glasses of water, preparing for another day of Ohana. Got my meal, and immediately was happy with the home fries, not just because I don't see as often but it had caramelized onions which was an AMAZING touch. They were delicious. The bread was simple butter and I just dug in and didn't mind jam like I usually do as it was also great. The omelet was amazing. Eggs tasted fresh and perfectly cooked and the meal items I chose blended perfectly. Everything tasted so delicious and blended the tastes perfectly. Plentiful amount and the omelet was fairly sizable, but didn't feel messily massive or under sized like some places I felt pretty hungry but took about 40% of my food to go just as I felt hungrier than I was, but I wasted no time eating it later. Check came fast when I was nearly done, price was great, fast and friendly service the entire time. If there's a small group or you don't mind waiting a bit for a bigger group and you find yourself close to San Clemente I definitely recommend Cafe Rae and no doubt will return for a second visit hopefully soon. read more

Cafe Rae - Restaurant area - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Clemente, California

Great place. Great service. Great food. Really enjoyed it. Will be back for sure. Fun colors too!

What a perfect place! We were driving from LA to Encinitas after doing the Homeboys 5k and we were HUNGRY ! We had one vegan, one decidedly not vegan and one "healthy". We all agreed Mexican hooray! This little spot did not disappoint - the food is SO fresh & homemade. Really yummy and we will totally make this a regular spot. Perfection read more

We love the food and come in frequently. We generally order the Mexi bowl and omelette. The young lady that waits on us is a real asset. She is polite, attentive and really upbeat. read more

Such a simple homey relaxing establishment and the food will blow you away. You feel like each dish was specially made for you by your private chef. Probably the most reasonable place to eat high quality tasting food. Hidden on north El Camino Real but definitely worth seeking out. Parking is not always readily available but not much of a wait before one is freed, or park along the street. Awesome small family business, give them a try! read more

Cafe Rae - Posing with the owner and chef. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Clemente, California

Here in San Clemente for a wedding & stumbled into this very cool little mom & pop type cafe... total beachy & funky with a fab menu. Super breakfast selections, but we made it for lunch & split some Lentil Soup (homemade) and a killer Brisket Melt w/ havarti cheese... on some challah egg bread with a petite salad. Everything super fresh & delicious, reasonable prices & super fresh brewed coffee & the servers Nina & Jenny (who has a great singing voice) Got to drop in here.... Only for breakfast & lunch, I believe. read more

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The most charming venue including Don, who will take your order and actually really be interested in your day. The food is reasonably priced and 5 star quality. The chef takes special pride in his monthly specials which are delightful and imaginative. I had french toast stuffed with fresh peaches, honey, nuts and marscapone. A light crunch on the outside made with the perfect amount cornflakes. I only wish my stomach was bigger so I could have eaten more. read more

We wanted a nice breakfast. What we got was an excellent breakfast in a fun place with a very warm reception by the owner. Don't miss this original cafe. We didn't have time to try their lunch but I'm sure it would be just as good. read more

Great little fun place for breakfast. Unbelievable quality and sizes. Love the hippie feel to the place. Younger staff and they couldn't be nice. 5 stars plus!!! read more

first of all our server Don was absolutely amazing and friendly. he constantly checked on us and refilled our drinks. the food was top notch, big portions for a small price. the decorations of the restaurant were giving relaxed but fun. 10/10 would recommend. read more

Soooooooo yummy and high quality fresh ingredients. Nice, fun environment to sit in. Would definitely come back. read more

Cafe Rae - Tuna melt. Bombbbbb - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Clemente, California

Our new favorite breakfast spot. Innovative specials, good portions, and stuffed, crusted French toast that I can't stop thinking about. A mom & pop spot with a groovy vibe, and kind service. read more

Cafe Rae - Stuffed, crusted French toast, and 2 egg plate w/ scratch made English muffin. Delicious. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Clemente, California

Came in the other day for breakfast and was excited to try a place I've been wanting to go to for sometime. Unfortunately the service was very much mixed. It's very small which I understand and can see how they want to get as many buts in the chair. One young gal was very friendly with us and all customers. The lady who came by took our order was very pushy and we maybe had our menu given to us 2 minutes before we got the "so what is it you want" no real kindness or if we had questions. Few short minutes later same thing. She came back again and asked again, she looked at me and said "everything is homemade, you could drop your finger anywhere and it will be good". I gave up and got the mexibowl with bacon. It seemed to be on the cool side which was hard to enjoy and lacked a little flavor.. added salt and pepper and that seemed to help bring a little flavor but couldn't control the temperature. Not sure if I'll come back but I do respectfully like to give second chances. If/when I will update my review with that experience read more

Such a good spot! Awesome food and great service. Hippie atmosphere really ties it all together. read more

Cafe Rae - 2 egg breakfast was amazing! Awesome food and great service. 10/10 would recommend - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - San Clemente, California

The stuffed crusted French toast was great! I had it with strawberries and bananas, and they put a vanilla custard in with the cream cheese, which made it lighter and not too sweet. The coffee comes in mugs which got cold fast on a cloudy damp morning, but it tasted great iced! Folks working there were great, food came out quickly and I hope to come back. read more

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The food was pretty solid! I enjoyed my eggs, sausage Patties were yummy & the home fries had grilled onions in them which was an extra good thing for me. :) The stuffed French toast were a little weird. I got banana and cream. The cream part of it was very sour. Almost tasted like sour cream. I definitely wouldn't do those again since I was expecting to fulfill my sweet tooth. The service was okay. They were sort of busy and people were arriving pretty constantly so I felt like they were just being very straight forward when taking our orders and stuff. Ambiance is chill. It's a little small and when they have a full house it can get a little loud since everyone is chatting. But they've got some great art on the walls. read more

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Happened into this cozy cafe on a brief trip to San Clemente. We stayed at North Beach Villa (also 5 stars) and it was on the list of recommendations in our room and right across the street. We shared some cakes which are huge and one of the specials on the board, a smoked meatloaf sandwich. The pancakes are good but the sandwich was to die for. Scratch made English muffin with a hint of smoke on the tender meatloaf. I didn't want to share it! I heard another table order and the lady wanted so many changes or this instead of that and the owner/waiter was so kind and patient and said you can have whatever you like. There were quite a few regulars that came in as well. I am definitely stopping in every time I visit San Clemente! read more

Just had a truly delicious and fresh salad from Cafe Rae, I would highly recommend for anyone looking to try a unique restaurant with a special brunch/lunch menu and some amazing looking sandwiches. My wife and I both had a salad and not only was it hearty but the dressing was so light and tasty, the ingredients were fresh and toppings plentiful. Nicely done Cafe Rae!! read more