Lunch was not that busy and so food came out at a reasonable pace. Pros: The Grilled Eggplant sandwich was good but a little greasy. There was decent flavor. Glad to have outdoor seating that was well shaded. Service was average. Cons: Tables were a little dirty from crumbs. I'm a fan of crispy fries and there were a little soft to my liking. Also, they're sprinkled with a flavored salt. read more

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This place is seriously amazeballs! I went here with my husband and 3 kids today (Satuday) afternoon on a whim. SO GLAD I didn't read reviews from yelp first - it may have dissuaded me from coming! My 2 younger kids had the kids menu, cheese enchiladas and quesadillas. Both were a hit. They subbed beans for avocados at no charge which was nice! My oldest is 10 and wanted "grown up" menu.. He ordered "veggie nachos", & for $6.99 we thought that would be perfect for him. It was huge!!! This isn't a bad thing :) he ordered sans jalapeño but it was massive cheese beans guac sour cream and chips. VERY good and fantastic for the price! My hubs ordered an avocado bacon cheeseburger with fries.. (He loves a good burger) and this thing was MASSIVE!!? Aside from the not so plain bun, it was juicy, cooked perfectly - and it had bacon on it so duh an instant winner! Even more so, the fries had some magical seasoning that he couldn't stop talking about :) Myself!! I ordered the chicken fluatas , with beans and rice! I think it was 6 pieces, so crispy and perfect! Served alongside some guac and sour cream (which I used chips to eat Mmmm) ^ oh yeah they brought out nice hot and crispy chips, paired with some homemade salsa that was on point!! Bottom line, 5 plates, ZERO finished lol, all cooked perfectly, we were served in about 10 mins total, and under $40. Definitely a hidden gem!! read more

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Won't give it no stars. The service was horrible no one to greet us there was, a man sitting at the bar who had to get up and go look for a worker to come and Seat us. The food was horrible no flavor potatoes looked like yesterday's potatoes,hard and old was told portions nice size (lied to us not even a starving person would get full) and the price for 2 we could of had a bbq for 4. And then when we were leaving a man came in and said to me I need a table for two line if I worked there. read more

I love this place and come often, the menu is extensive and everything We've had from breakfast, fajitas, sandwiches, salads and burgers is delicious. Prices are reasonable and good portions. We've always had good service, if you come on holidays or busy times you might need to wait but that should be expected. There's only so much they can do. Patio area is our preference and it's dog friendly. read more

I'm not sure if you have compared your entrees or not but i have! I've been to several restaurants the past few months ! I am currently in a Salas kick so I have tried them everywhere! Although I have loved them all over town and want to say how awesome they all were and the good qualities in all, I must say the crest has the #1 ranking!! From the amazing presentation to the crisp greens, filled bowls , homemade salad dressings, famous secret blackening seasoning . I can't begin! I'm SHOOK!! Perfection crest cafe! # I will be bac read more

We love Crest Cafe. Their breakfast is like homemade. Don't forget to try their Cobb Salad.

DO NOT COME HERE!! This experience was a waste of time and money. We walked in and we were confused on where to go. No host to sit us down. When we were finally seated, someone took our drink order and then left us there at the table to starve. I kid you not, there were 5 waitresses who walked right by us and not one of them came to get our order. Once we got our order, the food was sub par. I ordered fajitas and my bell peppers were raw. My shrimp had this weird sauce on them and the meat didn't taste too good either. We had to go to the rite aid nearby and buy ice cream to wash out the food taste. Pay attention to the reviews everyone. read more

This place sells really good food, the owner and employees have pride on servicing the best food possible, you will not regret eating at this place. Highly recommend !!! read more

WORST EVER! The owner was very rude and aggressive about me buying something after I had stepped in for a second. I came in to see how the place was, left came back. When I returned he threw a hissy fit because I walked threw earlier and didn't stay. There is a big bar in the front of the restaurant, it is a dive looking place for such a nice area, not a place that should throw the miserable owner into a fuss because the maître d' was not consulted before I left. My first one star review on yelp smh. And forcing you to buy a drink for taco Tuesday? What a rip off. read more

This is one of the best places for Mexican food in Riverside and I'm not just saying it because I live across the street. When I moved to Riverside from LA 4 years ago, I went on a Riverside search for GOOD mexican food and it was hard to find. When Crest Cafe merged a few years ago, I tried it for the first time and I haven't been able to stay away. Taste - When I judge Mexican food, I often order the beans and rice first, because if they can't get the staples right, then I know not to go any further. They do have it down to a science! I spoke to the owner and he says that they simmer the beans all night long and you can certainly tell that the flavor has been permeating the moment it enters your mouth. The rice is fluffy and savory. I haven't been disappointed by any of the food items. I can't speak to the american side of the menu other than saying that my colleagues very much enjoy the salad every time. $$ The food is affordable and offer many weekday specials during lunch. If you look in the Riverside magazine, there is also usually a buy one entree get one free coupon. Service - It's true that the service isn't the best. They are nice enough most times, but a bit of caution, they have a hard time filling cups during the meal. Looking on the positive side, I really don't go there to fill myself with soda, I go to enjoy the food. With that said, if you are in a hurry to leave, as I often am when having lunch in the middle of work, I ask for the check when the food comes, because if you don't... you may have to go after it so you can leave within the hour. If I am not in a hurry, it's not quite a big deal. read more

Not the best service, if not 5 stars. We dined outside in patio. Which was good until a bunch of bugs and flies came out of nowhere. Our food was good. Had the tortilla soup which was awesome and a good salad. We also tried the turkey sandwich on squaw bread which would have been better if bread wasn't toasted. But overall great meal. read more

This place is wonderful. Great quite atmosphere, great service,delicious coffee and that's all before the food came! I would definitely come again as well as encourage family and friends to visit. read more

Crest Cafe - Cottage Cheese and Fruit Breakfast - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Riverside, California

This place is the bomb! Itis the best food in the area I highly recommend it! The food is top notch in the service is amazing. I am so glad this business survived Covid read more

Can't believe the waitress! I ordered chicken fajitas and was charged for steak fajitas which obviously cost more. I showed the waitress the bill and explained to her that I did not order steak and she replied it's the same price. I opened the menu and showed her that there is a price difference so she replied to me ; I will ask the cook what you ate! Why would I lie when the food was in front of me on the table! This is so rude and awkward ... She told me that she will adjust price and when I looked at my bank on line she never adjusted the price, and on the receipt she handed to me it shows cash back and she never gave me cash back. The whole thing was uncalled for all she had to say was ooops let me fix it. I was with my two grandchildren and daughter in law enjoying dinner as a family, why would a server treat people like this???? read more

Why do I go here? Every time I come to eat breakfast here it ends up being terrible customer serVice. I feel like I'm inconveniencing them by asking for things like a refill. The food isnt great and sometimes I think I can make it bettter aT home. Is it just me that the food is mediocre at best? Or asking for a refill is an issue??? My lady visit will definitely be my last because I just can't do it anymore. Sorry not sorRy. read more

Thanks for a great meal on the patio! The grilled chicken sandwich on squaw bread was absolutely delicious, and the service was great.

I'm just happy we have a cafe down the road, the food and service is not perfect but I'm more surprised this cafe is survived Covid.

I like this place. I can bring my dog and sit on the patio. Staff is nice food is good!

I ordered through grub hub BUT called Crest Cafe to confirm my order and they still messed it up!! I ordered a BEEF avocado burger but got a CHICKEN burger!!! As I'm writing this post my wife found a HAIR in her food also!!!!!! We will never order form this disgusting place ever again!!!! read more

Wow, this place had the best breakfast I have ever had. I have been to many brunch places around. But this one was really good. I got the southern breakfast which was delicious. But my friend got the Louisiana omelette. Definitely try it. It will change the meaning of omelette for you The only star that I didnt give is for their couches which were old and torn. But the food is amazing. read more

Crest Cafe - Southern breakfast. 3 eggs in your desired style, potato, and sausage patty with home made biscuits - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Riverside, California

Ok so to start off with, I asked for a fruit cup. There was only apples she said? Like what how do you run out at 10:00 a.m.? The cinnamon roll was okay kinda crusty musty. The pills bury is better. read more

The first time my family came in we ended up walking out before ordering because the silverware was dirty. Figured I'd give them a try again, but wasn't impressed with the service, food, or their high prices. The nail in the coffin was $4 for a cup of coffee. Had I know that I would have brought Starbucks in. The Town Center is such a great place, but I will not be back to this cafe. read more

Great place for Sunday Brunch! I love having waffles and was very excited when getting them. The Belgium Waffle combo was the perfect amount of food for me. Service was great even though there was a lot of people. Food did take a while to come, but since i wasn't hungry it wasn't a big deal. Will definitely becoming for breakfast in the future. read more

Crest Cafe - Belgium Waffle Combo, $10.89 - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Riverside, California

Um...nope. Just left this place after trying it for my first time and all I can say is nopity nope nope NOPE! I was seated almost as soon as I walked in and received my drink in a timely manner. I didn't think the prices were outrageous so that made me happy. The staff was great throughout. I ordered the French toast combo and HATED IT. NOTHING tasted as if it had flavor and all it came with was 4 slices of French toast, scrambled eggs and sausage links. The sausage was just ok, the eggs tasted like they were cooked right on top of something else that was cooked on the grill and the French toast was a bit too goopy for my liking. I thought it could be the hot syrup that I put on top of it, but when I tried a piece of bread that I hadn't put syrup on yet, it confirmed my findings. I asked for some cinnamon and I also put the butter that came with my plate on my French toast. I usually don't prefer butter on my pancakes or French toast or waffles, so the fact that I put it on there was already a turn off for me. I might return if a friend wants to meet there for some reason, otherwise it's a no from me. read more

Crest Cafe - French toast, scrambled eggs and pork sausage links - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Riverside, California

Let me start off by saying, my wife and I really WANTED to like this place. It is close to our house and we are in this town center often. We have now given this restaurant 2 separate chances before writing this review. After 2 visits to Crest Cafe we would not recommend going to eat here. The food both times has not been "bad", but it has been so mediocre that I would have rather gone through the trouble of buying my own groceries and making a better breakfast at home. I hope that they drastically improve on the following areas: 1. Food Quality 2. Restaurant Cleanliness 3. Staff Professionalism Maybe we will give this place another try, but seriously not likely. read more

Awesome food and great service staff. I love this place so much and it's right across from me so I definitely will be going back some time soon read more

Crest Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Riverside, California

There isn't anything too special about this dining establishment. It served pretty decent food with attempted B-grade service. In other words, this restaurant was about more-or-less average quality. I ordered the Grilled Chicken and Avocado sandwhich which was actually delicious (but that's because it was drenched in butter; oh so delicious yet terrible for you). The sourdough bread was crisped to perfection and the contents remaining intact. The chicken and avocado portions were wonderful and I really enjoyed this sandwhich. Unfortunately, the lettuce and tomato did not look appetizing; in fact, the tomato lacked any life and looked more like a nutrient-depleated peach. The interior had conflicting decor, with mix-matched paintings and photos, and a color scheme that seemed too dark and drab. The service was slow and seemingly straining on the waitress. She was courteous and helpful despite our many requests, yet was slow to refill our beverages and delayed our check at the end. Overall, I find this place abysmal and would probably not return. If you must visit, try the Grilled Chicken and Avocado Sandwhich! read more

I am not sure which to post this to so I will post to both here and the Tortilla Grille since both restaurants operate out of the same space. I hate giving 2 star reviews. Check my stats... you'll see that I am generally positive reviewer. I have been coming to The Crest Cafe/Tortilla Grille sporadically over the past 5 years because my wife has always been a fan- but even she couldn't spin a positive on our last experience. My wife picked me up from work midweek so we could have lunch together. Being on this side of town she wanted to go to her fave place from her college years- Tortilla Grille. We walk in and a bus boy points us to the corner and tells us to take a seat wherever we want. We grab a booth and then wait, no drinks, no menus. It was about 10 minutes later that we decide that maybe we aren't visible enough and decide to move to an adjacent table booth. Before we are fully settled at the new table, the same bus boy walks two ladies to the booth and seats them, handing them menus. It's about another 5 minutes before our waiter realizes we have been waiting an unreasonable amount of time and shows up to serve us. From that point I believe he had realized he had messed up and was overcompensating on the service front. My wife and I put in our drink and food orders at once to not delay the process any longer. We got our chips and salsa and drinks- the salsa has changed. It used to be really good, but now it's just meh. We got our food in a reasonable time, though both items did not come out together- my wife received her tacos before my patty melt came out. At the end, we got the bill and my wife handed our waiter her card. We were sitting next to the register and saw him run the card, put it back in the check presenter, and walk away from it even though the receipts printed out instantly. He then left our credit card unattended on the station that has heavy foot traffic by it due to it being next to the bathroom for about 5 minutes before returning to put the receipts together and bring us back the bill. Thank god we had a good view of this station. Anybody could have walked up and stolen our credit card while the waiter was gone. Overall I want to say the food was good though. Not as good as it has been in the past, but I can't say I would never eat here again. I'd but my plate of food at being a little over 3 stars, which isn't bad, it's just not great. The service is mostly what turned me off to this visit. and it has not been just this once, I have noticed a slow degradation in the quality of service I have received here over the past few years. Realistically, good service would have gotten this place 4 stars, but sadly that has just not been the case. read more

Hands down some of the best breakfast I have had! My friends & I went every single morning of our vacation. Service was great & the staff was also super friendly & ver tentative! read more

Absolute best tamale I have had in my life. Sooo good. Authentic Mexican clean and nice dining atmosphere. Try it!!

Classic diner experience. Excellent friendly service and tasty food. Coffee is not great, and the boysenberry syrup was not thick, but the location is in a lovely outdoor mall near Pawlished Paws and the British Emporium, so we'll probably be back! read more

Pancakes larger than my head. I can't decide what I like more, the pancakes or the boy that took me to Crest Cafe. Let's say for now I like the boy better. for now. But back to the pancakes. Fluffy, mildly sweet, airy and HUGE. And you get three, with eggs and sausage links. All for cheaper than at ihop. I was pretty hungry and I finished less than 40% of the pancakes. Mike got a sandwich that was pretty tasty as well. Over all, I thought it was at least two notches above the usual diner fare and at decent prices. I really enjoyed the small town feel, but I'm not sure if that was Crest Cafe or just Riverside being ... Riverside. read more

I just came here for lunch with coworkers because someone suggested this place. I've never been so I agreed. We arrived and were seated right away. The place was practically empty with only about 4 or 5 tables being occupied. It's a nice sized place with plenty of room yet they put is in the corner booth far away from the bar and televisions, the World Cup is on. Our server came to us promptly and took our drink order. I ordered a lemonade and got a pink lemonade that was really sweet. Too sweet for my taste, it wasn't bitter at all, it was sweet and it's not refreshing on a hot day. I ordered the BBQ bacon burger and my coworkers ordered the crunchy taco lunch special. Here is where it starts getting bad. We waited a pretty long time, about 15 minutes maybe for all of our food to get out to us. Granted it was lunch time, but this place was not busy at all. No one else walked in after us so there was no real reason to take so long with our food. We made it clear as well that we needed to be in a rush because we only had a certain amount of time for lunch. One of the taco orders came back with no meat in it. She brought it up and the server took it back so they could remake it. This meant that now two of us had food to eat in a rush and the third person had to wait for her food. Sucks to be her right. My burger was weird looking. It wasn't a burger in the traditional sense, like a delicious looking meat patty on a bun with other stuff on it and then another bun. It was like a huge patty that was too big for the bun on accident, semi cooked bacon, and melted shredded cheese on top with BBQ sauce splattered around like someone just held the BBQ sauce bottle up and hit the bottom of it to make the sauce come out. It didn't look good, and it didn't taste good. I barely ate half. The fries were okay, and the ranch sauce was like normal ranch, can't complain there. Then finally we had to leave, so we asked for a to go box for my coworker and the check. The box came but not the checks. When the checks finally came, the server didn't come by to pick them up. We got up to go pay at the front and she caught us halfway and took them from us. I decided to not give a tip and we finally came back to work, a few minutes late. Now here is where it went from a 2/3 star review to a 1 star. As soon as I got back to my desk, my stomach started telling me that something just showed up to hang out with it and it was not welcomed inside my body. After a few minutes of having hot flashes and thinking in my head if I could hold out until I got home or not, I gave in and found a restroom far away from where I normally am at so no one would recognize me. I now feel 5 pounds lighter so I guess that's good. Then I get the phone alert that I just spent money somewhere so I go check it to make sure everything matches up and of course, it doesn't. They charged me twice for different amounts. I called and spoke with the owner and he said he was sorry for our experience and that he would buy us all lunch next time we went. I spoke with the server who explained that she didn't charge my drink to my ticket so the second charge was the actual drink and that everything was correct in the end. Avoid this place unless you've been there before and you know what to get and what you like. Don't come here in a rush either cause you might not be out in time. And last but not least, if you aren't sure about this place, make sure you are within sprinting distance of a bathroom once you're done eating or else you're going to have elementary school flashbacks. read more

Thank you, Denise M, for the heartiest laugh I have had all day. You just may have beat out Jessica Simpson and her infamous chicken of the sea moment. I can't believe you left a restaurant one star because you don't know that chicken fried STEAK is beef...and the menu literally states "deep fried tender beef". Bless your lil heart, how cute to blame an establishment for your lack of reading comprehension. If you were trolling, you did a great job, that was too funny. read more

What a disappointing breakfast we had. The service was super shitty, waitress seemed to be on another planet. We waited and waited for her to take our order but nothing. Finally Kris had to give her a look before she recognized us. Well at least we'll get some good grub (NOT). The food was average but coupled with the service made for a bad breakfast. My order egg frittata, obviously they have no idea what that is, I got a veggie scramble. Kris had a turkey and avocado sandwich, average. Just another place in Riverside to stay away from. At the bottom of this yelp page it asks Good for:: NOTHING read more

Ahh.....the Crest Cafe in it's brand new location. Right around the corner from the old one. It's definitive Putting Lipstick on a Pig. Since my In-Laws live pretty close by I've been here like 20 plus times over the years for breakfast, lunch or dinner. They always have a daily special but the menu has never changed, a little something for everyone though. Definitely pricey considering the OK to bad service and consistently just OK food. The last time I was here for breakfast about 6-8 weeks ago the hostess was downright rude but, I'm sure she doesn't even work there anymore. I feel like you don't need to avoid this place all together. In the absolute immediate area it's not a BAD choice. They are 3 stars at their best though in my opinion. They do have a full bar. Drinking might help here? read more

What is great about this place is that is pet friendly. You can seat at the patio with your dog Ambiance is nice nothing extraordinary, ample lots a tables inside and outside patio area Service is ok to marginal. Friendly staff, but takes a while to get your order and also takes a while to check if you need something. Place was little dirty some tables needed cleaning and the patio area needed a sweeping Food is ok to marginal as well. Big portions. We ordered a Cobb salad, tacos, club sandwich and veggie burger. Nothin memorable it was ok. The good thing about this place we can take our dog with us read more

I was a little hesitant in reviewing this restaurant. Why you ask? Because I love it so much I wanted to keep it a secret. But in true yelp fashion I have decided to share it with the rest of the world. I go here at least 1-2 times a week. My friends and I can't get enough Crest Cafe! Here, avocados are as abundant as fish in the sea- they never charge you extra for extras. Even those pricey avocados. The menu here is grande. You can get anything from a sandwich to lemon butter halibut to the most juicy New York steak you could ever fork in your mouth. I like to think of Crest Cafe as the overachiever like you knew in high school-They excel in everything! Every single dish is perfect. They do not mess up. They never mix up your order. yes this is real. I recommend you go there and start with one of their appetizers. The bruschetta is bursting with flavor-not to mention tomatoes, garlic and olive oil! Everything here is homemade. Even the croutons. Sometimes you'll go and they say, "we can't put any croutons in your salad becuase they aren't finished being toasted". That my friend is true. If you don't try the balsamic vinegarette, I will make you by shoving it in your mouth because that is the best balsamic I have ever had in a salad (mimi's cafe has the second best). They have a healthy menu and an extensive breakfast menu. The omelette is big enough where you probably will be able to skip lunch that day and have only a small dinner. It is loaded with flavor too. Get the mushroom omelette and you'll be beaming from fullness. Bottom Line: I'm a picky eater at times and I can get sick of places. But, I can never ever get sick of crest cafe. From their starters to HUGE desserts, it is like a new experience every time I come here. The waitresses have just the right amount of sass and they keep your cup full. I truly believe Crest Cafe could do no wrong. If I could call it mine I would. Until then, I'm just one satisfied customer. Enjoy! read more

This place seems to have gone downhill since they merged with next-door neighbor Tortilla Grille. I had a lot of good memories of eating here regularly 5 years ago, my wife's work was just across the street and we visited Crest Cafe at least once a week. Back then, we enjoyed the quality of food, the service and the atmosphere. However, after a few recent visits, I feel like those are all lost to the past. I remember enjoying their variety of sandwiches, from beef-dips to clubs. In both of my recent visits, the sandwiches were very dry and partly stale, and the veggies were clearly mushy and not fresh. I tried a couple of times after, and the full meals were a bit better, but definitely not as good as they used to be. In my most recent visit, the floors and table were FILTHY. Food, napkins, just muck, all over the ground, and the tables weren't being bussed. I thought they were just too busy to clean, but no, we were the only customers in there, and there were two waitresses just watching the TV. They had to wipe down a table for us (and by wiping down, they took a rag and just pushed all the foodstuffs onto the ground next to us). The cold and mediocre food was sad enough. But it was far worse since there were bits of chewed meat and discarded food all around our table. I'm assuming the management here has gone downhill. We've had such good memories of this place, we used to be regulars, but now we have lost all interest in ever going back. read more

Part of the group wanted breakfast but it was already around 12pm and where do you find breakfast? Crest Cafe I guess haha. The place looked pretty nice inside and besides.....they had Air Conditioning! *ahhh* The waitress was really nice and joked around with us a little. What a nice lady she was. Since it was 12pm I didn't want to go for breakfast so I went for the cold tuna sandwich and a cup of coffee. The tuna sandwich ($8.95) came with fries and it looked awesome when the waitress came out with it. I guess the sandwich looked better than it tasted because it seemed like my tuna was drowned in mayo. The tuna was literally sliding out of my wheat bread. I only had half of the tuna sandwich and I couldn't even eat it anymore knowing how many calories I'm consuming from that mayo. I guess I ordered the wrong thing and should have went with the breakfast. read more