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Great spot, great customer service, and really chill vibe. It feels like your local mom and pop's neighborhood cafe, where they treat you like family. The service is really good and they can make good recommendations on their food. I would definitely visit again while in town. The only thing I hated was the public parking. $15 for two hours. Not their fault but parking is pricey in the neighborhood.
Cute Lil diner in the heart of Hillcrest. Was wanting a lil somethin' somethin' as we had a big Italian lunch in Little Italy, but we did walk over 3 miles for the day. Upon entering, we were directed to seat ourselves by the bus boy so as we proceeded. The server abruptly stopped us in our tracks and kind of rudely told us that he'd be with us and to wait. As he approached to seat us I informed him that the bus boy told us to seat ourselves and the server half jokingly asked who so I pointed to him. As for the food, we ordered sandwiches and fries. I got the turkey and brie sandwich with grilled onions and it was real carved turkey (so good). Unfortunately, the fries were soggy and not crispy and fresh. BFF had the Cubano sandwich and it was a good size but they put a thick piece of ham steak on it along with shredded pork that wasn't seasoned. He claims his fries were good and fresh. The ambience is cute, very clean and plenty of seating indoors and out for such a small restaurant. Prices are reasonable, too. Had it not been for the server rubbing me the wrong way upon entering as well as the soggy fries, I would have given this place 5 stars.
Crest Cafe in San Diego is a well known local spot that was featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, so expectations were definitely a little higher going in. I ordered the western omelette and honestly had no complaints, it was good and exactly what you'd expect from a solid diner breakfast. We also got an order of stuffed jalapeños and those were good too, probably one of the better items we tried. The apple slices cinnamon French toast was good but kind of underwhelming, not bad, just nothing memorable. One thing that did stand out was that the French toast didn't come with eggs, bacon, or sausage, so those had to be ordered separately. The iced white chocolate mocha was solid and enjoyable. That said, the biggest downside was the price. It came out to about $80 for two people including tip, which feels like a lot for breakfast. The food itself was average breakfast food, nothing bad, but definitely not $80 worth. For that price, I was expecting something more standout or unique. Overall, it's not a bad spot and I can see why people like it, but for the value, I don't think it fully lives up to the hype. Maybe worth trying once, but not somewhere I'd go out of my way to return to.
Don't order on Uber Eats after 9 pm. They will claim everything you ordered is "not in stock". Highly doubt that.
Always open! It's a nice cozy spot to get some breakfast but if you're in the mood for some brunch or even dinner! You can definitely get it here. Service was amazing, they kept checking in on us which was great and they delivered with food. If you ever want the pancakes and don't know which one to get I recommend the pancake sampler, it'll help you choose next time for which pancakes you'll like more. They're open 7am -10pm daily, only thing for me was the parking situation, but never hurts to walk a little bit to get more hungry.
Crest Cafe is a fun brunch spot smack-dab in Hillcrest; however, I think I had an off day. I got the EGGS BENEDICT. Eggs were undercooked, English Muffins were soggy, and the hollandaise sauce was kind of grainy and lacking flavor. I've been here a few times (first time getting this), and it's all been great on past visits. My PEPPERMINT MOCHA was tasty, perfect temperature and sweetness. And the sip from my friend's BLOODY MARY was also great (kind of wish I got one too). The vibe has a cozy classic diner feel and the service is warm and welcoming. They all seem pretty close to each other, which adds to the comfort feel.
We stopped Crest Cafe and had breakfast. We both had the Salmon Sunrise but different variations. I had the scramble and he had the omelette. With this you get 2 choices of sides. I had two English muffins and he had a side of sourdough and homefries. Them homefries were magnifique okay. I wish I had ordered them as my second side. The salmon scramble was really good too. The portion size was enough for me to take half home and eat it for breakfast tomorrow. The sourdough was good too. It came out toasted and buttered. It wasn't too busy. We came in around 10a on a Sunday and were seated immediately. The service was good too. Our servers were super nice.
Best fried chicken and waffles ever, great home cooking. Love so many of the things here including their pastas, burgers, salads, breakfasts. Everything is great! One of my favorite restaurants and I've been coming here for over 30 years now regularly.
Always hits the spot and made to order. Great service. Ortega omelette is the best and drip coffee is lovely.
I've eaten here for many years and discovered a new dish advertised in a local newspaper. It's hash brown egg bowl. It's very very good. The hashbrowns are pushed into a ramekin and I suppose baked in the oven giving them a very crisp edge and sides. And then the bowl is filled with eggs and bacon and cheese and topped with green onions. It's absolutely fantastic.
The waitress was very nice but my biscuits and gravy did not look so great and it was very salty. I will not be returning although it looks cute from the outside.
Grabbed some breakfast after a show at Finest City Improv(see review) and it was empty. Love having a place to myself. Definitely a throwback diner which I appreciate because a lot of restaurants like this one shut down during the pandemic. Wooden booths so hope your butt has padding. No issues with the bathroom and there was an inspirational message in their that was nice. The food was just fine and you get a lot of bang for your buck. Nothing out of the ordinary, but I believe better than a Denny's. Had food that I could take ToGo, but didn't think it was worth it. They serve alcohol so was nice having an adult beverage while eating hash browns.
Open every day of the year. I wanted breakfast on Christmas morning and this was open at 7am. Had a humongous 4egg scramble/omelet thing what had jalapeno and chimichurri sauce. Got the home fries and black beans. Everything was quite good. I had the place to myself for 30 minutes or so but then it started getting busy. Great little diner.
James was just wonderful, so pleasant. Easy parking close by. Big, super huge menu, and merciful to your wallet. Been coming here for years and never once regretted doing so. Indoor/Outdoor dining. Excellent background music featuring the greatest hits from the 80's & 90's. read more
I really wanted to give a higher rating, but due to the lack of quality : cost ratio I just couldn't. The restaurant itself has an open and welcoming atmosphere, comfortable seating, good a/c, friendly service, a good variety of menu options...however, the cost for what you get doesn't equate. Now, their prices are fair, compared to many other places out there, but due to the lack of quality it just hits harder. My Monte Cristo was so sad-looking and dry. The turkey was heavily peppered, which might be okay in any other turkey sandwich, but this did not go well with what a Monte Cristo should taste like (iykyk)...even when the raspberry jam was added all you could taste was pepper. In addition to the strong pepper taste, the turkey itself was extremely dry and shredded to pieces when I tried to remove it. Very disappointed. When I told our waiter, who was very friendly and had been attentive, he said that he'd let the cook know--and that was it. No follow up. No apology. My son had the French toast and it was okay, nothing special. I usually have lunch here, but it's been a few years since I've been here for breakfast -- so this was a bummer. The past few times I felt like the quality was slipping, but I chalked it up to a possible "off" day...but this recent visit confirmed that they weren't "off" days and the quality truly has slipped. Hopefully they can reevaluate things and make some improvements. They have a good menu and nice concept, I just hope they improve their quality and presentation. read more
The ambiance here leaves something to be desired. It's a quaint diner, but it's a little plain and outdated for my taste. We ordered the biscuits and gravy, fruit cup, orange juice, and country burger Benedict. My biscuits and gravy were 6.50 and phenomenal! The gravy was delicious and a well made biscuit. The fruit was gross, half was good and half was old. The orange juice was pretty good too but 5 dollars for a glass of orange juice is ridiculous. The country burger Benedict was cooked beautifully but the meat was so bland. Not a speck of seasonings, which was a bummer because everything else was so good on it! Overall service was great, ambiance was meh, and food was good but also overpriced. We will probably eat here again but it won't be a first choice. read more
Great spot, great customer service, and really chill vibe. It feels like your local mom and pop's neighborhood cafe, where they treat you like family. The service is really good and they can make good recommendations on their food. I would definitely visit again while in town. The only thing I hated was the public parking. $15 for two hours. Not their fault but parking is pricey in the neighborhood. read more
2 days ago
Cute Lil diner in the heart of Hillcrest. Was wanting a lil somethin' somethin' as we had a big Italian lunch in Little Italy, but we did walk over 3 miles for the day. Upon entering, we were directed to seat ourselves by the bus boy so as we proceeded. The server abruptly stopped us in our tracks and kind of rudely told us that he'd be with us and to wait. As he approached to seat us I informed him that the bus boy told us to seat ourselves and the server half jokingly asked who so I pointed to him. As for the food, we ordered sandwiches and fries. I got the turkey and brie sandwich with grilled onions and it was real carved turkey (so good). Unfortunately, the fries were soggy and not crispy and fresh. BFF had the Cubano sandwich and it was a good size but they put a thick piece of ham steak on it along with shredded pork that wasn't seasoned. He claims his fries were good and fresh. The ambience is cute, very clean and plenty of seating indoors and out for such a small restaurant. Prices are reasonable, too. Had it not been for the server rubbing me the wrong way upon entering as well as the soggy fries, I would have given this place 5 stars. read more
Crest Cafe in San Diego is a well known local spot that was featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, so expectations were definitely a little higher going in. I ordered the western omelette and honestly had no complaints, it was good and exactly what you'd expect from a solid diner breakfast. We also got an order of stuffed jalapeños and those were good too, probably one of the better items we tried. The apple slices cinnamon French toast was good but kind of underwhelming, not bad, just nothing memorable. One thing that did stand out was that the French toast didn't come with eggs, bacon, or sausage, so those had to be ordered separately. The iced white chocolate mocha was solid and enjoyable. That said, the biggest downside was the price. It came out to about $80 for two people including tip, which feels like a lot for breakfast. The food itself was average breakfast food, nothing bad, but definitely not $80 worth. For that price, I was expecting something more standout or unique. Overall, it's not a bad spot and I can see why people like it, but for the value, I don't think it fully lives up to the hype. Maybe worth trying once, but not somewhere I'd go out of my way to return to. read more
1 month ago
Don't order on Uber Eats after 9 pm. They will claim everything you ordered is "not in stock". Highly doubt that. read more
Always open! It's a nice cozy spot to get some breakfast but if you're in the mood for some brunch or even dinner! You can definitely get it here. Service was amazing, they kept checking in on us which was great and they delivered with food. If you ever want the pancakes and don't know which one to get I recommend the pancake sampler, it'll help you choose next time for which pancakes you'll like more. They're open 7am -10pm daily, only thing for me was the parking situation, but never hurts to walk a little bit to get more hungry. read more
Crest Cafe is a fun brunch spot smack-dab in Hillcrest; however, I think I had an off day. I got the EGGS BENEDICT. Eggs were undercooked, English Muffins were soggy, and the hollandaise sauce was kind of grainy and lacking flavor. I've been here a few times (first time getting this), and it's all been great on past visits. My PEPPERMINT MOCHA was tasty, perfect temperature and sweetness. And the sip from my friend's BLOODY MARY was also great (kind of wish I got one too). The vibe has a cozy classic diner feel and the service is warm and welcoming. They all seem pretty close to each other, which adds to the comfort feel. read more
1 year ago
We stopped Crest Cafe and had breakfast. We both had the Salmon Sunrise but different variations. I had the scramble and he had the omelette. With this you get 2 choices of sides. I had two English muffins and he had a side of sourdough and homefries. Them homefries were magnifique okay. I wish I had ordered them as my second side. The salmon scramble was really good too. The portion size was enough for me to take half home and eat it for breakfast tomorrow. The sourdough was good too. It came out toasted and buttered. It wasn't too busy. We came in around 10a on a Sunday and were seated immediately. The service was good too. Our servers were super nice. read more
3 months ago
Best fried chicken and waffles ever, great home cooking. Love so many of the things here including their pastas, burgers, salads, breakfasts. Everything is great! One of my favorite restaurants and I've been coming here for over 30 years now regularly. read more
3 months ago
I've eaten here for many years and discovered a new dish advertised in a local newspaper. It's hash brown egg bowl. It's very very good. The hashbrowns are pushed into a ramekin and I suppose baked in the oven giving them a very crisp edge and sides. And then the bowl is filled with eggs and bacon and cheese and topped with green onions. It's absolutely fantastic. read more
Grabbed some breakfast after a show at Finest City Improv(see review) and it was empty. Love having a place to myself. Definitely a throwback diner which I appreciate because a lot of restaurants like this one shut down during the pandemic. Wooden booths so hope your butt has padding. No issues with the bathroom and there was an inspirational message in their that was nice. The food was just fine and you get a lot of bang for your buck. Nothing out of the ordinary, but I believe better than a Denny's. Had food that I could take ToGo, but didn't think it was worth it. They serve alcohol so was nice having an adult beverage while eating hash browns. read more
Open every day of the year. I wanted breakfast on Christmas morning and this was open at 7am. Had a humongous 4egg scramble/omelet thing what had jalapeno and chimichurri sauce. Got the home fries and black beans. Everything was quite good. I had the place to myself for 30 minutes or so but then it started getting busy. Great little diner. read more
10 months ago
My first time to visit and eat at Crest and I was very impressed. I was greeted with a smile and an offer of coffee. The coffee was one of the best I've had in a restaurant. The menu is extensive and they have something for everybody's taste. I ordered the beer brisket chilli served piping hot. It was topped with sour cream, cilantro, red onion chopped in small pieces, jack cheese and a very fresh sliced avocado. The tortillas were hot in a foil wrapper. This chilli hit the spot with many different tasting notes and was very appealing on the eyes. Looking around the restaurant is very clean and efficiently operated with a talented staff. I must return to try the many different items on the menu in the future. read more
1 year ago
Crest Cafe is cute, bright, clean and delightful! Our server Alisa was so fantastic. She refilled our drinks without us asking, and checked on us often while still letting us relax with our meals. The food was delicious! The menu is so vast that I want to go every week till I've tried it all! Happy 43rd Birthday Crest Cafe! We are so happy we joined you for your special day! read more
1 year ago
Guy Fieri visited this restaurant some years back, and on that recommendation, I decided to as well. It did not disappoint. Before I start talking about the food, I will start this review by saying the parking situation is a bit of a bear here. Either you will have to pay for street parking, or you can use the lot that they have which is about a five minute walk from the restaurant, which you still have to pay for, but you get $1.50 back if you use it, depending on how much time you put in the meter. Nice touch guys. I ordered exactly what he ordered when he visited, because I can, therefore, I will. Butter Burger: Absolutely fantastic. Really a fantastic burger. This was the first thing I ate after landing in San Diego, and after a five hour flight, anything but snacks is going to do the trick, but this took it to a whole other level. Juicy, messy, massive flavor (yes, there is plenty of butter flavor in there), and just the right amount of heat from the other things inside the burger. Get it with the chips instead of the French fries as they make their own chips. Creme Brûlée French Toast: Why is this even a breakfast item? This should not be a breakfast item at all. Super indulgent, with a ton of sweetness going on with the whipped cream and the creme brûlée sauce. The pieces of French toast you get are massive, just two slices cut in half, but it is a plentiful portion. Even the strawberries (incredibly fresh) hit all the right notes. My server was nervous I would not finish it but I was super close, only needing about another two bites before cleaning the plate. He gave me an A- for eating this up. Not bad for someone who just got in earlier that morning on an East Coast flight. My server was fantastic and patient, and had a great West Coast vibe. Super chill as well. I did not get his name because I was too tired to ask, but he was memorable in lots of ways. The food experience I had just made it even better. read more
Had a nice dining experience this morning. I had the grilled marinated salad with Bleu cheese crumbles and it was delicious. Friends had a breakfast burrito and Tuscan eggs Benedict and everything was freshly prepared and very satisfied. This place has been around since 1982 (when I graduated college)...Service and everything was very enjoyable. read more
I loved this place! The menu is very large, it has lots of food options. As a first timer it was hard to pick, but I'll definitely be back to try everything else. The staff were very helpful, providing lots of recommendations. read more
3 months ago
1 year ago
This is actually an incredible place to have breakfast at if you are in town. The pancakes I had with the hard boiled eggs were delicious. The service was very friendly and the ambiance of the place was spectacular. I highly recommend this place to have breakfast if you are ever here in San Diego for whatever reason. I wish I could continue eating here but I have to go back up north to San Francisco in 3 days. I give them 5 stars read more
Food was decent, service efficient and friendly, and ambiance super casual. I came in on Valentine's Day alone. I was seated right away and given about 5 minutes to look at the menu. There seems to be one host and one waiter for the whole place. And it's small, so it makes sense. The server is very efficient considering this! The works is what I ordered. Two eggs over hard and they nailed it. Not one piece was runny. Thank you for this! I got sour bread toast and it had butter that tasted amazing. The home fries were decently cooked with the perfect texture. They had onions and peppers in them, if that matters to anyone. I don't eat them but like the flavor myself. I also got the chicken sausage. I wasn't a fan. It tasted burnt and it was dry. I would not get that next time at all. The restaurant was also a bit chilly inside considering it was a rainy day. Overall, I would come back again if I was in the area. But there are a lot of options in the area! read more
2 months ago
2 months ago
I used to come here years ago! I have been thinking and remembering all the good times I had here with friends and definitely how delicious the food was especially the burgers! ! So I decided to return and have a delicious burger at Crest Cafe! Oh man the place still has amazing delicious burgers! I had the Billy Burger which is a mushroom, Swiss with grilled onions! That was a juicy t burger that didn't need any condiments for you to enjoy the full flavor! It was so filled with delicious goodness I almost cried at its perfection! I wished I'd caught the servers name but he was amazing! I came inside to let him know I was sitting outside with my dog and he said he'd already observed that and brought my dog a COLD bowl of water! He was on top of the order and refilled my Dr Pepper without me asking! As stated I sat outside with my dog. The location was just perfect! The outside temperature was nice with a slight breeze and no drama from any passing by. There was a bit of road rage towards the end of my lunch but that had nothing to do with the goodness bestowed upon me by the wonderful waiter and Crest Cafe! Come in and check out the many burgers available! Like i said, I had the Billy Burger! You may want to enjoy a Reuben Burger or the ever delicious Butter Burger!! Get In Here!! read more
5 months ago
Great service and great food!! Crab Cake Benedict paired with a Bloody Mary. Very tasty will be back again. read more
2 years ago
Been here for 42 years and this was our first visit, after seeing this restaurant featured on TV, the show "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" so we came after 1 pm and the cafe was quiet after the brunch storm... enjoyed a fan favorite called the French Brûlée French toast. I love dipping salty bacon in savory dishes like butter and their delicious sugar sauce from the crème brûlée. My friend ordered from the special menu for the hash brown nests stuffed with scrambled eggs, bacon and finely cut scallions served with fresh seasonal fruit. Their food and drink menu is very big. read more
In a nutshell; food was good, service was great, though just difficult parking. Besides maybe having a tough time to find parking especially on a busy weekend, this place has pretty decent food and choices for all types of diets. Our server was nice and it didn't take too long for us to be seated despite how relatively busy it was. Food didn't take too long to come through and overall neat place to stop by for breakfast if you're ever in the area. Oh and just a side note, a very lgbtq+ positive community as you see the flag everywhere in this area. read more
7 months ago
1 year ago
Crest Cafe was a hit. I had the Grilled Pastrami and honestly it's one of the best I've ever had. Super flavorful and cooked just right. My mom ordered the BLTE which was the special of the day and she absolutely loved it too. The service was awesome and the staff was very attentive without being overbearing. Also want to give a shoutout to their orange juice because it was really fresh and tasted great. I definitely recommend checking this place out if you're in the area. The food is legit! read more
1 year ago
I decided to place an Uber Eats order to our hotel while visiting Coronado. I ordered "Sam the Cooking Guy's Blueberry Biscuit Bundt French Toast" and the "Mexican Benedict." The french toast looked nothing like the photo, was burnt on the bottom and was missing syrup. I found a long dark hair in the Mexican Benedict. read more
Stopped by for some eating after the zoo ordered the chicken pot pie which was a recommendation and the chicken Monterey sandwich. The chicken pot pie was definitely delicious, the inside was not a basic bland roux, they did some magic in there. So that was a great surprise, the crust was good. Very filling. The Monterey sandwich is definitely a re order dish for next time. Employees were very friendly, facilities clean and street parking kinda challenging. read more
2 years ago
I loveeee crest cafe. I've been coming for over five years now. It's so comforting and everything I've tried so far is great. The menu is huge, it's always so hard to pick what I want read more
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Cecelia M.
Thanks for visiting and for your feedback, Yesenia! Come see us again…
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More info about Crest Cafe
425 Robinson Ave
San Diego, CA 92103
Hillcrest
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(619) 295-2510
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https://crestcafe.com
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