I found this place on Yelp in a search for biscuits and gravy. It's a cute little Cafe (20 tables) in a strip mall near the interstate. The service was quick and friendly. Waiter Josh took care of me and we enjoyed a friendly chat while I ordered. The biscuits and gravy (plenty of both) were quite tasty and satisfying. I also had poached eggs on top and a side of fruit. All very satisfying. And good coffee! I bet I'll be back, even though it's far from home. read more

It's pretty good overall. Try the Sweet Potato Pancake. Service is usually good but sometimes gets busy. Prices are pretty good. I go there at least twice a month for breakfast. read more

A hidden little breakfast spot that fits my needs taste and price wise. Unpretentious amd friendly is the way I like my eateries. This spot fits the bill. read more

I don't even know where to start here because I had high hopes from the reviews from other people but with all the breakfast places family owned in Tucson this place would not be my first choice ever again! I had to unfortunately start out in their bathroom it's unisex which is just fine but at least keep it clean as it wasn't and I wanted to throw up just looking at it. As for food, I ordered the Denver omelette which when I took a picture of it looks fine but the potatoes were not only cold but felt like they been sitting in the fridge. The Denver omelette actually tasted good my problem with it is that all the ingredients were in the middle of omelette A 6 inch omelette had only 2 to 3 inches of ingredients. This place makes me Feel severely under whelmed and it makes it to where I would never really want to come back. Please note the waitress was nice, and a good lady! read more

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We love this restaurant! Anytime we're in the area when it is open we try to hit it up. I always love their caramelized French toast, and my husband always loves their sandwiches and burgers. It's a lot of food for a really good price. The atmosphere is really fun, too. It feels like a really fun old school type diner, and there's really nice local art and photography all over the walls. The service is always great. The only thing we would change is extending their hours through dinner time! read more

Standard, American fare breakfast. Hidden in a strip mall, this place reminds me of a cafe back in the Midwest. Food is not fancy, but it's tasty and consistent. Eggs, pancakes and breakfast plates are better than what you will get from a chain restaurant. Service is very good, especially given that they are usually quite busy during breakfast hours. read more

I love everything about Crying Onion, from the mismatched coffee mugs to the tschochkies on the wall and servers who remember locals, and of course the great home-style menu ("home style" in southern Arizona means lots of Sonoran Mexican influence). I bet you'll love it too! read more

My first time here. This coffee shop looks good inside, so don't let it's outside appearance scare you. it is bright and clean inside and has an extensive menu of local Arizona favorites and regularly ordered choices . Karly, our waitress was quite busy but attentive to customers . it gets busy with a lot of "regulars." Definitely coming back here , read more

I had been to this spot once a few years ago and didn't remember too much about it, but we decided to stop in for breakfast while running errands on Saturday morning. It was later in the morning, so we didn't wait, but I'm sure the place gets pretty busy on weekends. Our server was friendly and efficient, not very talkative, but that's okay. I ordered the Taos wrap and added chorizo to it with fruit for my side, and my boyfriend got some kind of omelette with home fries. We'd already had our coffee that morning so I can't speak to how the coffee is here. My breakfast was pretty dang good. I was impressed and had a tough time not eating past the point of being full. The wrap was a little bit greasy, but there really is no such thing as non-greasy chorizo. I expected the fruit to be a small cup of underripe melon, but I was pleasantly surprised they brought out a small plate with large slices of melon and pineapple, a small bunch of red grapes, and a few juicy orange slices. My boyfriend didn't say much, but I think he liked his food. We noticed on the ticket that I didn't get charged to add the chorizo so we had the cashier tack that on, and our tab was about $22. We had a $10 off $20 Restaurant.com coupon, so we used that, but you could easily get in and out for a little less than $20 for two people. I didn't see much on the menu that was over $10. The prices seem pretty average compared to other breakfast joints. read more

Would not let me give you no stars...ugh! I would never recommend this place ever! We waited for 30 minutes to have a party of four seated before us and when I questioned the hostess who turns out to be the owner. She only apologized and told me to leave when I told her that I was upset..!!! Whatever happened to customer service...maybe your place of business but we all will tell of our experience with you..which was not a great experience at all! read more

Very Bazaar unfortunate experience upon arriving service was slow and not very many people in the restaurant. Approximately 10 minutes for a survey to approach us taking our coffee order And then another 10 minutes proceeded to go by without receiving our coffee and when the server did come he came with a coffee pot only with out any cups. A woman from around the cashier came over and bent down closely into our friends ear and said "if you continues with your attitude I will have to ask you to leave" and she again repeated herself '" if you continue with your attitude I would have to ask you to leave " We were all in such shock and asking herself what just happened we just asked for coffee and had waited for 20 minutes for it then the women proceeded to walk back around the cashier counter. I was still in shock and I felt someone staring at me, turning my head In the direction of the cashier the same Woman that was just at our table within an inch from our friends ear she raises her voice loud enough for everyone hear saying "stop staring at me" and started taking pictures at me. At that point I said we need to leave I would never trust anyone here to service us food God only knows what they would have done to our food before bringing it out. If anything this woman was a bully trying to flip it around when she was within an inch of my friends ear saying what she said And then accusing me of staring her down quite unbelievable . This should never have happened. We proceeded to have our breakfast at Cracker Barrel and enjoyed our morning together. read more

So I got here at 8:20am and after ignoring me and helping the regulars (Mr. Larry) and pouring coffee for people that came in 10 minutes after me, the waitress Tonya finally took my order at 8:38 am.18 minutes after I was seated. Once I got my food she never checked on me but again, went out of her way to help the regulars. Mr. Larry sat behind me and she asked him 3 times how he was going and then, asked the people in front of me skipping me completely. She literally was swooning over her regulars and ignored me the entire time. I usually tip 20-25% and this is the first time in at least 10 years- and maybe the 3rd time ever - won't be tipping.Food is always good but the service is questionable. read more

Crying Onion Cafe - People in front of me AND the guy behind me where checked on while I was ignored by Tonya-obvious because the tables are in a row - New American Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

My boyfriend and I went here by whim, we googled breakfast, and it was amazing!!! It is a definite mom and pop shop, with simple design, but the food was oustanding. We got different things and both were highly impressed! The restaurant is busy so be patient, some customers were not, but we loved the service and food. read more

Crying Onion Cafe - New American Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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Excellent chicken fried steak. The pancake, huge but lacked flavor, did not seem made from scratch. The service a bit slow, but it was a Sunday morning, after church, so that is to be expected. Thanks for a good meal. read more

Now, this is a busy place, but our waitress was constantly checking in with us and making sure we were feeling welcome. The food was delicious and I will definitely return when I'm in town! Go! read more

Crying Onion Cafe - So many breakfast choices! - New American Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

I heard so much about their pancakes that it is all I ordered. One pancake is so large, it hangs over the edges of the large oval plate, but it is a very thin pancake. Almost more like a crepe. The edges of the pancake are very crispy, almost like they are deep fried. Delicious! read more

About two years ago I was eating breakfast here with a couple friends. I had eaten at this restaurant many times. We were not even done eating when we were asked to pick up the pace as they were too busy for us to take so long. I decided to return today. Warning sign was the owner in the parking lot apologizing to some one that had walked out. I waited for a table and finally got seated. We then waited and waited. The people seated after us got drinks and then food. We were still waiting to even be acknowledged. I addressed this to the owner who informed me that since I raised the level of my voice others were looking at me. I said they should be looking and be aware of the poor service. So she informed me that I would need to leave. They will never be given a third chance by me. read more

I really loved this place! I met one of my dear friends for breakfast on a Sunday and it was a full house. We sat at one of the back tables but could feel the busy energy of the restaurant. Our server was a rockstar server, even with how busy she was. She refilled our coffee without asking,was timely with taking our order and bringing our food. The ambiance of this restaurant has a nice old town feel and I loved that! Quilts are hanging on the wall, which is a treat to see and fun coffee mugs from various states are put to use (mine was from Texas). As far as a breakfast place goes, they have everything needed... good coffee and lots of great breakfast dishes to choose from. Roberto and I shared french toast and an Alamo omelet. Both were enjoyed but the combination of ingredients in the omelet is awesome! The Alamo = seasoned shredded roast beef, sauteed onions, green chilies, and jalapenos. Unique and super delicious! I will be back to the Crying Onion Cafe to try some of their South of the Border choices or maybe the Alamo omelet again! read more

Crying Onion Cafe - French toast! - New American Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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Picked up food once, second time o was on hold!The worst. The worst. Did I say the worst customer service ever. They answer phone and put you on hold. Guess what they never return. I hang up after 8 minutes and try calling back. They must only have that one line with no call waiting because it's busy. One time they took my order and totally messed me up. The lady was so slow and confused on the phone like if taking an order over the phone was never taught by management. I did try to pick up my order which was mixed with another gentleman's order. With the mixup it took an extra 25 minutes of waiting time. The food was cold. The other gentleman and I both looked at each other in hunger and said we are hungry tired and will just take our orders. In reality we should of walked out. They should of brought management to the front. They should of gave us our order free. This restaurant will never learn customer service if they are not penalized. I suggest you not waste your hard earned dollars on this restaurant that does not respect their customers. I suggest you not waste your day off dealing with poor service and cold food. I bless you all in a different direction. read more

I wish I could give them less. Stopped for breakfast we ordered biscuits and gravy and a burger. People came in after us and they were fed and done. The server never came back to our table to refresh our drinks. When we asked to speak to manager she said she would take care of it said it was the burger,that was taking so long she spoke with the server and her response not quietly was whatever. She never came back to our table. At one hour we decided to leave went up to manager to pay our bill she forget it and to just leave. Never will go back. read more

The last time I visited my mom in Tucson, she picked Crying Onion Café for breakfast. I was excited because my mom has great taste and is always finding cute little places. CRYING ONION CAFE Stan Earl and his wife, Deborah Akers-Earl opened the Crying Onion Café in May 2001, after years working for other restaurants. Earl previously worked at Perkins, where he developed a reputation as a workhouse chef and master at the grill, who was known for making giant pancakes and killer omelets. Notoriously shy, he rarely emerged from the kitchen. Sadly, in 2006 Stan Earl died unexpectedly at 50 years old, leaving the business to his wife, who currently continues to run and manage the establishment. THE STORY Crying Onion Café is in a small shop in a strip mall on the north-east corner of Orange Grove and Thornydale, next to Sam Levitz Furniture. it was extremely busy with people who looked like they had an average age of 70. There was a slight wait to get a table. The place is decorated like a group of Grandmothers had an unlimited budget at Hobby Lobby, including vinyl table cloths and menus in plastic. We were seated and the waitress immediately brought out some coffee and crazy mismatched mugs. My mom told me the funny mugs were "a cute thing they do with the customers" to have them bring in mugs. I'm really not entirely sure what she meant, but I stopped asking her questions at that point. My mom usually doesn't pick this style of place, so I started worrying that maybe it's been too long since my last visit. SERVICE EXPERIENCE I got the chorizo scramble with corn tortillas and my mom got the chili/cheese breakfast wrap. The food was good. The service was typical diner style: fast and friendly. CONCLUSION Crying Onion Café is definitely not my scene, but I would go back. 3/5 RECOMMEND OF NOTE *HOURS: Tues-Sun: 6:30am-2pm *Press: Tucson Weekly, tucsonfoodie.com "18 Breakfast Diners To Try," and The Arizona Daily Star/tucson.com all highly recommend Crying Onion Café *There is plenty of parking out front. *For more information: Call directly: 520-531-1330 ~ Crying Onion Café does not have a website. read more

Great little restaurant. Never had a bad meal here. Service is always friendly! Highly recommend the Crying Onion!

If you want a solid American Breakfast, this is probably the place for you... unless you think that breakfast should cost less than $10. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the Crying Onion. The food is straightforward American comfort food: Pancakes, Eggs, Bacon, Omelettes... and a very good Creamed Chipped Beef! The service is competent and professional in that great American Diner kind of way. The decor is genuinely sunny and homey. In short, your grandparents would love the place, and you probably will too... that is, until you get the bill and realize that for what you just paid, you could have had a lot of other options open to you. For the same money, you can go to 5 Points Market, Coronet Cafe, or Little Cafe Poca Cosa and get a TRULY remarkable breakfast that you will remember. For about half the price, you can go to Bobo's and get the exact same food. Granted, you won't be in Marana, and the crowd may be a little grittier than you are used to, but it will do you good. read more

I recommend Crying Onion for the great food, service, and prices. We are visiting Arizona from California and we really like breakfast restaurants. This place prepared everything perfectly. The only problem was that the side of grits were made with water and very little salt. I didn't know anyone eats them this way but maybe? I put margarine and half and half in them and it didn't help. It's not something that affects my overall review as it is not inconsequential. Just don't get the grits of you like them creamy. The biscuit special with sausage and gravy was fantastic. The biscuits were really fluffy and the gravy was really tasty. The chicken fried steak was really great too. It was crispy and tasty and did not have too much breading. read more

We had great service and prices are reasonable. The blueberry pancake was huge and delicious, as were the sausage links. I will definitely come back. read more

The food is amazing and the new owners keep it clean. The French Toast and Pancakes are excellent, We come once a week!

Was served uncooked, runny whites in a Benedict. Sent it back and was served runny whites a second time. By this point, my party had finished their meal. Waitress removed the Benedict from the bill, but when I paid, i was rung up for the full total. It was fixed after Pointing out the error. Still, not returning. read more

I must admit I was a bit skeptical about this restaurant. I mean its in a strip mall next to a Laundromat how good of a place can this be? Don't judge the book by its cover. I peeked inside and noticed the place was packed around 11am on a Monday with local patrons at this local establishment. I had my eye set on the Chicken Parmesan for which was one of the today's specials however by the time they sat us the special was already gone. Everyone is very friendly and the service is top notch. I ended up with the Chicken Fried Steak and immediately you can tell this was handmade and not shipped in. I did expect the place to ship in their food. Even the home fries were good. All and all I was very impressed with the quality of the items and very tasty. I am sure my cholesterol was very high afterwards only because of my selection not because of the quality. read more

Crying Onion Cafe - New American Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Absolutely the best pancakes ever!! Super thin and HUGE! Great food ! I go to this cafe 3-4 times a week! read more

Great local breafast/lunch place. Solid menu with well prepared items. Pace is leisurely but works.

Great Mom and Pop Restaurant with excellent homemade food. Breakfast was delcious, definitely recommend the Huevos Rancheros read more

Crying Onion Cafe - Homemade Huevos Rancheros are delicious. Definitely recommend. - New American Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Homemade, fresh, delicious, big portions....what else do I need to say? Okay, I'll tell you. Huevos Rancheros were served hot , a large portion with warm tortillas. The pork was soft, covered with an over-easy egg, this was a great breakfast, that kept us full through lunch. Their sausage biscuit special had homemade biscuits with sausage in the middle, covered with their delicious gravy. I am annoyed when food is ruined by too much salt, so I was worried about this dish. The biscuit was fluffy and light, the sausage had little greasiness and the gravy was smooth, creamy (not gloppy), perfectly seasoned and HOT. My other pet peeve is cold gravy, so,I considered this the perfect breakfast. I would come early on weekends, but we will be back for sure. I wish I could have been here with my parents. This is the kind of homey place they loved. read more

This used to be my favorite breakfast place in Tucson! I loved the pancakes! Now every time I come here it gets worse and worse. The hostess is totally clueless. The servers are horrible. Totally unapologetic. They're serving cold food. Always out of everything. I sadly don't recommend this place to anyone ever. read more

We have eaten here a few times. The service is great and the food is outstanding for breakfast. Get here either early or late but unless you want to wait don't come during prime time breakfast because this place can pack out pretty quick. This is probably one of the best chicken fried steak and eggs I have ever eaten. The coffee cake instead of the toast is the way to go. The portion sizes are good and I never walk out hungry. read more

I waited to be seated or acknowledged for over 10 min some say the food may be good but there service is not good at all

Hopping! Yeah, get here early. The pancakes are huge - the menu says the plate will disappear and that's true. They are thin, however, on the crepe side rather than the cake side. Makes for crispy edges. The fruit was gooey and warm and studded all over. I like that pancake orders can be strictly carbs or you can get them as a combo with your protein. I'm a purist; breakfast means eggs to me. Fruit on the side, by the by, is a plate of cut fruit that was actually good-looking, as opposed to a sad option for the health conscious. Not just melon and grapes, either. There is melon and grapes. Our waitress asked about how we liked our bacon - a great idea given the stark opposition to the other side in the floppy versus crispy camps. A totally solid traditional, diner style breakfast. I won't claim the menu is inventive or any of the combinations are ground shaking but everything was delicious. read more

Great value, service and best buttermilk pancakes in the city,hands down.been coming here for breakfast for years.brought my son here when he was in town read more

Craving a sweet potato pancake the size of your face? This is your place! The service here is always very good and they make me feel like I am a regular even though I am not. The prices are more than Jerry Bob's but the selection is vast. Food is consistently good and the portions are large. Some could consider the decor tacky but I have always found it to be quaint. The dining room is small and has more people sitting in it than a church on Easter morning. Don't let that intimate you. Go, GO GO maybe even run there right now ( if it is during there limited business hour's! ). This is a must try on the Northwest side. read more

I've been here three previous times for breakfast. Past experiences have been very good. Today, the food remained good as usual, however, the service was slow and unfriendly. I was disappointed by the lackluster attitude of the server. read more

Breakfast was decent, not brilliant. Staff was great though. I find it interesting how many restaurants in AZ serve tator tots. Any explanations or back story there? Don't get me wrong. I love me some tater tots, and when offered I will order them. read more