Value: Generous portions at good prices! Great selection of items. It was only a $0.70 up charge to change the toast to a griddled blueberry muffin. Service: True small town feel. Locally owned and operated. We usually have Gerry or her daughter, Megan, as our server and both are fantastic. Atmosphere: Cute cabin-style decor, busy and filled with chatter from all the locals. True Maine experience! Food: So damn delicious!! Huge portions, perfectly cooked, and great variety. My favorites were the griddled homemade blueberry muffin and crispy home fries with onions. No matter what you order, it's good! read more

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Recent visit early Sat with a small line. This is usual but I have never waited that long. Big table but we were quickly accommodated. The waitress was friendly, attentive and professional. It's one room but not too loud. Everyone got something different. I ordered a half Eggs Benedict. The egg was cooked perfectly ham and hollandaise same. Everyone raved about their orders which isn't the usual. Also quick turnaround start to finish if that's important. I have also been there at lunch and their cheeseburger is too die for. There is a reason for the line. read more

Best breakfast we've had in Maine by far. Service was great too. And, well, as far as ambiance, it was perfect for a local breakfast diner. We will be eating there every morning while we are here. read more

Early Bird Restaurant - #5 - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Oakland, Maine

#1 this greasy spoon is in Oakland Maine not Waterville. That's it's only positive point. I despise using Yelp however peeps need to know and more traffic here than trip advisor. Early Bird in the day was amazing good food, people, and was a clean environment. Now they are always short staffed, for quality is like from save a lot of the dollar store. And the worst is the hygiene or lack thereof for the cook and one waitress was in her pj's and very unprofessional. I know this sounds harsh but it's the truth. My daughter was sick after eating the fruit cup ok plus my Daddy was a minister so God will back me up. Ok my dears go eat olive garden or IHOP only 15 minutes away read more

Outstanding food and service of all the restaurants in the area that I have tried! Good large portions and excellent service! The only problem is that they close at 11:30 am so you must get there early to experience this fine dining experience! I give it a 5 star rating! read more

If I could do one star I would. I have tried repeat to give this place a chance. Each time left me both disappointed and sick. Another thing my partner a left a review on here on google and it was taken down. To give a quick summary of the last visit which I will admit was last year. I had no idea they had yelp until today. Anyway, I remember it well as my hot cocoa had an oily substance up top. The pancakes were not cooked and had raw flour. Home fries were bland even with salt, pepper, and ketchup on them. Another thing was the service. I had tried to talk to my server who suggested the pancakes. She wouldn't talk to me. I tried to talk to the owner wouldn't talk to me. Even a few days later explaining how the food made me sick they didn't care. read more

Just finished and I am stuffed. Food was good. Service was excellent and we will definitely be back. Coffee was good. And the French toast tasted so good I really didn't need the syrup. Highly recommend if you are in the area. Our server Gerry was very nice! read more

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Awesome breakfast! Friendly service. Self seating be careful that you don't jump the line! Food was great & arrived quickly! read more

Can't beat breakfast at the Early Bird Get there early and you won't be disappointed, food is well prepared and delicious, staff are always pleasant, there's always a line because they have the best breakfast in the area Eggs Benedict is always well prepared You won't be disappointed with them read more

First timers. We got there and there was a wait so we knew it had to be good. We waited 15-20 minutes to get a table. Our waitress Gerry was pleasant and efficient. Since the place was full we expected a long wait for the food. It was delivered in about 10 minutes. I had the eggs Benedict and it was great. Husband had the French toast. 3 large slices. We got in and out quicker than we had imagined. We will be back again soon! read more

It's a diner. If that is what you want, it's perfect. Great breakfasts, very reasonable prices. That said, it's no secret, so be prepared to wait on the weekends. But it is worth the wait!!!! Only "complaint" i would have is that they don't have waffles!!! read more

Perfect in every way. The best employees - from kitchen to wait staff. Very traditional menu all of which is great. read more

A staple for this area. Everyone loves it here. A cute little Sunday morning spot. It's crowded but still a good atmosphere.

A classic take on diners we all love. Early Bird combines great service with fast service. Only once in my travels have a had a bad experience here, it was after Covid and staffing was extremely poor like most places. There omelettes are soft and delicious and are paired well with a homemade muffin! If you are there on the weekend you will probably see me there. 10/10 read more

Early Bird is by far the best breakfast place around Central Maine. Everything comes out so fast yet cooked to perfection. Their cinnamon rolls are absolutely to die for, toast comes buttered and toasted perfectly, corned beef hash is amazing, their pancakes are some of the best around. They have amazing muffins as well as amazing lunch options. My favorite is their turkey club, absolutely delicious. Before their new hours we were there every Wednesday. It can get busy there at times but the staff is always kind and courteous. Wait times have never been super long for me, but if they are, it's completely worth the wait. Definitely recommend to anyone in the area. read more

Best place for breakfast in the area. Unfortunately they are closed on Tuesday and Wednesda. Also they modified their hours, open until 11:30 am. And the don't serve lunch anymore. Bummer!! read more

A great local spot. The food is generally good although the menu leaves a lot to be desired. Most of the breakfast combos only come with two eggs which isnt a dealbreaker but if you have a hearty appetite, you may want to add a few eggs on the side. Coffee is always fresh, service is always top notch. My biggest complaint is they dont offer dinner. In this town, any dine in restaurant offering dinner would probably be very popular. Other than that, theres no reason you shouldn't try Early Bird. read more

Local place. Large portions. Basic breakfast items. No gluten free. The cooks don't wear gloves. I hats.

Once a year visit from CT for Dynamite. Never disappoints! Absolutely delicious food and fast service! I wish I could eat here daily! Friendly staff and great location. read more

Early Bird Restaurant - Dynamite!!! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Oakland, Maine

Tried this cafe last Sunday morning. Nice young woman was our wait staff. Very attentive. Food came out quickly. Amazing watching the turn over of tables which made the wsit go quickly. We were there about 10:45. Basic breakfast options in a pkeassnt, clean environment. Tried the coconut pie...it was made from pudding mix. Disappointing. read more

Very friendly diner! Great food and super fast service. Good for breakfast brunch or even lunch read more

I love this place, the food is fresh and well cooked, service was awesome, when in town I highly recommend this place. During the fall and always on weekends it gets very busy. Awesome place to great a huge breakfast and lunch - bring cash as they don't take credit cards. read more

The Crowd: mostly locals, the occasional colby/thomas college student who is tired of the dining halls. The Food: dirt cheap eggs, pancakes, what have you, all of decent quality. The baked goods are pretty good and, frankly, it's the best meal you can find at 4:45 a.m. in the oakland/waterville area. Note: all juices- including the "fresh" oj- are from mixes. The Atmosphere: clean but pretty low key- what do you want from a place that charges about two bucks for a stack of pancakes? The Bottom Line: not bad. Cheap, good, quick food: not much to complain about. Parking is easy and ample. Great for a hungover brunch. read more

Five stars for the Early Bird! Classic Maine breakfast joint. Delicious food, generous portions, friendly servers. The muffins are a must. Here's how you know these guys know their shit. When you order a muffin grilled, they slice it into three pieces, not just two, without us even asking them to do so. The egg dishes are always excellent, and my hash-loving brother gives the Early Bird's a thumbs-up. The clientele is mostly locals, but people from away like us are always treated very nicely. Breakfast is the best meal in Maine, so we set the bar high, and these guys clear it with ease. read more

Oh my. Early Bird knows how to do breakfast. Came here this past weekend on a visit to Maine and ate like kings. It was crazy packed on a Sunday morning (always a good sign) but we were seated in 15 minutes, no hassle. We ordered the grilled pumpkin muffin, cinnamon roll, fried eggs, hash browns, ham, bacon... everything we could stomach! And for so, so cheap. It was all delicious. I'm salivating just thinking about that pumpkin muffin and those hash browns. Will definitely be trying the ginormous pancakes next time! read more

The portions are really huge. Great home style meals. Very simple cute decor with friendly and quick service. Note early open and closing times. read more

Early Bird Restaurant - the front of the restaurant - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Oakland, Maine

Cash only, be ready to wait. You could eat for days on your one meal. So affordable. You just can't go wrong!

This place is solid Americana. Honorable greasy spoon. The food is basic and well made. Nothing fancy or foodie. I come hear every summer when I bring my son to camp. The wait staff are hard working and honest. read more

Early Bird Restaurant - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Oakland, Maine

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I've been going to this place for family breakfasts since I was young. The serving sizes are fairly large, so you're getting what you pay for. That almost is a negative, though, because I usually want to order a plethora of food, knowing that if I do, most of it will go to waste. It's best to go with some friends (or family), buy everything you want, and split it. When I go, I usually get some sort of egg omelet, a muffin (get it grilled--trust me), some hash browns, and chocolate milk. It's somewhat of a tradition, I think. Definitely give this place a try. read more

The Early Bird is actually located on Main Street in Oakland, ME. It is a great restaurant serving very good food with large portions, half orders are also available. Excellent fish chowder on Fridays. read more

Best breakfast place ever! The service is so nice, they are quick getting your food, cheap and give you a very good portion of food! Definitely coming back! read more

Breakfast for lunch? Why not. Always friendly, always busy. Great food in a very relaxed atmosphere. Sit at the counter and chat with the cooks. Just really great (and varied) specials. I particularly enjoy the "Mac & Cheese with Ham" and of course, "Chicken on a Biskit with Mashed." You can even have eggs and bacon for lunch. Always very courteous always delicious. read more

We were in town for Parent's weekend....I agree - if you are in the area for lunch or breakfast, do try it out! The portions were good and not greasey and the wait was worth it. The atmosphere is cheerful and very simple...very. Prices are outrageously reasonable read more

While visiting from San Diego, I had breakfast here twice. Great home spun flavor, both food and customers. Service was all smiles, and it took only minutes for our food to arrive. I have to go here whenever in town. read more

I'm deducting a star because this establishment is cash-only (seriously, it's 2014) and the menu I was handed was physically nasty-dirty. Other than that, the food was very good. I ordered the eggs benedict, and the english muffin was crispy and perfect, the eggs were poached perfectly and the hollandaise was tasty, however, there was so much hollandaise on the plate that the muffin quickly became soggy, which was disappointing. It should top the eggs, not be the main component of the dish. My boyfriend got the sausage gravy and biscuit, which I thought was just average (I could make it at home). The portions were large. The coffee was pretty terrible though, but I don't go to a place like this for good coffee. read more

Open from 5:30am-2:00pm. Great breakfasts and the hot chicken sandwich with gravy is incredible. Supposedly everything is made there including the bread. The best part is that the portions are huge. Worth checking out if you're in the area. Always packed with locals. read more

Our waitress Gerry made a great meal ever better! Probably the best waitress we've ever had. The restaurant was very busy, she didn't stop moving, yet had a constant smile on her face and had time to make an impression on us. If you stop in, ask her for a riddle. read more

CASH ONLY!!! Was unprepared and had to run over to ATM when I got my bill!! but overall a pretty good breakfast with just the right portions and fast too. Um did I say CASH ONLY!!, hard to believe that there are still places like this but when in Maine..... read more

This is the best breakfast restaurant around! Seat your self, you may have to wait for a table ,however it's WELL worth the wait! The food is delicious and the wait staff is EXCELLENT! You certainly won't leave here hungry! The owners are generally behind the counter taking the cash, perhaps they could smile or be a bit more friendly, however they certainly know how to run a quaint Maine Breakfast/lunch restaurant! Be sure and go hungry.....the pancakes are the size of the plate! Delicious! Breakfast or lunch I've NEVER had a bad meal here and my family and I eat here two or three times a week! Yummy! FYI - Bring cash because they don't take credit or debit read more

We travel over 30 minutes, passing several other restaurants to get to the Earlybird Cafe. The food is classic diner fare - hot, good, and plentiful. We've eaten both breakfast and lunch, averaging once a week, and have never had a bad meal or mediocre service. What sets this place apart from the others is consistency. Although the place is always packed, we've never had to wait more than two minutes to be waited on. Our food arrives so quickly that we're still amazed each time. It seems there are a lot of hobbyists who think they can run a restaurant. Having worked as restaurant managers, these places are easy to spot. But this isn't one of them. Don't let the hometown atmosphere here fool you. These people know their stuff and habitually impress! Bottom line? Despite the 30 minute drive, we get served faster at The Earlybird than if we stayed in town. The food and the service are CONSISTENTLY great, the prices are very reasonable, and the atmosphere is warm and friendly. Don't pass this one up!! read more