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    Esau's Cafe

    3.9 (476 reviews)
    Closed 7:30 am - 2:00 pm

    Esau's Cafe Photos

    ESAU'S CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for kids
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Esau's Cafe

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    Chicken Posole + BLT (cup of soup & 1/2 sandwich combo)
    Cynthia E.

    Nice and clean, great food. They have two separate outdoor seating area which were nice on a breezy sunny afternoon. We were looking for a restaurant still serving breakfast at 1:30 pm. The posole was delicious and this restaurant is within walking distance from the Carpinteria State Beach campground and the beach in a cute walkable part of downtown.

    Bagel with lox and cream cheese Lox and Bagel
    Ana Maria O.

    Came here for breakfast. Plenty of seating inside and out, we opted for outside. I ordered a biscuit with marmalade and a fruit bowl which was really good. My honey ordered the bagel with lox and cream cheese which he loved. The service was great and the ambiance very comfortable and clean. I would definitely return and recommend!

    Ordered a side of gravy, and it was a very large side.
    Zuri M.

    This breakfast was really good! They have all the classic breakfast items, but I was really wowed by the chocolate chip banana bread french toast. It was a unique item, and really good. And a big portion. Service was friendly, and the atmosphere was comfortable. The restaurant is smaller inside, but definitely wasn't loud or uncomfortable.

    3 Egg Mexican Omelette
    Sebastian B.

    The ambiance of this place is like mid 2000 diner well decorated nice breeze outside seating is also very nice with water bowls if you have dogs. Pride welcome too ig. Everything is reasonably priced also and lunch is all day. Staff is nice and attentive. I got the chicken and waffles and it was amazing the waffles were good and toasty, chicken was fried amazingly and it had very good seasoning and nice crispness, my friend got the cob salad and he said it was good a pretty normal salad and my other friend got the omelette type of thing and said it was also very good so overall 8.5/10 the water also isn't very dirty and tastes good.

    Dita Y.

    It took a while for someone to notice me and ask if my order was taken. I was the first in the line (of almost no people) to sign up to be seated for the breakfast, more than a half of all tables were vacant. It felt like I was invisible for about 20 minutes. The food was ok but I didn't feel welcomed there while other people were getting their food I was still waiting to order. The server was very nice, but he was not supposed to wait on my table obviously, he just helped me to get my order because he actually saw me unlike others. I'd understand if they were packed but being half empty it is just weird

    Huevos Rancheros with avocado added and  home fried potatoes. Side of pinto beans that comes with the dish.
    M. S.

    First off, Esau's is a Santa Barbara institution that has found a cozy new home near the beach in Carpinteria. I had not eaten there in decades! I was seated inside at a booth and thankfully, another customer overheard me deliberating and enthusiastically recommended the green sauce for eggs. I took their advice and indeed, this was no ordinary salsa verde that one imagines over their huevos rancheros. The salsa was of a delectable combination of fresh herbs -- and splendid! The salsa verde in itself is the reason I'll return to Esau's when I'm in town again. The little bowl of pinto beans with feta (not cotija, which can be too salty but is quite similar to feta, only drier) was delicious. I wish I'd had room for them all. The potatoes were good but maybe a bit too crisp, which I have trouble admitting. Next time I'll try their hash browns, the other potato option. Waitstaff were friendly; my busboy was more attentive than my server, though. I wish they'd step up their coffee game. Love the vibe on this stretch of the road. After this satisfying breakfast I took a stroll down to the beach and watched the seagulls park on the sand and intermittently fly in various formations.

    Javier S.

    Scape from Burbank to Carpinteria for coffee and ended up finding this little place call EASUS CAFE amazingly beautiful and great tasty food the MOCO LOLO make me feel in Hawaii definitely the best in all Los Angeles area for sure. make your way here for a nice day at the beach and few steps away from this coffee shop

    My protein scramble.  3 eggs and loaded with meat and cheese
    Gregory B.

    What a menu in this diner in Carpenteria that oozes authentic vintage in every way!!! Breakfast offerings: scrambles, omelets, Benedict's, Mexican classics, pancakes, waffles ... you name it, they have it ... fresh and fast. This place has been around since 1930's ... great story and still going strong. If you get to Carpenteria, Ca, you have to try it. Service graciously provided by children of the owners (40+ years). Super friendly and efficient. Free parking at public lot across street from side of building make this a no brainer. I expect on weekends it's crowded. It was bustling on Wednesday morning I was there. About 10 dog friendly bistro tables on sidewalk in front under umbrellas. Restrooms on site. About $15-20 pp for huge portions. It's a winner

    Hot Chocolate with whipped cream
    Kim J.

    The hot chocolate was good. The chicken biscuit was highly disappointing. They used dark meat and mine was very greasy and thin on meat. The biscuit was more of a bun than an actual biscuit. The atmosphere outside was great and the staff was nice. Just didn't care for the food.

    Pozole bowl
    Sue H.

    Super friendly greeting by a gentleman who brought us menus on the patio and answered a few questions. Server came around and tried to tell me I couldn't get a side salad with the pozole, and I had to push her to offer me a salad with the price the gentleman gave, and she only said no we only have the half and full ($14 and $16). Then I had to still decline the full sized entree salad with my GIANT bowl of pozole, and tell her that was bad business to not offer a side salad with soup. Only then she came up with a smaller side salad option "from the old dinner menu" . Frankly if a customer wants to spend money, don't be so eager to say no! Soup and salad shouldn't be so difficult! The pozole was an enormous portion of brilliant orange broth with shredded chicken and lots of hominy. Almost a stew it was very filling. The toppings were plentiful and quite excellent with white onion, avocado and cabbage. The side salad was not the estimated $5 but $7.95 as a smaller side version of the bigger two garden salads. I had to hold the sunflower seeds, sprouts, and zucchini, my problem. Somehow we missed the mushrooms (which I would have eaten) but the order was EXACTLY CORRECT so Whatever. But the salad was excellent, I must say! It had a whole hard boiled egg, cheese, peppers, tomatoes and what had to be half an avocado over nice fresh lettuce. I am thankful that it came on a large oval plate because it was overflowing the tiny bowl. I dumped it out on the plate to eat it, and had honest difficulty finishing all of it. Balsamic dressing, homemade, was great; glad I asked which ones were made in house. Had to take some of the pozole with me for the next day. Spicy! Hearty! Healthy! Husband ordered the works omelet (ham sausage bacon mushroom onions cheddar, hold the sour cream) with hashbrowns. He scarfed down all the eggs and left some of the soft potatoes, as the hash browns were only slightly brown. Sorry no picture! Should have tried the home fries! Would happily visit again next time we are in Carpenteria!

    Rosa G.

    Great food and delicious jalapeños, the service was ok I had to ask for more coffee 2 times since the first guy forgot about it. The ambience was casual we sat outside very calm and nice for a morning.

    Omg. The Buttermilk Biscuits. So perfect.
    Afi P.

    The hubs and I stopped at this place on the way to visit an alpaca farm that's about ten minutes away. The wait: Nonexistent. There was a long line when we walked up. We signed our name to the wait list and we were called within about 12 minutes. While we waited, we walked to the beachfront and took a few pictures and breathed in the fresh air! The service: Lovely. I had been having a challenging 2024 and Yadira's smile felt like genuine warmth and home. We could see she was busy and being pulled in a million directions but she paused and gave us a genuine smile and was full of kindness. She was patient with us and answered our questions while she took our order. She literally brought light to what had been a challenging year! The food: We only ordered scrambled eggs, hashbrowns, and two biscuits. What in the holy moly?!!!! The biscuits were fantastic! They're homemade. They were accompanied by homemade strawberry jam and whipped butter. Holy moly that biscuit is everything! The eggs and hash were yummy as well. But, again....the biscuit!

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    1 day ago

    Best breakfast around!! Some much to choose from and different types of breakfast options. Great staff! I recommend the French Toast!!!!!

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    7 months ago

    Food was ok and the service was a 5 out of 10. Table we sat at was sticky and the silverware was dirty.

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    3 months ago

    We really enjoyed our breakfast and especially sitting outside. Great food, good coffee, and good service Highly recommend.

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    9 months ago

    Best chicken enchiladas I have ever had. Every time I am in town I make it a point to try their wonderful breakfasts. A Carpenteria classic.

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    6 months ago

    Best service and amazing breakfast. Never fails to please whenever we're in Carpenteria

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    Ask the Community - Esau's Cafe

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    Esau's Cafe - breakfast_brunch - Updated May 2026

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