When my family and I were first looking to relocate to north Idaho, our real estate agent recommended this place rather emphatically. It has since become a semi regular place for us when we're looking for breakfast or lunch of the sort that ends up being just about the only meal we'll eat that day. I can't recommend it from experience, but Green Eggs & Ham is what really put Hoot Owl on the map. But for my money, it doesn't get much better than their Ranch Burger. Breakfast or lunch, that's my go to along with an endless cup of coffee and tall glass of ice water. Whoever decided to mix ranch dressing and barbecue sauce deserves and Nobel effing Peace Prize. My wife has tried a number of their omelette and scramble offerings and never been disappointed. And then there's the cinnamon rolls. Brace yourself because it's literally the size of your face. Dripping in frosting and served with roughly half a cube of whipped butter, the cinnamon roll is an event unto itself, and definitely a prime item for sharing with the table. The atmosphere is very cozy and...Rural. It feels like something out of a period film; very down to earth and eclectic with lots of owl knickknacks all over the place. If you've a bad back or bad posture, I'd recommend a table over a booth as the booths are a little short in the seat and very straight backed. Parking is usually not bad, even when they're busy (which is often), but it's in a dirt lot that shares its real estate with a drive through coffee shack. Lots of potholes at the entrance, so depending upon your vehicle, get ready to slalom a bit. The restaurant offers free WiFi to guests and is relatively kid friendly with plenty of high chairs, decks of cards at the table, etc. Service has always been friendly and expedient. They recently started tacking on a 3% surcharge for card transactions, but if you pay cash you get a discount...Of 3%. Heh. Anyway, if you're in the area and you want a big meal at a decent price, this place is fantastic. Forgot to mention prices, but a half pound specialty burger with fries ranges $13-$16, and similar pricing on other entree menu items. Get you some. read more

The Hoot Owl is what you'd expect for a diner experience. Upon entering, I was greeted by the staff and the booths of older folks and the wonderful smell of hot coffee. It is a cute, quaint place. Being an older building and a restaurant that has run for many years, there are some things that have fallen through the cracks, like neglecting to clean the windowsill of dead flies. Not the most pleasant site right next to our booth. Service was friendly and quick. We had our food in no time. I got the Eggs Benedict and my husband got the Chicken Fried Steak. Food was mediocre and the portions were unnecessarily huge. read more

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We were back at the Hoot Owl during our recent trip to Sandpoint. Everything was just as we remembered it: Huge portions, friendly service and roomy booths. We enjoyed typical breakfast staples, which were delicious. This time we sampled the Cinnamon Roll as Big as Your Face. That was no lie and we wolfed it down. The best breakfast near town!!! read more

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We were visiting the area and found this place on Yelp. It's the kind of place I like to find in any town. It's the kind of place locals go to on their way to work regularly. Just a small hole in the wall breakfast place with really good food and friendly service. I passed on my standard Chicken fried steak and eggs for a similar Dels chicken. Basically the same but chicken instead. It was great. She ordered the Taco Breakfast Burrito which was awesome. I had to get a pancake on the side and they make a good pancake. If your visiting Sandpoint it is worth the short drive to get a great breakfast. read more

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Unreal sizes and taste is extraordinary! Best hidden Gem in North Idaho! Very reasonable prices! read more

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Absolutely fabulous food and great service! We found the restaurant on Yelp and loved it at first site - the building has so much character! The staff were welcoming, we met the owner, and the food was delicious. We highly recommend the Hoot Owl Cafe and we'll visit again when traveling through. read more

Hoot Owl Cafe - The Turkey Crunch - Diners Near Me - Ponderay, Idaho

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Today was our first time at Hoot Owl Cafe & WOW, what took us so long?! It was very busy on a mid-Monday afternoon which is a great sign. We noticed big portions & delicious looking meals when we walked in. The food was absolutely amazing - perfectly seasoned, even my two year old was eating off of everyone's plates. Our server was so friendly and thoughtful as well. This is definitely our new go-to spot!! So worth the drive from CDA! Prices were awesome too! read more

The Hoot Owl cafe is amazing with great service. The food is fresh and prepared with love. Met the owners today for the first time: They are great people. This is a must place to eat at. read more

We are now hearing the owl hoot anytime we are near. It calls, "You know you want my amazing food! How about a waffle!" LOL We are now hooked on the Hoot Owl. Their Liege Waffle will make you melt right in the booth. You won't believe the glory you are tasting. Eggs Benedict is amazing with portions that will fill a mountain man. The service is superb and with smiling faces. The ambiance is an old fashioned diner, but feels like everyone in there is your neighbor and you are all happy to see each other. It's a warm, friendly, delicious experience. Don't miss out on one of the finest experiences in all of the panhandle. read more

This little place is the absolute bomb!!! It is the quintessential hole in the wall that you read and hear about. Food is yummy, prices right, and service is home town top notch. If you leave here hungry, you are not human. Very generous portions. Go. Your welcome. read more

Food and service were amazing! We were there for breakfast, my husband had the corned beef hash & i had the sausage links. So very good, huge amount. So good my husband wanted to come back for lunch. read more

Mary and I stopped in for breakfast on Saturday, our first visit. This building has been here for a long time and looks the part, the inside is eclectic and worn, but with old style charm. While worn, everything was clean. We were greeted by friendly staff and seated; the coffee came right out. We split and order of the Hashbrowns Supreme; hashbrowns with peppers, onions, scrambled eggs, ham, cheese, and topped with country gravy. A huge serving came out, even split on two plates, each was enough for two people, it was delicious! Get in here and give this place a try. read more

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We stopped here for lunch while waiting for paperwork to be completed on a purchase. Food was GREAT! Service was terrible. I asked for coffee and it took quite some time to get it. I even asked twice. They did apologize after they finally brought it. Then it took almost 20 minutes to get them to let us check out and get to go food containers. Nobody ever came back after our food was served, and ask how it was, or ask if I wanted a refill on my coffee. read more

Best little greasy spoon in town so good that when you get there, you might even have to wait to get in but trust me it's worth the wait. Don't go anywhere else! Staff is super friendly and the food is delicious. read more

Awesome food. I do have one suggestion though you may not want to eat the day before. Portions are huge

I'd like to say don't come here but only because I want it all to myself!! This place has all the charm, taste, and love of your grandmas house! Don't pass this one up read more

Great breakfast! Had the Bomb Diddy which was in fact bomb. Fun friendly service. Wish I lived here so I could try everything!

Hoot owl is the tits. 5 stars. Great staff, consistent food. Definitely go here. Unless you are mean, then go away. read more

Hoot Owl Cafe - Breakfast burger (no bun) - Diners Near Me - Ponderay, Idaho

It's been my experience that any eatery with a dirt parking lot is gonna be great. The Hoot Owl did not disappoint! The rustic charm is welcoming. The food is delicious. The staff are very friendly. read more

OH Loved - This Place Love Love... TIP: Come on Free Cookie Friday... It was like a blueberry muffin cookie (Muffooki?) We had a group that expanded at the restaurant to 8 to 10... We loved the food, the people cool & service too Our team ate various breakfast to lunch items - BLT, Pigs in the blanket, I had the corn beef hash/Eggs - SCrumptous - where is pictures - got to take more LOL Nice stop, nice people and guest - clean good ez access to the road read more

Couple years later and nothing's changed. That's a GOOD thing, too! Fabulous people here making fantastic food at small town prices. If you like home style food with the friendliest staff, you will not be disappointed. CFS was so big I had to take half of it home! The gravy was near perfection with big chunks of sausage and a good peppery zing. The wife had the Redneck Benedict which also came topped with sausage gravy. That, too was a pretty good sized portion. Nothing I would change here... absolutely nothing! read more

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The food was beyond good! We were only up there for a wedding for a couple days and we ate breakfast there both mornings because it was so good the previous day. The setup inside was really cute and they have signs hung up all over with funny sayings. Both waitresses we had over the weekend were super sweet and stayed on top of refilling our coffees and checking up on us. read more

Hoot Owl Cafe - This is the Hot Totty scramble. - Diners Near Me - Ponderay, Idaho

Delicious breakfast with wonderful service- I had the green eggs and ham and it was so good! read more

Hoot Owl Cafe - Green Eggs and Ham - Diners Near Me - Ponderay, Idaho

What an amazing surprise this place was. Yes, from the outside it doesn't impress. The food and service were top notch! I had the homemade corned beef hash with eggs over easy and hashbrowns. Loved the hash, very clean and tasty. Hashbrowns were perfectly cooked as were the eggs. Wife had their unique version of eggs benedict. Amazing sauce! Really tasty. We'll be sure to return next time were near Sandlake. We were there near the end of their day and watched them spotlessly clean the whole establishment. How often do you see them invert the chairs and wipe down the legs thoroughly? read more

What else can I say about the Hoot Owl that hasn't already been said by others? Homemade, huge portions, fresh and delicious. Service was great. The waitresses were constantly walking around and offering coffee or anything else we needed. This place has been around forever and it looks that way because of the decor, but the allure is real. I have been here many times and it's still amazing. If you want to eat great food and feel uncomfortably full the rest of the day, then come here. Breakfast is key but if you have things to do, I would suggest ordering the half orders or take food home. Don't try and finish it like I do every time. Time for a nap! read more

Four stars for massive quantities of greasy spoon comfort food in a divey setting busting with charm. Honestly the food is not great but there's a shit-ton of it. I appreciate this. You may not. The quality is on par with truck stop food. Get the half order of chicken fried steak if you want what's a usual "full order" at any other restaurant. Get the full order of you want to share. The gravy has that artificial, oily-slick quality to it that indicates to me origins in a concentrate where you just add water. Not great, but it hits the spot if you know what you're getting. Steak itself was fine. Biscuits are quite good. Toast is fine and the "butter" is not butter, but some cheap margarine/oil blend that is butter-like. My eggs were cooked to spec and swimming in oil. Hashbrowns were very good and crisp. Soda comes in a can and will cost you two whole fucking dollars which shouldn't outrage me but it does. Cinnamon roll is pretty big but not truly as big as my face... Maybe two cells phones lying side by side. It tasted pretty good and had good texture. It's a cinnamon roll. By the review so far you'd think I was throwing this place firmly under the bus. I'm not, just trying to be descriptive because if you come in looking for "four-star" quality in the food you'll be disappointed. The service was great and the atmosphere is home-grown and welcoming. There are ancient trivia cards at the table to impress your friends and lovers with your knowledge of "When Harry Met Sally" and the life and times of Gerald Ford. And again, the portions were massive, which was exactly what I was craving on a cold, rainy, shitty Saturday morning during this sad sack "winter" of 23/24. It hit the spot and I enjoyed the humble environs. Pay cash if you want brownie points with the business owner. read more

We drive from Spokane just to have breakfast here a few times a year. Tasty, hearty portions and we've never been disappointed. Super friendly staff and quick to serve you. (The place is always busy) Warm, kitschy decor that always keeps us guessing what's new. They LOVE cash, but do accept card payment we'll be back again soon! read more

Hoot Owl Cafe - Traditional Eggs Benedict with shaved Black Forest ham - Diners Near Me - Ponderay, Idaho

Cute place. Service was very good and the food was great! Portions are huge! You could tell that people Love this place and they have many regulars. read more

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This small cafe is a well visited spot in Ponderay. It was very busy! When I finally got a seat, the service was fast. I ordered the corned beef hash, which was sadly mostly diced potatoes with corned beef mixed in. I was hoping for more meat. The hash browns were perfectly crisp and the eggs cooked to order. I was surprised by how great the sourdough bread toast was. I also ordered a giant cinnamon roll and Leige waffles to go. The cinnamon roll filled the entire styrofoam to go container! The Leige waffles were authentic. Just like how they make them in Europe. Crisp and hearty with sugar crystals melting in my mouth with every bite! They were so good that they didn't make the drive home. I will definitely come back for those waffles the next time I'm in town! read more

Hoot Owl Cafe - Corned Beef Hash, Hasbrowns, Eggs, Sourdough Toast - Diners Near Me - Ponderay, Idaho

The Hoot Owl had been on our bucket list for some time. We finally got a chance to try their great home style food. The portions were generous & the service was fast and friendly. I had the Irish BLT & it didn't disappoint. Like a Reuben & a BLT had a baby. So good. DH had the 4 piece chicken strips and fries. Nice white meat strips with plenty of fries. We'll have to try their breakfast soon. It's legendary. read more

We've eaten here before, but not since the new owners took over. Breakfast was as delicious as it's ever been. My dad had Green Eggs and Ham. I had the Redneck Benny. His dish had a nice and thick slice of ham, topped with eggs, pesto, fresh spinach, and slices of bright green avocado. Mine was a fluffy and flavorful biscuit topped with a fried egg, sausage patty, and sausage and pepper gravy that was rich and creamy. The coffee is hot and the service is great. read more

Hoot Owl Cafe - Redneck Benny - Diners Near Me - Ponderay, Idaho

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Food is great! Nice diner atmosphere, good service lots of items to choose from along with daily specials

Basically I'm trying to figure out when I can come back to Pend Orielle, so I can eat here again Next week it is- OK! LOL! Food - 4/5 stars. I ordered steel cut oats "pimped up," even though we all know the expression is "pimped out," Hahaa. Basically it's added nuts and dried cranberries in addition to the raisins. The oats were cooked PERFECTLY. I know, it's oatmeal, but when done right, it's heaven. These were. Not mushy at all. I was hoping for more nuts with the "pimped" upcharge. I also ordered a side if scrambled eggs and hash browns with salsa. Very simple. Very good. The browns were not greasy!! Hallelujah! The side of salsa was pretty paltry, and I can't stand refrigerated salsa with my food. The coldness on my eggs always grosses me out, but whatever. Seriously good and a very good value. Hubby had the Hotty Totty. 5 STARS!! This is what we will be driving 80 minutes to have again. It's pictured. It's covered and smothered tater tots. And while not the first time I've seen these on a b-fast menu, this was the first time we actually ordered it, based on the description alone. They had us at "jalapeños." Until the end, each tater tot was crispy...without being oily! The flavors were smoky and savory. But the texture was the star! I realized after the fact (we were driving home) that it was supposed to be served with either gravy or sour cream and salsa (yes, I was back on yelp, re-reading the menu). It'd have been nice if the waitress had asked us what we wanted, since it's part of the dish. Especially bc hubby said, the only thing that would have made that better was sour cream. I actually haven't told him they omitted it yet. Bwahaha. He won't read this, right!? He'll definitely figure it out when we come to eat this next week and I request the sour cream and salsa! Even though the gravy would be dank!! Service was very friendly, very family-at-home-everyone-is-taken-care-of vibe. That's a nice vibe!! I highly recommend! Enjoyyy! Anz read more

Hoot Owl Cafe - Pimped out steel-cut oats. Perfection. - Diners Near Me - Ponderay, Idaho

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Welcoming & very friendly staff as well as the sound of happy/connected customers. The menu has ample delicious options to choose from. The food was yummy, generous portions with great prices. The decor has a funky-fun colorful vibe! The tables are set with a variety of Trivia Pursuit cards that adds an extra bit of fun brain power to your group. I highly recommend this cafe! Thank you Hoot Owl crew for being you! read more

They were quite busy on a Thursday late morning. Kimberley provided excellent service and fabulous retorts! The menu is extensive with lots of really cool specials. Making a decision was hard. But we started with iced coffee and a monstrous cinnamon roll - it was one of the best we've had. Patrick chose the breakfast hamburger - it was pretty decent. I had the green eggs and ham - ham steak covered with cheese, eggs scrambled with lots of green veggies. It was pretty rich - I could only eat half. Of course, the cinnamon roll might have contributed to that! I also love that it's a family business - the youngsters working were extremely attentive to refills, bussing plates, and rolling silverware. Love that work ethic! Great rustic charm. read more

The food was delicious. I had the green eggs and ham. Made green with pesto, spinach, and avocade. So good. The service was good. Nice hostess and waitress. We were able to get in and out pretty quickly. It's looks like a shack. It's clean inside and has got personality. I love the sayings all over the walls. Recommend. read more

Hoot Owl Cafe - Green eggs and ham - Diners Near Me - Ponderay, Idaho

Finally got up to Sandpoint on a date day. We have been meaning to stop in at the Hoot Owl Cafe for a while but timing never seemed to work. We had a blooper on my end figuring out their hours which delayed us from earlier in the week, but it was worth the wait! Today was the day! We got in around 8am and while they had folks coming and going, it was down a notch with the tourists gone. Winning! When we saw a bunch of hard-working older folks and families at the tables, it confirmed this was both a local hangout and it was a good value. I had a ham and cheese omelet and my wife had the veggie omelet. When they came out we thought the table would buckle. Portion sizes are GIGANTIC. Like eyebrow raising, Mr Scott "I need MORE POWER" level! I'm a big guy. 6'4", and I can do some damage to a breakfast. It's in my DNA. But that omelet is probably as much cubed ham as egg, with a healthy dose of cheese. All the components were quality. Had a side of sausage patty to go with the toast. Massive set of hash browns to go with it. And the two ladies that served us were sweethearts. In the end, I barely finished half the omelet, scarfed the patties and toast and had a bit of the hash browns. My wife loved her veggie omelet and likewise only got about halfway. She got a side of bacon extra crispy, and it was PERFECT. Price was a good value, especially given the serving sizes in today's inflation-riddled world. I can't recommend this place enough - it's a gem. While we can't make it up that way as much as we would like, Hoot Owl is EASILY our fav breakfast place. Can't wait to take visiting family up there soon. Gonna have to skip a few meals beforehand to finish that omelet. Will have to channel my inner Joey Chestnut! Eye of the Tiger!!! Haha One minor ding. You guys need a webpage (we discussed this on FB this week). Yelp largely has you covered but it doesn't do you guys justice. Would love to know the history of the place, etc. read more

Excellent little mountain diner. Tasty food, huge portions, and reasonable prices. The service is friendly and the coffee is bottomless (as it should be). The menu is expansive and ranges from diner classics like patty melts and French dip sandwiches to breakfast burritos. Wish they had real maple syrup, but I can understand why not and that's not a dealbreaker. read more

We eat here every time we come up to Sandpoint. They always accommodate our large group and provide a delicious hearty breakfast.

Long wait for food , and hour last two visits. Warm food , week ago ordered pancake, rubbery, cold and Tbspn of butter. Egg cooked right, but chilly. This week ordered French toast, 1/2c butter, cold food and egg not cooked as requested. A wasted 2 hours. read more