Izzys cafe is trash. I ate there a while back and was unimpressed to say the least. Like the true masochist that I am, I decided to try them again. I called to place an order. The lady said, "whoa hold up" or something along those lines and set the phone down. I could hear her interacting with people. I waited for a while and eventually hung up. I tried to call again a few minutes later and they did not answer. Im at subway now, about to pay $5 instead of $15 for a sandwich and I don't have to deal with that rude lady at the register. I'd say this is a win, but a definite loss for Izzys Cafe. I will not be giving y'all any further energy or money. read more

IZZY'S IS EXCELLENT if you're in the area, stop in. The food is cooked to perfection and the people are very friendly.

My friend took me here Wednesday and I was definitely not disappointed. I knew for sure I wanted to try their brisket but there were so many options so I had asked my server for recommendations and he said his favorite was the brisket melt. My friend got their soup of the day, the loaded potato soup, and it smelled amazing. The food came out fairly quick. The brisket melt came with fries and everything was amazing. Generous portions, my friends shared a sandwich and I greedily didn't so I had leftovers. read more

Izzy's Cafe - Brisket melt - Barbeque Near Me - El Cajon, California

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Got the Non-Menu item - One pound of Brisket with Blanes BBQ sauce. The BBQ sauce has a nice kick to it, and the Brisket was melt in your mouth Fantastic. No sides needed. But save room for their Deep Fried Pies. read more

Izzy's Cafe - Non-Menu, One Pound Brisket with Blanes BBQ sauce. - Barbeque Near Me - El Cajon, California

" Their Senior Breakfast Omelet Was Very Good " I went to the Izzy's Cafe for breakfast the other day and had a delicious meal. Nikki my server was very nice as she hustled all over the restaurant helping everyone as Izzy's Cafe was packed. I tried the Senior Omelet which came with Ham & Cheese and 3 eggs. It was cook well and was very tasty. The breakfast also came with either Hash Brown or Country Potatoes and your choice of different favors of toast. I also tried some country gravy to put on myu potatoes. Everything was cooked very well and was very good. And with Nikki's great service, my breakfast experience was wonderful. Check them out ! read more

Izzy's Cafe - Senior Breakfast Omelet - Barbeque Near Me - El Cajon, California

I've never been disappointed whenever I go here! The food and atmosphere is delightful. I'd recommend the brisket and eggs. Definitely my family's favorite spot for brunch when we're all in town. Update on 10/20/2017 Still great food, however we used to be able to do phone orders on the weekend (Sunday mainly, my family comes over to watch football and we loved ordering Izzy's) and now they don't let you because they say it's too busy. I went in a couple times around the same time I used to order over the phone and it was almost dead. Pretty disappointed as I love their food, but we've started ordering at a different cafe as they still allow phone orders. read more

We were in the vicinity getting our RV smog'ed and wanted a quick breakfast while we waited. Izzy's turned out to be perfect! Fast & friendly service and excellent food. Our Belgian waffle and egg, bacon & hash brown meals couldn't have been any better. We will be back! read more

It is pretty good. Their service is a little slow sometimes and the food is okay. Nothing amazing.

We'd really wanted a good, promising breakfast place near my home, that offers grits and biscuits, and boy, did we find it!! We'd come here for the 1st time and after realizing that we're to seat ourselves, the waitresses were extremely welcoming and professional! The food came out nice and hot, AS IT SHOULD (but doesn't in some establishments, for some reason). I'd ordered the BBQ brisket, scrambled eggs, and grits, with biscuits and bacon gravy it was DELICIOUS, and I'd never even ordered brisket before. So, it was great to try a new dish and NOT be disappointed Only 4 stars here because the restaurant closes early read more

Izzy's Cafe - I'd ordered the BBQ brisket, scrambled eggs, and grits, with biscuits and bacon gravy it was DELICIOUS - Barbeque Near Me - El Cajon, California

Dirty, unorganized, judgmental white people in shorts and no manner and all around a messy environment the food wasn't even a 5/10 wouldn't recommend if you weren't an old timer. read more

If you like homestyle breakfast that will leave you wabbling out stuffed from the most delicious breakfast you've probably had in a long time, then check out Izzys. There might be a wait to get seated (that only means it's as good as I'm saying) but the wait goes really fast so don't leave. Totally worth it and the inside has so much to look at that it really makes you feel like you're in a country kitchen. read more

Good small town food. Quant atmosphere Popular friendly service Great for a tasty lunch read more

Thank you for the food. It was delicious! Love, Salma (A 9 year old kid, who is a very picky eater)...so if she loved it, you KNOW IT WAS GOOD! read more

Great food and staff. My favorite place to take the wife and kids for a good breakfast. Oh and the Navy bean soup is delicious for sure.

Veggie scramble is the best. Coffee is not good at all but the food is great. The zucchini muffins are to die for. Owners are great. This is definitely a family/locals atmosphere. Good parking. read more

Went there today and I got a blta and my Sandwich had maybe 1.5 pieces of bacon and stacked with lettuce. I go there a lot and I feel lately they just don't care on the presentation of the food. Waitress was great though as always! read more

First, let me say that Dasha is the one waitress that keeps Izzys going... she is absolutely the best. The food has always been good with no complaints except with our last visit. Now with all that being said, when you are seated at the booths near the front door you have a view of the disgustingly filthy floor in the entrance that hasn't been cleaned in years. How about trying to clean them at least once a week so our food is a little more appetizing. Izzy's had always been our go to place when we eat out... so please clean the floors or seat us somewhere else so we don't have to look at that filth. read more

Izzy's Cafe - Filthy front entrance floors! - Barbeque Near Me - El Cajon, California

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Had a very amazing breakfast with family! And the service was so friendly and helpful!

i love izzy 's the pancakes are so good. the sasage patty are the best . youall come get some southern food. the staff are very good. i went for my birthday 10 days latter my wife went for her birthday too. read more

This is one of those (not so) hidden gems you must try. Everything is first quality. Whenever I end up back in San Diego I make it a point to come up to this little Homestyle comfort food haven. This CFS (Chicken Fried Steak) has moved into the #1 position for me. The Fremont Diner (goo.gl/dmmWw7) held this title for years but they pulled it from the menu because either the're elitist self-entitled snobs or idiots. Izzy's is the best I can find in California. There are a few things that need to happen to have a good CFS. First, (and I find this to be the biggest oversight) the quality of the meat. Izzy's has a great tasting meat in every bite and never dry. The cut has great juicy flavor to start with. Second, the gravy. It needs to have more than just a good consistency but a great flavor that doesn't overpower the breading. Finally, a good, yet not too hard, crunch on the portions not yet soaked with that amazing gravy. This is a great CFS. Everybody gets it, so should you. A must here is the barbeque. It's what everybody talks about and for good reason. Start with the BBQ Beef Brisket your first time diving into the barbeque selections. It'll feed that craving you've had for that great flavor. It's just the right amount of sweet and that slow, deep smoke flavor that you can only get from a real smoker. This isn't a flavor that just anyone can get. It takes someone who knows what they are doing. I couldn't do it even if I had all the tools a bunch of time and a fancy smoker. Country Potatoes - Bam! Spot on. Some of the best I've had. Look at all those other reviews on the spuds! These are no joke. Order them just to try one bite and let me know if there not the best you've ever had. Fried Pie - Can I be honest with you for a minute? I'd never had a true fried pie before this place found me. I really thought that Hostess thing I loved in grade school was it but I was an idiot. You have got to save room one of these days and get you breakfast to go and order one of these happy little puppies. Search for the word, "pie" and look at all the happy people that agree with me. Pulled Pork - I could eat this every day. It's actually a good thing that I don't live in El Cajon or I'd eat here too often. I don't think I can get tired of it. There is a little shack in Kauai that does it equally well and slightly different but I only go there once every few years. Here I can come in relatively often. The friendly wait staff - Every waitress I've had here had been very friendly. As you know this is one of the most important things. It's easy to come back to a place where the servers are friendly. This says something about the management/owner(s). Go on Thursday! I'm going to pop this bubble right now. If you come in on a Thursday there is never a wait and your meal comes out super fast. This note is for those people who want to come into a quiet coffee shop with that true locals vibe. It's the best time to come. See you on Thursday. read more

5 points review ***** *****Very clean place, including restrooms, tables and floor. *****Excellent service, friendly and very attentive. "Yeah no problem". *****Food is excellent, best pancakes ever tasted. Let say high quality pancakes. So good that I thought they were small. Ranch Omelette was good and fresh taste. Fresh coffee. ****Price was ok, a little higher for a breakfast, not for a every day morning kind of price for me. *****Things that can be improved: More napkins on table and fresh house salsa for omelettes (not bottle salsa) tomatoes, onions and cilantro. read more

Izzy's Cafe - My 5 points review ***** - Barbeque Near Me - El Cajon, California

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Best grits I have had in San Diego. Their coffee is great. Louisiana hot sausage breakfast is my go to dish. Muffins and coffee cake are bit too sweet for my taste. My boyfriend loves this place too. Can get super busy after 9 am on the weekends but so it goes. Sometimes there are too many screaming children here but that is out of their control. read more

A tattooed dude with chains stood up in his booth at Izzy's Cafe and recommended that I order the Brisket. He was a tough bearded man. Then he said to his lady, "Don't bother my motorcycle". It was parked outside. Then another lady in a booth behind me told me to get the brisket as well. I abandoned my healthy choice omelette and ordered the BBQ beef brisket with eggs for $11.25. The meat is mesquite smoked for up to 15 hours. This is an excellent and hearty breakfast at a very reasonable price. The quality of the meat and the portion makes it a good value. Izzy's Cafe in El Cajon is that kind of place. The customers are loyal and they won't steer you wrong! It has the feel of an old fashioned diner where you can still get home style cooking. The menu has a variety, everything from healthy choice options to BBQ meats smoked for up to 15 hours. I'll happily return to Izzy's, and I look forward to settling into a booth and exploring the menu. read more

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Came here for breakfast with my mom and kiddo, service was fast and friendly and the food was great. I had the brisket with scrambled eggs which was delicious only thing is next time I'll ask for the bbq sauce on the side but it was good I just like my brisket plain. You get a lot of food on your plate the muffins are yummy. My mom went with one of the senior plates and was impressed with the price and all the food that comes with it, my daughter had the pancakes with strawberrys and whipped cream and ate every last bite! Will definitely return for some good breakfast especially since they are just down the street from where we live. read more

Izzy's is always good, quite busy in the morning but good food and service is excellent.

Bumped into this local restaurant accidentally as I was starving & entered from the back of the cafe. Such a delightful experience. This place creates a warm welcome environment, like home. Staffs are so friendly & attentive. I felt as a part of their family at this local restaurant, similar waking up at granny's place with breakfast. Didn't have a chance to explore the menu. However, their bacon is the bomb. First, can't go wrong with bacon. But their bacon is smoked, thick cut, & lean. Would love to be back here again if I am in the area. read more

Great greasy spoon great food and service. Highly recommend Izzy's Don't miss just down the street from Parkway plaza read more

Dr. Manhattan: "There is no future. There is no past. Do you see? Time is simultaneous, an intricately structured jewel that humans insist on viewing one edge at a time, when the whole design is visible in every facet." Alan Moore - Watchmen There use to be more places like this. These old cafes... I miss these old places from when I was young. These old places had character. Like the old donut shop I started going to when I was 3. The rickety screen door which didn't quite close properly. The scent of fresh donuts and apple pie which wafted out into the street. Izzy's. Doesn't look like much from the outside but inside are treasures from the past and delicious scents. Inside is what I have spent my life looking for since they blew up Jack and took fried apple turnovers off the menu at Jack in the Box. Fried apple pie. Flaky crust. Unique flavor of fried pastry dough. Filling with equal parts apple and sweetness. They call it a fried apple pie but it tastes just like a Jack In The Box hot apple turnover. Best fried apple pie I have ever had. Another thing Izzy's makes better than anywhere else are the country potatoes. Crispy outside and and creamy inside with rich potato flavor. Brisket was tender and had a bit of smoky aroma. Pulled pork was melt in your mouth tender. Sauce had a bit of tang to offset the sweetness. Pork ribs were very tender and had nice smoky flavor. Peach pie had the same delicious fried pastry flavor plus the peach filling flavor. Izzy's. Place is a gem. Delicious fried pies bring me back to days past when donuts and apple pies were available beyond the rickety screen door of the nearby donut shop. read more

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I got my introduction to Izzy's Cafe from Omar S at his UYE. I fell in love with the pancakes. Sure, I could try other items on the menu, and maybe one day I will, but why mess with perfection? These pancakes are light and airy. They are melt in your mouth fluffy. They are fill up the plate substantial. They come with a mound of butter on top. I'm kinda drooling just thinking about them. So I brought my son and his little buddy who has been sleeping over because they're both bored apart. I'm just a glorified chauffeur nowadays. It was a Saturday morning, so we had to wait about 25 minutes for a table. As we were going to our table she asked us what we wanted to drink, that was nice because it speeded things up and the boys were thirsty. They were able to choose their food fast. Hunger must've taken over. Our server was very friendly and sweet. She didn't bat an eye when I ordered like someone who hasn't eaten in days. And wasn't phased when I cleaned all my plates either! I like no judgement in a food server :-) I was a bit sad that they ran out of the deep fried pies again. I'm gonna blame this on Soo H since he left around the time we got our table. I bet he took all the pies with him on the way out, that rascal. Everyone was happy with their food. I must say the country potatoes were especially delicious, I'm happy I tried them after reading Margaret A's review. I mean, hey, I really needed that third plate of food. And no one mentioned the sausage patties last time I was here, I got them this time. They were also tasty, better than the links. I also appreciate that they always come around to top off your coffee. It's the little things that make a gal happy. There is plenty of parking here. They have a lot in the back, plus there is street parking as well. They have a small covered patio with about eight tables outside. There is a small amount of bar seating too. The menu here is pretty extensive. They are mostly open for breakfast and lunch. I'm told they are open two nights a week for dinner, Thursday and Friday. They're closed on Sunday's. read more

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This morning, I found myself in El Cajon and hungry for some breakfast. A quick Yelp search turned up Izzy's Cafe. From the street, the restaurant looks fairly nondescript. Parking on the street was plentiful and I was quickly inside finding a seat. The decor is pretty typical of a family run cafe with walls covered with miscellaneous Americana. It feels homey like a visit to your great aunts house in the country. The staff here was first class. I got some of the best service I've experienced in a while. Jackie took the lead in taking care of me but it was a team effort. I felt the love like only a good old school cafe can deliver. The coffee and food was good and hearty. I ordered the Special Omelette with country potatoes and coffeecake. The coffeecake arrived appropriately with my coffee. It was sweet and buttery with a strong dose of cinnamon. The day's omelette came with bacon, avocado, spinach, mushrooms and cheese, all of my favorite omelette fillings. It was well balanced with the right combination of egg and filling to keep everything together. I will happily return and want to see if their barbecue is on par with the breakfast options. read more

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I love this place. Best food in town. Brisket is the best. I crave those breakfast every morning . read more

This is the perfect restaurant for breakfast or BBQ brisket. The eggs were prepared exactly as ordered. The grits were the perfect consistency. I am from the South. I know perfect grits. You need no teeth to eat The bbq brisket . The bbq sauce was very complimentary to the beef. The coffee cake is more like a sock it to me cake vs a breakfast cinnamon roll. read more

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I really love BBQ and this place just fell short for me. There are 2 different types of BBQ joints for me: 1) Where they actually BBQ the food on a grill or pit like Coop' BBQ (the best) 2) where they boil/cook the food in an oven and slap some sauce on it. This place was #2. That's not a bad thing because Phil's BBQ is a #2 to me and they are really good! This was very basic to me, but did have some of the best customer service. We did not have to want for anything and multiple waitresses kept coming by and offering help. I had the beef ribs dinner. You definitely get some great portions but in terms of taste it was just ok. Something you or I could have made at home. I wouldn't go back. I'd prefer Phil's & Coop's. read more

Izzy's Cafe - BBQ Beef Ribs - Barbeque Near Me - El Cajon, California

Check your flatware! My fork had food stuck to it and the so called eggs benedict was gross. Staff was nice. I wouldn't waste my time here again. read more

Izzy's Cafe - Eggs Benedict - Barbeque Near Me - El Cajon, California

Got a gift certificate to Izzy's and saw the reviews and was looking forward to trying it. Fantastic! Love the throw back feel and the feel was totally kickback. If you are in a hurry this is not your stop. You can enjoy your food and not feel rushed. I had the BBQ brisket... Melt in your mouth good. Great flavor too. Started with the corn fritters. Ah-mazing! Must get for sure. The food quality was totally made with love . I am so glad I found this gem in El Cajon. We live 30 min south so knowing this place is here where I work is a bonus. read more

Izzy's Cafe - Corn Fritters a MUST - Barbeque Near Me - El Cajon, California

Mr. GOOD LOOKIN IS COOKIN'! I haven't even gotten my food yet & I'm so loving this vibe. Corner breakfast brunch diner. Waiters are friendly & the decor is just too cute. Feels real homey in here :) With the smell, I definitely have to come back for their barbeque! Per recommendation of my gorgeous waitress, I ordered the southern scramble with country potatoes (with reviews I need to try their hash browns but went with the potatoes just cuz of the name of the scramble haha) & biscuits! I also ordered the Sweeney stuffed French toast lol cuz I wanted something sweet. I work early mornings & decided why not! Go big or go home Foods here! & everything is as delicious as it looks! Glad I came here to check it out. I was debating to give another good place I've tried for breakfast once another taste. Maybe next time ;) read more

Izzy's Cafe - Yes all for me! Don't judge me! Haha! - Barbeque Near Me - El Cajon, California

Okay Beatriz was our waiter Abd she was excellent filling our coffees and bringing us French Vanilla creamers. I would recommend this place the crepes were very good, the French toast and Belgian waffle. My family enjoyed the omelette and scrambled eggs! All in all an excellent breakfast! read more

I came here with a friend and my daughter after doing some early morning shopping at Target. The restaurant is on the smaller side and so is the parking lot. When we were seated it was by a woman, about 5'3 and wore her hair in a short cut, just about her shoulders with an ombre style that went from dark brown to fushia purple. She wasn't the nicest of hosts, not mean, just didn't seem to care about her job much. When she sat us down and started walking away I was surprised to see she hadn't asked if I wanted a high chair for my daughter. I asked her if I could have a high chair. She turned around, looked at me and than down at my daughter. "For the baby?" she asked. I held my tongue from saying anything sarcastic but I know my face read "Really? Who else would it be for other than my 1 year old ,22 pound baby?" Instead I smiled and replied "Yes please." Our waitress was a woman with big black rimmed glasses and berry red hair. She was phenomenal. I was disappointed that I forgot to request her name. She was very nice and very patient . I noticed that they didn't have a section with food that was low calorie or healthy . Their menu was very basic, a menu you could get at most diners. I also noticed their prices were a little high for what you were getting. I ordered the eggs and bacon that came with your choice of potatoes and bread. I ordered scrambled eggs, home style potatoes and wheat toast. The eggs were simple and the toast was too, except they layer their bread thick with butter. I love butter so I didn't mind it but if you're someone who doesn't enjoy a lot of butter on their toast I would make a note of that when you order. The bacon was amazing. Super thick and seasoned. Home potatoes were also amazing. Seasoned and with plenty of onions and bell peppers. If you don't like plain half and half with your coffee ask for the flavored creamers and they will give you hazelnut and vanilla. Overall I would come back if I was in the neighborhood and getting together with friends/family for breakfast. read more

Interested in trying the chicken fried chicken? Or country fried steak? Is this place really 4.5 stars? Looking to maybe try this place? Think again...! I've tried many different kind of country fried foods and this was by far the worst food of its kind I've ever tried. The breading and skin was very soggy, and not the meat was not fresh, texture felt microwaved and stale. This costed almost $13 for this entree... 100% not worth it at all! Even at half price wouldn't be worth it. This type of quality speaks for all of its choices on the menu! Honestly any other place may be better, even Denny's! There are better quality breakfast places out there. This is very mediocre at best. read more

They have the best turkey melt ever! I go in there 3x a week for that sandwich. The staff is amazing and so sweet.